◈ Episode 323. It’s a natural flow (1)

Exorcism Ritual.

Only after entering the ritual could I see the face of the half-breed demon. Its appearance was almost human. For a demon, the bright hair color is impressive. But…….

I haven’t even started anything yet, what’s with that expression?

“Ah, ah…….”

Unfocused pupils.

A mouth that can’t even form words.

I thought I’d seen that look before.

Demon worshippers trapped in the underground chambers of the Magic Tower were like that.

To put it simply, it’s a face of resignation to everything in the world. If it were an innocent human wearing that expression, I might have tried to put words to her old age.

But this is a demon.

And not just any demon, but the 56th ranked demon king, Gremory, who possessed the power. Let’s not let down our guard, Hoyeol. Of course, apart from being determined, my behavior was as relaxed as usual.

‘You can’t be serious.’

With just one arm and one slash.

Bael, the number one ranked Demon King who brought the continent of Seorn to ruin.

Isn’t that our great Mr. Grandfell, who didn’t cower before him?

No mercy, of course.

“Raise your head.”

“Ah……?”

“From this time forward, answer what I ask you.”

It doesn’t matter if you can answer or not.

This is not kind discipline.

This is strict punishment.

“Half-breed demon, reveal the meaning of your presumptuous name.”

That’s a bit of a stab in the back, I thought, since I’m the one with the most presumptuous names……! After a moment’s thought, Gremory’s mouth moves.

“What a monster.”

Exorcism Ritual.

A mental battle between a demon hunter and a demon.

Gaining the upper hand in the ritual allows you to completely dominate your opponent.

Depending on the outcome of the ritual, a demon hunter could be corrupted into a demon, or a demon could be reduced to nothing more than a bug. And yet, Gremory spoke those words while overwhelmed by me.

She must have felt very wronged.

“Why, I can’t even reach you?”

Crackling─

Gremory raises a shaky hand.

It’s close enough to touch me if I reach out.

Rustle.

But Gremory didn’t make it.

Even if you spit out words, you can’t put them into action.

I can hear the sucking sound.

Gritting her teeth, she continues.

“Bloody hell!”

The sound is so bizarre that I think it’s the scream of a demon.

I can’t believe she let out a sound like that.

I’m glad it’s not coming from Baek Yiseol’s mouth.

“Shit!”

Gremory’s face, hidden beneath her apricot hair, was contorted into a vicious grimace. She’d realized it was over. Instead of a last will and testament, she’s going to throw up. Even in her utter terror, she was evil.

“My plan was perfect. I’m sure you couldn’t have guessed it, which is why you’re still questioning me about what it means to be a half-breed……! Yes, I’ll tell you if you want. I am Gremory, a half-breed demon who has embraced the power of the seven deadly sins as a demon!”

……Was that why you were a half-breed?

‘I guessed it wasn’t normal.’

Even in the Zero Mountains, it didn’t fall under the detection radius of [Natural Enemy], and it even managed to escape the siege of an embodied Akshan legend. Indeed, I thought it was worthy of its name, which appears later in the class quest…….

‘This exceeded my expectations.’

It was the power of the Seven Deadly Sins.

At the same time, it made sense.

Yeah, that’s why she could go on a rampage.

Of course, it was an extravagant display.

Gremory seemed to have given up on life altogether.

“Then why is it…… that I’ve never been able to touch you, not even for a moment, with all this power? Is it because of some damned natural enemy? I don’t understand. I, this body, have struggled so hard……!”

I recognize the sentiment.

‘In other words, you’re here.’

Considering the relationship between demons and great evil.

It must have been a big decision to abandon your pride and embrace the power of the Seven Deadly Sins, but now you’re being hunted by the legendary Akshan, who has materialized. To escape the crisis, the human possessed rejects the possession out of pride, and finally, you find yourself in a tiger’s den called Magic Tower.

Now that I think about it, life is worth giving up.

But.

‘No illusions.’

I remembered the effect of the skill, [Natural Enemy].

───────

Natural Enemy: When fighting with demons, combat power increases dramatically.
───────

rises dramatically.

In the biography of the Arcana continent, that phrase guarantees a tremendous effect. But it doesn’t necessarily mean invincibility. That’s why you shouldn’t feel so bad, Gremory.

‘Did you say you were struggling in front of me?’

Yes.

I don’t know how much you’ve struggled, but I can assure you that compared to the desperate struggles of me, Lee Hoyeol, your injustice is like wrinkling a chrysalis.

Speaking of which, here’s the deal.

Look at how I earned the legend of Akshan.

I lost my sense of cowardice and went toe-to-toe with Raymond Sean. In the end, it was an achievement that was achieved thanks to sealing the bad omen and restoring those forgotten on the Arcana continent.

What about Baek Yiseol’s pride?

‘Do you know how much I suffered back then?’

Not as much as Baek Yiseol, who was involved. She was caught in the middle of the whole thing and made the front page of the entertainment newspaper, and was teased uselessly by some people……!

So, what?

“It’s unfair. I can’t stand it……!”

The word “unfair” comes out of her mouth?!

I don’t even need to mention Grandfell’s coldness this time.

I replied in a cold voice.

“So much for the will.”

Then the words came back, even sharper.

“……I curse you in hell, Lee Hoyeol.”

Once upon a time, the demon’s curse would have stung.

But not anymore.

If you can do it, do it.

‘There’s nothing like that in hell.’

There are real Akshans in Hell.

“I’ll be waiting for you there, Lee Hoyeol.”

Wait for me for the rest of my life.

I’m going to hell.

I don’t think it’s a big deal.

Gremory laughed, a harsh laugh.

“Hahahaha. Holy War Alliance, meaningless, but it’s fitting. It’s a declaration of war. I will only be the beginning. In the future, a demon you can’t handle will bring you, your homeland, and the entire Arcana continent to ruin!”

No backbone, that’s honest.

And yet, I say nothing in response.

Gremory was kind enough to offer an example.

“Lust, Lust, starting with that murderer!”

This is why they say that half the battle is won by standing still.

I suppose this is why demons are treated so poorly by Grandfell.

Not to mention his pride.

“You and Lust. I’ll be waiting for you in hell, whoever you are.”

No loyalty, these guys?

Of course, I’m grateful. Gremory’s curses have given us quite a few clues. Let’s see, the Half-Breed Demon’s next target is the Seven Deadly Sins?

‘However, it won’t just be a great evil.’

Greed and Envy have gone to hell.

These creatures know better than anyone that they have no chance against me, which is why they’ve gone to the trouble of sacrificing players to mix their blood with the demon’s.

And then.

‘They’ll be lurking and watching the results.’

Whether Gremory lived up to Lust’s expectations or not is none of our business.

All that matters is that Gremory, like the demon she is, announced her presence, and no matter how tightly she hid, she remembered his scent through the power of the color lust coursing through her body.

‘Even if they mix different blood, I won’t miss it.’

My expression didn’t change at all.

“Ha.”

Death stared me in the face.

It must have been Gremory, who poured out a curse in his final act. But since I didn’t even pretend to listen, let alone stir, Gremory was at a loss for words.

Of course, my words were still the same.

“So much for the will.”

” ……You bastard!!!”

Gremory extends her hand one last time.

But for the sake of procedure.

The Jacket of Dawn has been gripped at the hilt since dawn and secured to his shoulders with magic. No lesser race would be allowed to touch the hem of the garment, for this was Grandfell.

I continued.

“Now shut that mouth of yours.”

“……!”

At the same time, violet magic flashed through the air.

Gremory’s body instantly stiffened.

I was the one who took the initiative in the Exorcism Ritual.

No wonder she can’t even breathe if I don’t allow it.

‘By the way.’

This guy’s personality, as he doesn’t neglect anything, is extremely persistent.

Whatever it is.

This means repeating it infinitely until you get used to it.

‘You’re going to suffer for the rest of your life, me too.’

A message flashed before my eyes.

[Blessing of the First World Tree rejects ‘Curse of the Twilight’].

I didn’t care and interfered with the twilight magic.

If you had used pure magic before…….

This time, it is a familiar exploration target: minerals.

Sussss─

Twilight Magic.

He arranged the violet magic particles to mimic the structure of the mineral.

Then the scattered twilight energy changed form. They were cohesive and sharpened together. Well, now I finally understand AAU’s report.

‘If I saw a skill like this, I’d only raise mages.’

Even my old self would have been outraged.

I picked a Demon Hunter out of foam.

A class even cooler than the Demon Hunter has appeared.

Sussss─

Not just cool.

It was safe to say that it had reached the pinnacle of splendor.

Of course, I was unfamiliar with twilight magic.

As a result, the radius of my manifestation was only a fraction.

‘Everything is relative.’

The exorcism ritual is still in progress.

In Gremory’s eyes.

Wouldn’t this little violet breeze look like a raging storm?

Gremory stared at the twilight magic.

she muttered in a broken voice.

“Beautiful magic. On the contrary, you are truly without mercy. Even the only thing I can claim, the supreme beauty, is taken from me……. In the end, do you mean to take everything away from me?”

Even with such pitiful words.

Demons have no blood, no tears, no emotions.

It’s what Grandfell would say.

“You were never beautiful, not even for a moment.”

At that, Gremory raised a small smile.

“……You are truly a very heartless man.”

And with that, twilight magic enveloped Gremory.

.

.

.

[You have leveled up].

[You have leveled up].

[You have leveled up]…….

Dizzying message.

I haven’t seen such a large increase since the Seven Deadly Sins of Envy.

I sneak a peek at my status.

[Name: Grandfell Claudi Arpheus Romeo]

[Title: Last Adventurer, Sublime, Transcendent, Dark Dragon]

[Class: Demon Hunter]

[Level: 776]

[Stats]

Strength: 170 / Agility: 175 / Magic: 660 / Luck: 12 / Aesthetics: High / Tenacity: 5

[Points held: 21]

Gained 21 levels.

I gained 1 level in the Zero Mountains. I gained 20 levels just for killing Gremory, which is a lot considering she’s 56th in the hierarchy…….

‘I think rising to level 10 would have been a breeze.’

It was clear from her experience that becoming a half-breed demon had made her twice as challenging.

-Hunt a demon. (Repeat)

●Follow the blood trail to track the half-breed demon. (Success)

●Hunt down a half-breed demon. (Success)

[You have successfully completed the quest].

[Your relationship with Akshan increases].

[Your influence in Akshan increases].

Successfully completed a recurring quest in the tiresome Akshan.

Baek Yiseol’s pupils, which had been blackened, have returned to their normal color.

Baek Yiseol is the first to speak.

“……Wow.”

The first word was admiration.

To be precise, Baek Yiseol wasn’t the only one spitting out admiration.

Applause rang out from the top floor of the Magic Tower.

“That was quite the manifestation, my lord!”

What is this?

Marcelo, as emotionless as Grandfell, is clapping his hands furiously. The cat next to him does the same. Tower Master, his tail standing straight up, speaks up.

“Using twilight magic, I’m surprised, Chief.”

“I wasn’t mistaken after all. That kind of magic……. I mean, I’ve never even seen twilight magic before, but I don’t know how this happened. I didn’t witness the twilight magic manifested in the Crystal Hall…….”

“Excuse me, but I did witness it, the violet magic.”

“……!!”

It was the kind of twilight magic you could only witness if you had an open circle, or at least the equivalent of one, and if you didn’t, you were an archmage of Jesse’s class.

‘Maybe Tower Master or Marcelo, but not Baek Yiseol.’

They shouldn’t have been able to witness it.

Everyone’s looking at me curiously, but I don’t know why?

I’m just guessing.

‘……Is it because I’m forcing it?’

If I’m right, it was never something to brag about.

This brazenness was not to admit the slightest flaw.

I blurted out.

“It was like that. But not anymore.”

“……What do you mean?”

“Because I will reveal the twilight to the world.”

……Yes, I’m going to use what I learned about temper tantrums.

Anyway, it pisses me off more when I don’t say the wrong thing.

Anyway, three people were impressed.

I’m going to stop sighing and spit out some admiration.

‘Time to check it out.’

The ritual is over.

I swallowed hard and stared at the purified offering.

Suddenly, I see it before me.

The information of a legendary item left behind by the Great Evil, Envy!

[Set Effect: 1/7].

But this is unusual from the start……?

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tl/n: wait. set effect? Greed is already in hell, so, maybe Hoyeol going to visit hell to get Greed loot?