Episode 289
“that’s right. “It’s enough to kick a corps commander.”
I took Ramon’s words out half impulsively, but the goblin still spoke with a smile on his face.
“What you said was wrong, master.”
“what?”
“Our goal is not to subdue the demon corps commander, is it?”
Ramon looked around once and then continued speaking.
“Our goal is to prevent the coming of the Demon King. “Removing the corps commander is just an intermediate process.”
“Isn’t Mr. Ramon saying something strange now?”
Mir joined in without hearing.
“If you don’t defeat the corps commander within 17 hours, you will die!”
“And a few hours later, the devil will descend.”
Ramon looked at Araksad.
“Brother Araksad, we must clarify our priorities now. “Don’t you think so?”
It was the moment when Araksad was about to say something.
We immediately stopped talking and each drew our weapons.
Kaaaaagh-!
A familiar roar.
The scream that had been echoing somewhere in the ice cave reached my ears with unusual clarity.
When I looked up, I saw a demon with bluish skin falling along with icicles.
These guys were blowing out cool air from all over their bodies, but their eyes were red as if they were filled with blood.
‘Three guys.’
First, I decided to take on one person.
As I saw the falling demon, I immediately punched out a fist filled with internal energy.
Kwasik.
Is he a low-level devil?
The blow bent his face almost in the opposite direction and shattered his jaw joint, but he didn’t feel any loss of strength.
This guy stretched out his claw-like fingers towards me, even though blood was splattering around. I pulled out the Onmyodo sword with my left hand and cut my wrist.
Kaaaaagh-!
Be loud, motherf*cker.
I was already in an unpleasant mood, so I grabbed the Onmyodo sword I was swinging with both hands and used more force to cut off the devil’s head.
After a brief fight, this guy was killed instantly.
It was good up to this point.
“… … .”
Why am I so tired?
I didn’t use much stamina or even internal energy, but my breathing was slightly disturbed.
After thinking for a moment, I soon realized the reason.
This is also due to time acceleration.
The fight just lasted about 30 seconds at most, but if you count it ten times, it becomes 300 seconds.
In other words, I was engaged in battle for 5 minutes.
“… … .”
The remaining characters also roughly organized the three demons. Once again, I felt fortunate that I was not alone.
If I had just fought the battle alone, it would have been five times more difficult than it is now.
“Are you hurt?”
“It’s just a slight scratch.”
Blood was seen on Berita’s shoulder.
It doesn’t seem like a small wound, but with that guy’s resilience, there’s no need to worry.
“Whoop, whoop…” … .”
Ramon, who was breathing particularly heavily, swallowed his saliva and said.
“… It seems that this time acceleration interferes with all functions of the body. Just as hunger subsides quickly, fatigue from battle will also be tenfold.”
“okay. It seems like it’s normal to recover stamina on a topic like that. “It seems that the positive aspects of physical activity are not working well.”
After a while, Ramon returned to regular breathing and opened his mouth.
“Dealing with just three low-level demons was not an easy task. But will this number of people be able to subdue the corps commander demon and even prevent the ceremony of the devil’s descent?”
“… … .”
“Or, a better option would be to barely defeat the corps commander and then escape through the stone gate. Of course, then the North will be on the verge of destruction due to the resurrected Demon King.”
Ramon said.
“I’m not saying that I’m the only one who will sacrifice myself. I can’t be that noble. According to the nun, it’s just a matter of turn, and everyone here has to risk their lives. Isn’t it?”
At least Ramon seemed to know his role exactly.
For example, if Verita and I, who were last in line, had said something like that, would the others have listened? Did it really touch my heart this much?
Not like that.
Since Ramon was the first, the words of the first person to die were persuasive.
“Of course, I don’t want to die either. I will do my best to survive. It would of course be right to stop the Demon King’s descent ritual and, if you have the time, consider subduing the army commander. But until then, shouldn’t stopping the ritual be our top priority?”
“It’s just as Ramon said.”
Araksad said.
It was a voice that seemed to have suppressed a sigh that was about to escape.
“Do as I say. “Our mission on earth is to stop the devil from coming.”
“… … .”
“… Even if we all die right here for that.”
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This ice cave seemed to have a structure similar to an ant cave. This means that there are at least dozens of large and small oysters, possibly more.
The place where many of the duels we just saw took place… The place temporarily named the duel arena was probably a particularly large and spacious place in this cave.
Of course it’s a place where you have to fight.
However, that is probably not the place where the core power of the church members is concentrated.
– There will be a place that is the core of the ritual. The altar where the golden horn will descend directly. Although it is said to be an altar, it does not necessarily have the shape of an altar.
I remembered Verita’s words.
– The altar will have a particularly strong concentration of musical instruments, and many church members and priests will be gathered there. Maybe the corps commander is waiting.
– Finding that location is the top priority.
Therefore, we decided to split into three groups and search the surrounding area.
Me and Ramon, Araksad and Mir, and finally Verita alone.
It was a reasonable arrangement.
So, judging by the equal distribution of power.
“I’m sorry, Master. “For no reason, the search is slowing down because of me.”
“are you okay. “The road is complicated, so if you don’t go slowly and memorize the way, you’ll forget how to get back.”
“haha.”
I knew enough from the journey to the north that Ramon was not lacking in stamina, but… … .
In a place where ten times as much time passes, you are bound to get tired quickly.
About three hours have already passed since we entered the ice cave.
It is said to be three hours, but the accumulated fatigue in the body amounts to thirty hours. This means that it is not strange to feel sleepy.
“Let’s rest for a moment.”
“sorry.”
“So you don’t have to apologize one by one.”
Ramon, who was sitting nearby, took a deep breath and wiped his sweat with a handkerchief he took from his arms.
Even in this cold temperature, he is sweating profusely.
“Speaking of Corrupted, who are the remaining members?”
I brought up the topic somewhat forcefully.
The idea was to continue the conversation and give Ramon a little more rest. That’s because if you don’t use this trick, you’ll be forced to walk again.
Ramon blinked for a moment and said.
“… Of course, there are many diverse and unique characters.”
“So what specifically?”
“hmm… First of all, there is Daedalus. He is the Minotaur.”
“really?”
“yes. Brother Lanfero brought me from the [Cretan Labyrinth], one of the four major bans on the continent. “He possesses tremendous strength. I guess it was Daedalus who carried Noren underground?”
“Hey… … .”
“But there’s a lot of talk. Maybe he’s a natural chatterbox… … . “I don’t know, but he likes to talk so much that there’s never a dull moment when we’re together.”
“Who else is there?”
“hmm… Her name is Rukuruku, and you can judge her by meeting her in person. He doesn’t like talking about himself… … .”
Ramon’s face looked very bright as he talked about Corrupted.
I saw myself again in that image.
I thought that when I talked about the death penalty, I would also make that kind of expression.
“Well then, since I’ve had enough rest, let’s go again.”
“I haven’t even rested for two minutes yet.”
“I took a break for 20 minutes.”
Ramon adjusted his backpack and strode forward again.
I stared at the back of his head for a moment.
I saw many people who were prepared to die.
This is because the life of a mercenary is adjacent to death.
There were times when I couldn’t avoid a dangerous mission, and at those times, I quenched my throat and mind with alcohol and shouted loudly.
I would risk my life.
I also know what those people looked like in the last moments of their lives.
I have rarely seen people who remained aloof until the very end in the face of truly imminent death.
The guys who shouted loudly that they would risk their lives and were prepared to die simply forgot their oath when the reaper’s scythe actually touched their uvula.
I was sad, regretful, angry, and despairing.
In short, I lost my reason.
What about Ramon?
This goblin’s eyes were burning more intensely from the moment he was sentenced to death.
Like a candle with only a few wick left.
Is it because of Cheil Chloride?
I felt like I was being drawn to the strange heat that Ramon gave off.
“By the way, senior.”
“yes?”
“I’m sweating too much.”
“Iknow, right.”
As I watched Ramon wiping his sweat with a handkerchief, I suddenly realized something strange.
“no… “Maybe it’s not my fault.”
“yes?”
“Isn’t it a little hot?”
“is that so?”
Ramon tilted his head as if he didn’t feel it, but I was half sure.
If nothing else, it’s because I have a sensitive constitution when it comes to heat.
The temperature has definitely risen.
To be more precise, I felt heat from somewhere.
I took the lead and headed toward the source of the heat. The hot air that touched my skin became a guidepost.
Of course, you never know when and where a demon might pop out, so you had to remain alert.
Excited-.
Am I even nervous now?
The sound of the heartbeat was clearly heard.
Excited-.
I am sure now.
The further we go, the more the temperature rises.
So much so that the clothes I’m wearing feel stuffy.
Exciting-!
The ice seemed to have all melted and at some point became invisible. Naturally, the inside of the cave was revealed, and it was an unpleasant pink color, as if the cultists had done something crazy.
That too for a while.
This pink color also gradually changed to black, as if it had been scorched by fire.
Exciting-!
No, but the sound of my heart. Isn’t it too big?
‘… ‘I don’t think it’s my heartbeat?’
The sound of the heartbeat was felt throughout my skin. As ripples spread, the vibrations could be felt even on the ground where one was trampling.
“… young master.”
The end of the crypt is finally revealed.
Below it, although not as large as a duel field, there was a fairly large space.
I frowned at the terrible instrument.
Dozens of church members.
Hundreds of corpses.
The corpse, which was neatly organized, was pointing to a certain place using its hair as an arrow.
At the place where the horrible corpse signpost was pointing, there was a being with both arms spread out.
‘pontiff.’
That bastard is clearly the one.
He was dressed like a priest and even had a hood, so I couldn’t see his face, but it was clear.
In the direction the priest was looking, there was a strangely shaped piece of meat.
‘… ‘A lump of meat?’
Exciting-!
I knew the beat was coming from there.
Does that mean that big thing is the heart? A whale’s heart would also be smaller than that.
‘Huge heart… … .’
At that moment, I remembered again the complex structure of this ice cave.
Like an ant cave, dozens of underground tunnels are complexly intertwined, each colored red and blue, giving it a familiar appearance.
The shape of blood vessels.
And a huge heart located at the end of the blood vessels… … .
‘ah.’
Goosebumps ran down my spine.
Only then did I come to this ice cave… No, I found out where the place I thought was an ice cave was.
Ymir the frost giant.
We were in the body of that giant.
fantasy,
