Chapter 42 - Sacrifice

Is it possible to absorb all that power at the state of his body? Wouldn’t his body explode? Wouldn’t the magi dark energy destroy the city? Or won’t there be another problem? Juan smiled and spoke, perhaps reading Ed’s worries.

“Once I absorb all the power, kill me.”

Arin and Ed couldn’t say anything and looked at him. Juan pointed to his body with both hands and said.

“I’ve been beaten up badly, I won’t be able to recover once I absorb all the power. And if my body explodes, it won’t take a day for the city to disappear.”

He wasn’t just a higher-level demon, he was holding unimaginable powers.

The more people die, the stronger he will get.

Juan was very dangerous.

But he loved Sophia and even reformed the slums by giving birth to Diego. But what if he acted like other evil demons that lie? He would’ve made this city disappear in less than a day.

He would be chased for the rest of his life, but it would not have been easy to catch him. The higher-level demon Ed met in person seemed so strong that Ed was not confident of killing him alone.

He never thought the difference between the intermediate demon and the higher demon would be so great.

The intermediate demon even started to look easy to catch. He also thought if he met a higher-level demon, he would have to risk his life to kill it.

If the demon had already built an army using corpses, Ed would have to run away without fighting.

However, Juan’s condition now seemed to be somehow manageable. In addition, Juan asked Ed to kill him.

Juan said with his arms open.

“But I have a favor to ask of you.”

“Tell me.”

A request in return for saving a city. Arin, who seemed to swing the hammer first at the demon’s request, asked first.

Juan’s gaze alternated between Arin and Ed.

“Please watch over Diego.”

Arin’s eyebrows wriggled, and Ed asked back because he couldn’t understand what he meant.

“What are you talking about?”

“This isn’t what I wanted, but that child carries my blood. And if the holy knights or priests know, they will burn him to death.”

Arin couldn’t answer his question. He was worried, but Diego would have died on the spot if he had actually caught the eyes of other holy knights or priests.

Juan’s gaze was fixed on Arin.

“I’m not sure when, but once I die, the child will awaken over time. By then, the Astron Church will probably find my child and try to kill him. So please. Watch over Diego.”

Arin made a strong impression at his words. When the demon’s power awakens, it is difficult to protect him, even if she was a holy knight. Maybe she might have to kill him with her own hands.

“Promise me in the name of Astron.”

“I’m a holy knight. That’s too much to ask for.”

“It’s not necessarily too much.”

Juan continued with a smile.

“The child is not a full demon. Because he was not born as a demon. He shouldn’t be killed for a sin he did not commit.”

Juan pointed to Arin with his index finger.

“You found me according to the prophecy, right? Take Diego along the way. Then the child will make a contribution. With that merit, he will be excused of his sin.”

Looking at Juan’s red shining eyes, Arin couldn’t open her mouth. Arin, who was still looking at him, opened her mouth with a suppressed voice.

“Did you look into the future? That is the power of the demon of the stars, Pestole.”

Juan burst into laughter at her words and tapped his temple.

“The reason Pestole is called the demon of prophecy by humans is that he reads the stars and sees the future more clearly than others. And what I just said is not that profound. It’s because that’s the only way for my son to live.”

Juan continued with a smile.

“But this is also a prophecy. Juans’ Last Prophecy!”

What he said sounded like a real prophecy. While shouting, Juan’s red eyes looked at Arin.

“Will you make a promise under the name of Astron?”

Arin was troubled. She is a holy knight and her duty is heavy, and promising in the name of Astron takes precedence over life.

Arin opened her eyes and looked at Ed. Ed did nothing. She was looking as if it was his decision.

But what was contained in that gaze was trust. Realizing that, Arin closed her eyes again and called Astron’s name small.

And Arin slowly opened her eyes. She couldn’t make a prediction. She asked God in prayer, but God did not answer her back. However, there was no abnormality in her sacred powers.

This was enough for her to conclude.

Arin’s eyes turned to Juan.

“I promise in the name of Astron. However, if Diego becomes a demon, I will have to punish him in the name of Astron.”

Juan nodded as if that was enough. Juan said, tapping lightly on the heart.

“Did you say you were tracing a blood mana stone?”

Arin looked at Juan. Until now, it was important for her to catch and kill demons so far, but she felt Juan was different.

She met someone who had the most information about the prophecy.

“Where is it?”

Juan smiled.

“Since he has just appeared recently, only a few people know about him. But this guy is real. His powers are stronger than the great demon.”

Ed was awakened by his words.

“It hasn’t been long since he appeared?”

“That’s right. I think it’s been a little over a year. It’s not accurate. It’s been more than 10 years since I haven’t spoken to other demons.”

He appeared around the same time as himself. The one who influences the main quest. There’s something.

“What’s his name?”

“Ragrox. That’s what he calls himself. He was trying to create new demons that are not in the genealogy.”

Juan tapped on his heart and said.

“He planted a blood stone in my heart. It strengthens my magi, but this is restraining me. It doesn’t suit me as a demon. But thanks to this, I think I’ll still be able to go through with the crazy plan of absorbing all the power back into my body.”

Juan said with his arms open.

“Aim for my heart because it absorbs everything. With all your might you can.”

After saying that, Juan brought his hand back. There was a red spark, but Juan did not avoid it this time. Blood flowed down his eyes, ears, nose, and mouth, but he continued to absorb energy.

Ed, who was looking at him, pulled out an arrow. He began to focus his mana on the arrow.

‘I’ll do my best.’

“Arin. Bless me.”

When Arin heard that, she took her shield and held out both hands with a hammer. And when she cited a prayer quietly, sacred power began to form over the arrowhead.

A beautiful color reminiscent of sky blue was shinning with a mixture of blue and white light.

In contrast to Juan, who was absorbing red light, the blue light looked more mysterious. Ed looked at Juan and talked to Arin.

“When will everything be absorbed?”

“You can tell easily because the magic circle gets smaller.”

Arin nodded and waited.

Energy began to gather with a terrifying momentum around Juan. The speed became faster and faster, and formidable light began to emit from the rune letters that were shining from Juan’s body.

“Is there something wrong happening?”

While absorbing the energy, there was an abnormality in Juan’s body. Perhaps Ragrox had this situation in mind?

However, Juan endured while spewing blood. He didn’t stop even in a situation where he was pouring blood like a waterfall, so no matter how evil and strong he was, he might die of excessive bleeding.

What in the world made Juan like that?

The letters of rune shining from his body began to burst out one by one.

Ed watched how exhausted Juan was getting. Earlier, he saw a high-level demon, but seeing Juan recovering his power, Ed wondered if he will be able to shoot the arrow with added mana and divine power.

Ed also focused more on mana. Juan’s eyes became redder now.

Even without light, it was red enough to light up the surroundings.

Juan’s body rises little by little and the red light pouring from the floor rotates in the air and permeates his body. He absorbed his powers while enduring the pain.

Ed could see what Juan was doing. Now Juan was sacrificing himself not to save the city, but to protect Sophia and Diego.

The letters of the rune shining from Juan’s body almost burst out, but the energy of the magic circle was almost absorbed.

Ed, who was looking at Juan, pulled the arrow to the fullest.

It felt polite to do the best he could to relieve Juan’s pain.

Even if Arin didn’t tell him, he could tell instinctively. As soon as all the energy was absorbed by Juan, it became dark everywhere and only Juan’s eyes were shining red.

“Now!”

Ed shot the arrow toward Juan like a sky-lighted meteor. But Juan’s hand blocked the arrow.

When Arin saw the arrow bounce off, she immediately took out her shield and threw it with all her might.

Juan hit the shield flying with sacred power. The shield bounced off, and Juan’s arm exploded.

Is he really going to explode as he said?

Juan was running but buried his left foot into the ground.

The red light had disappeared in his eyes.

At this short moment, Juan’s will broke.

“Hurry up!”

Even if Ed didn’t say anything, he had already shot an arrow that headed towards Juan’s heart.

The place where the strongest force is gathered in his body now. The moment the arrow was hit, his left half-body seemed to freeze, and sacred power exploded inside of him.

Boooom!

Juan collapsed to the floor. Ed knew that he was not dead. Because he didn’t gain any experience.

If it were Ed so far, he would have fired an arrow again. But now, he approached and helped Juan.

Juan was out of breath and his left upper body flew away.

Juan looked back and said when Ed helped him. There was no more red light in his eyes. Juan tried to smile somehow, but he didn’t have the power to do so. Hardly shaking his mouth, Juan left a will.

“Please….please….watch over….Diego.”

Juan dropped his head at the end of his words, and Ed felt the experience rushing in. It was such a huge experience that his level rose at once.

Ed replied to Juan, who could not hear anymore.

“Don’t worry about Diego.”