Chapter 271
86hsP4O“It had been a long time since I breathed the air of another dimension.”T0pi
IA80lXGThe sixtieth demon, Vapula, inhaled deeply.Zqou
d4synHis greenish pupils slanted downward, observing the land.XRR0l
FZ61Below, he saw the tiny humans—insignificant insects.qLmey
j9QVRPKilling them, bathing in their blood—that would be a delight.NXjg
bEY4Their screams would be a symphony, more beautiful than any instrument.WkUa
IGLwAgP“How will I kill them so the other demons say I did it well?”B5B
nYti7Thousands of ways to torture humans crossed his mind.5Nmx
Khgaw───!u7mwQ
pNXkPtSomething fell from the sky, abruptly interrupting his thoughts.5nn
zBoh“Khh…!”sBjxqS
dgetA gigantic impact struck his back; he didn’t even have time to scream before crashing to the ground.PZ65
AfpXA“What the hell…?”AaOf
SGQXYWho was the insect that dared interrupt the thoughts of this divine body…?YVX
a7Z— Kyuu!63Ea
YwzkOKdTurning his head, he saw the culprit clinging to his back, waving at him.jlh
PTMm“…Scrap metal?”Hfd
SbuWiTA pile of metal, daring to touch him?f2Z
9eFdHe didn’t even have time to curse.UIMY6d
nXPFwoosh.0DFTmn
AcptLx8A ring of flames engulfed him. They were white as clouds, yet carried an unbearably pure aura.71a5F
yMv“The Adversary…!”AI1r
klFqIt was the most repulsive power for his kind—the energy of their natural enemy.eLfPrGE
EoDhVgEnraged, he unleashed his demonic magic.xEKO
MthThe black mist clashed with the flames; the pressure of the impact sent the metallic golem flying.t226sG
x4p“You dare challenge me? You’re a thousand years too early!”P00
Vl6hsz3Vapula roared in fury.zSBp
qyqHJEThe front of the wall of fire collapsed, and immediately a killing intent pierced through him.xg7
7R5HSlash!Y6A
xfIQBefore he could react, his wings were cut.AEu7
tBV7fThe demon fell.YMEi
DDY6qe3Fragments of the white fire regrouped and stuck to his skin, burning it.2Gj
A6v9“Kroaaaaghhh!”1i9Q
KcTL0WVA scream of pain shook the air. His massive body crashed to the ground with a dull thud.DvPRVA
YzZpghB“A lion with wings like a griffin. Red mane, green eyes—you are the sixtieth demon, Vapula.”9aO
39w7QzAA small shadow loomed over him.nmUH5Y
4LJIPBA pair of red human eyes looked down at him from above.efZI
ZWyBMO1A mere human, daring to look at him like that?uxkykV
8yq8fmr“You’re Fernan Pellenberg! How dare you look down on me? Do you want to die?”UZ1cAzB
kX8“What nonsense are you spouting.”xXNr2B
DsrDie? He hadn’t even spent half the money he had worked so hard to earn.c4qr
DmZ“…What what nonsense are you saying?”YxMg
Uy4Suddenly, Fernan’s body vanished into the earth as if absorbed.dJtn
W3FFiA moment later, a gigantic shadow loomed over him.TIV
Hu1y“What—?”Mvje
UdlE6The metallic scrap that had once been his size had grown to ten meters, raising a foot to crush him.G79G
GMC“Damn insolent insect!”S8NM
Khw96Humiliation.A7AUN
aCwThough he had just been summoned and was still acclimating, to suffer such an affront from a human and a golem was intolerable.y7ii
g3nTDFurious, he opened his mouth and unleashed a blast of concentrated energy.XuzKh
TOcR───!bqx
xNPwAn explosion shook the area. The golem staggered, retreating.eDQM19
DFRiBut in that same instant.KzwTM1F
Ma8GEVjSlash—ZN3QeT
seJOeA clean slash opened in his skin.xfq9
sDkFernan, the arrogant human, had struck again.zSON
ZJpcNThe aura shining at the tip of his sword was not something to be dismissed as mere bravado.i2oiz9
SRNo“You dare…!”pqg
tjbt60bVapula swiped to deflect the next thrust, but the flames, which had subsided, engulfed him once more.WI7
pzmex0aThe fire clung to his demonic energy, feeding on it.jdHK
eQh0cvAnd on top of that, the golem fell again from the sky.6CJk
b2Mpd7This time, wielding a massive sword.tne
6bv“Damn it!”HMziU
OyNlACAHe tried to dodge, but the flames clinging to his body slowed him down.PIaa9dq
hCrqNn2The knight’s sword plunged into a blind spot.5Sa
PMICrack!Q5X
WYpeNI7He couldn’t avoid it completely—the golem’s blade severed the last tendon holding his remaining wing.zNi
hiDQ1B“Grrraaaaaghhh!”wCVfRtj
D05nscFor the first time in a thousand years, Vapula felt real wounds—true pain.vMIn
x9bZAVCrunch—uMv
KhkgyA sword pierced through his open jaw.MoD8m
fGb1He tried to bite it, but it was impossible—the blade was coated in aura that even his fangs couldn’t penetrate.9nYHc9
73XLqP2The internal slash tore open his mouth, and the flames of the Adversary invaded his insides.Dwtt5O
4p8L9l6The pain was indescribable.nqut0
lKaEEACAt last, he understood the situation had exceeded what a demon’s pride could endure.E1BEBC
7qKIf not for that cursed energy.PtC8
bLY2IUdIf not for that damned power, he would never have been cornered like this by a mere human.DTP
DhsDBut he wouldn’t die in a rage.XCBggrm
lXpCbHe manipulated his demonic energy and began to enlarge his body.CPBfY
5Q3FIf the enemy was huge, he would become even bigger.kZGB8Gx
pDVwg7zThat cursed flame wouldn’t be able to cover him entirely.x7oPgi
LHc6XkThe flames were annoying, but the difference between a candle and a blaze was scale.8rjVDuM
XCMkQUHowever—2ayn
RCkp“What…? What are you? You can’t be human!”okZGG
pTXIXIqAs he grew, so did the wall of white flames surrounding him.5hcSw
dzdb99There was no way a mere human could harbor such fire.AwOfZD5
tXj“I’m human.”zbDqk
5orBut he added calmly.6nW
CjSFd“It’s just that I’ve taken too many elixirs since childhood.”dl1mOR
PZcDAcross the continent, no one had consumed more elixirs than Fernan Pellenberg.FwS5
lI5SlAAnd after assimilating the Dragon’s Heart, his body expanded beyond human limits.b5wlAC
ts2SLgmThe residual mana that had remained dormant for years united in perfect harmony.bGo
6J6His energy, his being, transformed into something else.tcokT
3evCombined with the immense power of the Dragon’s Heart, Fernan was certain of one thing.8nzgaB4
7XpfVfThere was no human in this world with more mana than him.iAmvEv9
C4wTdrAnd not just that—not even a demon could surpass him.xSmpD
JCsB“Th-this is impossible…!”T9r
EudKZ2But it wasn’t arrogance.jVlHxYx
9zd1Even unleashing all his demonic energy, Vapula couldn’t stop the flames surrounding him.stetb
72UoThat confusion was all Fernan needed—the knight, nearly a Royal Knight, climbed his gigantic body.dcH77Q
PMuThe spirit golem returned to position.7rvkIJ
XSD“By the way, you’re weaker than I expected.”M7F0t2
rxiCrDOIt wasn’t that he was weak to fire—but everything is relative.4bVMrVA
Xvwo“You don’t have even half the pressure of Kimaris. I guess something went wrong with your summoning.”PXd
640bLwAmong demons, there was no fixed hierarchy, so Vapula and Kimaris should be on the same level.WrWlp
lnx06And yet, this one felt incomplete.Pt7
fYhHe reminded Fernan of Andromalius.pK90
aTY“Did you weaken from a rushed summoning?”ycsWn
ZHqA65G“Shut up! I don’t need full strength to crush a human like you!”GtBhd
yJKCEven with his damaged body, he believed he could still tear him apart.01F6kW
6PziO6ZBut at that moment, Luina slid through his leg, leaving a wound from ankle to shoulder.Slyfx
tkZN“Graaaghhh!”sjC
6aRHis tail was crushed.huRRxJX
CFP7Lj“Why…? Why were these bastards waiting for me the moment I descended…?”z29i
81YThe demon screamed, torn.wXKnIP
XvKAv“Dantalion, damn you! You planned all this—you and your lackeys…!”EpiRhlL
17ZldAnd those were his final words.Z2H
TnsZILuina’s sword, wrapped in an aura as immense as the golem’s, cleaved him in two—along with the sky.DmvVg
SxGAn undignified death for a demon.HMWJMl
wWUN3***phZh4d
EA9BEv“…This is impossible!”3l3
xQfuN29The man engulfed in crimson flames fell to the ground.Vhu
9O9OZThe spear in his left hand had shattered, and the flaming skull in his right had long since turned to dust.nHsk
ySC“How…? How can this be happening?!”xwg
FWa9oPTThe 58th demon, Amy, could not accept reality.Oq1sEO
3dkO0dDefeat? A great demon falling to a mere human?VkuG9
VhvAnd he wasn’t even alone.PUY
r6R8gIEven with Vapula at his side, both had been hunted down, one after the other.ijE84G
Zg483aODemons, hunted by humans.13yKl5E
fc03Q24If the other demons found out, he would never be able to raise his head in hell again.972Pz
sb1hSMp“I suppose I should thank Principal Rosalia.”PVGrI4
mJOThanks to those painful experiments, he had come to understand the exact extent of his limits.SHCIHJ
SoRl7jAThe man with the cursed energy looked down on him, speaking in a calm voice.OPUh2H
AxM“The fifty-eighth demon, Amy. If you had brought Ahgrot with you, maybe you’d be happier—ah, right, maybe you didn’t know.”5HV
hiTEBnHe murmured incomprehensible words while mocking him.CEGuxCu
jgy“What are you? How did you obtain that power? No, wait…! How can a human wield that force so naturally?”hUKq
TBJb“Simple. You just have to become a test subject.”gYz
H6t6“What…?”UTIPqs
dZHFernan summoned a white flame.BISv
c6sqqpAAmy clenched his teeth, feeling the pressure of that cursed energy.n1z
1e7zm“If I told you how I obtained it, would you answer something in return?”OxU
6mL9y2z“What are you saying?”MEZa2pZ
2P4F“I know the origin of this power.”WhfqEf
CQkThat’s why he had so many questions.atjt3z5
w0pgt9Fernan murmured.c9JIIy5
KB2INyC“About a thousand years ago, the demons invaded this world, leading the corrupt and King Colomo. And around a thousand years ago, the Cult of the Dragon God also emerged, fighting against you and the magic you use.”6MqR6
2qeu1y“Nonsense! Magic belongs to us! It wasn’t invented by those reptiles! They’re thieves who stole it from us…!”z13Gs
iumDe“If the cult’s priests heard you, they’d be foaming at the mouth.”7o8K
IIihj7Well, he was a demon after all.j2U3dr
nF35yzE“I don’t care who’s the master and who’s the servant. I just want to know the connection between dragons and you.”v0A
P0tMRWhy did they appear almost at the same time?Bf5qa
KbE1CtIWhy do their powers devour each other?SHOAba
dAgzAnd why do the dragons seem to stand above?vbie
2zjnpcR“You think I’ll tell you!”mhN3T
H3d“I see.”Zm2w
NMksxFernan nodded calmly.ud3A
HCE4“Then don’t say anything.”jzO
uaLpywHe hadn’t expected much anyway.srl73Fg
13u2A“I’ll send the other demons back too. Go to hell and wait for me there.”1ufX5
ubAMore important than understanding why dragon power was the natural enemy of demons was using it to annihilate them.rk73Y
CAL“I should’ve brought Aint. With him here, I could’ve made better use of your souls…”gn2r6
ielAsHe murmured quietly, and then—mlYv
yiOhixwFwoooosh.rZ1W
iJru3HmAmy’s entire body burst into flames.CyqBv7
JpfalHis feared hellfire was effortlessly devoured by the white flame.G55v
wnfSMWm“Are you all right, sir?”y4SD2q
3zfLbt“A bit later and that flame would’ve taken my mustache.”63TBS
Eq6“If you can joke, I guess you’re fine.”wxUEmZD
MNAT6n1“Joke? Have you seen the state I’m in?”rS4S
1gQArmond Merschdorf, covered in blood, let out a bitter laugh.ng2
2a78nH“All in all, the future of the Pellenberg looks bright. I never imagined the young master would become such a monster.”BYLcbFT
3FDFfhL“All thanks to the Dragon’s Heart.”Lhkuc
Ugb“But not just anyone who receives a legendary sword can wield it well. I’ve always thought, young master—you underestimate yourself too much. Although now, with the whole world watching, there’s no point hiding it anymore.”XoH1
Fi3GsgArmond let out a hearty laugh.P4E0qh
XQYk***UXd
tccOc“…This can’t be.”bgtPxkp
H7nDX7qThe commander of the Third Anti-Monster Battalion, Javal Lifanu, rubbed his eyes.0SAZg74
QRaRWas he really seeing that?Pm4Jzi
cdrILeaving the feudal territory, he had only one thought escape.Dwh4gA
5dpyTwo demons.cgQa
UySX7One alone could destroy an entire kingdom.PxXZRa
2YK8eVictory was impossible.h6a7paT
7q3yTRkThat was the logical conclusion.oyU
K9YtqFHe knew Fernan Pellenberg had fought demons before, but that was when he was with Aint Armian.3R9
ilxwA golem?79lkm
Vs5VMFNo matter how powerful, could it compare to a demon?AWnzFB
X8vfVIf Aint had been there, it would’ve been different.AN1
cyoLeVBut Fernan was alone.t4kAK
i9fGAnd no matter how formidable Luina Bercheff was as a swordswoman, she couldn’t face two demons at once.fLc8
aPeThat’s why he told them to flee.b5Bm3
j6ZF7yBut Fernan chose to stay.vqBkl
RMBXThis is madness. It’s suicide.pcCBEBb
ZW63n3He regretted the fate of the civilians in the area, but he wouldn’t add the blood of his men to the massacre.3ZOAh
fbiad3ZHe would do the only sensible thing—go to Aint for reinforcements, gather the royal army to face the demons.yAqsU
GUxXOSo, when Fernan decided to stay, he gave up.64S
C4ZCNot even the king’s mandate to protect Fernan at all costs could apply under those circumstances.rBwyF
5k8If they stayed, they’d only increase the body count.m2j
E9LCpAnd then, the demons were summoned.242
8CQfL“By all the heavens…”2a5f3uv
igvSuNrA gigantic winged lion and a man wrapped in red flames.W1m
0TWHHe didn’t know their names, but recognized them instantly by instinct.3Lzh
CbsFThe density of mana, the sense of imminent death—that could only mean demons.vLxT
oTZC“We have to flee! If you want to live, get as far away as possible!”w91j
krBtUQEBut at that moment—q7tkAQo
0nAvBOOOOOOM!iE19
6FAX3One of the demons crashed down with a deafening roar.FS78b4
8WlK5“…Eh?”SNg
9uDmHwIt was a golem.uUGB
M7Hiwp8The same one said to change size at will—Fernan’s golem.zBkFoH
YGRGGf“Could it be…?”j69N3cU
gRvyOne of the soldiers dared to hope.UFPNrMK
GQDBut Javal shook his head.txyC
iMhyb6T“If a simple golem could defeat a demon, humanity would’ve conquered hell by now.”H5XV8
NKRcQz“Yes… I guess you’re right.”3f6
EzK0PD“Come on. We have no time to lose. We can’t waste the sacrifice they’re—”G7eYf
opcqR─────!!XVY0qnf
zANCEA demonic roar tore through the air.u2fDK
J84scvAnd then, a white flame devoured the demon.iWDN
ljRj“He doesn’t seem to be suffering?”pYqpu8
4t6kg8“Maybe he still has some trick left.”MsAhcb
bCOZEven from far away, the impact of the battle was intense.pRtEt
vpzAnd in the end.xmwm
gjhjOD“…Holy heavens.”Vrkj7Z
1NkJaval even forgot to flee.1vQ
PUoA demon—a gigantic lion—was being hunted.TJKcl3
0WFBy Fernan Pellenberg, Luina Bercheff, and the golem.SaIdyJ
KLrZRF“…A hero.”bFTzzz
4UltMHe muttered without realizing it.psL
l2MzAvWasn’t demon-slaying the ultimate act of a hero?p1u
DlLe83yNot only Aint Armian was a hero.hhu
RogDThe Pellenberg had a hero too.MeCY
yn4S“Long live Fernan Pellenberg!”ZwHF4P
rVvPkThe white flames consuming the demon resembled the sacred fire of the dragons in legends.fE0j5
phwU“Long live Fernan Pellenberg!”LacTRE
BeWYThe soldiers of the Third Battalion chanted with him.H7mP
rJfE“The demon has fallen! Fernan Pellenberg and Luina Bercheff defeated it!”POQAD5Z
lss“The new Archmage and the new Royal Knight!”IlbWTJ
nnSpJaval was convinced—they were witnessing the birth of heroes, a new generation of superhumans.WZj
mw5oUNNothing else could explain what they had just seen.zun
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