Demon, Invasion (1)

There’s a smell.

Yona opened her eyes to a faint smell tickling her nose.

The smell that approached hazily as if it were a dream continued to tickle her nose, not leaving the bridge of her nose even after Yona opened her eyes.

An acrid, unpleasant smell that seemed familiar from somewhere.

Yona’s eyes flew open.

At the same time, throwing off the sleeping bag she had been covered with, Yona sprang up like a coiled spring and looked at Alec, who had settled nearby.

Alec had also woken up and was already looking around with his shield and hammer drawn.

“Do you smell it?”

Alec asked Yona in a low voice, lowering his tone considerably.

Yona nodded and ran to Alec’s back in one breath, placing her hand on his shoulder while looking around.

Kairoc, who had been on watch, was also looking around with an axe in each hand.

The smell was still tickling their noses.

That smell that was unforgettable even if they wanted to forget it.

The smell they had smelled so much of in Capatia Port.

They knew.

They knew very well what this smell was, what it had come from.

Fog began to descend around them.

Although there was no water source nearby for fog to form, the fog that began to thicken soon started to rise, threatening to obscure their vision, and from that fog, an acrid acidic smell also rose, filling their surroundings.

“…Berbaria…”

Yona’s murmur seemed to act as a signal flare.

Until they had gone to sleep, the night sky had been bright with a full moon and stars decorating around it.

As if to cover that night sky, a dark red curtain began to unfold, erasing both the moon and stars.

And in between, a shadow that was hard to see as human appeared and began to reveal itself before them.

A snake with nine heads.

This snake, which was undoubtedly much thicker than an average adult male, was descending from the sky with all nine heads looking down simultaneously.

More precisely, it was slowly descending towards them while facing them as they looked up at the sky from the ground.

You are foolish ones.

No one could open their mouth.

Gulp, Alec swallowed and firmly grasped the shield and hammer in his hands.

They were received from the cathedral armory.

The shield and hammer given to Alec only after Yona gave up her share of the reward.

These weapons were also made to match the exact date, day of the week, and time when the Celestial God was said to have created this world.

The shield with the Celestial Church’s emblem was truly excellent in defense, and when the hammer was grasped in Alec’s hand, a faint holy aura began to rise.

“…You talk a lot for someone who ran away, demon.”

Oh my.

At Kairoc’s words, all nine of Berbaria’s heads tilted sideways in unison.

The sight was so bizarre and hideous that Yona’s face involuntarily wrinkled.

Ran away, you say? Me?

“Yeah, it’s the truth. In Capatia Port, you couldn’t defeat the hero and ran away.”

Kairoc readjusted his grip on his axes and deliberately spoke words that would offend Berbaria.

Kairoc instinctively realized that they would have to fight a decisive battle here anyway.

Berbaria, probably not its main body but an avatar.

Its appearance here clearly meant it had come to see the end.

If so, they would have to settle it here.

But in Kairoc’s opinion, the probability was low.

Not the probability of them winning, but the probability of them surviving.

If that’s the case, wouldn’t it be somewhat satisfying to at least taunt it thoroughly?

Stop your clumsy provocation, insignificant beings. Even if your words were true, there is no hero here now. There is no way to refuse your death.

“…That remains to be seen.”

Kairoc glared at Berbaria.

It’s still in the air.

Although it’s gradually descending, it’s not yet, not yet.

Meanwhile, Berbaria, which had finally reached the ground, twisted its scaly body and coiled up.

Despite this, the ground that was full of dry sand didn’t raise any dust.

And Yona, who was watching this scene with a tense gaze, suddenly thought it strange.

When Berbaria appeared in Capatia Port and descended from the sky to the ground, there was definitely a heavy sound.

It wasn’t a loud sound, but there was definitely a sound, but now there wasn’t.

There’s no sound.

Moreover, even though its tongue is flicking out like that, there’s not even a sound.

Only the smell, just that smell.

And the appearance of the snake that appeared along with that curtain covering the sky, although it looks like Berbaria, something is different.

“…Alec, wait. Just a moment in your ear.”

At Yona’s words, Alec slightly leaned his upper body back while keeping his eyes on the front.

Yona, also watching Berbaria in front while holding Alec’s earlobe, was about to speak into his ear.

That Berbaria seems to be an illusion.

That it seems to be an illusion, not even a real entity, let alone the main body or an avatar.

But Yona’s words didn’t even continue.

Just as she was about to speak to Alec, Berbaria spoke first.

I have come with a proposal for you personally. Although killing you would be easier than killing insects, I shall bestow my mercy upon you.

“…A proposal? From a demon?”

As if hearing Yona’s murmur, Berbaria’s gaze turned towards her.

It’s a strangely different look.

A gaze somewhat different from Berbaria’s gaze when it descended in Capatia Port.

You there, white-haired wench.

“I’m not a wench…! …No, that’s not the point…”

Flustered at being suddenly called out, Yona glared at Berbaria.

Even so, Berbaria seemed to pay no attention, and moreover, it showed no sign of caring about Kairoc and Alec who looked ready to pounce on it at any moment.

Yes, you. Are you not curious about that curse mark that appeared on your arm? That curse mark.

How does it know.

Yona was too surprised to continue speaking.

The right arm tightly bound with the sacred robe, that right arm is indeed covered with tattoos.

Although the light has faded a lot now, it’s true that they are engraved, and she has never revealed it in front of Berbaria.

Moreover, the fact that it’s a curse mark is known only to a few people including Alevian and Ceres.

At least, it wasn’t something Berbaria should know about.

You seem curious about how I know.

All nine faces smiled simultaneously.

A somewhat twisted smile that curled only the corners of the mouth despite the eyes not smiling at all.

That smile that only brings unpleasantness to those who see it.

You don’t need to know yet.

Instead, you.

Yes, you.

Only need to know one thing.

Yes, only one thing.

You have no choice.

Only one thing is forced upon you.

That is.

Accept me.

“…What!?”

Yona was so surprised that she couldn’t continue speaking with her mouth open.

The words spoken by each of the nine faces were muffled, interrupting each other and not clearly audible.

But the last words, “Accept me,” were clearly heard.

“You’re talking nonsense, demon.”

Alec readjusted his grip on his shield and straightened his back.

While it’s basic for Yona to slightly bend her waist while intently watching the front, the current Alec had straightened his back completely, shielding Yona.

And Kairoc also approached and stood by Yona’s side.

“Don’t be ridiculous. Yona is a clergy. For a demon like you to dwell in Yona, a clergy of the Celestial God, you’re saying something that doesn’t make sense.”

Clergy? A clergy of the Celestial God? You’re saying ridiculous things. There’s no need for a long explanation. I said it was a proposal, but this is a demand. You have no other choice.

“Whether we have a choice or not is something we’ll see! Do you think we’ll let you do as you please with Yona!”

Is that so.

The snake that had uncoiled raised its upper body straight and roared.

The roar that burst from its mouth resounded violently as if shaking the earth’s axis, and the fog that had settled thickly began to take on a more yellow hue.

An acrid smell that tries to fill the lungs with every breath.

“You bastard!”

Kairoc swung his axe and rushed at Berbaria.

A silver flash scattered holiness as it flew towards Berbaria.

It’s the power of the Celestial God. For a mere lizard.

“Get hit by this insignificant one!”

Kairoc rushed in and swung his axe.

When the tail flew in, he stepped on it and jumped up, and ducking to avoid the tail swinging again, Kairoc gradually closed the distance with Berbaria.

As massive as his build is, his muscles are also developed, and as developed as his muscles are, his speed is also fast.

Moreover, having already fought Berbaria once, Kairoc has roughly figured out how to move in a rematch with Berbaria.

“Snake or lizard!”

Kairoc let out a roar as he stepped on Berbaria’s body and jumped up.

It seems it wasn’t an illusion, as when he stepped on it, there was a thud sound and Kairoc leaped into the air.

“Hyaaah!”

Kairoc changed direction in mid-air by kicking off the air again.

The rising momentum reversed and rushed towards Berbaria, and finally, he plunged his axe into one of Berbaria’s faces.

Crack…

The sound of something breaking echoed.

Kairoc quickly retrieved the axe stuck in the center of the face and jumped up again.

The tail flew towards Kairoc again.

Kairoc, holding an axe in both hands, saw the tail flying towards his waist but didn’t dodge.

Another shadow flying towards him.

Clang!

With a metallic sound, the tail changed its trajectory and shot up into the air.

The brown shield with a faint white glow deflected the tail, and in between, Alec swung his hammer and struck down another face.

As soon as the two jumped in opposite directions, Yona ran to Kairoc’s landing spot.

“I’m fine. Yona, don’t come close. You’re the target, aren’t you?”

At Kairoc’s words, Yona closed her mouth.

It’s not wrong, so it’s not the time to be stubborn.

But isn’t it doable?

Already two faces—

As she looked at Berbaria thinking this, Yona closed her mouth.

Berbaria’s face, which had clearly had an axe embedded in its center, was unharmed and intact, and the face that Alec had crushed with his hammer also had no wounds.

“…As expected, a demon is a demon.”

Kairoc’s words sounded truly hollow.

You put on quite a show, but it doesn’t even tickle. What can you do with that much? How trivial, truly trivial.

All nine of Berbaria’s faces spoke simultaneously.

At that buzzing sound, Kairoc and Alec simultaneously covered their ears.

“Wh-what? What is it, why are you like that!? Kairoc, Alec!”

While Yona herself was fine, Kairoc and Alec were covering their ears and suffering.

Now, accept me. If not, I will kill those two right here.

One of Berbaria’s faces, the one in the center, stretched its neck out long and approached Yona’s face.

It looked at Yona’s face, which let out a startled “Hick,” and then stuck out its long tongue and twisted the corners of its mouth.

‘…It’s, it’s smiling…?’

It must be smiling.

That’s what Yona felt.

Accept me. If not, I will kill these guys.

As if to show that those words were not a lie, Berbaria stretched out the necks of its other faces, wrapped them tightly around Kairoc and Alec’s bodies, and lifted them up.

Then it shook them up and down as if about to slam them down while holding them upside down.

If they were to be slammed head-first into the ground, it was clear that not only Alec but even Kairoc couldn’t survive.

Accept me. This is the final ultimatum. If you refuse this time too, I will kill you as well.

Glaring at Berbaria’s face sneering right in front of her, Yona bit her lip.

There is no choice.

She couldn’t see any other path she could choose.