Chapter 63: Wouldn’t it be boring if you knew that? (4)
“Jay, Old Man, get out of the way!”
“Aye aye, Captain! Wow! It’s all sparkly!”
“Yes, Master.”
The two men, drenched in sweat, retreated, and Joey and I took their place. Levidian, who had been facing the creature alone, jumped back and slipped between Joey and me.
“No matter how much I cut it, it doesn’t die. So I’ll leave it to you!”
As she said, the creature’s clothes were torn in several places. The torn areas were stained black. The marks where the flesh had been pushed in were probably cuts.
Dozens of such marks. Despite most of them being in fatal locations, the creature was still alive and well.
Looking closely, the two heads it had been holding in its left hand were now attached to that hand, their eyes rolled back white, and they were letting out bizarre moans. The saw was also integrated with its arm. Just what kind of demon is this?
“It seems it’s already stepped onto the path of a demon……”
“How should we attack it?”
Crrrrrrr……!
The creature, perhaps sensing the threat from the light emanating from Joey and me, hesitated to attack. However, its growls still shook the space around us. Had it already become closer to a demon?
I raised my sword, holding it only with my right hand. Somehow, the sword felt incredibly light. Looking at the white halo that appeared above the sword, I formulated a hypothesis.
“Joey, this must be some kind of divine protection or blessing, right?”
“It seems so. Seeing how our strength is surging……”
“Then…… would it not hurt even if we get hit?”
“Most likely, it wouldn’t, right?”
Growl! Growl!
The creature, no, the former human who should now be called ‘it’ let out threatening sounds as if telling us not to ignore it. Darkness now billowed behind it like smoke.
“Ugh……!”
“Ugh! Th-this is……?”
“Uh…… Ugh!”
The security officers who had been keeping the creature in check groaned. Perhaps it was because the demon was increasingly manifesting in the real world, spreading darkness, and they were feeling the fear emanating from it.
However, perhaps thanks to the Holy Spell embedded within me, I felt nothing. Joey was probably the same.
Glancing back, I saw Levidian simply standing in a posture ready to face the ‘enemy’. With the training she had accumulated, she likely wouldn’t feel fear.
Looking at Levidian, a thought suddenly came to mind. I nudged Joey and said,
“Joey, let’s do that.”
“Do what?”
“That thing where we both attack Teacher at the same time.”
“Ah…… Alright.”
Joey aimed his spear and slowly moved forward. And I, standing next to Joey with my sword raised, took a step slightly diagonally to the right.
Joey and I would often attack Levidian simultaneously. It was a way for the three of us to train together, but every time we did, we would always end up rolling on the ground after being hit by Levidian’s instructive wooden sword.
Our goal became to defeat her even once, and perhaps because of that, Joey and I developed quite good synergy.
Whoosh! Whoosh!
We kept the creature, which was pushing against the wall with its saw, in check from both sides while spinning our weapons.
Crrr……! Grrrr……!
The sound shook the space around us, making our skin tingle. The demon was trying to break out of its human vessel.
I positioned myself at a 45-degree angle to it. Meanwhile, Joey closed the distance. Just barely within reach of his spear.
“Joey, let’s start!”
“Yes!”
Swish!
Joey’s iron spear shot out like an arrow. Not figuratively, but literally. It was as fast as an arrow.
Clang! Thud!
The creature raised its saw to block, but overwhelmed by the force, it was flung back and slammed into the wall.
Crackle!
“Huh……?”
Joey was surprised by his own actions. The stone wall was deeply gouged, and the creature was embedded within!
Crrrr! Groooo!
Crack! Crack! Crack!
Crackle!
The creature’s body swelled bizarrely, and cracks began to appear on the wall. Stone dust flew, and the creature’s body gradually turned black and grew larger.
“Eek!”
Thud! Thud! Thud!
Joey continued to stab the creature’s body. Thanks to that, holes appeared in its body, and it was further embedded into the wall.
Then, at some point, it grabbed Joey’s spear.
*Sizzle-! *
“What the? Heave-ho!”
The sound of the creature’s hand burning and Joey’s loud grunt strangely harmonized. It was pulled out of the wall while still gripping the spear, then slammed onto the ground by Joey’s monstrous strength, further amplified by the Holy Spell.
Boom!
As if hit by a cannonball, the paving stones on the street were deeply gouged, and the creature’s body was driven into the ground. Its hand holding Joey’s spear loosened, and I took the opportunity to approach it and swing my sword down.
“Haaaa…… Haaa……!”
The man and woman’s heads on its left hand moaned. Then, a black aura flared up, and the creature’s body suddenly jumped up, blocking my sword with its saw.
*Screech-! *
The sound of oil splattering could be heard as flames and smoke billowed simultaneously.
“Haaaa-!”
The creature’s left hand met my eyes with a bizarre moan. The two heads on the left hand opened their mouths, and a viscous, boiling darkness reached towards me……
“Hyung-nim-!”
Crack!
Joey’s spear pierced the two heads on the left hand.
“Kyaaaack-!”
The two heads burned with a terrifying scream, and in that moment, I pulled my sword downwards. Take this!
Slash!
The white, holy-powered sword cut through the creature’s abdomen. Black blood, or perhaps a clump of darkness, gushed out as the creature screamed.
*Groooo-! *
“Not yet! Joey-!”
“Yes!”
Against an opponent that wasn’t human, Joey could unleash his monstrous strength to its fullest. Joey unleashed a barrage of literally lightning-fast thrusts with his enhanced strength and speed.
Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!
Thud, Thud, Thud, Crack!
The creature couldn’t properly defend itself and was pushed back by the barrage of thrusts. The holy-powered strikes burned its wounds, hindering its regeneration.
“Over there! Everyone get out of the way!”
Riding the wave of thrusts, I swung my sword. From the side, if it blocked Joey’s thrusts, I would strike down with my sword.
Black, dark blood billowed thickly. The screams were already drowned out by the screams of the flesh that was turning into mush.
From the two heads on the left hand, screams and thick darkness continued to drip like saliva, staining the ground black.
“Kieee-!”
“Shut up!”
Crack!
The creature’s left hand was severed from the elbow. The severed hand’s heads screamed, and the severed part twitched like a fish freshly out of water.
Groooo!
Just as the creature was about to scream, I backhanded it with the side of my sword.
A backhand full swing.
Whack!
The creature’s upper body was bent back almost 90 degrees, and its neck dangled precariously. Its face was the epitome of horror, with its teeth and everything else almost completely shattered.
I grinned and shouted.
“Joey, pin it to the ground!”
“Yes, Hyung-nim!”
Thud!
The paving stones cracked under Joey’s powerful stomp. The heavy thrust, infused with all his strength, landed squarely on the creature’s abdomen.
Crack!
“Heave-ho-!”
Groooo-!
Joey lifted the creature impaled on his spear and slammed it into the ground with all his might. No, he drove it into the ground.
Crash!
The ground exploded as if a bomb had gone off, debris scattering in all directions, and the creature’s body was buried up to its knees.
“Hyung-nim-!”
“I’m coming-!”
Joey quickly pulled out his spear and raised it high, and I launched myself into the air, pushing off the ground.
We already knew what to do by instinct.
I raised my sword above my head in a high guard position. I placed my hand on the blade with one hand, and as I finished preparing to block, Joey’s bent iron spear came crashing down……
I swung my sword down with all my might.
*Clang-! *
An explosion of power against power. A searing pain shot through my shoulder as if it were being ripped apart.
I headed towards the ground, purely fast, and extremely strong.
With that force, I perfectly stomped on the creature’s shoulders as it struggled to free itself from the ground.
Crack! Crack!
The sound of bones and flesh being crushed under my shoes could be heard as the creature’s body was driven further into the ground. Almost up to its waist.
Groooo!
Pain shook the space around us. I stumbled a bit after landing due to the bone-jarring sound and the remaining impact on my body, but I hadn’t forgotten my role yet. My left hand reached for the rope at my waist.
“Joey, catch!”
“Yes!”
As soon as I grabbed the rope, a white light enveloped it. A rope reinforced by holy power was created. I threw the rope, wrapping it tightly around the creature’s body, and Joey and I pulled with all our might from both sides.
Creak……!
The sound of bones being crushed could be heard as the rope tightened. Through the rope, I could vividly feel the creature’s resistance.
“Namias-!”
I turned my head to look at the High Priest, and she quickly grabbed the Holy Symbol and bowed her head, beginning to construct the Holy Spell.
“Oh Light! Oh Master of Light! Your servant seeks to punish the one who disturbs Your will!”
60 seconds left!
Groo! Groooo-!
“Stay put, you bastard! I’ll send you back to where you belong!”
“Eek-! I won’t let go!”
Crack! Crack! Crackle!
The creature’s body began to swell rapidly. As if the demon was finally about to fully awaken, various parts of its body were hardening like steel. And along with strange protrusions, the severed left hand was also gradually regenerating.
Crack! Crack!
Joey and I were slowly being pulled towards the creature. Every time that happened, I tightened my grip on the rope and drew strength from within.
“I can’t let go!”
“Uoooo-!”
Crackle. Crackle……
But I was gradually being pulled towards it. The ropes weren’t able to completely stop its expansion.
What about me, Namia? Not yet?
“And thus, Saint Recto said, ‘For the formless to gain form is the providence of God, but for the formless to intrude upon the formed and try to create itself is a clear rebellion against God!’ Our Lord called it darkness and bestowed the power to defeat it……!”
Is it still not ready……!
It was changing more and more.
Crack! Crackle! Crunch!
Darkness was pouring out, healing its wounds, its body swelling several times over. Its skin turned black, its eyes yellow, its hair into crimson flames, fangs protruding, and horns like those of a ram sprouted from its forehead.
And most of all, what was trying to sprout from its back. Wings resembling those of a bat were clear evidence of a demon.
“Eeeeeek……!”
I gritted my teeth and tried to hold on, but its strength was truly immense. If I hadn’t driven it into the ground earlier to stop its movement while we had the advantage, it would have been truly difficult by now.
Screech! Sizzle!
My feet dragged on the ground, and the distance between me and it gradually closed. Ugh……? Is the holy spell still not ready?
Then, Jay and Old Man grabbed the rope with me and spoke, one after the other.
“Oh! A demon, of all things! Boss, I’m really regretting following you!”
“Really…… this won’t be boring.”
“Sh, shut up……!”
Thanks to the added strength of the two, we stopped being dragged. Then, Joey was pulled in, but Levidian was already there.
“Just hold on a little longer!”
“Yes, yes!”
Joey gripped the rope even harder, and in proportion, the demon struggled more violently as if trying to break free. Eventually, the taut rope began to snap, strand by strand, becoming thinner and thinner.
“Ugh……!”
But it’s too late!
Namia, with a fierce expression, raised both hands. From her mouth flowed powerful verses from the scriptures, containing the words of God and the saints.
“Saint Modeiran said! Behold! Revere! This is the judgment of light bestowed by Lynin! Under this light, the minions of darkness shall not leave a single shred of darkness behind!”
Holy power descends upon the earth through hope and will.
White light descended, splitting the endless sky.
No, it descended.
Wheeeee-!
The air was torn apart, and everyone holding the rope, including me, tumbled down.
“Ugh! Ouch!”
I finally stopped after rolling two or three times. And before my eyes, my ears recognized the agonizing presence of the demon.
Groooo-! Gyaaaaaaaa-!
Within the white light, the demon was being pulled upwards, its entire body contorting. Its flesh, starting from the ends of its arms and legs, slowly crumbled into dust, scattering without leaving a trace.
While watching the scene, I heard Old Man’s mesmerized voice.
“Th, that’s……? Holy Fire?!”
Holy Fire, heard only in myths.
The sacred flame that burns away all darkness, and only darkness.
Oh my god, even High Priests have difficulty using that!
And she created it in a minute?
No, then what about that demon that could be banished in 15 minutes…… what kind of being is it?!
“Huu……!”
Namia, seemingly exhausted, let out a faint sigh and collapsed. Her red hair fluttered upwards and then slowly sank. J, just what kind of angel are you?!
Gyaaaaaaaa-! Kyaaaaaaaa-!
“Kaaaaaa-!”
The demon’s voice, which had been shaking the space, now changed to a voice produced by its flesh. Its arms were already gone, its body disappearing up to its waist, nearing complete annihilation, but……
The Holy Fire was weakening.
Simultaneously, the demon’s annihilation was slowing down.
Namia, gasping for breath, said,
“As expected…… it’s still not enough…… Is an Inquisitor too much even in its weakened state…… Lynin……”
A bell rang in my head.
Inquisitor. That is, an Inquisitor of Heresy.
Heresy to a demon, in other words, is light.
An Inquisitor is a high-ranking demon known to have been created to deal with angels, the apostles of light.
The being that’s said to be able to destroy an entire religious order just by appearing in the mortal realm…… why is it here?!
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