Ch.409Collapsed Daily Life of an NPC. (3)

[*Ding♬ You have received 6,000 damage to your heart.*]

[*Effect negated as you have no heart.*]

-KWAAANG!!!

“KUUURGH?!!”

Master’s fist finally pierced through the Pope’s heart.

Hang in there. If we don’t get up quickly, we’ll be in serious trouble. No, why aren’t those two above coming down faster? With this much magical energy, they should have noticed and rushed down by now. Feeling irritated by this, I deflect another power that lunges at Master.

[*Ding♬ You have received 29,000 damage to your left arm.*]

[*Effect disappears as you have no arm.*]

“Gorya!! This is making me nervous! Are you sure you’re okay?!”

-KWAJIJIK!!!

“KUAAAA! Damn it!! What, what is interfering here?!!!”

His heart exploded, and his head was shattered multiple times. Yet the Pope’s body continues to resurrect.

Foolish old man, what’s the point of making a deal with a devil for an immortal body? Just because the body doesn’t die doesn’t mean the mind and soul don’t suffer from shock. The old man’s mind has already been destroyed beyond recognition by Master’s otherworldly attacks. That’s why his appearance in ‘my world’ is…

[Why pretend to be in pain when there’s nothing wrong with your true form? Or is it pride that hurts? Are you frustrated that your powers are blocked by someone like me who doesn’t even have a physical body?]

[*Ding♬ You have received 13,000 damage to your left leg.*]

[*Effect disappears as your leg has been destroyed.*]

He’s desperate. Desperately hurling powers at Master, only to be blocked by my [Mimicry]. But since Master has no magical power, it’s difficult to drive him away. If this war of attrition continues, Master’s stamina will run out first, regardless of the power issue. However…

[They’re really late. Are they finally coming?]

“DIEEEEEE!!!”

“KUAAAAA!!!”

“Jack♥!! Get out of the way!!!”

-KWAJIJIK!! KWAAAAAAANG!!!

“KUK?!!”

“What are you doing?! Why didn’t you dodge…!! Ah, is he affected by that bastard’s power?!!”

Black lightning strikes down, and Master almost gets thrown backward in the blast, but Luxuria swoops in at incredible speed and catches him.

Right. The situation upstairs is over, so why were they dawdling instead of coming quickly?

“Ugh…! Lu, Luxuria?”

“KAHAAAP!!! Damn you, LUXURIAAAA!!”

“Hey asshole! I’m here too!!!”

-KWAAAAAAANG!!!

“KUHEOUK?!! A, Avaritia!! YOU TRAITOOOR!!!”

[-Occupation: Devil Market NPC- Level: 410 Name: Avaritia.]

[Devil of Lust (Luxuria): Level 1,236]

The previous generation Luxuria that Luxuria had mentioned—the one inside her. She shows an impossible level as she takes over the body and guards Master’s front, while the Market Lord hovers in the sky, glaring at the Pope’s body with eyes burning with rage that look ready to blow up everything around. Good. With this…

“You piece of shit. I thought you transferred your powers to the Pope, but I should have known. You made another fucked-up contract, didn’t you?”

“You dared to touch my darling♥. I was planning to kill you when I found you anyway, but now I really won’t let you off.”

The massive cavity quickly fills with pitch-black demonic energy. Three of the Seven Deadly Sins together. One of them is even the previous Lust who has survived for 4,000 years. Judging by her reaction, she clearly has a personal grudge against Pride. She approaches him, exuding demonic energy even more viscous and slimy than what’s emanating from the Pope’s body.

“…You. Don’t tell me.”

“Ahah!♡ What? You didn’t know I was here? How was it, did you enjoy betraying me 8,000 years ago? Want to try it again now?”

“Huh? 8,000 years? Hey, weren’t you born less than 4,000 years ago?”

-KWAJIJIK! KWAJIJIJIK!!!

The demonic energy she releases is more intense and hopeless than any of the Seven Deadly Sins I’ve seen before. It’s literally the first time I’ve felt relieved that such a devil isn’t an enemy. And Avaritia, though confused by her words, diligently joins Luxuria in cornering the Pope, maximizing his powers to block the escape routes. Good, this situation isn’t bad at a—

“Kuk, kuk… Kukukuku!!”

[?]

“Hmm~?”

“Wh-what? What’s so funny?”

-KWAJIJIJIK!!!

“Uh?!”

Luxuria, as if understanding the meaning behind his laughter, irritably waves her hand to blow up the Pope’s body, while Avaritia backs away in surprise and readjusts his demonic energy. What’s going on? What’s happening?

“KAHAHAHA!!! Yes, ‘Luxuria,’ so you’ve gotten involved too. It seems this really is the end.”

It was an old man’s body. It should have been using an old man’s vocal cords and voice. But from within the black burning lightning, a voice of indeterminate gender erupts, and Luxuria begins to withdraw her demonic energy with an annoyed expression. Why? If we kill him here, everything ends. Why?!

“You vile bastard. How many of this generation’s Seven Deadly Sins have you devoured this time?”

“Kufufu. Want to know? Well, it would be unfair for you to die ignorantly twice, so I’ll tell you. Except for you two, all of them. Wrath, Greed, Envy, Sloth. They’ve all fallen under my Pride’s power. So, what do you think, Luxuria? Would you, who couldn’t be added to me because you were annihilated by God 8,000 years ago, like to become my subordinate here?”

“You’re talking nonsense~♡ I don’t know about the others, but you ate Sloth~? You who failed 8,000 years ago and tried to eat me first but failed? Pufufu♥!”

“……”

I feel frustrated watching these two suddenly change the atmosphere with their conversation that only they seem to understand. Just kill him already, damn it!

“…Fine, I haven’t absorbed Sloth’s power yet. But it won’t be like before. I don’t know how many cycles you remember, but I recall almost everything. This is the end. When this ends, the ‘world’ will be subordinate to me.”

“Bullshit. How many times have you said that? Even if I remember less than you as you claim, you’ll fail this time too. And this time, the ‘world’ will finally break free. Because in all the worlds in my memory, the ‘plan’ has never been twisted as perfectly as it is now.”

“What the fuck, are these two ignoring me even though I’m also one of the Seven Deadly Sins?!”

-KWAAAANG!!!

As if voicing my thoughts, Avaritia hurls a massive chunk of demonic energy at the lightning-engulfed Pope, causing an explosion. The Pope laughs even more amusedly, while Luxuria shakes her head slightly as if it’s pointless.

“The same? THE SAME?! Don’t talk nonsense. Do you think I, who has recalled everything, am the same as you lot who are merely materials prepared by the world?! Luxuria, you must know too. This world has already reached its limit. From the moment that inadequate thing was chosen as one of the Seven Deadly Sins, the world’s cycle began to see its end!!”

“…You’ve always been so arrogant. That’s why you were chosen as Pride, but I don’t think that Greed is inadequate. Rather, those who can’t even prepare for the next cycle without using such a rotten body are far worse than them.”

“…Kufufu. Fine, keep deluding yourself. Anyway, you can’t stop me. It’s only natural that you, who can barely defeat Behemoth in your current state, cannot prevent the coming outcome.”

“You fucking bastard. If you’re so confident, why don’t you leave that old man’s body behind?”

“Why should I? The old Pope wanted to live longer, wanted an immortal body. I need to keep him alive according to our contract. Don’t I?”

“You bastard, get lost. Don’t think you can escape like this next time we meet.”

“KUFUFUFU!! Escape? No, I’m letting you go. When we meet again, that will be the end.”

No, don’t let him escape!! I screamed through the status window, begging them to please kill him, but Luxuria simply turned her back and approached Master, while Greed looked at Luxuria with a bewildered gaze before turning back to the black lightning…

-KWADUDUK!!

“…Huh? G-Greed?! Wh-what! Didn’t you die in the Empire?!!”

With that, his presence completely disappeared as the lightning was swallowed by a massive maw. Damn it.

“…Darling♡ I’m sorry. I was slow to notice. And after you had him cornered, we even let him get away.”

“Is that you, previous generation? No, that conversation just now…”

“I can’t explain everything yet. And I’ve been quite drained since Ponia, so it’s getting hard to maintain this state. Sorry, if you want to hear the details again…”

[…Huh?]

“…Make sure to resurrect that child. It’ll be fine. It’s possible.”

For a moment, I felt like her reverse-looking eyes met mine through the status window, but then she turned away as if nothing had happened, kissed Master’s lips, and collapsed in his arms.

[Devil of Lust (Luxuria): Level 563]

[…She’s returned to the original Luxuria.]

After she disappeared too, I floated over to Master.

“…Eh? Arms, legs. Huh? My mind also feels clearer somehow…? Wait, did Luxuria heal me and remove the effects?”

Master started moving his body around, saying his arms and legs that had been broken and painful until just now felt fine, and that his thinking speed seemed to have returned. Anyway, with this…

[Master. As I said earlier, there’s big trouble upstairs. We need to go help quickly.]

“Ah, right!! Shit, we let that one escape too, and if Behemoth causes more problems, I’ll want to bite my tongue and die!! Avaritia!!”

“Wh-what?!”

“Take me and Luxuria up! Quickly!!”

“Huh?! Why should I…!!”

“…Do you want me to blow you up first and then go, or just go?”

“Tsssk…!!”

I should have just told him that Behemoth was already defeated. I watch as Avaritia, intimidated by Master’s clenched fist, slowly flies over and grabs Master and Luxuria with one hand, flapping his wings to ascend, and I turn my thoughts inward.

[…”Make sure to resurrect that child. It’ll be fine. It’s possible.”]

[She was definitely talking about me, wasn’t she.]

The escaped Pope’s body, and those strange incomprehensible conversations. Plus the previous Luxuria’s behavior, as if she could see me and knew who I was.

Leaving all that behind, the defense of Behemoth Neti came to an end.