Ch.42Chapter 42. The Third Demon Hero, Dual Swordsman Denalua

Before the hero’s party even arrived, Demon Sword and Lucy were engaged in a fierce battle.

In truth, Demon Sword could have easily overwhelmed Lucy but was deliberately holding back. This was to help improve Lucy’s skills, who had lost her limbs and had barely any experience wielding a sword.

Though she possessed tremendous strength, her technique was unrefined and rough.

‘At this level, she’ll be in trouble later on.’

Demon Sword, who knew the DLC content second only to the reincarnator Mr. Lee, was able to understand this. This knowledge came from being the only self-aware character who had been consumed alive as enhancement material for Hrungnir.

‘That crazy goddess probably never anticipated this side effect.’

Thanks to this, the Abyss, who had initially planned to side with the demon race, was now considering following the hero instead, anticipating some deliciously satisfying regret to come.

But then…

“Lin?”

Demon Sword and Lucy simultaneously sensed the porter’s danger.

The red thread connected to Lin trembled anxiously, and Lucy prepared to leap precisely to his location.

“Where do you think you’re going? Let’s play a bit more.”

“Get lost! My place is by Lin’s side!”

She kicked the ground using her magical power.

With enough force to alter the surrounding terrain, she easily tore through the darkness Demon Sword had created.

“Wow…”

The Abyss admired Lucy’s back as she headed straight toward Lin.

That girl is finally starting to get her head on straight, huh?

However, the outcome was not good.

Despite blocking countless attacks, the hero’s party broke through Lucy and landed a hit on Lin.

As the porter collapsed, Lucy began to go berserk.

[Estel Style Secret Technique]

“Slash and Cleave-!!!!”

A blood-red magical blade flew toward the hero’s party.

Rainford, startled, stepped forward and firmly gripped his shield.

[Superior Defensive Technique]

“Deflection!”

Kagagagagak-!

The blade scraped against the shield held diagonally to the ground, making a chilling sound.

Despite the skill’s name, Rainford barely managed to change the blade’s trajectory while enduring its force head-on, his knee buckling under the pressure.

Still, he did deflect it.

Kwang-!

But the deflected blade flew into a docked sailing ship, cutting it clean in half.

No one even thought to scream as they watched the ship creak and sink into the sea.

“She’s gotten stronger…?”

Naidrian was shocked by the firepower he hadn’t seen even during the Demon Lord subjugation.

Lucy began gathering magical power again, taking a ready stance.

As the blood-red magic slowly condensed, the archer urgently shouted:

“Tigria! Why are you just standing there? We need to subdue the demon and the hero!”

“Not demon.”

“What?”

“Not demon. Porter.”

“Demon or porter, whatever! Demonic energy is pouring off him, especially from his arms!”

When Arsil snapped irritably, the mage looked at the saint with an incredulous expression.

“Forgot? Porter touched Demon Lord’s horn with bare hands and placed it in sacred coffin?”

The entire hero’s party froze.

Even Rainford looked at the mage with disbelief, but as always, Tigria pointed out the uncomfortable truth.

“Authority: Since demonic energy hasn’t disappeared, the contamination from back then couldn’t have disappeared either.”

“Ha… F-fuck…”

A dejected Arsil clutched his head and muttered.

“What have I done…?”

He had attacked a comrade contaminated by demonic energy, treating him as a demon, instead of purifying him with holy power.

Moreover, this demonic energy should have been treated immediately.

He remembered how he had pressured Lin, assuming the energy would naturally disappear once the Demon Lord died.

“Arsil! You take responsibility and calm the hero down.”

“What…?”

“Isn’t this all because of your carelessness?”

When Rainford harshly rebuked him, Arsil was speechless.

The saint, who had always acted with conviction and certainty, wished he could turn back time.

His lips burned and he couldn’t swallow, but Arsil gathered his courage and peeked his head out from behind the shield.

“Lucy! I attacked the porter because I misunderstood… I’m sorry! I know I made you angry, but continuing this standoff will only drain us both…”

“Shut up, Right Arm.”

“Huh?”

Having suppressed her anger so much, she sounded emotionless.

With a blank expression and tears of blood, Lucy spoke softly.

“The one who hit the por—Lin was that right arm, the one that cut off my limbs was that right arm, and I’m going to tear off at least that right arm of yours first.”

She almost called him Lin but quickly corrected herself, remembering Demon Sword’s advice.

These bastards don’t deserve to hear Lin’s name.

“If you want to negotiate, I’m willing to listen.”

“Really?!”

“First, Arsil, give me your right arm.”

Lucy showed deep affection for her long-unseen companions.

“All of you give me one limb each, and hand over Rainford.”

It certainly wasn’t to reclaim her former fiancé.

The moment she uttered Rainford’s name, her killing intent intensified.

“…Did she just say that?”

Arsil blankly repeated what they’d all heard.

Even Naidrian gaped at Arsil with contempt.

Finally, Rainford stepped forward.

“Luciena, your anger is understandable. But surely you can’t deny that your own words and actions have been excessive!”

[Estel Style Secret Technique]

“Sky Strike.”

“Ah, damn it!”

Just as Rainford cursed, Lucy infused her sword with magic and struck his shield at close range.

Rainford’s handsome face contorted grotesquely as he struggled against the tremendous pressure.

“Kuuuuuuaaaaaaaa…!”

“I don’t care what you all did.”

“Luciena, this is just a war of attrition! Even if you’re angry, we need to talk to resolve this situation…!”

“But I’ll never forgive anyone who tries to harm the person who protected me with his life.”

The elf fell silent at the gradually visible madness.

“Do you really want to end this?”

“Weren’t you the ones who wanted to end things? And I already said I don’t care about anything else.”

The mage also fell silent, somehow realizing that Lucy was stalling for time.

“Past is past, but this is my fault now. Lucy! If you want my right arm, I’ll give it to you…!”

“I’m starting to understand what true love is, but my past keeps holding me back.”

The saint shouldn’t have spoken.

Realizing her mistake again, Arsil also fell silent.

Lucy wasn’t deliberately stalling as the mage thought.

She was slowly increasing her magical power to crush Rainford to death with his shield.

Rainford was struggling, blood vessels bursting in his eyes.

Unable to see Lucy behind the shield, she continued saying whatever she pleased.

“You understand, Arsil? Ravin told me you were once in love too?”

“What…?”

“Your past where you couldn’t treat him well, where you flirted with another man in front of him… Hahaha… That bastard was only thinking about killing me!”

Her teeth gritted audibly.

“It’s not about what I lacked in what I gave him, but rather how few times I didn’t hurt that person… how much… how much…!”

[Estel Style Secret Technique: Sky Strike]

Kwadeuk-!

“Uuuuuuuuuuaaaaaaaaaaaaaa-!!!!!!!!!!”

“You are the biggest obstacle to my love, and the shameful stain that prevents me from facing that person with dignity.”

A terrible sound came from beneath the shield.

At this rate, the shield knight would die.

Arsil and Naidrian reluctantly prepared to attack, but Tigria was faster.

“Capture, Net, Weaken, Intimidate, Slow.”

“…?!”

Though Lucy quickly retreated, once the capture spell was cast, Tigria’s gaze alone was enough to target her.

The slowing magic that had once been poured on the Demon Lord now ensnared Lucy.

“Now! Secure the porter! The porter is Luciena’s weakness!”

“Rainford, you bastard! How can you say that!”

“That will only provoke Luciena more!”

“Understood. At this rate, we’ll either remain deadlocked or be killed by Luciena. I’ll follow your orders.”

Rainford, driven by desperation, charged at Lucy with his shield.

“I too have a woman I love with my life! I cannot die here!”

Since their ally had engaged, the archer couldn’t shoot.

Naidrian also drew his dagger and joined Arsil in attacking Lucy.

“Uaaaaa-!!!”

She hammered the shield with her sword, but it didn’t budge.

Regardless of his personality, Rainford was skilled enough to block up to three of Lucy’s full-charge attacks.

He wasn’t a shield knight for nothing.

The archer and saint’s attacks slipped through the gaps.

Though the hero, slowed by magic, wasn’t overwhelmed, she couldn’t shake them off immediately.

“Coordinate setting, Mass, Volume, Density, Calculate, Move!”

Taking advantage of the opening, Tigria cast a short-range teleportation toward Lin, who was lying behind Lucy.

“Get off me!”

Despite her desperate attempts to shake off the persistent markers, Lucy anxiously looked back, but Tigria had already teleported.

Successfully appearing on the sandy beach, Tigria was about to cast a spell toward Lin when:

“My, what an unwelcome familiar face?”

“You…!”

She came face to face with the black-haired girl she never expected to meet alive.

The girl’s mouth was crimson red after drinking Lin’s blood that had flowed down his chin, cupped in her small hands.

“You puppet of that filthy woman. How dare you show your face here.”

“I am…!”

The youthful voice gradually became seductive.

Her small body rapidly matured, developing a voluptuousness and sensuality greater than Lucy’s.

If the reincarnator Mr. Lee had seen her, he would have called her a top-tier Dongtan MILF beauty.

“Lucy! Behind you! This time it’s a real demon!”

Following Arsil’s urgent pointing, Lucy turned to see a black-haired demon warrior with long straight hair sensually drawing twin swords from her waist.

Ultimate Skill

“Altar: Dark Fang Sanctuary!”

“It’s a barrier! Everyone must retreat!”

It was already too late.

As the twin swords struck the sandy beach, a crimson light instantly enveloped the shoreline.

Creating a massive dome shape, the demon warrior gently wiped the blood from Lin’s chin with a sympathetic look.

“You idiot, I’m only helping you this once.”

Facing the hero’s party who had gathered in formation, the demon warrior wiggled her finger.

“I am Denarua, a dual swordsman of the demon warrior party.”

“Dual swordsman, the porter is a non-combatant. If you’re a warrior, leave him be and settle this with us!”

Rainford made this gallant request, but it was only to calm Lucy’s excitement.

With the appearance of the demon warrior, cooperation with the hero became essential.

“My, I came here specifically for this porter you speak of? If you let me take him quietly, I won’t harm you.”

For a moment, Rainford hesitated.

If they allowed the porter to be taken, Lucy’s anger would naturally turn toward the demons, and they could use the goal of securing the porter as bait.

“Nice try.”

But Denarua wasn’t about to miss such a shallow ploy.

“That porter’s arms contain our Demon Lord’s demonic energy intact, right? They’re essential materials for resurrection.”

“Damn it, secure the porter!”

The hero’s party charged at the dual swordsman from their positions.

Denarua parried with ease.

In the middle of it all, Lucy remained motionless.

[What do you think? Want my help? With me, you can save Lin.]

“Shut up.”

[Why are you just standing there?]

“Something’s off about that demon. She has no hostility or malice toward Lin.”

[Wow! You’ve already reached that level?]

Demon Sword whispered subtly into Lucy’s mind.

[Or could it be that you like Lin?]

“….!!!!!”

[Well, Lucy. Looks like a new love rival has appeared?]

Gritting her teeth.

“Lin is…”

The red-gold light returned, enveloping her sword.

“MINE!!!!”

Lucy charged at Denarua, shoving the hero’s party members aside with her shoulders.

Watching her, Demon Sword grinned.

[Ah, now those words finally have some weight to them.]