Ch.356356. Resolution (9) / Revised

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Of course, all demons are certainly obsessed with me, but among them, the Grey Demon’s existence is truly unparalleled.

All events, big and small, that involve demons ultimately revolve around this one.

Like with the Yellow Demon, and the future Elia-Luminary case—in the end, aren’t they all connected to me through this one?

‘Come to think of it, it’s rather contradictory.’

Despite wanting to monopolize me so badly, it helps others. The motivation seems unclear.

And after giving it my utmost consideration, I’ve reached only one conclusion.

‘It must be confidence.’

As long as I’m still breathing, no matter where I am or who I’m involved with, it already considers me its possession.

And in that regard.

[Found you.]

For the first time, I hear the voice.

It’s proof that I’ve grown closer to demonhood, but it also means this one is being “sincere.”

This one.

It’s incredibly angry right now.

The voice alone carries a chill that could bring frost in midsummer, making both me and the Luminary flinch.

-…

-…

-…!!!!

A slash.

Of course, each of Elnore’s strikes carries enough monstrous power to strip flesh from bone, but this one is particularly exceptional.

It’s enough to make me dodge in terror, despite having survived several deaths already, when normally I wouldn’t even blink at ordinary attacks.

“…Insane.”

The Luminary mutters with a dizzy expression.

Anyone would react that way if they saw the massive “void” left in the wake of that slash.

It’s not just that things in its path are torn, shattered, or vaporized—it’s as if that portion of the world itself has been “deleted.”

It’s like having administrator privileges in a programmed world all by yourself.

“The void zone—it wasn’t created by demon remains, but by this person alone, wasn’t it?”

“…That’s convincing.”

Saying that, I watch Elnore walking steadily toward us with glazed eyes.

Her body still wears the wedding dress she had on just today, and her appearance is definitely that of my fiancée, but it’s painfully obvious that the entity controlling that body is a “different being.”

Like someone who crossed the void zone in one breath, without a single wound on her body, she trudges forward like a marionette controlled by someone else—a scene straight out of a horror movie.

“…What about Talker?”

[I killed him.]

“…And Elia?”

[I knocked her out temporarily. She’d be angry otherwise.]

I’m not sure whether to be grateful or sad that she knocked out Elia out of consideration for my feelings.

“…Hey, teacher.”

The Luminary speaks with half-lidded eyes after observing the scene.

“I was almost convinced about neutralizing all demons. But it feels like the biggest obstacle remains, doesn’t it?”

“…”

That’s true.

I take a deep breath, unconsciously feeling sweat on my palms.

Meanwhile, the words of Elnore—the Grey Demon—before me continued.

[I’ve been waiting, waiting only for this moment.]

Ecstasy, pleasure, decadence, obsession.

A voice that seems to melt all these together seeps into my eardrums with venomous intent, spreading in all directions.

[The moment when other stray cats can’t lay claim to ‘what’s mine.’ The moment when you become wholly and solely mine.]

“…”

Ah.

Hearing those words, I can’t help but smile wryly.

It’s clear now that this was another reason why this one, despite its obsession with me, gave “opportunities” to other women.

My “ultimate goal” in coming this far was to erase the threat of all demons so I could live “normally” like a human, and the Grey Demon likely anticipated this thought of mine long ago.

And if it could make other women help me achieve this state… then there would be absolutely nothing that could stop this one.

‘Really living up to the final boss title.’

Waiting until the very end to monopolize what it wants—that description fits perfectly.

However.

Despite that.

“We just need to subdue this one, right?”

“No, I’m asking if you can actually do it.”

“I wouldn’t have started if I couldn’t.”

One thing I noticed from the moment I arrived here is that the “main body” of the demon mimicking Elnore’s appearance is nowhere to be found.

From the beginning.

One thing I noticed from the moment I arrived here is that the “main body” of the demon mimicking Elnore’s appearance is nowhere to be found.

This means it anticipated I would do something like this and prepared for this situation from the start.

“…My darling’s confidence is always impressive, isn’t it?”

The Luminary’s expression immediately contorted after saying that.

Probably because Elnore, who had been walking slowly, flew at him with demonic ferocity and grabbed him by the throat.

“-….ugh…!”

One of his arms, which had been holding its own against me all this time while maintaining composure, gets “deleted” in one strike!

“…!”

The Luminary’s face fills with shock as his body is flung away. The shorter Holy Sword he was holding in that arm flies and embeds itself in the ground.

“Really, you monster…!”

Muttering those words while catching his breath, the Luminary raises the Holy Sword he’s still holding in his other hand and points it at the Grey Demon.

“If I hadn’t blocked properly, I would have actually died.”

“…Are you okay?”

“It’s kind of remarkable that you’re asking that to someone who just lost an arm, but I’m fine. That arm was a prosthetic anyway.”

“…”

So I’ve been getting beaten like a dog by someone with a prosthetic arm?

That’s somewhat embarrassing in its own way.

But before I can properly process that fact, another ear-splitting voice drops from in front.

[Don’t call ‘what’s mine’ by such disgusting words, will you?]

“…”

Come on.

She’s married to me in the future, so she can call me that.

Thinking this, I stand beside the Luminary.

With a stance that anyone would see as taking his side, Elnore’s face now frowns.

“Defeating a demon alongside the hero. I think it’s quite a romantic opportunity? I certainly can’t miss that.”

“What are you talking about?”

“…?”

I don’t know what major misunderstanding you have.

I never intended to fight this one in the first place.

“…What are you going to do if you don’t fight?”

“Haven’t you heard that marital fights are like cutting water with a knife?”

“…What are you suddenly talking about in this situation?”

The Luminary utters those words with a bewildered voice, but fighting Elnore right now is clearly meaningless.

Especially if there’s a way to subdue her without fighting.

“…”

After taking one proper deep breath, I walk forward with confident steps.

As I walk, I gather the remaining demonic energy from the floor into my “eyes” using the Tacheon seal.

This allows me to clearly see the grey soul attached to Elnore’s back.

It looks similar to the main bodies of other demon vessels from the future, as if Elnore has been “aged” by a few years.

At first glance.

“…”

But.

There’s a slight difference there.

It’s also the fundamental reason why the Grey Demon has shown behavior patterns distinctly different from other demons until now.

In short.

While other demons could basically communicate properly with themselves, this one probably hasn’t had a proper conversation with either the demon itself or the vessel until now.

[As expected, I knew you would come to me—]

As soon as the Grey Demon begins speaking with an “I knew it” voice when I approach closer,

I look straight into its eyes and deploy my “ultimate weapon.”

“You took my virginity.”

[…]

The Grey Demon’s body freezes.

An unusually bewildered expression appears on its face.

“…Why bring that up here all of a sudden…?”

“…”

I can hear the Luminary throwing those words from behind me, showing how absurd he finds the current situation.

No.

This might sound really strange, but it’s a card that can’t help but be effective in the current situation.

“…Why is that effective…?”

“Because there’s someone here who would flip out if they got confirmation of what they’ve only suspected until now.”

Indeed, as soon as those words end, the Grey Demon’s increasingly distorted appearance proves this statement.

The inhuman quality controlling Elnore’s body like a marionette suddenly recedes, and actions showing “consciousness” begin to appear, causing the demon’s face to contort even more.

It might be my imagination, but I can almost see cold sweat dripping down…

“…What did you say?”

Then.

As the grey energy around Elnore’s eyes dissipates, the words that follow are undoubtedly…

“Who did what with whom…?”

[…]

It was far more terrifying than when she first appeared here.

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