ALL NOVEL Chapter 212
The fierce battle between the Hero and the Demon King continues.
After the giant’s fight ended, the clash between humans—holders of the Holy Swords—was fast and brutal, incomparable to the giants’ battle.
Kagagagaga-gang!!!
The Hero and the Demon King moved with speeds multiple, no, dozens of times faster than those of the giants.
As Hero Lucius swung his spear, the Demon King dodged, tilting his head to avoid the thrust.
When Demon King Satan wielded his twin swords, the Hero parried with the spear shaft, creating distance between them.
The Demon King desperately tried to close the distance.
The Hero was determined to keep his distance.
The land of the System was torn apart, shattered, and turned upside down by their bloodshed.
“Hah, hah.”
Hero Lucius let out heavy breaths as he stepped back.
His hand, gripping the spear, was red and hot, and the spearhead had dulled from countless clashes against the blade of the twin swords.
Strong.
So very strong.
But—
Against such a powerful Demon King, he wasn’t being pushed back.
Yet it wasn’t enough.
If only—
There were some missing pieces filled in—
“Hero, won’t you become mine?”
The Demon King extended his hand.
“If you follow me, the Demon King’s army will surely grow stronger. I shall give you half of the world.”
“How cliché. I refuse.”
“Is that so? Then—”
Suddenly.
Something flew in from the south.
Satan urgently leaped back, and Lucius also backed away, creating distance from Satan.
Kwah—aaaaang!!
In the center of the System.
A massive spear of ice fell.
On top of that ice spear was a gothic doll with violet hair.
“M-Master?”
“Lucius!”
The Sorceress, Bel.
“Situation understood! Lucius! Protect him!”
“Y-You…!!”
The twisted Satan rushed forward.
“It’s you!! Sorceress, Bel!!!”
“Master!!”
Leaving the doll behind, the Hero and the Demon King clashed once more.
*
Clang!
The cockpit of Spirit Device – Celcius opened.
Inside, the woman, Liriez, stepped out of the cockpit with a bitter smile.
“It should fly far.”
It was the ice spear thrown with all the power of Spirit Device – Celcius.
No matter how far from the Empire they were by several kilometers, the force was powerful enough to temporarily bring the Spirit Device into a dormant state.
The ice spear would surely reach the System.
Whether late or on time, Sorceress Bel would make the best decision according to the given situation.
If the Empire had already fallen, she would act to save the people, and if the last line of defense remained, she would safeguard the Absolute Barrier.
If the battle was still ongoing, she would surely give the Hero, who was fighting the Demon King, optimal advice.
…Most likely, it would be the one who bears the golden light that falls from the sky.
“…It hurts.”
Liriez clutched her arm.
Though there was no physical issue from using the Spirit Device’s mana, her heart felt unsettled.
Liriez Cesarcross.
If she posed a question to herself, she wouldn’t easily find an answer about who she truly was.
About this current feeling.
About this strange emotion she was experiencing.
The regret of not being able to fight alongside Sorceress Bel.
“…Is that so?”
Liriez hung her head low.
Facing her hidden or forcibly denied inner feelings was a bitter task.
“I wanted to fight alongside the Sorceress.”
Since she had already fought with the Sorceress, Liriez felt genuine regret.
It felt as if the Sorceress had chosen another Hero instead of her.
It felt as if the Sorceress had been taken from her.
No.
From the start, the Sorceress had been Hero Lucius’s master.
She had taught him from the beginning, while she had merely joined from the southern part of the Empire.
Walking companions.
Meeting by chance and heading in the same direction.
The difference between the two was astronomical.
“Sorceress.”
Liriez brought her hands to her chest.
And she closed her eyes tightly and prayed.
“I sincerely wish for the Sorceress’s victory and safe return. I fervently hope the Moon Goddess embraces her.”
Whether the prayer would reach her, she didn’t know.
All Liriez could do was pray.
And when Spirit Device – Celcius had restored its mana, to rush out towards the Empire without delay.
“Please, victory.”
*
“Master!”
Lucius shouted.
I was clinging to Lucius’s left hand, nervously watching his left.
‘Will I not be found out?’
I am the Sorceress of Crimson Lotus Bel.
I am the Sorceress of Crimson Lotus Bel.
I am the Sorceress of Crimson Lotus Bel.
Not the Demon Lord Belphegor—
“You damn brat!! Messing around with the hearts of Beelzebub and Mammon!!”
Satan swung his twin swords in anger.
Lucius blocked it with a Holy Sword transformed into a one-handed sword, while I deployed a barrier using Lucius’s mana.
Sword and shield.
Attack and defense.
“Even in a doll, you try to protect the Hero! That effort is commendable, but you’ve crossed the line! Die, Sorceress of Crimson Lotus!!”
Fortunately, Satan mistook me for Bel.
What she saw was just a doll with the cores of two Demon Lords, but Satan thought I was Sorceress Bel.
Did Lucius call me his master?
Or—
“500 years ago, you interrupted another Demon Lord, and now you dare to appear in the present to hinder me!!”
Satan thought that the only being that persistently got in her way was Sorceress Bel!
“Sorry about that!”
I deflected Satan’s flames with a wind barrier.
“Demon Race should go back to the Demon World!”
“Shut up! What do you know about the Demon World?!!”
Satan yelled and swung her twin swords.
I blocked Satan’s twin swords with Lucius and stood face to face, just a step away.
“The world is survival of the fittest! The weak are eaten and cast aside, and it’s only natural! Humans are no different! You humans will die today at my hand, Demon King Satan!”
“Sorry, but in the survival of the fittest, that’s when you get eaten?!”
I pointed my chin towards Lucius.
“Our Hero is stronger!!”
Kagagagak!!
Mana clashed.
Four Holy Swords clashed in a 1:3 matchup, creating an immense surge of mana.
To be honest.
I don’t know why Satan has three Holy Swords.
I don’t know where the Leviathan that tagged along with Lucius is now.
But those things aren’t important.
What truly matters is stopping Satan.
‘That can be thought about later!’
For now.
Let’s stop Satan first!
“Our Hero will surely defeat you, Demon King! Our Hero is stronger than you!”
All I can do is one thing.
Praise.
Support.
Encourage.
“No matter how many Holy Swords you wield, you can’t match Lucius now!”
“Kraaaaah!!”
Satan swung her twin swords with bloodshot eyes.
The crimson slash looked like it would take our heads off, but Lucius didn’t falter.
“Lucius! You can do it?!”
“Of course, Master!”
Kagagagak!
Lucius rolled on the floor once and stretched his sword upwards.
“Let it unleash!”
“Wow….”
With Lucius’s words, a pillar of golden wind shot up towards the sky.
It was magnificent.
Truly magnificent.
It felt like being inside a tornado that shot high into the sky.
And.
Whrrr!
Satan’s flames only spiraled around the outer layer of the tornado, unable to touch us at all.
“Master. I will show you my full power.”
“The opponent is still one who wields three Holy Swords. Are you sure?”
“…….”
For a moment, Lucius stared coldly at me.
I wondered if I had said something wrong, and I acknowledged my verbal blunder.
“I misspoke. I apologize.”
I pulled away from Lucius and gave him a thumbs-up.
“Do you think it would be bad for me not to trust my own disciple? Even as a clone, I’ll say what my real self would have.”
I stretched my fist towards Satan.
“Smash her up. The disciple nurtured by Sorceress Bel won’t lose to some trifling Holy Sword ‘Holder’!”
“……Master is indeed a master.”
Lucius’s expression softened.
I felt a bit wronged for having peeked at him a bit, but still, my mistake was my mistake.
Trust in a disciple.
Trust in a Hero.
Trust in Lucius.
Lucius said he would defeat Satan.
Asking, “Are you sure you can do it?” was an unintentional expression of doubt towards Lucius.
Surely, if it were my true form, I would have thought about it, but would have shown absolute trust in Lucius.
“Lucius.”
“Yes, Master.”
“I’ll tell you later when you meet my real body. That you’ve grown into a proper Hero and man.”
“…Thank you.”
He smiled.
Seeing Lucius smile, I felt much more at ease.
‘I’m going crazy.’
Was it because I had come after taking care of Liriez and Bearnes?
Facing a male Hero feels a bit more awkward than a female Hero.
‘No matter where you are, come quickly. My real self.’
It seemed that Lucius had reached a stage where he could distinguish between his true self and his clone.
Even Telling the clone to pay attention seems to show some care, but still, the current gaze and actions were seeking the ‘Red-Haired Sorceress.’
Not me.
Well, it’s not like I care.
“Master. Coming.”
“…That’s right.”
“Come forth, Hellfire of Gehenna!!”
The ground split apart.
From behind Satan, lava suddenly burst from underground, forming a gigantic demonic figure.
I wonder if that’s real lava, or a huge mass made by melting the surroundings and wrapping it in flames.
Either way.
“Lucius. Hit it hard.”
Lucius will win.
“…Then I will show you. The new ultimate skill.”
Lucius gripped the Holy Sword, lifted high towards the sky, tightly with both hands.
“Wind, let the bell toll. Become the sharp edge that opens the red curtain.”
Goooh.
Lucius’s Holy Sword sparkled with golden light, and Lucius swung it towards the gigantic lava golem.
“Ultimate skill.”
He swung the sword toward Satan.
“Divine Slayer.”
The golden light.
Split the world.