Chapter 152 : Chapter 152

Chapter 152 : The North (5)

Maron beheaded the high-rank demon in a single strike.

It was a clean slash, with [Severance] manifested.

The high-rank demon, who hadn't even revealed its name, lost its life just like that.

It possessed a rather good Power and could have been a decent asset if it had become an ally.

But the demon's will to never side with me was strong.

It had even disobeyed the order from the former 3rd-ranked demon not to move and still charged at us.

Sending it off peacefully was a form of respect for it.

Knowing that, I had beheaded it without hesitation.

It was a moment where I could feel the demon's loyalty to the Demon King.

Because of that, the atmosphere sank a little.

But we couldn't stop here.

“Let’s keep going. We have a long way to go.”

I said to my comrades.

***

Indeed, the road ahead was long.

We had to face numerous beasts, and a considerable number of demons also attacked us.

“It’s a Power! Everyone, be careful!”

“Sir Everchen, save your Fourfold Transformation for now!”

“I can still use it more.”

“Still, let’s try to fight without the Fourfold Transformation for now!”

After Hike's teachings, Everchen would now start battles after first using his Fourfold Transformation.

He had improved a lot in handling the Fourfold Transformation in a short time.

But it wasn't a power to be used indiscriminately.

“Kugh, it’s tough fighting without the Titan Blade.”

“Keldric, protect Polarin for now!”

Until now, Everchen’s Titan Blade had provided some resistance even against the high-rank demons' Powers, allowing us to endure.

But we had to learn how to fight without the Titan Blade.

We had not yet met the 3rd in rank of the Demon King’s army, Bitelleanus.

It was fortunate that she was someone open to conversation, but we didn't know what unexpected situations might arise, so we had to conserve our strength as much as possible.

‘I must protect my comrades.’

I stepped to the front line.

I couldn't take on a sturdy tanker position like Everchen, but right now, I had to be the one to move. Just as Adjak had.

White divine power erupted from my body.

It was a far greater amount than the divine power I had been constantly shrouded in since coming to the Erosion Zone.

Like a breaking dam, a wave of divine power washed over me and my comrades.

“Keuk.”

A few of the Remnants who had not yet accepted my mana fled from the wave of divine power.

Bea’s Light Arrow flew swiftly from behind and embedded itself in the abdomen of a hiding high-rank demon.

Not missing that opening, I used [Rush].

Then I stabbed Maron into the spot where the Light Arrow was stuck.

The high-rank demon’s eyes widened in pain.

As its long claws came stabbing towards my neck, I lifted Maron and slashed the high-rank demon's body.

Instantly, Keldric appeared and blew the demon’s head apart.

“Hoo…….”

Everyone let out a ragged breath.

The deeper we went, the stronger the demons we had to face.

The demons all charged at us, resolved to die.

Every battle was difficult because we tried to capture those demons alive as much as possible.

But in the end, we failed in our initial goal of making demons our allies.

“Kill me!”

Seogeok.

Continuous battles without rest.

The harsh environment of the Erosion Zone.

In the midst of it all, we gradually moved forward in silence.

Everyone bore minor injuries.

Major wounds were treated by Everchen using Heal, but we decided to endure small scratches based on the judgment to conserve divine power.

At least Everchen, Bea, Keldric, and I were in a better situation.

Among the Remnants, there were some who suffered serious injuries and had to leave the group.

The number of Remnants, already greatly reduced by the Archduke's single strike, dwindled even further.

‘These are the people Derix worked so hard to gather…….’

Still, the fortunate thing was that neither my comrades nor the members of the Remnant had lost the light in their eyes.

With renewed determination, we delved deeper and deeper into the Erosion Zone.

After advancing for a while, a demon from the Remnant who had gone ahead as a scout returned and reported.

“Ahead, a large stone is floating in the sky. It looks like… a castle.”

“We were going the right way. Thank you for your hard work.”

The stone mass the scout reported must be Bitelleanus's floating castle.

‘I wonder if it’s as beautiful as the one in Myeolji?’

“From now on, let’s proceed with even more caution. You don’t need to scout ahead anymore. Let’s stick together and move slowly.”

“Yes!”

At my words, the Remnants and my comrades answered, their tension rising to its peak.

I was just as nervous.

Since we were about to face the former 3rd in rank of the Demon King’s army, I thought anything could happen.

We walked slowly towards the floating castle.

This could now be considered the true heart of the North.

I didn’t know for sure, but even the soldiers of the North probably couldn't have come this deep.

“Two demons on the left. They’re just watching, not attacking.”

“Four spotted in the front as well.”

Encounters with strong demons became more frequent.

What had changed from before was that they were not attacking us.

They didn't hide, but kept a certain distance and continued to follow us.

Before we knew it, we were in a situation tantamount to being surrounded by demons.

According to Rodos, who was a former high-rank demon, there were less than thirty high-rank demons roaming the continent.

He said there were likely more in the North, but it was difficult to gauge their number.

‘Just the high-rank demons… fourteen. No need to count the mid-rank ones.’

Just as Rodos had said, a great number of high-rank demons existed in the North.

There were fourteen high-rank demons, said to number only around twenty across the entire continent, just in our vicinity.

And we had beheaded five high-rank demons on our way here.

‘With Bitelleanus here as well, there was a reason why even Evernite couldn't easily conquer the North.’

Now, the floating island was clearly visible.

It was as if the barren soil of the North had been lifted into the air as it was.

It was less a castle and more of a huge, black rock floating in the sky.

It seemed they tried to make it aesthetically pleasing by carving outer walls and spires, but that, on the contrary, created a bizarre appearance.

‘The floating castle I saw in Myeolji looked beautiful even on screen, but that thing is a bit……. Bitelleanus must be feeling a bit sore inside.’

Bitelleanus was a figure famous for cherishing the demon legion under her command, and at the same time, famous as a demon who couldn't get enough of beautiful things.

She was an eccentric who would even let an enemy who attacked her go without killing them if they had a beautiful appearance.

When we arrived below the floating castle, several high-rank demons were waiting there as well.

About thirty high-rank demons and hundreds of mid-rank demons surrounded us from the front and back.

But Bitelleanus was nowhere to be seen.

‘Well, the 3rd in rank of the Demon King’s army wouldn’t just be waiting for us.’

I called Bea, then pointed to the floating castle with my fingertip.

“Could you give them a knock, please?”

“What do you mean by that?”

“Please let them know we’re here with your arrow, Lady Bea.”

“Ah……”

Bea let out a sound of realization and drew her bowstring taut.

A dazzling light arrow was knocked on the empty string.

“Is it okay to knock hard?”

“Haha, yes. Please knock with all your might.”

Bea took a deep breath and said softly.

“One Flower, Ten Thousand Kills.”

Bea’s light arrow bloomed in mid-air.

The arrow soon split into ten thousand arrows and poured down towards the floating castle.

It was truly a magnificent sight. Unlike the hideous floating castle, Bea’s arrows flew in the shape of flowers.

But their beauty did not mean their power could be ignored.

The flowers that flew from Bea’s bowstring tore through the air at a terrifying speed and rained down on the floating castle.

Bea didn’t stop at using her Fourfold Transformation.

She used her newly acquired Tune, [Rocket Arrow], on the arrows.

The speed of the already fast arrows increased even further, and the sound of them tearing through the wind could be heard.

Just then, a person appeared from the floating castle.

It was a woman of small stature, who elegantly floated up into the sky to face the rain of arrows.

She held up a red shield.

Soon, the shield grew large enough to cover the castle.

Kwagwagwagwagaga──!

The arrows poured down onto the giant red shield.

A deafening roar was heard as the arrows and shield clashed.

The attack was sharp, but the demon holding the shield did not back down and held her ground firmly.

Neither Bea who shot the bow, nor the demons watching it, made any particular move.

I wondered about the demon whose form was hidden by the shield, Bitelleanus.

I was able to confirm her appearance soon after.

After blocking all the arrows that had split into thousands, she slowly descended from the sky.

As Bitelleanus landed on the ground, the surrounding demons all knelt and bowed their heads in unison.

It was similar to the attitude of the northern knights towards the Archduke.

I could feel the infinite loyalty and well-established military discipline they showed towards their superior.

Bitelleanus lowered her shield and spoke to Bea.

“Are you planning to destroy someone else’s house?”

“I knew you would block it.”

Bea was not intimidated even though her Fourfold Transformation was blocked.

Rather, she answered while looking confidently at Bitelleanus.

Bitelleanus gazed intently at Bea. The two women’s eyes met.

“Hmph.”

But Bitelleanus did not continue speaking.

Her treatment of someone who had launched a merciless attack on her home was merciful, which was probably because Bea’s appearance was beautiful enough to soothe her anger.

Bitelleanus shifted her gaze to me and asked.

“Descendant of Adjak. What brings you all the way here?”

“I will help you all return home.”

“Can I trust you? No, can you trust me?”

Bitelleanus pointed to the large scar above her eye with her index finger.

“This scar, it was a gift from Adjak.”

It must have been a wound from 300 years ago, yet it still hadn't healed.

And I could feel that a minuscule amount of Adjak's mana remained in that wound.

“They say you have inherited Adjak's will. It’s not a wound you made, but… you could collect on your ancestor's debt, couldn’t you.”

Bitelleanus’s aura sharpened.

I thought she might really try to gouge out my eyes.

“Or, I could kill you. Wouldn’t that be the end of Adjak’s will right here? And yet you came here so fearlessly.”

“Even if I die here, no one will give up. If the Dome in Myeolji disappears, a war will break out.”

I said, putting strength into my voice.

“But without my help, you will never be able to return home again. Are you okay with that?”

“Why do you think I can’t go back? Because Evernite is blocking my way?”

I looked at Bitelleanus without answering.

Mentioning Evernite was not enough.

I had to scratch her pride even more.

“Besides, I already have a new home.”

“Didn’t you leave a more beautiful home than that behind in Myeolji?”

A vile smile hung on Bitelleanus’s lips.

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