Chapter 193 : Chapter 193
Chapter 193 : The Fallen One (4)
Once, while resting in Myeolji, I had asked Bitelleanus about Demons.
Bitelleanus explained sincerely about the two types of Demons.
– One is the guys you know well. Demons created by the Demon King tearing off his own Origin Demonic Energy in the form of a bead and then attaching the form of a Demon onto it.
– That bead would be practically a heart if it were another life form.
– That is correct. That is also why Demons look similar unless it is a special case. The Demon King doesn't really have much desire to exercise creativity when molding Demons.
– True, the appearance of the Old Demons and New Demons wasn't much different. Then what is the other type?
– They are the ones you call the Fallen Ones.
The Fallen One.
It refers to those who were not molded from the Demon King from the beginning, but were born as other races and became Demons by accepting Demonic Energy.
The Fallen Ones possess distinct individuality different from those who were Demons from birth.
It is inevitable since their races and ways of life are all different.
– The principle itself of becoming a Fallen One is simple. If the Demon King injects Origin Demonic Energy and one succeeds in fully accepting it, they become a Fallen One. However, not everyone injected with Demonic Energy can be reborn as a Demon.
– Those who cannot accept it…… will die.
Bitelleanus nodded.
Indeed, when Demonic Energy penetrates the body, most writhe in pain.
Unless a neutralizer is injected within the golden time, the only treatment is to cut out the body part encroached by Demonic Energy.
‘Even so, there must have been incredibly many who wanted to become Demons…….’
The Expedition had already faced numerous Fallen Ones and killed them.
It means countless people volunteered to become Fallen Ones even though the survival probability was low.
I understand.
Because if one becomes a Demon, they are freed from the constraints of lifespan, and no big problem occurs even if they don't eat or sleep.
Moreover, they can exert stronger power than before or use various techniques they couldn't before.
Those who wanted to become strong by any means necessary must have chosen the extreme method.
There were those who threw themselves into Myeolji as an entire race like the Eagle Tribe, and there were also many who headed to Myeolji individually.
– Most Fallen Ones are those who came wanting to become Demons themselves, but there also exist Fallen Ones who are not.
– Are you saying Fallen Ones can be made forcibly?
– Whether voluntarily or forcibly, one is bound to become a Fallen One if injected with Demonic Energy.
– But isn't accepting Demonic Energy itself a difficult task? If Demonic Energy is forcibly injected, it would be difficult to be reborn as a Fallen One if they reject it.
– You are right. Most of those forcibly injected with Demonic Energy die resisting the Demonic Energy. However, a few among them do become Fallen Ones.
A worried expression appeared on Bitelleanus's face.
– Only the tremendously strong can resist the Origin Demonic Energy. However, it is impossible to reject the Demon King's Demonic Energy remaining inside the body. Although few in number, they are the existences the Expedition must be most careful of.
***
Bitelleanus's warning was not wrong.
Rokgun, the former Fairy King who popped out of Zenburga's chest first, inflicted tremendous damage on the Expedition with just a single blow.
The reason there wasn't significant damage despite that was entirely thanks to Evernite.
Because he single-handedly faced Rokgun, who had become a Fallen One, with a spear, no further casualties occurred in the Expedition.
‘He is definitely heterogeneous. The energy he originally harbored exists, and Demonic Energy also exists. If only his reason remained…….’
Rokgun, who forcibly became a Fallen One, didn't just change in appearance, but his energy also changed.
As if he had lost his reason, he attacked the Expedition while emanating ferocious power.
And another Fallen One was trying to pop out from Zenburga's chest.
Even though I stabbed Maron in and wound him tightly with [Red Thread], a fierce repulsive force was felt.
‘It will be difficult to hold on like this.’
Since Evernite is handling the battle with Rokgun alone, the rest of the Expedition members were watching the tug-of-war between Zenburga and me with tense looks.
If Tayon is inside that guy…….
What should I do?
The time for contemplation was not long.
I didn't fully believe Zenburga's words from the beginning.
Whether Tayon is inside him or not, the fact that I have to kill Zenburga remains unchanged.
And I believed in Tayon.
If Zenburga is the vessel and the Fallen Ones contained inside him are the soup, I break the vessel first.
If the vessel breaks, the soup might spill messily, but I have no choice but to believe that at least Tayon will endure.
I retrieved the sword I had stabbed into Zenburga's chest.
Only the [Red Thread] was binding the Fallen One trying to escape from Zenburga and his chest, and it was obvious as fire that it wouldn't last long.
It can't be helped. Killing Zenburga quickly is the only thing I can do right now.
I swung the sword toward Zenburga's neck.
Thwack!
Zenburga blocked the sword with his remaining hand, but I didn't stop and swung once again.
“Kueuk…….”
Perhaps because he was focused on his role as a vessel, Zenburga couldn't counterattack like before.
So, after cutting off even his remaining arm, I drove the sword into his neck in a single breath.
Zenburga glared at me with bloodshot eyes.
“Trash like you…… can never defeat the Demon King.”
“Well? I'd like to say watch, but you won't be able to see.”
I had a deep ill-fated relationship with Zenburga.
Among the enemies I met after crossing over to this world, he was the one with the highest probability of killing me, and the one who made me manifest God’s Avatar for the first time.
Above all, he was the guy who dragged Tayon into Myeolji.
The moment to sever the tough ill-fated relationship has come.
Various energies dwelling in Maron exploded.
The light went out from Zenburga's eyes.
Thud.
The neck of the nemesis I wanted to kill dozens, hundreds of times more fell onto the ground of Myeolji.
But there was no time to indulge in sentiment.
Snap, snap!
The [Red Thread] that exceeded the critical point snapped.
Several Fallen Ones started scrambling out through Zenburga's split chest.
The vessel had broken.
Massive energies, each different in race and possessed power, clashed and popped out.
But there was also a commonality, which was the fact that every single one of them was distorted to the point where their original appearance was unrecognizable.
Guys with amorphous forms to the extent that it was difficult to imagine their appearance before falling.
It was only for a moment that the guys who lost their reason fought among themselves like hungry ghosts.
Rummmble…….
Eventually, the five that looked the strongest survived.
A burning lump of flesh, a thorn monster, a giant whose whole body was pitch black…….
I looked for whether Tayon was among them.
However, what was felt from them was only vivid Demonic Energy, and I couldn't find information to gauge Tayon's identity.
‘I should have noticed when they just came out…….’
The five surviving Fallen Ones were completely encroached by the Demon King's energy.
They stood tall in front of the Expedition.
The Expedition also raised their energy and prepared for battle.
“Paladin Order! Gather behind me!”
Itilus reorganized the front line.
“White Dragon Knights, form a square formation!”
Under Pasion’s command, the White Dragon Knights also took position.
Besides them, each commander gathered their subordinate troops and finished preparations to deal with the powerful enemies.
The five Fallen Ones rushed toward the Expedition.
The Expedition also ran toward them.
Just as a big battle was about to break out like that, an abnormal event occurred.
Flash!
Black sword energy flew in a crescent shape and bisected the body of the Fallen One going ahead.
It was sword energy launched by the pitch-black giant who was at the very back.
The giant leaped nimbly and blocked the front of the remaining Fallen Ones.
Grrrrr…….
Thick Demonic Energy also spewed out from the giant's mouth.
However, the Expedition, including me, could guess his identity.
“It is Lord Tayon!”
“Protect Lord Tayon!”
The Expedition surrounded the black giant, Tayon.
It became a form of trying to protect Tayon from the remaining three Fallen Ones.
However, Tayon leaped lightly, tangled with the Fallen Ones, and started the battle.
Taking that as a signal, the Expedition also rushed at the Fallen Ones.
The separate unit and I intensively struck the guy in the center.
It was a guy with red thorns sprouting all over his body, and his energy was much more fierce and strong than other Fallen Ones.
“Brother Kiyot! Be careful!”
“Got it.”
The guy pressured us by shooting thorns at high speed.
However, we were in a situation where we finished preparations to deal with the Fallen One.
It was the same for other Expedition members as well as the separate unit.
Power clashed against power.
It was more difficult to deal with three Fallen Ones than Verni's mage unit or Zenburga's beastkin unit.
However, because even Tayon who became a Fallen One fought with us, the war situation gradually tilted toward the Expedition.
“Took down one! Will support the Expedition Leader's side immediately!”
The Expedition centered on Itilus's Paladin unit killed the Fallen One on the right.
And without resting, they rushed toward the thorn Fallen One fighting us while emitting Radiance.
Once the balance broke, dealing with other Fallen Ones also became easier.
Keldric's Fourfold Transformation, the Fiend swallowed the red thorns, and Bea launched countless arrows to mutilate the Fallen One.
Besides that, attacks loaded with the Expedition members' Intent, such as the sword loaded with Cutting Absorption and the Titan Blade falling on the Fallen One's head, drove the Fallen One into pain.
“Lord Tayon is attacking! Sister Sierin, dodge!”
Tayon was not in a state where conversation was possible.
Regardless of the Expedition members struggling close to the Fallen Ones, he launched black-dyed sword energy.
Kwagagaga!
The driven thorn Fallen One eventually lost its life to Tayon's sword energy.
And not long after, we succeeded in killing all the Fallen Ones.
“Waaaaa!”
It was a tough battle, and there were many victims, but eventually we won.
The Expedition embraced each other filled with joy.
The existence of Tayon had contributed greatly to uniting this Expedition.
Because Tayon, who protected the front of Myeolji as the leader of Crows, was someone respected by many regardless of faction and race.
Many of those who were angry at the news that such Tayon was eventually dragged into Myeolji volunteered for the Expedition.
‘It was also thanks to Lord Tayon that Lord Pasion, Lord Balua, and Lady Akuhata started lending me their strength.’
The joy of succeeding in rescuing Tayon spread to all Expedition members.
However, the joy did not last long.
Thick Demonic Energy started erupting from Tayon's body.
Tayon aimed a sword made of Demonic Energy as large as his body.
The direction the sword pointed was toward the Expedition.
To speak more accurately, it was the direction where I was.
“Lord Tayon…….”
I don't know how Tayon could maintain his reason, but the fact that he is a Fallen One should not be overlooked.
The Expedition fell into confusion.
If Tayon attacks, should we fight back?
Or should we only defend?
From the commanders to me, the Expedition Leader, no one could get a grip.
But even at that moment, Tayon's sword was moving slowly.
I shouted toward the Expedition members.
“Everyone to defensive stance!”
Following my command, the Expedition members took a defensive stance.
Tayon's sword energy was powerful before too, but after being loaded with black Demonic Energy, it emanated an even more berserk energy.
– Lord Tayon, can you hear me!
I even used Dragon Speech and shouted containing my desperate heart.
But Tayon swung the sword as it was, seeming not to hear.
Black sword energy spewed out from the tip of Tayon's sword.
However, at the same time the attack rushed at me, a massive wave of Mana was felt in the air.
And someone's back appeared in front of me.
At the back of the person I knew well, I felt my tension release naturally.
– Stop.
The one who suddenly appeared was Hike. She shouted Dragon Speech.
And then she looked at me and smiled faintly.
“You will have to learn more about how to use Dragon Speech.”