Chapter 150 : Chapter 150

Chapter 150 : The North (3)

The demonic territory of the North, the Erosion Zone.

Perhaps because it was the entrance, it was filled with the corpses of all sorts of beasts, demons, and Northern Knights.

A land where death had become a daily routine. Since no one collected the bodies, a gloomy aura spread along with a foul stench.

Seeing the scene, Everchen asked me.

“May I take a moment to pray before we go?”

“Yes, please do.”

Everchen strode towards a mountain of corpses that had already begun to rot and were swarming with maggots.

He didn't seem to mind the gruesome sight or the pungent stench that stung the nose.

While Everchen prayed, the rest of us stood guard by his side.

Although we didn't feel the presence of any enemies nearby, we didn't let our guard down as anything could happen in the Erosion Zone.

Everchen placed his hand on a corpse.

Then he softly recited a chant.

Soon, a gentle light emanated from his body.

The light that radiated from Everchen's body soon enveloped the corpses.

As the aura of the God of Peace settled upon the dead, a change slowly began to occur.

The gloomy and evil aura gradually started to subside.

After praying for a while longer, Everchen rose from his spot.

Everchen, who had approached the gruesome-looking corpses without hesitation, seemed different.

“You, are you cool?”

“That’s right. You look like a real paladin.”

It seemed Keldric and Bea felt a similar impression to me.

Everchen reacted as if he was embarrassed.

“If the vengeful spirits are not appeased, ghostly energy will accumulate. I can't pray for all the corpses scattered here, but…… I wanted to do it at least at the entrance.”

During the third trial of the Dragon, the World of Recurrence, everyone was tormented by ghosts.

Naturally reminded of that time, Keldric lowered his head, clasped his hands, and began to pray.

Bea did the same.

Of course, their prayers didn't cause divine power to react and purify the evil aura, but it was better than nothing.

I joined in as well.

Believing that prayer was more about the heart than the form, I wished for the dead here to find peace.

And so, I wished for the war to finally end, for no more fighting to occur in the North.

Then, a strange thing happened.

Just like when Everchen prayed, a gentle light enveloped my body and began to spread out from me to the surrounding area.

“Ooh……”

Keldric let out a sound of admiration.

Although I had become an apostle recognized by the God of Peace, I still didn't know how to handle divine power.

But at this moment, an amount of divine power that wouldn't lose to Everchen's, no, even more than that, was filling the forest.

Everchen quietly approached me and said.

“The God of Peace has answered your prayer, Lord Polarin.”

“Actually…… I’m not sure how I did it. Sir Everchen has taught me a lot, but I didn't follow those methods.”

“Perhaps you conveyed a sincerity that transcends form?”

“Sincerity…… I did have that.”

“What kind of sincerity was it?”

“I prayed that war would no longer break out in the North.”

Everchen fell into thought after hearing my words.

It must have been a different kind of prayer from the prayers to the god that he had performed so far.

“The form of prayer handed down from the Holy Order must have developed and become established to pray more efficiently. You should do it in your own way, Lord Polarin.”

Everchen looked up at the sky.

He looked like a saint who wanted to hear the voice of a god.

“If you have a sincere wish for peace, Lord Polarin, won't the God of Peace continue to respond? I will also pray for that to happen.”

“Yes, I hope so too.”

I also followed Everchen and looked up at the sky.

Even if I couldn't become a paladin who could use divine power at will, if I could exert divine power even just when my sincerity reached, it would be a great help in my future journey.

‘It was embarrassing for an apostle of the Holy Order to not be able to use divine power…….’

As I was lost in thought, Bea held her bow and said.

“I feel the movement of a beast in front.”

The journey to the North was a slow one.

But now that we were here and had witnessed the gruesome scene, we couldn't continue our journey as leisurely as before.

Win over the demons that can be won over, and decisively kill the demons that cannot be won over to eliminate the threat of the North.

I once again made a heartfelt vow.

“Let’s move.”

***

We had entered quite deep into the Erosion Zone.

But surprisingly, we couldn't meet any demons.

It was unexpected because the North, where the most demons lived apart from Myeolji, was a place where we had anticipated numerous battles with demons.

Was it possible that there weren't actually that many demons?

Or, had the Archduke already slaughtered so many demons that the war was almost over…….

‘That can’t be. Someone is controlling the demons.’

I quickly erased the happy-go-lucky thoughts from my mind.

It was much more likely that the demon who ruled the other half of the North was controlling the other demons so that they wouldn't meet us.

There was another ruler of the North in a place where the Archduke, Evernite's, hand could not reach.

But demons were not the only problem.

“A Grade 1 beast has appeared on the left flank! It's a Medon. There are three of them!”

“We’ll split up. I'll take the center.”

The beasts of the North had survived for a long time and had accumulated that much experience.

There were also many high-grade beasts there.

The highest-grade beast I had faced so far was a Grade 2 beast, but I could easily see Grade 1 beasts that were even stronger than that.

Pisyuuuuuu──!

Bea's Light Arrow lodged in the chest of a Medon that looked like a giant bear.

The first arrow couldn't pierce its thick hide, but the arrows that kept hitting the same spot eventually pierced Medon's chest.

Kuaaaaghk!

Nevertheless, the Medon did not die.

The Medon roared and quickly approached Bea.

“Phew, it’s coming close! Lady Bea, I'll leave it to you!”

“Just trust me.”

Keldric and Everchen approached the Medon on the left and I took the one on the right.

Grade 1 beasts, beings that rarely appear on the continent due to their small numbers, but are called calamities because they inflict enormous damage whenever they do appear.

Even demons couldn't control Grade 1 beasts.

Grade 1 beasts were born with demonic energy that easily surpassed low-rank demons, and even most mid-rank demons avoided Grade 1 beasts.

In particular, I had faced a Medon during Adjak's expedition, and it was an individual that had led many to their deaths.

But we were no longer so weak as to feel threatened by a beast.

I cast [Gravity Manipulation] on Maron's blade.

The sword, with added mass, cut off Medon's left arm in one fell swoop.

Swish.

[Severance] had been activated.

The judgment of [Severance], which could cut through opponents weaker than me, proved that I was clearly stronger than the Medon.

Even with its arm cut off, the Medon did not flinch and lunged forward with its menacing teeth.

Rather, I was glad.

Because there was something I wanted to test as well.

I drew the Dragon Killer from my waist.

I had often tested the Dragon Killer on the way here.

But to bring out its true value, I needed the blood of a strong opponent.

I coated the Dragon Killer with aura.

My will to cut down the opponent became an intent and mixed with the aura.

After superimposing [Gravity Manipulation] on top of that, I rushed towards the Medon.

Since its blade was shorter than Maron's, I had no choice but to get close to the Medon.

The Medon's huge hand quickly tried to strike me down.

Even with only one arm left, the Medon's speed and power were tremendous.

But I twisted my body and dodged its attack.

I had moved by instantaneously judging the Medon's arm length and speed.

Pajijik!

At the same time, the Thunder Plate vibrated and discharged electricity.

If an enemy that threatened me was nearby, electricity would be automatically discharged.

It was a magic circle whose principle I couldn't understand and the skill of the dwarf who had engraved and assembled it on the armor was also amazing.

I was just using it.

The Medon's movements slowed down after being suddenly exposed to electricity.

On top of that, I used [Fear] to further slow down its movements.

I spun around once and got behind the Medon.

Puk! Pukpuk! Puk!

Then I stabbed the Medon's vitals with the Dragon Killer.

Even without Severance, the Medon's thick hide was torn apart by the Dragon Killer's blade.

Kuuung…….

The Medon, which had resisted until the end, finally collapsed when the Dragon Killer pierced its heart.

I pulled out the Dragon Killer.

Dark red blood dripped from the tip of the dagger.

Serrated blades grew on the Dragon Killer's blade.

After killing a strong beast like the Medon, the first awakening had occurred, and it had become a dagger that grew each time it absorbed blood.

“You’re slow, Polarin.”

“That’s right. You’re the slowest among us.”

Keldric and Bea, who had already dealt with their Medons, said playfully.

“Please try harder.”

Even Everchen joined in to tease me.

I shook my head and didn't respond.

“Oh, your sword! It changed again!”

“This is the first time it has changed?”

“No, no. Maron changed too. I thought that was just a wooden sword at first……”

“The two are a bit different.”

“How are they different?”

I threw the Dragon Killer at Keldric.

“Eek!”

Keldric let out a strange scream and knocked the Dragon Killer away with his fist.

I hadn't thrown it with force, so I knew Keldric would be able to knock it away.

Nevertheless, the surprised Keldric said.

“You bastard!”

But instead of answering, I showed him my open palm.

Then, the Dragon Killer returned to my hand.

“Oh……”

“Isn’t it cool? It returns to my hand even if I throw it.”

“That's awesome! Does it work even if you're far away?”

“It probably will, but it needs to absorb more blood for now.”

I have to kill as many beasts and demons as possible to gradually awaken the Dragon Killer and make it so that it can return to my hand at any time.

Because the Dragon Killer, contrary to its name, is the ultimate weapon for killing only beings that possess demonic energy.

“That’s so cool. I want one……”

“Why do you want one when you don’t even know how to use a sword?”

“What? You can’t use a sword either, Lady Bea!”

“That’s why I don’t even think about wanting one.”

Bea and Keldric had become quite close as well.

It was always something I thought about, but considering my first meeting with Bea, it was a surprising development.

I watched their bickering with a pleased expression and spoke.

“Anyway, it's different from Maron. Maron doesn't have a function like this.”

“Do not speak of Lord Maron like that.”

“……Yes, I’m sorry.”

It had the opposite effect.

I had tried to mediate but ended up adding an unnecessary comment.

Maron also seemed offended and trembled.

As I was feeling awkward, a strange phenomenon suddenly occurred.

The fishy stench that had been present since we entered the Erosion Zone suddenly disappeared.

Soon after, my hearing also stopped.

I could see Bea and Keldric mouthing words, but I couldn't hear anything.

‘A Power?’

I cut my arm with the Dragon Killer I was holding.

Bright red blood dripped down.

Then, my sense of smell and hearing returned.

I had tried it as a test, and I was glad it worked.

My strange behavior had dumbfounded my companions, who were staring at me with surprised eyes.

While my other companions were still dazed, there were those who appeared to protect us.

“A high-rank demon has appeared. It is using Power.”

It was Derix.

He and the forces of Remnant surrounded us as if to protect us.

“Is it a Power that takes away the senses one by one?”

“It seems so. Quickly…… take shelter. We will handle this.”

Derix said with a determined voice.

But I placed my hand on Derix's shoulder and said.

“Don’t worry. We will handle them.”

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