Chapter 309: Demon (2)

While the Anti-Imperial Alliance destroyed the cocoons, Yuri, who had gone ahead, stood before the tower.

“This…”

A miasma, more intense than ever, pricked at his skin. Even breathing was difficult.

“Your Highness, it’s hard to go any further.”

Laurent and Jared, who were with him, also didn’t look well.

Even for experts like them, getting closer was difficult due to the malignant energy radiating from the tower.

It wasn’t simply that their lives were in danger to the point that their bodies couldn’t withstand it.

It was as if the very essence of their existence was being tested.

Yuri smirked crookedly.

This place, which allowed no one without the proper qualifications to approach, fit perfectly with Cedric, who looked down on humanity and intended to create a new world.

“Difficult?”

“I can endure it.”

Yuri touched the back of Jared’s neck and felt the cold sweat soaking him.

“Doesn’t seem like it. You won’t be able to go in, will you?”

“No, I can.”

“I’ll go alone.”

“That can’t be.”

“Don’t worry, I can get out at any time.”

“But…”

Yuri looked up at the tower. Its shape was strange, but there were definitely openings that looked like windows on every floor.

“There’s no other way. If you can’t go, who else could?”

If Laurent and Jared were like this, it was likely the rest of the Ten Greats would also have problems inside here, even if to a lesser degree.

It wasn’t an environment suited for battle.

“I’ll try to lure Cedric outside.”

“Will you be all right, Your Highness?”

“I’m fine.”

On Yuri’s shoulders, the energy of the Cut of the soul and the heart shimmered like a mirage.

This mana method, which cut through everything, repelled black magic. Not even the incomprehensible miasma enveloping the tower could invade him.

Jared pressed his lips together.

“But…”

When Jared tried to shake his head, Laurent pushed Yuri’s back.

“Go.”

“Laurent?”

When he looked, Laurent jerked his chin toward the tower.

“Go get him out of there.”

“Understood.”

“No, wait. We can’t let him go alone…”

When Jared tried to stop him, Laurent smirked.

“Strange for you to say that now. He’s the one who brought us this far. He’s been doing everything alone from the start. Why worry now?”

“Well… I guess you’re right…”

Jared looked toward the tower.

“That place really gives me the chills.”

“That’s for us. Yuri Briol will be fine.”

“Hmm… are you going to keep calling him Yuri Briol so coldly?”

“You just did the same.”

“Did I say Yuri Briol?”

Yuri cut in.

“Enough, you two. Anyway, I’m going in alone, so you stay here. Tell the others to destroy all those cocoons thoroughly. And don’t let your guard down—we don’t know what might happen.”

“Yes.”

“I’ll be back soon.”

Yuri glanced at the Anti-Imperial Alliance, then began moving forward. Behind him came Jared’s solemn voice.

“No one imagined this would be his end…”

Yuri let out a laugh.

It was so absurd he couldn’t help but laugh.

“Not bad. We’ll settle the score later.”

“Good luck.”

“Sure.”

Yuri walked toward the tower. The entrance was open, as if waiting for him, and on both sides stood grotesquely shaped statues.

Humans screaming, piles of corpses, monsters he had never seen or even imagined.

They filled his entire field of vision.

Yuri put a hand to his head.

“Ugh…”

It was just like the first time he faced the demon grimoire. A suffocating madness seemed to pry open his skull and seep directly into his brain.

A blood-red light flickered beyond his eyelids.

An ordinary human would have lost their sanity in no time.

“Truly…”

Whether it was the tower or the black magic, the taste was repulsive.

Yuri swung Guilty and unleashed a wide slash. The hideous statues around him split in two and collapsed.

On the cut surfaces, human and monster viscera were revealed. Yuri realized then that the statues were actually real creatures petrified into those forms.

“Disgusting.”

He spat in disgust and moved on.

The inside of the tower, like the wall before, was covered with something like living flesh.

When he got close to the walls, they stirred as if to threaten him.

He reached a staircase. When he stepped on it, the entire floor rippled.

Without him doing anything, the steps moved like a wave, carrying him upward.

Cedric was calling him.

Yuri could feel it.

Perhaps he was already watching him.

He murmured,

“This is the new world you want? Disgusting… I didn’t know you had such tastes, Cedric.”

Under his feet, the flesh squirmed more violently, as if in response to his words.

Yuri smiled and gripped Guilty tightly.

“All right, see you soon.”

Though he appeared calm, he was still watching his surroundings. He had to memorize the location of the windows so he could escape at any time.

As he had told Jared, his goal was to lure Cedric outside. With the miasma the tower gave off, only he could fight inside, and facing a lunatic like Cedric alone wasn’t a good idea.

The spiral staircase carried him higher and higher.

He didn’t know how much time had passed.

“Yuri Briol.”

Suddenly, someone called out to him. In that instant, the staircase stopped moving.

Yuri checked the height.

There were no markings, but judging by the time, he estimated he was above the tenth floor.

It was already an uncomfortable height to jump from.

“Who are you?”

He stepped down from the staircase and looked around. The voice was familiar, but he couldn’t place it.

“I’m behind you.”

He turned immediately.

A man in a black robe was there.

From his build, Yuri automatically thought of a name.

“Dan Socheon.”

Dan Socheon was dead.

Yet, he could feel that man’s aura.

He wasn’t surprised. He had already fought against replicas of Hasan, so it wasn’t strange for Dan Socheon to appear again.

Yuri raised Guilty.

If someone showed up and called him while he was climbing, it was clear what needed to be done.

“Did you want to fight me so badly you came back from the dead?”

“I never died.”

“You died.”

“No.”

Dan Socheon drew his sword and stepped forward. The robe swayed, revealing a body horribly deformed by black magic.

“You could at least dress properly. Walking naked under the robe… are you a pervert?”

Dan Socheon didn’t react to the provocation, only kept approaching with empty, trance-like eyes.

It was clear he wasn’t in his right mind.

Yuri stepped back and brought Guilty forward.

“All right, if you’re that angry, let’s fight again.”

“Because of you…”

Dan Socheon spoke.

“The thousand-year history of the Demonic Sect has fallen. I will not let you go.”

“If the Demonic Sect fell, why blame me?”

“Because of you…”

Yuri looked at him and smiled ironically.

“Is it my fault?”

“Because of you.”

“You really are out of your mind.”

He already knew the Demonic Sect’s end—they tried to attack Briol, clashed with the Eastern Murim Alliance, fought, and were finally annihilated by Cruar’s Voice of Authority.

It made no sense to blame him. And even if he had some responsibility, it had been in self-defense.

“Because of you… because of you…”

Muttering to himself, Dan Socheon suddenly lunged.

Yuri nodded.

“Good choice.”

It was better to swing a sword than keep spouting nonsense.

Dan Socheon radiated stronger energy than before.

He wasn’t surprised—those resurrected by black magic were always strangely modified and had greater combat power than in life.

“Dan Socheon is already dead. You’re fake. Fake son of… you’re a dead existence.”

Yuri tried to provoke him by attacking his identity, but Dan Socheon didn’t flinch. He only charged at him, burning with hatred.

“I’ll kill you and thus console the dead Dan Socheon.”

Yuri gripped Guilty tightly and raised his will.

They were fighting in a tower, so he tried not to cause destruction around him.

No.

Yuri remembered this was Cedric’s space. He could destroy it all without worry.

Whether the tower collapsed or not, Yuri unleashed a powerful sword aura. As if responding to his will, Chaos released a force more powerful than ever.

The sword aura, lit by lightning, pierced Dan Socheon’s body and shattered both ceiling and floor.

Then blood splattered.

The building was practically a living being.

“Kugh!”

The aftereffects of the sword attack also hit Dan Socheon. Yuri swung his weapon again. The overwhelming sword aura rushed at Dan Socheon.

Faced with this relentless offensive, Dan Socheon retreated again and again, taking wounds.

“Fake bastard, you can’t even block this?”

Of course, the real one wouldn’t have been able to either.

Yuri’s sword cut through Dan Socheon and the tower without mercy. The tower trembled, watching him.

It wasn’t that he was destroying the surroundings entirely on purpose, but it wasn’t entirely accidental either.

The destruction through indirect intent tore apart Dan Socheon and everything around him.

Dan Socheon collapsed into a sitting position.

“Is that all you’ve got?”

Yuri increased his output even more. He intended to finish him completely.

The Chaos Yuri wielded now was more vivid than ever. He couldn’t believe he had become so strong; he felt he could do anything.

Dan Socheon was undoubtedly strong, and this thing, revived by black magic, was even more so.

But Yuri was much stronger.

“Kugh…”

As if desperate, Dan Socheon crawled backward on the floor.

Yuri stepped on the air and propelled himself forward, kicking him in the chest. Dan Socheon fell to the ground, his robe flying open completely, revealing his repulsive insides. Yuri pressed down harder.

“What is Cedric doing now to send you?”

“Kraaa!”

“Die.”

When the sword came down, Dan Socheon resisted, thrashing his body altered by black magic.

Yuri cut off his hand. Then, from the stump, tentacles sprouted, taking the shape of a hand.

This time he cut off his arm.

A scream echoed through the place. But that wasn’t enough. He went further—now he planned to pierce his heart to kill him completely.

“Stop.”

A voice cut across his path.

At the same time, the air around him began pressing against Yuri’s skin.

The air entering and leaving his lungs felt rough, and everything he saw seemed to invade his mind to provoke madness.

The entire tower was harassing him.

Yuri pulled back his sword.

In that moment, all the symptoms pressing on him vanished.

Yuri spat the words.

“Cedric.”

He had appeared.

At first, Yuri felt pleased, but gradually his chest grew heavy. That man’s presence felt overwhelmingly powerful.

Even though he himself had grown immensely in strength, Cedric seemed even more imposing.

What kind of power had he obtained?

Yuri, catching his breath, turned around.

Cedric stood as always, not leaning to either side, with both legs firm.

“It’s been a while, Yuri.”

“Yeah.”

“I’m glad…”

“Stop. Don’t say you’re glad to see me.”

“I’m glad.”

“Shut up.”

Meanwhile, Dan Socheon, beaten down by Yuri, got up and knelt before Cedric, bowing in greeting.

Cedric ignored him completely.

Yuri walked over and crushed one of Dan Socheon’s legs. But he stifled the scream, probably because of Cedric’s presence.

Cedric spoke.

“Stop bothering that one. How about you and I talk alone?”

“Talk?”

Yuri raised Guilty. Before the true enemy, the final opponent, Guilty vibrated like never before.

“I don’t think there’s anything for us to talk about.”

“Why not? We…”

Ignoring his rhetoric, Yuri controlled his breathing. He measured the distance between them.

The moment he finished calculating, his body moved before his mind decided.

Time stopped.

Space folded.

Yuri reached his target in an instant.

Guilty, with a fiercer momentum than ever, lunged toward Cedric.

At the moment his sword was about to strike—

[Power of Voice: Kill.]

Yuri was blown backward.