Shlen Canyon (5)

Direise was able to ascend the gorge, avoiding the Agent’s gaze. The higher she climbed, the denser the magic became, sending chills down her spine, but she couldn’t dare stop her steps.

The magic felt at the summit was awe-inspiring. And heart-wrenching-it was emitting an intense energy that no demon could ignore.

‘A Four Dragon?’

Dragons, standing above all creation, possessed a different class of Mana from the start. The Mana of dragons, whose foundation was conquest and destruction, inherently forced people into submission.

But even for Direise, who reigned as a powerful figure in Pandemonium for decades, this was unfamiliar. She had seen Four Dragons a few times, but they didn’t emit such energy.

Filthy yet noble, destructive yet submissive. How was she supposed to judge this contradictory thing?

Reaching the vicinity of the fog, Direise raised a finger and said.

“Only those who can break through the fog, raise your hands.”

About twenty demons. Among them, only six raised their hands. Direise gritted her teeth.

“Do we really have to go there?”

Then a demon spoke with an uneasy face. He was one of the demons who couldn’t raise his hand.

Whether they crossed the wall and died at the hands of humans, or hid and were hunted down by Amon to die. Direise had no choice.

“We have to grab at straws. Who knows if that bastard will oppose Amon?”

“…There’s no guarantee that opposing Amon will save us.”

That was a valid point. Direise grinned and replied.

“Of course, there isn’t. You idiots.”

“Then-“

• Kwajik.

At that moment, the vision flickered. The demons closed their mouths as if accustomed to the violent sound and the smell of blood that soon followed. Direise had smashed the demon’s head.

“Always talking back, you fucker. Trying to die.”

She wiped the blood off her face with an annoyed expression. Then she looked at the rest who couldn’t break through the barrier.

Direise’s eyes rolled. The six demons who could break through the barrier readily understood her signal, drawing their respective weapons and aiming them at the ‘dropouts’.

“Might as well get rid of the dead weight this time?”

With those words, the demon of wrath showed no mercy. She slashed throats left and right with her sharp claws, washing her body with their blood. The uncontrollable rage only subsided after turning the surroundings into a bloody mess.

“Huu…”

She took a deep breath. Direise nodded in satisfaction at the reduced number of demons.

“Remember. Don’t show your teeth.”

And she warned. Whatever was at that summit, bow your heads.

“Alright, let’s break through!”

Direise entered the fog, extremely tense. The fog was familiar. She could easily break through this level of barrier.

The demons chased by the Holy Empire… The reason why the demons that appeared on the ground were as strong as natural disasters was this. They couldn’t escape with just any amount of power.

“It’s been a while since I’ve broken through, it’s a bit tough!”

Sharp pieces of metal scratched her entire body. But Direise brushed off the holy iron powder as if it were amusing.

“――Kuaaaa!”

She broke through with a voice that was hard to tell whether it was joyful or painful.

“Hua――!!”

And when she inhaled the disgusting air of the ground, Direise lowered her body as much as possible and stuck to the ground.

“Aoh… It hurts like hell. Did anyone follow?”

Only two. Direise gnashed her teeth. To not even be able to break through the fog. Stupid and weak things.

“Whatever, follow me.”

Still, she had to take the ones who were there. Direise blamed her fallen state and seethed with anger inside.

She had no choice but to seethe with anger inside. Like all anger, it tended to subside in the face of greater power.

“It doesn’t seem like a dragon…”

She muttered, looking at the sky. Considering the size of a dragon, at least one wing should be visible. The summit of the gorge wasn’t that wide.

Then was it a demon? But she had never seen a demon with such powerful magic. Amon. Or the surviving individuals of the Demon King’s army.

Even so, no matter how close she got to the summit, the power’s fluctuations remained the same. If it possessed that much power, it should be able to easily sense her approach, yet it wasn’t taking any action.

“That is…”

And so, she finally approached the summit.

‘A demon?’

At the summit.

A scarred girl was blankly staring at the sky with lifeless eyes.

“What, the hell?”

She looked at the girl with a bewildered face. The source of the magic was indeed that girl. It was even getting stronger. The magic flowing from the girl’s black eyes was enough to overwhelm Direise with just a small amount.

“Magic is, flowing out?”

She approached the wriggling magic. The magic flowing like water from the girl’s left eye was engulfing the lake and turning the surrounding land black.

“This is…?”

And Direise, after confirming the girl’s magic.

“――!”

• Thud.

She knelt down, utterly terrified.

“What, what’s wrong? Why are you doing that?”

The two demons who had followed Direise were flustered by Direise’s actions. What on earth was that girl that she was so afraid of? She wasn’t reacting even when they got close.

“――Shut up and bow your heads!”

But the answer that came back was overwhelming violence. Direise grabbed the heads of the two demons with telekinesis and slammed them into the ground.

• Kwajik!

Blood flowed. The two demons with shattered skulls buried their noses in their own brain fragments and trembled.

• Kung.

Direise didn’t care and bowed her head in the same way. And she didn’t say anything. She just hoped that the girl in front of her would pass by safely.

* * *

I head towards the summit, breaking through the holy iron fog. The iron filings are tearing my body to shreds, but I don’t feel anything. I’ve already tasted greater pain. My head is so full of it that things like this can’t stimulate me.

Past the golden fog that only gnaws at my shell, to the summit. The air of the ground, which I emerged from headfirst as if breaking an egg, was slightly suffocating yet refreshing. But that was only for a moment, as a sharp wind licked my scarred body.

I didn’t even have the energy to speak. My body and mind had grown cold and hardened like stone. I only thought of reaching the top before my heart hardened.

But the mountain range of Shuren Gorge was so high that it would take several more hours to reach the summit on foot.

‘Wasn’t it said to be a mountain piled with the corpses of countless demons dreaming of the sky?’

One more wouldn’t make a difference.

I dragged my broken and severed arms and legs towards the summit. I didn’t use reconstruction. I couldn’t think of anything. If my feet didn’t move, I used my hands. If my fingers broke, I drove my wrists into the ground.

Like that.

“…”

When I arrived at the summit. I just lay down, staring blankly at the sky. Like a corpse with no motivation or will to live.

“Haa…”

It was hard to breathe because the oxygen was thin. I grabbed my dizzy head and turned my head.

The summit was flatter than I thought. A small lake formed by gathered dew, and sparsely blooming flowers and trees. The songs of mountain birds and insects, which I couldn’t see below, quietly echoed. The hot sunlight and the hot, poisonous air rising from below warmed my body, but my heart was still cold.

‘Haa…’

I get up. I can see the golden fog sparkling in the sunlight. Somewhere below the fog, which stretches vast to the horizon, Shuriel would be running around diligently.

When I became aware of that fact, I felt jealous. I wanted to be with him too. If it weren’t for this damn magic, I would have gone as planned.

It was my own fault for calling the Demon King’s magic, so I had to blame myself. All I could do was blame myself and wait endlessly. That was my job.

Honestly, I don’t know if it will be purified. I don’t know if the Demon King’s magic will disappear so easily.

I’m afraid to see Shuriel.

And he would be afraid to see me too.

When I met Shuriel with the Demon King’s magic in my body. The expression he made was fear. It was still a stiff and annoying expression, but there was fear in the momentary stiffness.

He was too good for me to hold on to. Unlike me, who chased after pain and pleasure, he had a clear and sacred purpose. He has a destiny. A destiny to defeat the enemy and become a hero.

But what am I? Nothing goes right with everything I do. This damn body. This damn masochistic tendency.

I’m tired of complaining about my situation now.

I look at the lakeside.

My disgusting appearance is reflected. Unlike a mirror, I can’t break it, so I’m just angry.

“Ugh…”

• Dalgeurak.

The holy iron inserted in my left eye rattles.

It was happening again. The hateful magic that twisted the plan. It keeps tempting me.

‘Should I take it out?’

Sometimes I want to succumb to temptation. To give up everything and accept it. That’s what the inner demon wants, and that’s what the thought’s plan is.

But sometimes.

Like this.

When my life is too unfair and shameful.

“……”

I put my hand on my eye. The holy iron, which had already protruded a lot, was enough to be held with two fingers.

‘Enough to be taken out right away.’

Shuriel would be disappointed in me.

‘Can you overcome this?’

But I couldn’t think of a way to win.

‘It will be like that for the rest of my life.’

To soothe my unstable mind, eternity must be accompanied.

‘Let’s take it out.’

No.

‘You’ll be comfortable.’

Shut up.

• Buseureok.

What ended the dangerous question and answer was an unfamiliar footstep. Was it Shuriel’s footsteps? No. I could feel a terrible magic.

It was a demon.

The shattered expectations were replaced with a terrible sense of depression that gnawed at my body.

There were three demons who came to find me. I don’t know why they came all the way to this summit to meet me, but I didn’t have the strength to deal with them.

It was fortunate that I could end the dangerous imagination thanks to their sudden visit, but that didn’t solve the fundamental problem.

Unless Shuriel is brought before my eyes, I will eventually be eaten.

By desire.

• Thud.

At that time, one of the demons in the lead suddenly knelt down. I glanced at their bizarre behavior and… cleanly ignored it. I didn’t care if they attacked me or not.

“What, what’s wrong? Why are you doing that?”

“――Shut up and bow your heads!”

Haa. This time, they’re even team-killing. The female demon who slammed her fellow demon’s head into the ground started bowing her head as well.

“Haa…”

I sighed deeply as I looked at the demons who suddenly came and bowed their heads.