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Translated By Arcane Translations
Translator: FusionX
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He’d had the best Berserk experience of his life. Had he ever gotten through it so smoothly?
He’d managed it a few times during Berserk A, thanks to holy water, but…
This was the first time he’d actually enjoyed it.
So this was the power of sex.
He’d been missing out on half of his life.
It had been a Berserk-induced impulse, but he had no regrets.
He’d have to do this more often.
Now that his monthly episode was over, it was time to return to his normal routine.
He might be a wanted criminal, but his life was relatively peaceful.
The otherworlders had realized that the 5 million gold bounty on his head wasn’t worth the trouble.
The Forbidden Forest was a dangerous place, and even if they managed to reach him, there was no guarantee they could defeat him.
And if they were injured, escaping the forest would be a challenge in itself.
So, the number of intruders was surprisingly low.
‘5 million gold isn’t enough to contain my greatness.’
He’d been living peacefully for a week since his Berserk episode.
And today was his regular information gathering day.
This time, it was Im Ha-neul, not Yoo Chae-rin.
He’d met her before, but it felt like it had been a long time.
He greeted her as she descended from the sky.
“Hello, Ha-neul. Long time no see. Chae-rin sent you instead?”
“Yeah, she came down with a bad cold and had to take two weeks off streaming. Sigh… I have some free time now.”
Yor felt a pang of guilt. He knew the reason for her cold. It was undoubtedly a result of their… activities a week ago.
He’d been a bit… rough.
‘Did she tell Ha-neul?’
He feigned ignorance and asked,
“A cold? What happened?”
“I don’t know. She said she overexerted herself during training, but I didn’t ask for details.”
Yor nodded inwardly.
She hadn’t told anyone. Chae-rin wasn’t the type to share such… intimate details. It was a sensitive topic.
He smiled wryly.
‘…This is awkward.’
He’d kept a secret from Ha-neul before, and now the situation was reversed.
He had a secret he couldn’t share with Chae-rin. He wasn’t sure how to handle it.
‘It’ll work itself out.’
He decided to be optimistic.
They’d had sex, but it didn’t mean they were in a relationship. That would be too much pressure.
Besides, there was a huge wall between them. He was an NPC, and she was an otherworlder.
…NPC.
He hated that term, but that’s what he was to them.
They had their own world to return to. This was just a game.
Even his close friends, Chae-rin and Ha-neul, weren’t exceptions.
He sometimes forgot, but it was an immutable truth.
The thought made him feel… melancholic.
‘Well…’
He didn’t dwell on it. It would only make him feel worse. He had enough to worry about. It wasn’t a topic he wanted to overthink.
“So, what’s going on?”
He changed the subject.
“Okay, listen carefully. And don’t be surprised.”
Ha-neul adopted a serious tone, as if the news she brought was of great importance. And it was.
“Dantalion is dead.”
The surprisingly resilient demon, Dantalion, had finally been defeated. The demon who’d caused him so much trouble was finally gone.
But Yor wasn’t as happy as he’d expected. A sense of unease settled over him.
“…”
He stared at Ha-neul, his mind blank.
He could see the clear blue sky through the gaps in the leaves. Not a single cloud in sight.
The air was crisp and dry, not a breath of wind.
It was eerily calm.
He made a small prediction.
‘It’s going to rain soon.’
He was talking about the weather.
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The subjugation had been swift and decisive.
Dantalion was slow, but he always traveled with Harold.
They’d slipped through the Knights’ fingers like eels.
Dantalion was a mage, so a large-scale assault would only result in unnecessary casualties.
The Knights had come prepared this time.
Led by the Fourth Knight Commander, Reilly, a small elite force had been dispatched.
They’d set up a perimeter before engaging, cutting off Dantalion’s escape route.
Trapped, Dantalion was helpless.
Crack!
“Ugh!”
His barrier shattered, and Reilly’s holy-infused blade sliced through his chest. The barrier had been no match for the Knight Commander’s attack.
Even Dantalion’s magic was useless against Reilly’s swift and precise swordsmanship.
“I finally get to slay a demon with my own blade.”
Blood gushed from the gaping wound in Dantalion’s chest. It was a fatal blow. He had no regenerative abilities. He was as good as dead.
“The perimeter has been breached!”
“No! Stop him!”
“He’s too fast!”
Harold had already escaped.
He’d abandoned Dantalion and forced his way through the Knights’ encirclement.
He’d sustained some injuries, but he’d gotten away.
A swift and decisive retreat, befitting a master of escape.
Reilly chuckled dryly.
“Ha, betrayed by his own ally.”
“Heh heh, I expected as much. I told him to run if things got dangerous.”
Despite his impending demise, Dantalion continued to smile. As if he’d foreseen this outcome.
Reilly raised his sword.
“You’re about to be extinguished. And yet, you seem unconcerned.”
“It’s fine. The foundation has been laid… I’ll simply wait for the opportune moment in the Demon Realm.”
The word “foundation” piqued Reilly’s interest.
What did he mean? Was another demon about to appear?
That would be a problem. The damage caused by the recent demon incursions was already significant.
He couldn’t show weakness in front of a demon, so he maintained a stoic expression.
“It doesn’t matter what demon appears next. Humanity’s strength remains undiminished. We will eradicate Lemegeton and return to our peaceful lives.”
“What? Pfft. Hahahaha!”
Dantalion burst into laughter, as if he’d heard a joke.
Reilly felt slightly embarrassed.
Dantalion, after his laughter subsided, spoke again.
“You humans are under a grave misconception.”
Thud.
He sat down, as if inviting Reilly to a conversation. He was mortally wounded. He couldn’t escape, and even if he did, he wouldn’t last long.
His calm demeanor made Reilly wary.
Dantalion continued.
“Six hundred years ago, Decarabia descended upon your world. That was the first demon you encountered, correct?”
Reilly was surprised. He hadn’t expected to hear a historical account from a demon.
He made a cautious guess.
“…Lemegeton told you.”
“No. I heard it in the Demon Realm. He wasn’t on our side, but he returned with missing body parts after visiting your world. The news spread quickly.”
It was new information. News from the Demon Realm, where demons returned after death.
He’d heard rumors that demons didn’t truly die, but returned to their own world.
Dantalion continued.
“Anyway, three more demons appeared after Decarabia, before Andromalius.”
“And after Andromalius, including myself, four more demons have appeared. In just over a year.”
“Don’t you find that… strange?”
He smiled, his blood-smeared face shifting and contorting. It was a disturbing sight.
Reilly glared at him.
“That’s because Lemegeton has been summoning you. And we’ve been seeing more and more Carriers lately.”
“Heh heh, do you really think that’s the only reason?”
Dantalion continued.
“The Carriers and Lemegeton’s rituals have played a role, yes. But that’s all they are. A few drops of water in an already overflowing glass.”
It was a cryptic statement.
As if implying that the recent demon incursions were… natural.
A shiver ran down Reilly’s spine.
Dantalion spoke again.
“Armageddon is nigh. No matter how much you humans struggle, your fate is sealed.”
“…Damn you.”
Reilly raised his sword. He’d heard enough. The demon’s words were turning into curses.
Swish!
A clean cut, and Dantalion’s body began to disintegrate.
“Humanity will bow before my King…”
All that remained was a single ear.
The demon had been vanquished. But Reilly felt a lingering sense of unease.
‘If he’s telling the truth… we’re in trouble.’
More demons would appear eventually.
Why were so many demons appearing now, after six hundred years of relative peace?
He felt a sense of injustice, but his duty remained the same.
Prepare for the next demon.
Conserve the priests’ strength, produce more holy water…
And eliminate any potential threats.
Like… the demon child the Empire had failed to capture decades ago.
“…”
Reilly’s gaze drifted towards the distant horizon.
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