episode_0020

‘The reason for being so talkative was just…’

Are you hungry?

Baalsebul.

Once a god of abundance and storms, but ultimately a fallen god turned demon in an instant for religious reasons.

And one of the names I unconditionally followed in my father’s sermons.

But I’m a priest’s son?

Is it okay to write this?

Well, I lent my strength because I wanted something.

It would be rude not to use it.

Pretending.

He sheathed the two swords in his scabbard.

And with both hands forming an X, he assumed a stance with his sword.

“Ha… my precious experimental material… Ah!!!!!”

Aster, who was in shock, took a deep breath and glared at me with a crazed smile.

“…You said I could do whatever I wanted except for the swordsmanship… so, I will specially show you hell!!!”

“You talk too much.”

“It’s an unpleasant sword… a very unpleasant sword!!! Starting from your right hand…!”

Swish!

“I told you. You talk too much.”

With one strike, I cut down the heretics in front of me.

“You idiot!! Can’t you learn anything! You all have to be… regenerated anyway…”

Of course, they were not regenerated.

Their severed heads and bodies were alive but dead at the same time.

But

They all had a pained expression every time they were cut down.

A bitter laugh escaped me.

‘It’s a perfect match for a madman’s ability.’

I firmly gripped the swords in both hands.

People like him shouldn’t exist in this world.

He couldn’t hide his surprise and opened his mouth.

“Since the bodies here are corpses anyway! You can never come to me!!”

He smiled as he erected a barrier of corpses and shouted once again.

“Don’t boast about finding a way!! Fool!!!”

It definitely seems difficult to break through like this.

But I am different now.

[Approaching privilege]

[Baalsebul’s abundance is activated]

[Physical constraints temporarily lifted]

It felt like I had found my sealed power.

A power I had never felt before surged through me.

‘If only I had taken care of my body, I would have been the strongest.’

Why did I act like a fool.

I assumed a stance with my sword again.

I could feel a different power coursing through my body.

It was truly abnormal power.

[Constraints lifted for 30 seconds]

I don’t need 30 seconds. With this kind of power.

5 seconds.

That should be enough.

Clang!

I cut down all the heretics who had created the barrier.

They were sliced as if they were paper, revealing Aster who was hiding behind them.

“Die.”

I quickly turned the sword towards Aster.

“Don’t be arrogant, fool! You are a loser in life!!”

As if everything had gone according to his plan, he reached out his hand towards my face. Huh?

Thud!

“Foolishness, complaining without knowing your place, ultimately makes a fool a fool.”

“Sorry for being a special fool. I’ve completely ruined your scientist’s hypothesis.”

Aster’s body froze at the sight of me still alive.

Of course, I pretended to be unfazed, but I had just almost died.

Fortunately, I managed to withstand it with my abnormal physical specs and the sword’s performance, but the scars all over my body were no joke.

So I had to finish this quickly.

The opponent was also very tired, physically or mentally. It was only natural after unleashing so many skills.

Once again, I gathered strength throughout my body and charged at Aster.

He screamed in terror and raised his guard.

“Hiyah!! Damn!!!”

My sword reached his neck faster.

So.

Farewell, heretics… huh?

Suddenly, all the strength left my body. It had already been 30 seconds…!

[Constraint time expired]

[Due to the strain on the body, you will be paralyzed for 5 minutes]

Thud.

“What, what is this!”

Aster looked at me with surprised eyes, then quickly averted his gaze with a look of fear. Really? You’re going to let me slip away here?

I can’t feel my body.

I’m right in front of you, but you can’t catch me in the end?

I can’t even get revenge and have to end it like this?

It can’t be.

Even if my body breaks under the pressure.

Leaving that guy alive in a moment like this is not good for my mental health.

[Azbel’s sword admires your determination]

[Uses the sword’s mana to release paralysis]

[Insufficient mana]

[Absorbs mana from the surroundings]

As the message notification appeared on the status screen.

A huge amount of black smoke entered Azbel’s sword from the surroundings, maintaining its own color and continuously absorbing the black smoke.

The longer it lasted, the more I could feel the power being transmitted through my body.

[Skill) Dark Magic]

[Paralysis released]

‘I thought about it earlier…’

I’m also someone with the profession of a cleric…

Of all things, dark magic…? I won’t be executed, right?

[Kraverk’s fangs sneer]

[Azbel’s sword coughs and averts its eyes]

Yeah, let’s just be satisfied with the fact that my strength has returned.

For now.

I looked around.

The entrance was in chaos with the heretics, so there was no way through. Where did they go then?

The sky? No, if they had the ability to fly, they would have escaped long ago.

Another entrance? No, that’s too far away.

Then.

The stairs leading up to the second floor.

It’s quite a distance, but if I’m careful, it’s an easy place to get help from the reinforcements.

And just as I suspected, I saw a small figure up there.

Aster, who was a mess.

I quickly ran up the stairs he had climbed.

***

Using my normal body again and returning to this body, the feeling of disorientation is no joke. I didn’t realize I would miss it so much.

As I struggled up the stairs, I heard the sound of fighting from the second floor.

Most likely, it was Aster’s doing.

“But… why did you let them go like this…”

As I finally reached the second floor, I saw a woman in a golden dress and a man guarding her.

Judging by the luxurious dress and the fact that she was on the second floor…

I could tell she was the rumored Third Princess. But who is the man next to her?

He looked to be the same age as me. I could guess that he was also a student at the academy.

Seeing that he was wearing a suit rather than a uniform, he was probably more of a butler.

Clang! Clang!

The man’s swordsmanship was delicate and precise, almost on par with a master swordsman.

But that’s all.

He only focused on defense and didn’t strike down the undead. Why?

And what is the princess doing, kneeling and chanting a spell?

No, more importantly.

My body feels too heavy.

I managed to make it up here by sheer force of will, but now even my mental strength is at its limit.

I received help, but gained nothing.

What kind of absurd labor is this?

Yet, as the exhausted players began to empathize before the final match, I too started to understand.

Even though I wanted to move forward, my feet wouldn’t budge.

Even though I wanted to raise my sword, my shoulders wouldn’t cooperate.

Even though I wanted to use a skill, I had no mana left.

Thud.

As I fell, I saw Aster controlling the corpses nearby. This is insane…

[Kraverk’s fangs sigh]

I’m sorry.

Swoosh…

Someone was dragging me away.

I could feel my strength returning, albeit slowly.

‘Who?’

I lifted my head and saw their identity.

[Kraverk’s fangs salivate]

[Azbel’s sword uses dark magic]

[Both physical and mental strength have been completely depleted.]

[Ownership of the body briefly transfers to the two swords.]

A surge of power that wasn’t there before returned. However, my body didn’t move as I willed it to.

And then my body ran towards the direction where the corpse legion, not Aster, was.

And ruthlessly tore them apart.

It was a brutal swordsmanship, like that of a savage hunter. Yet, I couldn’t stop.

The princess and the maid stared at me with bewildered expressions.

But they couldn’t say anything.

My body, having decimated the corpse legion, ran towards Aster, who was now in view.

“You insect-like bastard!! Damn it!!!!”

Aster assumed a defensive stance, but.

Like water flowing.

Like the wind blowing.

So natural and yet so inevitable.

In a single moment, I severed his neck. It was a merciless strike, devoid of cruelty.

“You madman!! Were you hiding your full power until now!”

Aster, not dead, fell back, his separated face displaying anger and injustice.

But ignoring such talk, the two swords began to speak.

[Kraverk’s fang says it’s his turn to feast.]

[Asbel’s sword makes a displeased expression.]

[Kraverk’s fang now claims his share is bigger.]

[Asbel’s sword reluctantly nods.]

‘Wait!’

I can’t kill him here!

I have to show that I captured him alive!

I wanted to stop my arm from rising on its own, but I couldn’t. Wait!!

[Skill) Detect Life]

Thud!

Should I call this lucky or unlucky?

Thanks to the maid of the princess attacking me, I was able to prevent Aster from being consumed.

But.

Why did she attack?

“For defying the princess’s orders, it’s a death sentence.”

Thud! Thud!

“Rabes, stop.”

“Princess.”

At the princess’s command, the maid wordlessly sheathed her sword.

“…”

The princess briefly checked my face, then her expression turned sad.

“They were people who could have lived if they had just tried a little harder.”

“…”

[The right to separate the two swords has been lifted.]

My mind is distant.

“Princess… I’m sorry, but they were all corpses.”

Ah… my body is back, but my mouth is heavy.

“And they were being controlled, feeling pain. So…”

Thud.

I collapsed onto the princess’s chest, losing consciousness.

“I heard someone say it’s a death sentence!” But now, it’s too hard.

I quietly succumbed to the warm embrace.

“Rabes, that’s not showing proper respect to the one who helped.”

“…I apologize.”

“First, capture that heretic. And as for this person… I have no intention of letting him go.”

***

“What is this pleasant scent?”

Gentle.

It feels like sleeping under the sun.

“…Where am I!”

Throwing off the blanket covering me, I got up from the bed.

It’s a scenery I’ve never seen before.

Definitely not my room.

“Then where am I? Ugh…”

A woman, holding her head in pain, came into my sight.

“Princess…?”

“Have you woken up? I was worried because you wouldn’t wake up.”

Um… is this a dream?

My brain couldn’t process the situation.

Boom!

A blade appeared at the end of my neck. Ah… this is a dream.

It’s a dream…

“Rogues Avantche, you are sentenced to death for causing the princess to worry.”

What is this nonsense?