Chapter 161 For Binna

The twisted smile that Dae-Mon held was exuded with black blood as he glanced back, looking at the assassin who struck him from behind.

"...How…naughty!" Dae-Mon said.

He quickly withdrew his dagger just as the Artificial Devil morphed his arms into razor-embedded ropes, escaping their grasp with a [Blink Step] backward.

"Huff…"

Clutching his handless arm close to his side, he caught his breath as he looked on at Dae-Mon, who stood facing him sideways since Yeong-Un was on the opposing side.

"...Did I get one of his hearts…?" He mumbled between rugged breaths.

[Unfortunately, that doesn't seem to be the case. Nothing resembling a beating heart was felt from the dagger piercing into that one's body. And, it seems the wound has already healed.]

After his Sage System answered for him, he wiped the sweat from his chin, flinging it to the ground as he stood straight.

"...Great. Again, then," he said.

Though he sounded exhausted, he flung himself forward again, rapidly sprinting as Dae-Mon seemed delighted to re-engage in a violent bout.

"Yes! Yes! Let's dance!" Dae-Mon laughed.

From both sides, closing in at once on the Artificial Devil, himself and Yeong-Un held nothing back.

Dae-Mon ducked beneath the wild, enraged swing of the dual spellblade, smiling as he shifted his arm into a lance, holding a twisted grin.

"--If you're so hung over about it, I'll give you and that woman the same death–!!!"

Before the lance-arm could be thrust forth, the pink-haired devil was stopped as with [Dark Edge], the emerald-eyed assassin dug his blade into the demon's back again.

"Gyuh–!"

This time…? He questioned.

[I believe that time, you reached one of his hearts.]

With the System confirming his thoughts, he quickly plucked his dagger out before Dae-Mon could lash out, shifting his limbs into razor-linked chains in a fury–forcing both of the young men to jump back.

"--Ah! Ah! Ah! So! Annoying! I just want to break you, but you keep being slippery!" Dae-Mon yelled out.

It seemed like nothing more than a tantrum, but the fearsome, unending whips of the lengthy sets of razor chains made for an impenetrable space as they repeatedly caused the sound barrier to crack and howl.

"Shut the hell up…!" Yeong-Un yelled out.

"Wait, stay back–!" He yelled out, warning his friend.

Though it was too late as Yeong-Un had already stepped forward, entering the visceral territory occupied by the demon man's razor-made whips.

Slash.

Right across his face, stretching down from his forehead to his cheek, the whip slashed brutally–bisecting Yeong-Un's left eye.

"Yeong-Un–!!!" He screamed.

He tried to rush over to aid his friend, who fell to one knee, clutching his profusely bleeding face, but quickly stopped as one of the razor whips smacked the spot his boot almost stepped over.

"...Come on, don't be shy now…" Dae-Mon grinned.

Though the sharp-edges chains looked like inorganic objects, they crawled through the air with an unnatural, unseen suspension forged by the Artificial Devil's innate strength.

Crap…! How am I going to get close like this?! He thought.

"--I'm fine!"

To his surprise, the words left from his companion's lips, who brought himself to his feet, moving his hand away from his face as half of it was dyed in flowing crimson.

"But…" He said, but stopped himself.

"All he did was piss me off even more!" Yeong-Un grinned, only looking on with his singular, golden eye left, slamming his blades together, "--Let's cut him up!"

Dae-Mon looked at him, leaning back unnaturally with his blood-drenched, pink hair swaying, "--So energetic! I love it!"

The sharp chains whipped towards Yeong-Un, who gritted his teeth and planted the soles of his boots firmly against the fleshy, yet metallic ground before combatting the swift whips with his swords.

"Raaagh–!!"

Yeong-Un screamed out as he repeatedly swiped his blades—KLINK. CLANG. KLINK.

Sparks danced in the air as the injured adolescent continued fearsomely combatting the series of bladed chains.

Standing there, he watched, gritting his teeth before realizing what it was that was happening before his eyes–

He's taking the attention of those whips from me! Even cut up like that…he's still choosing to open a window of opportunity for me! I have to do this, then! Forget your fears, and push forward! He thought.

Dashing in, he sprinted swiftly as he held onto his single-wielded dagger, passing through the brutal territory as he reached Dae-Mon.

Stab.

At the same time he sunk his dagger between the devil man's throat and his chest, the gray-skinned fiend had returned the favor, slashing him across his torso with one of the razor whips.

"Ghhh! Aha…ha!" Dae-Mon still laughed as blood black poured from his lips.

"Ngh–!" He winced.

[Health Points: -300 | 250/3250]

Still, he dug the dagger in deeper, causing the Artificial Demon to spew out more blood as he roared out, pushing down as he carved the dagger deep into his enemy's torso.

[I felt it. You destroyed another heart.]

"...Huff…"

Utilizing [Flesh Temple] once more, he constricted the muscles on his chest to stifle the bleeding on his torso, but he was still feeling the effects of his injuries accumulate.

The Artificial Devil continued to grin despite vomiting blood, shifting his chain-whip arms into enormous, curved chainsaws that revved with malicious scorn.

"--You're mine now, I've–Grk!"

Before the pink-haired devil could proclaim his malignant words, two swords were thrust from behind him, piercing through his upper body cleanly as the black eyes of Dae-Mon went wide with a fear native to men: "Death."

Yeong-Un stood behind the devil, huffing as half of his body was drenched in a mixture of crimson and black blood.

"...That's for Binna…Ya' piece of shit…"

The eyes of the Artificial Devil glazed over as the abhorrent domain around them began to crumble and peel away, just as the demonic-turned man himself did–mumbling to himself as his flesh turned to black gunk.

"...How…all I wanted…was to have some fun…"

[EXP+5000 | 7600/1350]

[Assassin Proficiency: +3 | 35/9999]

[New Assassin Class Skill(s) Acquired: Esoteric Domain: Devil Slaying Hour]

He could tell right away that the skill was something forged by the encounter with the Artificial Devil, but it was hardly the priority of his mind at the moment.

As Dae-Mon was reduced to nothing but a puddle of black gloop, both of the young men fell to their knees from their various injuries as the world around them returned to the corridor, unveiling the false hell they were dragged into before.

"...We did it…" He celebrated.

He hardly registered the System prompts as he sat on his knees, feeling his adrenaline begin to settle down as the pain in his body shot up, causing him to keel over.

"...Yeah…"

Yeong-Un was on one knee, holding onto his blades to keep himself upright as he huffed while blood dripped from his eviscerated face, breathing heavily before tears began to fall.

Binna and Sol were near them, with the gorged, passed woman laid there before him as he cried silently.

As he looked up, he noticed Yeong-Un hide his tears from his gaze.

"--"

"It ain't right to let another man see ya' cry," Yeong-Un explained through a muffled voice.

"I don't mind."

"...I don't care what ya' mind or not!" Yeong-Un replied sharply through hidden tears.

He nodded weakly and looked down, beginning to hear soft sobs from his sharp-haired friend while he himself began to cry–though for different feelings swirling in his heart.

I'm…alive. So many are gone…And, is it even…over yet? He thought.

As he began blinking, he unknowingly lost consciousness while laying against the ground.

I'll…sleep for now, he thought.

--

"You're fast, aren't you?"

Jun-Seo kept his eyes pinned on the rapier that aimed for his head, weaving through the repeated piercings as he spoke.

"--"

Ma-Ri stayed silent, holding a cold anger within her assault before the Artificial Devil spun around into a kick against the man who tried attacking him from behind, knocking Korain to the side with the monstrous strength he devil possessed.

"You're not nearly as stealthy as you may think," Jun-Seo commented.

Again, the rapier pierced through the air, aiming right for the skull of the Artificial Devil before being stopped.

"--!"

Jun-Seo caught it between two fingers without even fully turning back to face the dark-haired young woman, turning to face her.

Though he remained imposing and powerful, it was clear he was operating on limited stamina; the Artificial Devil breathed heavily and bled from the mouth.

"...Do not trick yourself into believing that my condition being just a bit thwarted gives you a chance!" Jun-Seo yelled.

Before he could throw his fist, laced with shadowy energy, towards the girl, she kept herself focused and yelled out:

"Cast: Holy Piercer!"

The invocation turned the thin blade of her rapier into a source of heavenly light–causing the devilish fiend to quickly move his hand away as it was burned by the scalding element.

"Ghh–! You!" Jun-Seo let out in anger.

Jun-Seo launched forward with swift speed, intending to retaliate, but the swiftness of the newly-appointed leader of Gangcheori surpassed his expectations as the girl pivoted around him.

Korain knew it well–above all, it was Ma-Ri's undisputed title: "The Immaculate Light."

Around the entire chamber, Ma-Ri dashed around like flashes of light–disappearing and reappearing at various spots like a flicker.

Ma-Ri is the fastest…Even if she's below him in pure strength, her speed isn't matched! It's not just speed–even if she's younger than me, her tactical mind is on par with the Boss! Korain thought.

This speed…! Jun-Seo thought.

Perhaps it was the fleeting strength of the Artificial Devil's body, but he found the flashy steps that Ma-Ri took to be difficult to follow as he spun around–watching as she moved as a flash of light around him before–

"Meteor Shower."

Utilizing the holy-infused rapier, she bounced from spot-to-spot rapidly within the chamber, zipping by the devilish man and leaving stabs with her rapier across his body–though Jun-Seo managed to block most with his translucent shields.

From every angle, the flashing thrusts of the rapier carved through the air, curving around and releasing potent beams of condensed light–blowing multiple holes cleanly through the devil's body as he regenerated, slowing down in his healing the more they came.

"...Enough!"

Jun-Seo stomped down, swinging around as this time–he predicted the trajectory in which the young woman shot towards him at, holding a triumphant smile as he prepared to catch her wrist before–

Clench.

The Artificial Devil found himself completely stopped as a force wrapped around his torso–squeezing him tightly as a weight surrounded him.

"Do it, Ma-Ri!"