Chapter 47 : Chapter 47
Chapter 47. The Shinigami’s Footsteps
The roar filled with Anesta’s rage filled the entire tunnel.
Kieeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeek―!
The creature, its mouth contorted in a grimace,was searching for the object of its fury.
Before that rage could turn towards Hyunwoo,Bation’s magic subdued it.
Giiing―
The magic Bation unleashed gathered at a single point in front of him.
The power of the wind, compressed over and over into a tiny point in space.
That power was, in an instant, explosively released.
⌜Sonic Boom⌟
Kwaaaaaaaaaaang―!
The magic, which had surpassed the speed of sound and momentarily entered the supersonic realm, struck Anesta’s body.
The sound of the magic being deployed and the sound of Anesta being shattered echoed across the battlefield almost simultaneously.
C-crack―!
The shell on Anesta's body, which was hit by the magic, fell off with a thud―.
The newly formed wounds on its body began to heal immediately.
However, it was different from before.
A black flame floated above Anesta’s newly growing body.
Fwoosh―!
The black flame, endlessly moving and searching for a target to burn.
⌜Abyssal Ether⌟
The black flame greedily devoured Anesta's wounds.
Kieeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee―!
Anesta’s rage boiled over.
In front, Bation's magic blocked it, and behind, its natural enemy, the golden beetles.
It was angry at the golden beetles gnawing at its back, and it was angry at Bation firing magic from afar.
But among all this, what enraged it the most was Hyunwoo, who had unleashed the black flame that was interfering with its regeneration.
Anesta recalled Hyunwoo's existence once more and tried to sense him, but it couldn't find him at all, as if he had hidden somewhere.
⌜Footsteps of the Abyss⌟
Anesta’s detection ability was poor, befitting its large size.
There was no way for it to find Hyunwoo, who had erased his presence with the Footsteps of the Abyss.
There was only a strong power that could destroy this entire area.
Kieeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee―!
The anger that had lost its target spread indiscriminately.
Kwagwagwang―!
The creature's branches, which spread out in all directions like octopus tentacles, shook the ground.
“Dodge―!”
The ranks were scattered in an instant by the creature's attack, which did not distinguish between friend and foe.
Crack―!
Anesta’s branches mercilessly crushed not only the soldiers who failed to dodge in time, but also the swarm of Lafre.
No maternal love could be found in that ruthless scene.
‘…The mother of the Lafre, my ass.’
It didn't even care about the Lafre it had created itself, let alone consider them its children.
In any case, now that I had confirmed it couldn't find me, it seemed I could move more actively.
Hyunwoo gripped Cheonbyeondo tightly.
‘Good. It’s according to plan.’
While Bation's magic was attracting Anesta's attention, I was able to approach it and engrave the black flame
.
So-called, hit-and-run.
The method I used to approach Anesta initially was the same.
However, this strategy had a major drawback.
That was the fact that Bation's magic had no eyes.
I had informed Bation of my actions in advance, but there was no way the arrogant demon would care about me.
Kugugugung―!
Bation's blind magic struck the pile of rocks right next to me.
The fired magic had succeeded in holding Anesta's ankle, but I couldn't avoid the flying debris hitting my body.
Hyunwoo spat out the dirt that had filled his mouth.
Ptooey―
‘…Damn bastard.’
The surroundings were being devastated by the magic that was being poured out as if to unleash all its anger.
Anesta, unable to even think of budging, became a sandbag and was pummeled by the magic.
Hyunwoo held his breath and surveyed the battlefield.
Individual battles were taking place throughout the tunnel.
The swarming Lafre and the soldiers blocking them.
Anesta struggling to move forward with golden beetles on it, and Bation's scorching magic.
As Hyunwoo waited for a moment, he found an opening between them.
‘Now!’
Before the opening was filled again with new Lafre, I quickly launched my body and approached Anesta.
Arriving right in front of the creature, Hyunwoo ignited a black flame on Cheonbyeondo.
⌜Abyssal Ether⌟
Fwoosh―!
At the same time, I felt a pain as if a bug were burrowing into my body.
But, I never let go of the sword.
I just endured it.
⌜Pain Tolerance⌟
Hyunwoo frowned and, as if to shake off the pain, swung Cheonbyeondo.
Fwoosh―!
Using Anesta's body as a canvas, the black flame was engraved like a painting.
This time, Anesta didn't just take it.
As soon as it detected Hyunwoo's presence, the creature immediately spat out what it had been holding in its mouth
.
Peeeeek―!
The black, corrupting fluid that poured over Hyunwoo's head covered everyone nearby in a wide area.
The Lafre, covered in the black fluid, screamed.
Kieeeeeeeeeeeeeee―!
The Lafre, which had turned pitch black, crumbled in an instant.
It was only natural that Hyunwoo, who was at the center of it, could not avoid it.
His entire body was covered in the black fluid.
However, before the fluid could corrupt his body, a bright light shone from his finger first.
The ring-type artifact that blocked the corruption curse
.
⌜Poison Dragon of Lerajah⌟
The light that enveloped Hyunwoo's body neutralized the corruption of the black fluid.
Crack―
One of the three jewels embedded in the ring shattered.
The blessing that protected against a fatal corruption attack was now only left with two uses.
I had to save it as much as possible, as I didn't know how long the battle would last.
In that time, the lord's magic was fired.
Kwagwagwang―!
An indiscriminate bombardment of magic that poured down relentlessly.
So much magic was unleashed that a strong mana storm raged, causing the air around Bation to shimmer.
As he began to use magic in earnest, everyone on the battlefield found it difficult to even keep their balance.
Hyunwoo found it hard to even open his eyes properly in the face of the overwhelmingly poured-out tyranny of mana.
‘Ugh… my eyes sting.
’
Even with my eyes half-closed, the sticky afterglow of mana remained on my eyelids.
Hyunwoo rubbed his eyes and dismissed the thought that the battle might be prolonged.
To catch a ‘Calamity’-level demonic beast like Anesta, it was natural to exploit its weakness attribute.
However, the magic Bation mainly used was wind magic.
Anesta's weakness was fire, not wind, but in the face of an overwhelming gap, attributes were meaningless
.
Kieeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee―!
Anesta only let out continuous, pain-filled screams and couldn't even mount a proper counterattack.
The most difficult part of hunting the creature was the process of luring it out.
Furthermore, with its escape route cut off, the creature had no chance of winning.
Once it was exposed, it was just prey for Bation.
Hwoooong―!
The strongly blowing wind magic kicked up dust and tore Anesta to shreds.
In that time, Hyunwoo continued to engrave the black flame onto Anesta’s body.
Bation's magic and Hyunwoo’s Abyssal Ether.
In that one-sided violence, Anesta could only curl up its body and let out an incomprehensible shriek.
Kweeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeek!
With Anesta’s shriek, the brown shell that enveloped it shattered and flowed down, one layer at a time.
Kwoong―!
Like an old tree collapsing, Anesta's outer shell began to peel off little by little, revealing its smooth inner flesh.
At that sight, Hyunwoo’s eyes gleamed.
With my current swordsmanship, I could only scratch its hard outer shell, but the inside was different.
Swoosh―
The Cheonbyeondo in Hyunwoo's hand changed from a greatsword to a rapier.
Fwoosh―!
And immediately, he created a black flame and thrust it into Anesta’s white inner flesh.
⌜Skirma Swordsmanship (2-Star)―100%(M)⌟
The comb-like thrusts that had snuffed out the life of the Black Whale unfolded from his hand.
Crack―!
Cheonbyeondo was driven deep into Anesta’s body.
After that, a black flame flared up.
Fwoosh―!
A jet-black flame overflowed onto Anesta's white inner flesh.
At the same time, the black fluid Anesta spat out poured onto me.
Crack―
One more jewel on the ring shattered.
A moment later, Anesta's huge body swelled up.
Hyunwoo shouted loudly and threw himself backwards.
“Everyone, fall back―!”
Even as Hyunwoo threw himself backwards, he did not take his eyes off Anesta.
A round object the size of a human head formed between the creature’s swollen body.
It looked like a seed.
Hyunwoo’s eyes sparkled when he saw it.
‘That's it.’
The round seed that had formed from Anesta’s body dropped with a thud, then dug into the ground and disappeared.
Hyunwoo engraved the direction the seed had moved in his eyes and hurriedly retreated far away.
Kwaaaaaaaaaaang―!
Anesta’s swollen body fragmented with a huge explosion and flew in all directions.
“Ugh―!”
Even though I had prepared in advance and covered my ears, the sound that rang in my eardrums made my head throb―.
The explosion from Anesta’s burst created a dusty sandstorm that obscured the view.
A moment later, on the battlefield where the sand had settled, only shattered pieces of Anesta’s shell remained.
The golden beetles, which had gathered at some point, clung to it in droves, as if enjoying a prepared feast.
The long battle had come to an end.
The members of the subjugation force, who had grasped the situation one by one, began to shout.
Waaaaaaaaah―!
We won―!!
All that was left on the field were the golden beetles, which were scattering a yellow light, and the fleeing swarm of Lafre.
The Lafre, with Anesta gone, had shriveled up pathetically and returned to their original size.
Hyunwoo raised Cheonbyeondo high into the sky and shouted.
“Now is the time―!”
When those who were cheering turned their attention to me, I shouted even louder once more.
“We must finish off all the Lafre at this opportunity!”
Bation, who heard Hyunwoo’s words, nodded his head.
With the lord’s permission, Noctis, with an overwhelmed face, gave instructions to the subjugation force.
“Leave not a single one behind―!”
The subjugation force, with their spirits high, went up the tunnel to eliminate the fleeing Lafre.
The Lafre, with their center, Anesta, gone, had lost the power of corruption.
They were no longer a very threatening existence.
In the end, it was possible to kill them all, given time.
In that time, Hyunwoo moved quietly, watching the soldiers who were rushing out.
His gaze was fixed on the seed that had dug into the ground a moment ago.
* * *
A moment later, the scattered subjugation force gathered again.
The faces of everyone treading the black earth were full of glee.
The knight Noctis approached Bation and bowed his head.
“It is a great victory!”
“Everyone has suffered.”
Bation looked around.
All of these people were the heroes who had saved Sylvester.
He made eye contact with each and every one of them, giving them strength.
Then, suddenly.
He realized someone was missing.
“But… where is the human?”
All that was around were the ruins of Gert Castle and the corpses of the Lafre.
All that was left was….
Bation inadvertently looked into the tunnel from which they had just come up.
* * *
[…….]
Anesta had waited for an opportunity, gathering nutrients under the barren land of the
Demon World for an eternity.
When Anesta, who had endured those harsh winds and waves, finally revealed itself to the world, it was confident that it was the only one who would become the ruler of this Demon World.
Gert Castle, which had pathetically become its nutrients, added conviction to that pride.
It had been so sure….
Gurgle― Gurgle―
The shell, a mark of the years it had piled up.
Anesta, which had cast off that shell, had returned to its primordial seed for survival and was digging into the ground.
Grind―
It no longer had teeth, but it expressed its anger by writhing its entire body.
Its shell. No, recalling the creatures that had erased its years until now, Anesta chewed over its revenge a hundred million times in its heart.
Although some time would pass before it could germinate again, it vowed and vowed again to surely take revenge.
It would stay in a place no one could find and somehow be resurrected.
The moment Anesta made its resolution, looking forward to the next time.
“So you were hiding here?”
Flinch―
Even if it couldn't hear the voice, it could feel the emotion through the vibration of the sound.
The joy and delight contained within it.
Shudder―
It didn't take long for those emotions to be replaced by Anesta's despair and terror.
Thump thump thump thump―!
The sound of vigorous digging vibrated through the ground.
The sound of digging, which was gradually getting closer.
That sound felt like the footsteps of the Shinigami.