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Translated By Arcane Translations
Translator: FusionX
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While I was surprised to see a demon standing before me, my gaze wasn’t solely fixed on him.
I’d developed a habit of using “Player’s Eye” whenever I met someone new. It helped me determine if they were an otherworlder or not.
This time was no different, and thanks to that, I saw something just as shocking as the grotesque demon.
[Whoa, it’s Yor!]
[Yo-ha Yo-ha!]
[Why is he coming out of a pit?]
[No, run! There’s a demon here!]
[YeopYeop, you bitch, if you let him die, I’ll report you for viewbotting!]
[Banned by the manager.]
It was a livestream.
One of the people behind Dantalion was an otherworlder, broadcasting.
I could have overlooked the streaming itself, but the problem was that there was a demon right in front of me, and anything could happen.
“Hmm, it seems you already know me, so I’ll skip the introductions. You live here?”
Dantalion spoke, interrupting my thoughts.
The way his face shifted and changed was fascinating. I’d heard about it from Chae-rin, but seeing it in person was something else.
‘How does he even eat?’
I briefly entertained that absurd thought, then quickly denied knowing him.
“…Maybe.”
“Huhu, your reaction tells me otherwise.”
Unfortunately, my attempt at deception lasted less than a second.
‘Sigh…’
I sighed inwardly and asked,
“So, what brings you here?”
I was slightly nervous, but demons were at least capable of rational conversation.
Though they were all a bit crazy and prone to violence, they weren’t mindless beasts. So, I might be able to talk my way out of this.
As I was thinking this, Dantalion spoke.
“Oh, it’s nothing much. We’re just looking for something.”
“What is it?”
“I apologize, but I can’t disclose that information to outsiders.”
He glanced at the otherworlder who was streaming.
Her nickname was… YeopYeop, was it? He seemed to be choosing his words carefully because of the broadcast.
‘Then why not just turn off the stream?’
I felt a bit frustrated, but there was nothing I could do.
“By the way, you’re rather interesting. Most people would be terrified and run away at the sight of me. It seems you’ve encountered others like me before.”
“…”
“Well, never mind. There’s something I need to check in your… home. Would you mind stepping aside?”
“If I let you in… will you leave?”
“Of course~ As you can see, we’re quite reasonable.”
I hesitated, considering my options.
Why had they suddenly come to this forest? And why were they so interested in my cave?
My eyes fell on something attached to Dantalion’s waist.
A severely decayed arm, mostly bone with a few scraps of flesh clinging to it.
Strangely, there was no rotting smell, only a thick demonic aura. And that arm was pointing directly at my cave.
‘Is that why they want to go inside?’
That was the only explanation I could come up with.
“Yes, you’re right. So, please step aside.”
As if reading my thoughts, he confirmed my suspicion with a polite tone.
I hesitated again.
Should I prevent them from entering, or should I just let them in?
‘I’m not sure about letting strangers into my home…’
There were traces of my… Berserk episodes deep inside.
It was a bit awkward, but I had no other choice.
I didn’t want to fight a demon, especially while being livestreamed. I would let them in on one condition, the streamer couldn’t enter.
I wanted to resolve this peacefully.
“Um, Dantalion-nim. Forgive my interruption, but may I speak?”
One of the Lemegeton cultists spoke, shattering my hopes for a peaceful resolution.
“This man is a valuable asset to Lemegeton.”
“Hooh, is that so? Why?”
“Well, I don’t know the exact reason… but I overheard the District Managers and Team Leaders discussing him in a meeting.”
I mentally facepalmed.
If humans wouldn’t work, they would try to recruit me through a demon.
“You heard him. Our plans have changed. Come with us.”
“Why are you, a demon, listening to them?”
“Haha, to survive for a long time, you need a powerful backing. Isn’t that how the world works? Mutual benefit.”
He had a point, but hearing it from a demon felt strange. I glanced at the chat on YeopYeop’s stream.
[Holy crap, do those cultists know Yor?]
[No, don’t go with them!]
[Some players must have told them, those bastards!]
[Is he really that valuable?]
[Well, with his face, he’s definitely valuable lol]
Fortunately, they were only curious, not suspicious. My response was already decided.
I looked at him and firmly refused.
“Sorry, but no thanks.”
As if unfazed by my rejection, his smile widened. A strange reaction. His face shifted again, and he turned to the cultist who had spoken earlier.
“Do we have to recruit valuable assets peacefully?”
“E-Excuse me? I’m not sure… The District Managers all have different opinions.”
“I see!”
Dantalion nodded cheerfully.
And that’s when it happened. A sense of foreboding washed over me. Alarm bells rang in my head.
My enhanced hearing picked up a faint anomaly.
I rolled to the side.
Whoosh!
A spear materialized where I’d been standing a moment ago.
A spear of solidified mana, sharp and sturdy. It would have pierced my shoulder if I hadn’t moved.
I frowned.
“What the hell was that?”
“My, I was hoping to at least graze you. You’re quite agile.”
“I asked what the hell you were doing.”
“What I’m doing, you ask? I’m trying to recruit you.”
I drew my spear.
“Do you really think I’ll join you because of this? You’re only making me more resistant.”
“Huhu, we’ll see about that. And it’s not just about recruitment. I’ve become… curious about you.”
“Damn it.”
I couldn’t help but curse.
Why were demons so interested in me? Did I have some kind of demon-attracting pheromone?
“Hooh, have you met other demons before?”
His attacks continued as I pondered.
Whoosh!
Another spear shot towards me, this one black as night, reflecting his dark mana. It was fast and powerful.
I had to exaggerate my movements to avoid it, since I was being livestreamed.
[Holy crap, is that even possible?]
[Run away! Don’t die!]
[How is he dodging that?]
Once the fight had started, I had no choice but to fight back.
I rolled and charged at him, my spear aimed at his side.
Despite the speed of my attack, his expression remained unchanged. As if anticipating it, a barrier appeared, blocking my spear’s trajectory.
Clang!
A clear ringing sound echoed, and his eyes lit up with even more interest.
“So, you weren’t afraid of me because you were confident in your skills.”
“…”
“But that doesn’t answer all my questions. You seem to be worried about something else. More than your life being threatened by a demon, you seem more concerned about your location being exposed. As if you have something to hide. Am I right?”
I remained silent.
His deductions were unnervingly accurate. Asking if I’d met other demons, and now this. It was like he was reading my mind.
“Do you think I’m reading your mind?”
…Yes, like right now.
Wait, could he actually read minds?
“Oh, do you really think I can read minds? I’m just making educated guesses.”
He denied it, but I could sense the playfulness in his voice. He was lying. A blatant lie.
“You’re smarter than I thought. Well, never mind. Let’s assume I can read your mind, as you seem to believe. You seem to be afraid of something being exposed, but I can’t quite figure out what it is. Tell me. What are you so worried about?”
I kept my mouth shut and tried to control my thoughts.
Of course, thoughts weren’t something I could completely control. But I could redirect them.
I swung my spear, feinting and then thrusting towards his right side.
“To the right, I see.”
He blocked it. I’d expected that. I immediately followed up with another attack.
Clang!
Using the rebound from the barrier, I spun around and aimed for his left temple.
“To the left. Predictable.”
The fight continued like that for a while. I pressed my attacks relentlessly, trying to suppress my thoughts. But none of my attacks landed.
He was reading my mind, anticipating my every move, and erecting barriers just in time. I was curious why he didn’t dodge, but it didn’t matter.
I could feel it now.
‘He’s on a different level.’
He was stronger than any demon I’d encountered so far. It was frustrating that he didn’t even flinch at my attacks.
And what was worse, he wasn’t just defending. He would occasionally launch his own attacks when he had an opening.
Even with my enhanced hearing, I couldn’t dodge all of his instant-cast magic.
And then, it happened.
Flinch-
While dodging his attacks, I was finally wounded. It was a mistake, but also unavoidable.
My concentration and stamina weren’t infinite. It was a minor wound, just a scratch. But the fact that I was wounded was the problem.
Sizzle~
The wound quickly regenerated. He didn’t miss it. His eyes lit up with interest, a chilling smile appearing on his grotesque face.
“Aha.”
He exclaimed, his voice filled with amusement.
“So you’re a Carrier.”
The stream was still live.
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