Chapter 177 : Chapter 177

Chapter 177 - Mop-up (3)

“...What is this now?”

Ms. Seo Hye-in asked with a reluctant expression, pointing at Seo Ah-in who was clinging to me like a cicada.

Well, if you were to ask me what this was, I'd be at a bit of a loss for words myself.

“A drunkard.”

“...Pardon?”

“A drunkard.”

No matter how I thought about it, there seemed to be no better explanation.

Instead of a flushed face, she had a black ring around her head, and there were other differences, but.

Clinging to me from behind, occasionally poking my cheek, spouting nonsense like should big sis take care of you for a night?, and sometimes grinning and rubbing her cheek against mine—looking at all that, this was just a drunkard.

“...Hey, Ah-in. Isn't Mr. Kim Gyu-sik having a hard time?”

“Haaaaaak-!”

“...”

Now she was even hissing at her own sister, something even a drunkard wouldn't do.

Well, no.

This was still better for me than the life-and-death duel that was originally planned.

But how should I put it?

It was like she had always wanted to do this but held back because of what others would think, and now she was using the curse as a shield to do it...

“...Is she under a curse right now?”

“She is. As you can see.”

“...”

Upon hearing this, Seo Hye-in swallowed dryly and looked back and forth between me and Seo Ah-in.

Well, this person had vivid memories of Ms. Han Si-yeon suffering terribly from a curse.

If her own sister was afflicted with something similar, she would surely feel uneasy.

So it would be best to explain it properly.

“Well, she’ll probably return to normal after this raid is over, so you don't have to worry...”

“No, I can tell just by looking. In the first place, if you, Mr. Kim Gyu-sik, had cursed Ah-in, you would have done so only if you could handle it.”

“...”

I'm grateful for the trust.

But both Seo Ah-in and this person, wasn't the direction of their trust a bit off?

“However, I must ask this.”

“Yes?”

“Where can I get that curse?”

“...”

“I'd like to get one for myself on this occasion.”

Ma'am.

This is a mental confusion-type curse created by an archdemon.

To ask for it as if you’re asking for a recommendation for a health supplement is...

“No, I mean, how should I put it. I'm a bit envious...”

“...”

Envious of what?

***

So, putting aside Seo Ah-in clinging to my back for now.

The corridor where the King of Flies' resurrection was in full swing was being filled one by one with other high-ranking demons.

Each one was a high-ranking demon with skills of their own. If one were to face them recklessly, victory could by no means be guaranteed.

“...For someone saying that, your expression is way too relaxed.”

Ms. Meirin said with a slightly startled look, but it was a fact that one should never underestimate the opponent.

So now was the time to see how much Evangeline and Ms. Seo Hye-in, who I had entrusted to Altair for special training, had grown.

“...”

“...”

“...But why do you both have those expressions?”

No, I had trusted these two enough to choose them as the lineup to push through here. But they were both looking at me with dead fish eyes.

“Well. It's nice to be trusted, but a sense of foreboding about how you're going to use us is starting to leak out.”

Evangeline muttered, still maintaining her dead fish eyes.

Ms. Seo Hye-in nodded her head vigorously, as if in agreement.

“What foreboding are you feeling? The plan I've come up with is flawless.”

“...Then, you damn loafer. Try explaining what this formation means.”

Evangeline said, pointing to Ms. Meirin and Ms. Seo Hye-in who were attached to her back.

Previously, when the ‘synchronization’ occurred, only Evangeline and Ms. Meirin would be stuck together, but now Ms. Seo Hye-in was sandwiched in between, making the three of them stick together like a sandwich.

Hmm. It looked like the train game I used to play as a kid.

“What about it?”

“...What about it? Did you say what about it? After putting people in such a grotesque state?”

“It looks very beautiful to my eyes.”

“...”

No, I'm serious.

The high-ranking demons that would appear in front of this corridor from now on either had power befitting their ‘high-ranking’ title, or they had summoning-type abilities that dragged out the battle.

The common point between the two was that if they weren't finished off quickly, the battle would drag on and time would be wasted.

Considering that the difficulty of the King of Flies changed based on the clear speed, it could be said to be a very complex structure.

That's where this ‘Evolved Evangeline Cannon’ came in.

In other words, let's call it the Evankiller... no, the Evankilla.

“...Now you don't even feel sorry.”

I cleanly ignored the muttering Evangeline and checked the structure once more.

Ms. Meirin at the very back handled the flow and checking of mana, and Ms. Seo Hye-in, sandwiched in the middle and synchronized with them, bestowed the ‘mana disruption’ attribute to Evangeline.

In other words, all of Evangeline’s attacks would have the property of completely disrupting the opponent's mana.

“...”

Well, if you were to ask me by what principle that was possible, I would just say that Ms. Meirin was broken.

If you just entrusted her with it thinking, ‘Huh? This combination seems like it would work?’, she would usually handle it in a jiffy.

It wasn't for nothing that she dispelled the King of Flies' curse on her own.

Then, if you combined that with Evangeline, who could radiate ‘flames’ that hit a wide area in all directions, a decisive anti-demon weapon was born right on the spot.

Truly, to the point of being frightening...!

“...I don't think anyone would feel that way looking at three grown women sticking together and moving clumsily...”

I cleanly ignored Ms. Meirin, who was now muttering with a sense of near transcendence.

“Now, don't worry about such trivial things. Let's move quickly.”

“...”

The three of them moved in step like they were doing a three-legged race at a sports day.

“W-wait a minute. It’s too fast...!”

“Oh, my. I'm sorry.”

“Don't push from behind, wh-whoa! I'm falling!”

“...”

It seemed like there were some serious troubles happening in between, but that didn't matter.

After moving like that for a while, what stood before my eyes was a massive stone gate, dyed pitch black.

Right, beyond this awaited the time-honored tradition of the game finale, the ‘consecutive battles’.

You know, those things. Where you have to face a series of opponents that you would normally only face in a boss battle in other places.

-Huuup... haaah...

And as we opened the stone gate and entered, the rotten breath flowing from within seemed to reinforce that impression even more.

-Ah... I have waited long. Mortals. Welcome to the domain of the Corruption's Kin.

The giant ‘lump’ in the center of the room said.

A grotesque form with human limbs messily intertwined with an insect's body.

‘It’, which instinctively evoked disgust and displeasure, continued to exhale the breath of corruption with a voice that felt like it would pollute your mind just by listening to it.

-But before I enjoy myself... would you please face my children first? They are all starving for fresh human flesh... Heheh...

With that sinister muttering, forms that seemed to be shrunken versions of the demon who identified itself as the Corruption's Kin began to rise from all over the room.

They were all exuding a poison that felt like it would instantly contaminate and rot you if you so much as grazed them.

-Good, please entertain meeeeee-!!

The last sentence ended strangely because I had mercilessly sprayed the Evangeline flame spray.

The Corruption's Kin, which had been continuing its speech with a sinister air, instantly turned white as ash and scattered in all directions.

“...”

“...”

An awkward silence settled heavily in the center of the room, and reproachful gazes turned to me from the spray trio.

They seemed to be saying I should have at least let it finish its sentence, but was that my problem?

I was in a position where I had to shorten the clear time by any means necessary. I had no obligation to listen to all that babbling one by one.

-Th-those bastards, our father-!

-Kill them-! Avenge hiiimmm-!

The mini Corruption's Kin who were trying to charge at us while shouting something resentful were also wiped out by a cool spray blast.

“Alright. Bugs, cut.”

“...”

“Let’s go to the next room. We have a lot to do.”

“...E-excuse me. Mr. Kim Gyu-sik.”

“Yes?”

Ms. Meirin swallowed dryly and looked around at the demons that had been wiped out in a single blow.

“By any chance, that, sympathy or compassion, do you not feel anything at all...”

“...Pardon?”

“...No. It’s nothing.”

“...?”

“Right. Good thinking. One should not demand common sense from a man more demonic than a demon.”

Evangeline muttered something, but I let it go in one ear and out the other.

Hmm.

It didn't seem to be about me, so I'll pass.

***

“See what I told you.”

The adjutant demon muttered with a gloomy air.

“We’re screwed.”

“...”

Raven couldn't bring herself to deny it and silently watched the image being transmitted on the screen.

-Hahaha! Welcome to the domain of Corps Commander Barbatoooos-!

-You shall not pass beyond this point! I, Gideon of the Dark Moon, will stop youuuuu-!

“...”

Watching demons of considerable renown being erased one by one with a single blast of flame, she no longer even felt a sense of disbelief.

Perhaps it was because the man handling that ‘work’ was carrying it out without any change in his expression.

“Now, now, let's move in step. One, two. One, two.”

“...He’s like a teacher leading kindergarteners, really.”

He seemed to have absolutely no interest in the ‘battle’.

He seemed more concerned with leading the three women who were waddling in step; that took more time.

He was just silently looking at his watch, breathing fire, and proceeding to the next room.

As if he had done this kind of thing dozens of times before.

“...Hmph.”

And such a sight, even for her, couldn't help but make her feel ‘anxious’.

She thought it was impossible, but.

If that man were to stop the King of Flies' resurrection as he had declared.

What if he had really helped her to resurrect him on purpose, just to deal with it ‘quickly’?

“That can’t be... but...”

She gritted her teeth and looked at the King of Flies, who had not yet fully formed.

In any case, she had to buy time.

“I can’t just let this happen...”

Her eyes glinted sinisterly in the darkness.

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