Chapter 102: Existence (4) |
Thud!
Deathbringer moved with Kankan, successfully killing several people.
He started wondering whether just that one guy had been aiming for the priests, but that was unlikely.
Those the Inquisitor had mentioned were all involved in all sorts of incidents, aiming to kill the strongest individuals, stab the commanders, etc.
“There’s something strange about these guys.”
“I agree.”
There was a certain kind of strangeness about them.
It wasn’t unusual for Deathbringer himself to notice these kinds of things. He was used to them, after all.
However, even after having their target pointed out, Kankan couldn’t properly recognize them, which was definitely weird. It wasn’t just once or twice, either, but every single time.
Furthermore, the enemies outright ignored some attacks. Even when Kankan somehow managed to see the target and attack them, he caused either no or only insignificant wounds.
Despite Kankan clearly attacking them properly.
“Why can’t I attack them properly, but you can…?!”
“Well, maybe we need to attack them without them noticing.”
Or perhaps it was because of the relic he was carrying. Deathbringer briefly passed the relic to Kankan, but unfortunately, nothing changed.
“That isn’t it?”
If it wasn’t the relic, then what else made them different? This was too unexpected to attribute to their constitution and too strange to call coincidence… Oh, perhaps?
Deathbringer suddenly gripped the hilt of the blade in his hand.
It hadn’t been purified, and the Archmage had even coated it to prevent it from getting purified, so it definitely contained Negative Energy. Even he, someone who didn’t know much about Energy, wondered whether it was really okay for him to use it like that.
Given his weapon was like this, could it be that it somehow possessed the ability to interfere with this phenomenon?
“…Try holding onto this for a moment.”
“Why does this blade… smell this bad? It looks clean, so what did you apply to it?”
“What are you talking about?”
Afterward, Deathbringer looked back at the target he’d just found. The guy was no longer clearly visible. He was definitely there, but his presence seemed somewhat blurred, such that he could easily be missed if not fully paid attention to…
“What? I can see him clearly?”
So that was the cause. Deathbringer took back his dagger. As expected, the enemy began to become more visible to him.
“What on earth is that blade?”
“I don’t know, either.”
He knew it was made of dragon scales, sturdy yet light, incredibly sharp with no chance of getting dull. He’d heard these explanations when he came along to pick it up.
However, he never expected it to have such an effect.
Did Mister Archmage, who’d coated it, know about this? What about the Demon Knight, who gave the dagger to him?
While it could be that the Archmage simply didn’t tell him, it was more likely that he didn’t know. However, as for the Demon Knight… Given his circumstances, he might not have known and just gave it away, but it wouldn’t be too surprising either if he actually knew. That man just held too many secrets, after all.
Stab!
“Anyway, as far as I remember, this is supposed to be the last one.”
Deathbringer smoothly stabbed the last target in the back. He punctured the spot where the lungs were so his opponent couldn’t even scream.
While he was like that, Deathbringer precisely slit his throat. Without knowing what that guy was capable of, this was the best way to ensure his target ended up dead.
“Y-You guys!”
The soldiers who’d been facing off against his target until not too long ago looked at them with round eyes.
“The priests told me that traitors are hiding in our midst and ordered me to take care of them.”
This situation had become so familiar to him that he almost felt bored by it. After eagerly pulling out the holy relic and showing it to them, he hurried away.
Since they were in a crisis and had already fought the target, there was no way that they would question his words right now.
“Are we done?”
“Within the walls, we are.”
As Deathbringer said that, he pointed outside. Some targets remained in the defense forces near the city center.
Baaang!
“…No way, even there? Ah, it must be. A few men I know of weren't positioned on the walls, either.”
“Well, yes, but are you confident you’d survive if you went over there?”
While the wizards had erected earth walls to patch the broken gates, it was uncertain when the Demons might break through them.
Furthermore, the city was already swarming with Demons who’d successfully infiltrated— whether through the broken gates, by burrowing through the ground, or by air.
The absence of flares indicated that the final defense lines hadn’t been breached yet, but that wasn’t much solace. They wouldn’t be going to safe places. They would have to navigate tons of Demons to find the traitors.
“Honestly, no.”
Moreover, the biggest problem was those two Sandworms that had entered the city first.
While they might be confident enough to deal with the other Demons, those two couldn’t be taken down easily.
“But we have to go.”
“…Spoken like a true warrior.”
“Norda Warriors never give in to fear.”
“A perfect death-seeking mindset.”
However, they didn’t have any other options.
Deathbringer and Kankan entered the city together. Below, many Olgoi-Khorkhoi were waiting for their prey, and on the rooftops, flying demons were trying to snatch up any person they could see, but they had no other choice.
“Martial King, why…?!”
And they arrived just in time to see the Martial King join the defense line and raise his sword against his own.
It was an incredible coincidence and the perfect opportunity for a certain someone.
“You bastard!!”
Seizing the opportunity, Kankan faced the Martial King. Right beside them, a Sandworm was tearing down nearby buildings, resisting the city’s forces.
“I’ll stop you for sure this time!”
However, that was only Kankan talking. Deathbringer, who had rushed there with him, was completely frozen in place after discovering something else.
“J-Just what the hell is Mister fighting…?!”
In the distance, a man standing atop the wall was facing down a massive black vortex.
* * *
* * *
> [Wh-What’s wrong with the Nightmare…?]
At the mention of nightmares, I reflexively got scared. However, there was only thick, black mist? Lumps of dust? Anyway, that stuff just lazily drifted past me, and nothing else happened.
Rather, even the Great Demon’s minions, such as the flying Demons, appeared frightened and backed away.
Even the Great Demon of Sloth seemed a little taken aback.
> [I could sense Nightmare within you. Fears leading to deep despair and resignation, so why…?]
The Great Demon snapped their fingers. However, whatever they tried to do didn’t work correctly. The black vortex only ended up dispersing before it could take form.
> [Why…?]
I wasn’t quite sure what was happening, but this seemed like an opportunity.
I gathered the Arcane Power I had built up during our brief conversation and aimed my Zweihänder, dyed black, directly at the Great Demon as I attacked.
“Die.”
My sword slashed through their body. However, instead of shedding blood, their flesh instantly became dust and scattered.
Transformed into black particles that swirled around like a sandstorm, they then took on the shape of a bear. The black vortex washed over me.
Bang!
Aside from my attacks being completely ineffective, allowing that thing to continue rampaging would likely not end well.
So, I roughly pushed them away with [Ground Crash]. The top of the castle wall shook tremendously, but thanks to my carefully controlling my power, it didn’t collapse or anything.
I achieved my goal.
> [Show me your Nightmare.]
However, that Demon sure was persistent.
Some of the fog, which had receded at their gesture, took on a particular form.
Like dry ice spreading gently over a stage, what had calmly dispersed over the castle wall soon spread evenly and horizontally into the air all around where the wall didn’t restrain it.
If the intention was to make where the roof began and ended indistinguishable, this was quite an extraordinary feat.
> [Yes, this is how it should be.]
Although, it didn’t seem like that was what the Great Demon had aimed for.
>『Brother.』
“…!”
A figure emerged from the smoke in the air, taking on a more defined form and color, slowly licking its lips.
I, who was about to attack the Demon once more, screeched to a halt.
>『Son.』
Even more figures appeared around me, not just that one.
There was a girl who looked about six or seven years old, a middle-aged man, and a woman of similar age. Next, a man and woman who looked to be around Deb’s and the Inquisitor’s age appeared.
>『Why… Why is it only you…』
But… Well, who the hell were they?
As I looked at them, with their empty, pitch-black eye sockets and blood oozing from their mouths, I couldn’t help but sweat profusely.
Even without these special effects, how could I recognize them when I seriously didn’t know who they were? They didn’t feel even the slightest bit familiar, more like strangers from a distant past or something.
> [How does it feel, surviving all on your own after leaving your family to die?]
What? Family?
>『Why is it only you…?』
>『Brother, it’s so cold here…』
>『Why, why did you leave us behind…』
They were supposed to be my family?!
>『We also wanted to live.』
>『Why are you the only one who survived?』
…Ah, right. It was coming back to me now, albeit rather vaguely. They looked somewhat like the people I had seen in the opening video.
Urgh, I knew that I had nothing to do with this, so why did it feel like a dagger had been stabbed through my chest?
I hardened my face as I saw these false figures approach. The Great Demon probably thought I was shocked because of what it did…
But that wasn’t it. Not at all.
>『Son.』
No, I just didn’t expect it to bring up this character’s family. Of course, had they brought out my real parents, this would have been a different story. Anyway.
“Fa… ther.”
Even if my inner thoughts were completely different, I couldn’t show them on the surface. I squeezed my lips together hard, and made my eyes seem bloodshot.
It was more than obvious that my character was supposed to harbor immense guilt for being the sole survivor of his whole family.
>『Brother…』
“Irena…”
Was my youngest sister’s name Irena? Urgh, I felt like I messed up. I was praying that the Great Demon didn’t notice.
With those thoughts in mind, I grabbed my face with the hand that wasn’t holding the sword and cried out.
“I… I’m sorry.”
Normally, now would have been the perfect time to fall to my knees and be swallowed up by despair, but since there was no one around me to help me out, I decided to skip that part.
No, I mean, depending on the interpretation, my character might see this as an insult toward his family, so instead of feeling despair, I could just go with anger. That way, I wouldn’t end up acting out of character.
“I’m so sorry…”
Alright, I made up my mind.
I gently straightened my hunched back, scratching my face with my fingernails. I was pretty confident that my eyes were currently flashing with indomitable determination.
My face was already covered in a lot of blood, so I wasn’t sure whether I was shedding tears.
“…I swore I wouldn’t stop until every Demon’s head was laid out before your graves, yet those damn bastards dare to mock you.”
> […!]
I lifted my sword, the raised corners of my mouth pulling it into a twisted grin as if letting out laughter.
“Don’t worry, Father, Mother, my siblings…”
Swish.
Immediately after, a jet-black blade sliced through the illusions and even tore through the Great Demon, who had been behind them. Of course, that, too, was just an illusion.
> [Oh, decided to kill your family again, huh?]
“Until my dying breath, I shall remain the eternal avenger.”
> [What poor, pitiful souls… to be abandoned twice by their kin whom they trusted most…]
Regardless of what the Demon said, I replenished the Arcane Power in my sword with a smiling yet tearful expression on my face.
“Death to all Demons crawling on this land.”
Snap. A liquid of unknown origin ran down my cheek and dripped from my chin.
> [How strange.]
Having realized their tactics weren’t working, the Great Demon regathered their black particles. They didn’t show even the slightest hint of regret, as if it didn’t matter whether this worked. That was kind of annoying.
> [This should have been enough to infuriate him, yet it doesn’t seem like Gretchen is stimulated by this at all…]
I had no idea what they were talking about. Were they trying to make me feel wrath rather than despair? Gretchen, were they trying to stimulate the Demon inside of me?
Was he stimulated every time I felt ‘wrath’?… I was already reluctant to get angry because of that Rage skill, but now I was even more hesitant. What could possibly make me angry here?
> [You.]
At that moment, the Demon suddenly reared their head at me. I reflexively swung my sword to split their body, but it was still nothing more than an illusion.
> [What kind of contract did you make with Gretchen?]
…It was annoying enough to have that thing hovering around so close to my face, but right now, I was thinking their name should be changed from ‘Sloth’ to ‘Bullshit’.
How could I make a contract with a Demon who only existed within the confines of the setting?
“Die.”
> [Hmm.]
That aside, I had no reason to continue listening to their nonsense. I swung my sword once more, and yet again, it passed through their body.
This was getting annoying.
No, seriously, this was a bit much, right? How could I even hit that thing? No matter whether I swung my Arcane Power-imbued sword or tore it apart with my bare hands, they just kept dispersing into dust.
I tried to grab them, but they slipped right through my fingers. In my desperation, I even used [Bombard] on them, but it only affected the Demons flying around us.
Could it be that they could only be killed using Divine Power? Or were they the type of enemy that couldn’t be killed right now??
I tried all sorts of skills to wound the Great Demon somehow, but everything just passed through them. Nothing seemed to work.
My only consolation in all this was that I could disrupt their attacks with just a couple of gestures. It wasn’t a big consolation, though.
> [Not this, not that, either.]
However, the problem was that the Great Demon wasn’t really attacking me anymore. Rather than directly attacking me, that thing only showed me various illusions made from that dust.
Many scenes related to my character’s past flashed by, such as a person with goat horns kneeling before a black figure.
If that was supposed to distress me or something, it certainly didn’t work.
I first needed to know the emotional impact of that scene before I could feel any emotion from it, but all I knew about the Demon Knight’s past was just a few sentences.
Apart from the incident in which his whole family was massacred, I didn’t know what he had gone through.
Moreover, the Great Demon didn’t even show me the whole event in context, just a few scenes. There was no way I could feel any sort of emotion, no matter if it was misery, despair, or wrath, from these images.
If there was anything I was troubled by right now, it was the continuous need to act.
I felt like my brain was on fire, just trying to figure things out without fully understanding what was happening. Later on, I just attacked wildly as if my head had caught on fire due to excessive anger.
> [Strange.]
What was so weird about this? Wasn’t it already torture enough that I had to play along with that bastard’s weird play while unable to inflict even the slightest damage on them?
> [I know your kind well. Easily succumbing to indiscriminate anger, self-loathing, and despair. Even after overcoming your Nightmares, you just end up creating more for yourself.]
By this point, shouldn’t the Archmage or the Inquisitor have felt any discomfort coming from this place and come up to help me?
Please, someone, just defeat this damn mob. Help me.
> [But all your Nightmares seem to be based on just the past and show no signs of change.]
Please.
> [As if they aren’t your Nightmares at all.]
Uwaaaargh! Who even cared whether they were my nightmares?! Being stuck fighting this goddamn unbeatable mob for who knows how long was the real nightmare here!
> [Even if you somehow split your personality in two, it wouldn’t be like this.]
You are my damn nightmare, you bastard!!