Chapter 255 : Chapter 255
Chapter 255 : Void and Silence
The impatient Bolero hurriedly dashed down the steep underground stairs with Isaac slung over his shoulder like a piece of luggage.
'It will be fine because Bihen is there!'
Bolero coaxed himself. Below were Nebria and Roxy, but none other than Bihen Benkou was by their side. Therefore, he would more than likely prevent the worst-case scenario at the very least.
"......!"
Bolero's urgent footsteps, which had kicked off and came down the stairs, came to a dead stop. A sight somewhat out of line with his expectations was unfolding before his eyes.
"Oho."
The Lust Demon, discovering the intruding Bolero, let out a light laugh. The corner of his half-turned face's mouth was torn and raised high.
"With this, I suppose everyone has gathered."
As soon as he heard the voice, goosebumps rose all over Isaac's body.
Isaac convulsively raised his body, which had been resting on Bolero's shoulder.
His two legs standing on the ground trembled violently, and his pupils dyed in astonishment shook fiercely.
"R-Raven......!"
"You have a face with a lot you want to say, Isaac. Can you wait a bit? Your turn is at the very end. Still, don't worry. I'll leisurely listen to everything."
Isaac stiffened just like that. He couldn't comprehend the situation at all.
Raven confidently babbled away despite being reduced to a bloody pulp, and Nebria, whose eyes had changed like a different person with iron chains wrapped around her four limbs.
Bihen Benkou stepped back behind those two and silently just watched, unlike him.
Soon, Isaac's gaze hurriedly headed downward.
"Roxy!"
Checking on his sister collapsed at Bihen's feet, Isaac hurriedly ran over and embraced her.
"She just fainted for a moment. Do not worry."
Isaac, holding Roxy in his arms, suddenly lifted his head.
Bihen, speaking as if to soothe him, was only looking forward without a single twitch. Unlike his calm voice, his eyes were completely bloodshot.
Suddenly overwhelmed by that chilling atmosphere, Isaac's gaze also moved following him as if possessed.
'Raven......!'
His mind went blank. He couldn't even fathom what this boiling emotion was right now.
Hot tears dropped profusely on their own.
"What is your true identity? Why did you deceive me! Just what were you aiming for when you approached me!"
Isaac's desperate scream echoed through the Sanctuary.
"Keuk."
The Lust Demon, who was approaching the Phantom Demon, stopped his steps. Soon, a soft laugh was heard.
"Humans are truly a cunning bunch. They always lock others in their own mold, and like to arbitrarily define and judge them. Yet at the same time, they are nervous and anxious trying to fit themselves to others' standards. Even though they themselves don't properly know themselves."
The Lust Demon turned his head and glanced down at Isaac. A deep sneer lingered around his mouth.
"Who am I? Well. Just know that at the very least, I'm not an idiot like you."
Isaac's shoulders shook as if struck by a dagger. The Lust Demon, seeing that sight, turned around again.
"Now, then everyone watch clearly. The moment a 'real' god descends."
As the Lust Demon approached, the Phantom Demon raised her slender index finger. A bluish-white flame gathered roundly at the tip of her thin finger.
"How dare a greenhorn who still smells of milk."
The Phantom Demon twisted the corners of her mouth. She always treated the Lust Demon, who was particularly narrow-minded even among the siblings, like a ridiculous child. Because he even resembled the greedy disposition, there was simply no part of him to view favorably.
"Let's not waste our strength on each other. If I absorb you first, the inner power of the Great Demon of Star Absorption will become a bit more profound. Aren't you curious too?"
Sssshhhh—
Flesh-colored aura tangled around both of the Lust Demon's hands. He moistened his cracked lips with his tongue.
"What ultimate pleasure is, that is."
With those final words, the Lust Demon and Phantom Demon tangled together. Shocks and loud roars followed one after another.
'Claw technique!'
Bihen's eyes widened. At some point, the Phantom Demon's fingernails had sprouted sharply like blades.
***
The two evil spirits grabbed each other and struggled with all their might to scratch.
The yellowish flames close to ochre wrapped around both of the Lust Demon's hands and the trajectory of the Phantom Demon's long fingernails constantly repeated forming in midair and disappearing.
However, what captivated my gaze wasn't merely such superficial physical offense and defense.
Beyond the vision of the wide-open Ghost Eye, the truth hidden within the violent trajectories was clearly revealed.
'More accurately, the essence of the two evil spirits.'
Right now, the actions of both the Lust Demon and the Phantom Demon were exactly the same. The two bastards' aim was commonly set on seizing Nebria's physical body.
"Descend! Warriors! Fight! Those! ......"
The Lust Demon rapidly wove both hands together. It was something even I, a layman in sorcery, knew.
'The hand seals of the Nine Syllable Seals.'
His intention is to block the Phantom Demon's movements for now.
Of course, the Phantom Demon didn't just stay still and take it either. While aiming for the nape of the Lust Demon's neck with her blade-like fingernails, the bastard was constantly rolling the bluish-white sphere over her body.
The trajectory of the sphere rotating over Nebria's body. Through the Ghost Eye, I intuitively realized the meaning of that trajectory.
'She's accelerating the speed of Nebria's soul settling.'
It was a trick to forcibly hasten the original awakening of the Phantom Demon by completely dominating Nebria.
'Greed.'
A terrible and disgusting malice was felt. It was to the point of nausea.
To snare such a Phantom Demon, the Lust Demon's fierce intent dug in, and fierce offense and defense did not cease.
'Evil is trying to swallow evil.'
I closed my left eyelid for a moment.
The Ghost Eye that pierces through the truth while burning blue ghost fire. Perhaps because it was thrown open for the first time in a while, the burning sensation following like a price was particularly severe. On top of that, taking in the terrible malice spewed by the two evil spirits without a filter made the fatigue pressing down on my whole body hard to endure.
However, I can't just keep my vision closed like this.
'The profound principle of absorption the Lust Demon babbled about. I must find that clue at all costs.'
When I clenched my molars tight and opened my eyes again—
My gaze suddenly reached Isaac, who was collapsed at my feet.
A desperate murderous intent directed at Raven was spewing out from his entire body.
Surprisingly, that sticky undulation was creepily similar to that of the two evil spirits trying to devour each other.
In an instant, a thunderbolt struck my head with a flash.
'To take a soul—'
Is the act of pouring in all the malicious thoughts and grudges that target sharpened throughout their entire life, even those pitch-black emotions reflected in the Ghost Eye.
'If so, with what on earth must one suppress and handle those terrible resentful thoughts?'
A will of guardianship to protect something, like when I fought the other Eight Demons until now? The goodness inside me that will crush their evil?
......No, do I even have such a thing in the first place?
'I don't.'
I am a swordsman. For a mere swordsman who has taken numerous lives and is covered in blood, I do not have the right to dare speak of noble ideals.
However, there is no reason to feel bitter. Because fortunately, something like that isn't needed at all.
'What neutralizes and governs negative emotions are not the positive emotions on the opposite end.'
My gaze headed to Isaac again.
That pitch-black hatred he was spewing out, paradoxically, originated from his fierce love for his collapsed younger sister, Roxy.
In the end, whether it's a grudge or love, whether it's good or evil.
The essence of all emotions extending toward someone is one.
Obsession itself.
And it is the karma formed by those obsessions piling up layer upon layer.
'To absorb another's soul—'
Therefore, it is not a simple extortion of power. It is the act of completely shouldering all of the target's karma.
To swallow those vast resentful thoughts, paradoxically, one must not crave anything.
A state of swallowing them exactly as they are and making them sink endlessly, without being agitated by either light or darkness.
Perfect Void.
Absolute Silence.
'What needs to be expanded is not the paltry dantian of the physical body to cram energy into.'
An endless abyss that willingly settles all sorts of heterogeneous emotions without ever becoming turbid, even if they pour in.
A massive vessel of intent that embraces all the karma of the world.
One must be the true liege of ten thousand demons, annihilating and swallowing all evil.
'Heavenly Demon'.
I drove the Heavenly Demon down into the ground.
***
CRASH!
At the sudden rupture sound, Bolero flinched and turned his head. Because his entire nerves were on edge with the fierce offense and defense unfolding before his eyes, Nebria's safety, and worry for Isaac, he couldn't help but be startled.
"Bihen?"
Bihen had driven the Heavenly Demon vertically into the ground and had both hands overlapped on the end of the sword hilt protruding upwards. His gaze remained directed forward.
"Bolero, let me ask you one thing."
"What are you saying so suddenly?"
"Who am I?"
At the random question, Bolero furrowed his brow. He alternately looked a couple of times at the melee in front of his eyes and Bihen, and then answered with a dumbfounded look.
"You're Brother Bihen, what else."
"Other than my name."
"What kind of nonsensical talk is in the middle of all this?"
"Hurry. There's no time."
"This is absurd. You never even glance at me when I usually beg to have a spiritual conversation like that, but you just have to do this now of all times, tsk."
Bolero crumpled his impression fiercely and let out a deep sigh as if finding it repulsive to the end.
"Even though you seem to act recklessly, you're a surprisingly thoughtful brother. While being a highly skilled swordsman, you're also a quite outstanding doctor. Well, for someone from the Empire, you also have a sense of refinement—"
"It's long. Keep it short."
Bolero inhaled a light breath, and then answered with a calmly sunken voice.
"You are a good person."
Silence suddenly fell. It was to the extent that it felt detached from the commotion unfolding in front.
Bihen was keeping his mouth firmly shut. Because his bangs, which had grown quite a bit recently, were covering his two eyes, Bolero simply had no way to read his inner thoughts.
"That's a relief."
That short single sentence was all.
"Kuhn."
Along with the low call, a black aura rose, wrapping around the Heavenly Demon's blade. Over the smoke that surged up coiling like a sprouting dragon, a human figure slowly formed.
"Young Master."
The summoned Kuhn spoke calmly, as if she had been watching the entire situation outside.
"I will unfold a Binding Formation."
"Drawing their attention is enough."
Kuhn spread both arms wide. From inside her large sleeves, dozens of Strange Talismans shot out like daggers.
SWISH, SWISH, SWISH!
At the sudden flying presence, the Lust Demon and Phantom Demon halted simultaneously. Both turned their heads and checked.
"Talismans?"
This time, as if promised, the gazes of both focused on the spot where Bihen was.
A sword stuck alone without an owner. And a pale woman in traditional Imperial attire leisurely twisting the corners of her mouth and smiling beside it.
The pupils of the two evil spirits slowly fluctuated.
To their ears, which had yielded a momentary gap, a chilling voice descended.
"Over here, evil spirits."
Their heads hurriedly whipped around.
He was already right in the middle of them before they knew it. As soon as they recognized that fact—
GRAB—!
Bihen's rough grip mercilessly covered the Lust Demon's blood-soaked face.
"Right now, what are you doing....... Are you saying, it doesn't matter, if Roxy goes wrong......?!"
The Lust Demon struggled to spit out a shriek through the fingers squeezing his face.
Bihen snorted briefly and slowly curled the corners of his mouth up.
"I will shoulder that karma as well."
No time was even given to grasp the situation. The Lust Demon's face contorted hideously in fear.
CRACKLE!
TZZZZZZT—!
Black lightning sparks bounced from Bihen's entire body. At the same time, the fierce strong wind that burst out from under his feet gradually transformed into a black vortex, and soon trapped the two people inside a pitch-black puddle.
"N-No way! You......!"
The Lust Demon instinctively realized. An 'endless abyss', truly boiling fiercely, was wrapping around his body.
"This is ridiculous—!"
The strong wind surged backward from the black puddle as if to pierce the ceiling.
WHOOOOOOOSH!
Before that overwhelming power, the Lust Demon's physical body crumbled from the tips of his toes without a moment to resist.
"Ha, Hah......!"
The Phantom Demon turned deadly pale and collapsed. The strength in her legs gave out.
She clearly witnessed the sight of the Lust Demon's soul being sucked in alive right before her nose.
"P-Please spare me! I-Inside me, Nebria's soul still remains! That power just now isn't something a fragile human can endure! Even if I am annihilated, Nebria will never be able to recover from the shock for her entire life!"
"......."
"The Saintess revered by humans is becoming an idiot...... you, you wouldn't want that either!"
The Phantom Demon lay flat on the floor and begged for her life.
Soon, Bihen, who was indifferently looking down at the spot where the Lust Demon evaporated, turned around.
His gaze passed the Phantom Demon shivering at his feet, went through the standing Kuhn, and reached Isaac, stiffened in astonishment, and Roxy, held in his arms.
'......Well, did this turn out well.'
The Ghost Eye's blue ghost fire wavered quietly. Bihen confirmed that Roxy's fetus, which was thinly connected to him, was safe.
"Spare you?"
He, who had withdrawn his gaze, muttered indifferently. The Phantom Demon suddenly raised her head and nodded up and down like crazy.
"Y-Yes, I will become your slave! Because I will do absolutely everything you order!"
The corners of Bihen's mouth rose slightly. He turned around, bent one knee, and matched his eye level with the Phantom Demon. Then he affectionately stroked the Phantom Demon's head with one hand.
"Will you do absolutely everything I order?"
"Y-Yeah......! As you can see, this body is quite useful, you know?"
It was the moment the Phantom Demon subtly opened Nebria's collar.
Bihen opened his remaining hand in front of her eyes.
Seeing the ochre Remnant Orb placed on his palm, the Phantom Demon's two eyes widened wide in astonishment.
"Since the physical body must be left intact, it won't hurt very much. Instead—"
The hand stroking her head came to a dead stop. Soon, a black heat haze began to creepily rise over that hand.
"A punishment more terrible than annihilation will be waiting for you."
Once again, the black vortex raged.