Chapter 175 : Chapter 175
Chapter 175 : Proof
‘Notices…….’
The Bulletin Boards that had appeared while absorbing Ascension Stone Fragments until now were all solely for interaction between players.
However, the Notices that newly revealed themselves this time were not.
What are Notices?
In games, it is a Bulletin Board written when the operations team has something to announce to players separately, and general users can absolutely not write in the Notices section.
In other words, Notices must have a subject that writes them.
Right.
I mean the mastermind who holds the biggest secret of this world and dropped us into this world.
‘Although I am curious about the Notices…… I should examine other things first.’
Myriad messages blocked my view.
Because the changes occurring while absorbing the Ascension Stone Fragment were not only the increase in Bulletin Board authority level.
No, rather, this side might be the truly important one.
Gugugu…….
The Demonic energy that had encroached on the surrounding space began to be sucked into me slowly.
[The Demonic is subordinated to you.]
[Demonic Energy stat increases significantly! (+2)]
[12 → 14]
.
.
.
[‘Weapon Summon(??)’ trait grows.]
[‘Weapon Summon(??)’ trait level has increased.]
[Lv.5 → Lv.6]
[‘Lv.6’ Weapon List is added to the summonable list of ‘Weapon Summon(??)’.]
[‘Lv.5’ Bullet List is added to the summonable list of ‘Weapon Summon(??)’.]
[‘Weapon Summon(??)’ trait grows.]
[The special ability of ‘Weapon Summon(??)’ is unlocked.]
[Special ability, ‘Weapon Mastery’ is unlocked.]
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[Weapon Summon]
Grade: ??
Type: Active
Level: 6
Summons weapons and bullets.
Depending on the level, the types of summonable weapons and bullets increase.
Current summonable weapon types: 6
Current summonable bullet types: 5
Current number of registered personal weapons: 2
Currently granted special effect: [Weapon Mastery]
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[Weapon Mastery]
Increases the power of weapons summoned through ‘Weapon Summon’ by 200%.
Also, grants special effects according to each weapon.
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Newly added Lv.6 weapon.
Adding to that, a new special ability, Weapon Mastery, was unlocked.
‘Weapon power increased by 200%……. On top of that, special effects according to weapons? I'll have to check this directly later.’
Following the Notices, there were very many things to check.
‘Before that, I should handle other things first.’
As the Demonic energy that dominated the area was absorbed into me, the surrounding scenery began to return to its original state.
From darkness that was like pitch black, to the original blue-lit scenery.
Since Yuliana must be waiting, it seemed I would have to postpone examining all these things a little later.
At that moment.
[Vell-nim!]
Along with Lion's urgent mental wave, something rushed toward me.
***
A colossal wriggling of Demonic energy that arose as soon as Vell Blackwood absorbed the fragment.
Yuliana could only watch all of that while staying far away.
Cheok.
Yuliana commanded combat readiness to the Griffin Knights waiting nearby with hand signals.
It was to prepare for a situation that might possibly occur.
‘……Is it already too late.’
Between the thickly set Demonic energy, a person's shadow was visible, albeit faintly.
Whether it was misfortune or fortune, the event of Vell Blackwood collapsing because he couldn't withstand the Demonic energy didn't happen.
Vell Blackwood's toughness embraced the Demonic energy entirely as his own.
The problem was, Yuliana knew too well that just because the body endured didn't mean the mind could do so as well.
Because the existence called a Demonic person was such an existence in the first place.
‘I have to attack first.’
Vell Blackwood is strong.
As if proving he drove the Supreme King to death, he wasn't simply strong, but even used magic that even Yuliana couldn't fathom yet.
But what if such Vell Blackwood became a Demonic person harboring that level of Demonic energy?
There was a possibility that a monster would be born that even Yuliana alone, as well as the entire Griffin Knights rushing in, couldn't help.
To subdue such Vell Blackwood, she had to aim for when he was defenseless right after absorbing the fragment.
‘I have to strike the neck at once. If it's difficult, even one arm.’
Attack is the best defense.
Yuliana knew that fact better than anyone, and also had implemented it.
It was the same now.
Wooong─
Countless lights gather on Yuliana's sword.
Not only did she use all sorts of item effects, but she also activated magic while enduring a certain price.
The best, and strongest single strike.
Yuliana put everything she had into this surprise attack.
Finally, the thick darkness made of Demonic energy lifted.
Yuliana's sword strike rushed in at a speed surpassing even the speed of sound.
Kagagagagang───!!!
However, the event of Yuliana's sword achieving its purpose didn't happen.
Although it was a sword strike containing Yuliana's best and strongest, at a speed surpassing even the speed of sound, it was because it was blocked by a shield of black aura that appeared in front of Vell Blackwood's neck before she knew it.
‘He blocks this?’
And he didn't block it with difficulty, but blocked it too lightly.
Yuliana could instinctively know that that shield was made of Demonic energy.
It wasn't at a level of simply condensing and clumping Demonic energy to make a shape, but was close to a precisely made real shield.
As far as Yuliana knew, there was only one thing that made such a thing possible.
‘Magic.’
Magic of Demonic energy she had seen once before too.
Although she still couldn't easily believe such magic existed, there was no way not to believe what was happening right in front of her eyes.
“Just what are you doing?”
Vell Blackwood's cold voice was heard soon after.
“……I'm sorry, I should have stopped you. I shouldn't have left you like that.”
“What nonsense are you talking about?”
Yuliana's Insight still couldn't look into Vell Blackwood.
Therefore, she couldn't judge whether Vell Blackwood became a Demonic person or not, but at least she could see the Demonic energy surging around Vell Blackwood right now.
Too thick, and fearful.
After seeing that, just how could she say Vell Blackwood is not a Demonic person?
“It seems there is some misunderstanding, you'd better stop right now while I'm speaking nicely.”
“……I'm sorry. It's all my fault.”
“This is driving me crazy.”
Vell Blackwood's words, seemingly possessing sound reason, made Yuliana painful.
At a glance, he seems to possess reason, but the existence of a Demonic person is closer to Demonic energy usurping the player's body.
Therefore, if one becomes a high-level Demonic person, unlike low-level Demonic persons, outwardly it seems they are not a Demonic person.
Just that, the problem was that it was the will of Demonic disguised as the player's rather than the player's own will.
“Commander!”
Along with that, Griffin Knights flocked around Yuliana.
As Griffin Knights including Royer surrounded Vell Blackwood in an instant, Vell Blackwood shook his head as if dumbfounded.
“You intend to try?”
“I'm sorry. We cannot just let a Demonic person go.”
“Right, well…… I didn't like it a bit anyway.”
Vell Blackwood's mouth corners distorted into a most ferocious smile.
As if he caught a good opportunity.
“Get hit a little.”
Yuliana, seeing Demonic energy condensing in Vell Blackwood's hand, shouted urgently.
“Dodge!”
And, the Demonic energy exploded.
Kwaaaaaang───!!!
The world is stained in black.
Amidst the spectacle that made her wonder if such a thing was possible using Demonic energy, Yuliana grasped her sword firmly.
“Kkeuk…….”
“W-What is this?”
Black marks began to appear on the skin of Griffin Knights hit by Vell Blackwood's Demonic energy.
It was corrosion of Demonic energy.
“Everyone back off!”
Yuliana urgently pulled the knights back.
‘The corrosion speed is too fast. It's not the level of Demonic energy I knew.’
She doesn't know just what happened, but the Demonic energy Vell Blackwood emits was much thicker and more powerful than the general Demonic energy Yuliana knew.
Leaving aside simply the power of Demonic energy, the purity of Demonic energy itself was so.
“Where are you looking?”
Regrettably, leeway to look elsewhere wasn't given to Yuliana.
Because Vell Blackwood, who appeared right in front of Yuliana's nose before she knew it, revealed a vicious smile holding the Fang of Blazing Fire.
Demonic energy surging along the dagger's blade rushed toward Yuliana.
Yuliana also drew out Demonic energy and struck back the attack.
Pajijijik!!!
Despite Demonic energy colliding with Demonic energy, Yuliana's sword was pushed back along with a fierce rejection reaction occurring for some reason.
‘Just what pressure is……!’
It is an incomprehensible power.
Therefore, Yuliana was afraid.
“Commander!”
At that time, Royer and the knights who reorganized their ranks rushed toward Vell Blackwood.
The Griffin Knights, fitting for those raised directly by Yuliana, were already equipped with a formation to deal with powerful players.
However, Vell Blackwood condensed Demonic energy again as if sneering at even such an encirclement of the Griffin Knights.
The surroundings begin to be dyed in darkness.
It was a mist of Demonic energy.
Just what magic is this again?
‘……He fires magic of this power wildly like this? And magic using Demonic energy at that? Is this possible?’
Yuliana's head became complicated.
But apart from complicated thoughts, the fight was continuing.
The Griffin Knights, with Yuliana and Royer as two axes, pressured Vell Blackwood while maintaining formation.
However, Vell Blackwood trampled Yuliana and the Griffin Knights, repeatedly appearing and disappearing here and there within the mist of Demonic energy as if sneering at even such an encirclement.
“Keuaak!”
“The guy hid his appearance again! Prepare for attack!”
Amidst the ensuing fierce fight, Yuliana could discover one strange point.
‘Why…… does he not kill?’
In fact, from Vell Blackwood's standpoint, if he wanted to kill the Griffin Knights, he could kill them anytime.
But Vell Blackwood only inflicted injuries of a moderate level to make them combat incapable, and didn't show signs of truly trying to kill.
‘Is it a scheme to intentionally make wounded? Or…….’
That wasn't the only strange point.
There exists a considerable gap between Yuliana and the ordinary members of the Griffin Knights.
However, Vell Blackwood didn't seem to have that big of a difference when dealing with Yuliana or when dealing with other ordinary Griffin Knights.
No, in some parts, it even looked rather easier when dealing with Yuliana.
‘Why?’
Of course, if thinking simply, one could see it as Vell Blackwood exerting that much stronger power when dealing with Yuliana, but to simply think so, there was no difference in Vell Blackwood's movements.
‘Is there something like a constraint exerted only against players? No…… if so, he should have exerted strong power against Royer too. But unexpectedly, he looked a little struggling when dealing with Royer.’
Difference between Royer and Yuliana.
Royer didn't absorb fragments.
In other words, he has no Demonic energy.
What does it mean that he possesses power that becomes stronger when dealing with one harboring Demonic energy.
‘……Adversary of the Demonic?’
Yuliana, whose thoughts reached there, retreated momentarily and shouted.
“Everyone back off!”
Fitting for the elite, the Griffin Knights retreated in perfect order as soon as the Commander's order fell.
“……Vell Blackwood, you, are you a Demonic person?”
At that, Vell Blackwood spoke with a voice as if he was truly dumbfounded.
“Did you give me a chance to answer?”
“That is…….”
Yuliana had nothing to say even with ten mouths.
Since it was none other than herself who attacked as soon as Vell Blackwood finished absorbing the fragment.
“I am not a Demonic person.”
If it were originally, Yuliana wouldn't believe words like a Demonic person's, but there was a sense of trust she didn't know why in what Vell Blackwood was saying now.
“……Can you prove it?”
“Simple.”
As soon as Vell Blackwood gestured lightly, the mist of Demonic energy filling the area was absorbed into Vell Blackwood at once.
And, the Demonic energy that had been surging around Vell Blackwood until just a moment ago also disappeared completely as if it had never been there.
“Just how……?”
Yuliana had never seen a Demonic person controlling Demonic energy so perfectly like that until now.
The existence called a Demonic person was an existence where the player was encroached by Demonic energy, and therefore was essentially an incomplete existence.
But just what is Vell Blackwood now?
“Wait, then don't tell me…….”
Only then did Yuliana realize that the man in front of her eyes could become a certain hope for this entire situation.
If one who possesses immunity to the danger Demonic energy harbors can appear, he would be truly the only one who can obtain the secret of this world.