Chapter 128 Battlefield



Huff...

I breathed out a heavy sigh, feeling my Mana reserves depleting rapidly. Once brimming with power, the energy within me now trickled away like water through a cracked dam.

Well, this is fine, since my Mana was used for a worthy cause...

To enchant my clothes!

"It's the last one..."

Placing my hands on my shoes I focused my remaining Mana into them, activating my Skill and engraving an ancient Rune upon the leather.

Tsss...

A faint sizzling sound filled the air as the Rune shone with soft blue light, signifying its successful activation.

Seeing the brilliance emanating from my shoes, I couldn't help but grin, ruffling my blond hair in satisfaction.

I had finally enchanted my entire attire!

I've abbus... ahem. ~used my newly acquired skill to imbue my clothes with 2 enchantment runes each.

My jacket had a rune of protection that could shield 15% of incoming physical damage and a rune of reinforcement that increased the durability of the fabric, making it resistant to tears and wear. At least to some degree...

I couldn't be sure that my jacket would stay intact against a dragon's breath, but it was certainly better than nothing.

My black jeans were enchanted with a rune of agility, granting me enhanced speed and nimbleness. I've also imbued them with a rune of durability which served the same purpose as the reinforcement rune on my jacket, making them resistant to tearing and fraying.

However, a durability rune would only make the fabric slightly more resistant.

Honestly, I don't even know the difference between the two...

Anyways!

Last but not least, my sneakers were adorned with a rune of stealth, giving me the ability to move without making any sound, and a rune of explosion, which would create a small explosion beneath my feet, propelling me forward. Of course, it went without saying that the explosion rune had its limitations and could only be used once before my sneakers would be torn apart.

...

I know it sounds cool, even now when I imagine myself gaining a sudden burst of speed and beheading a demon, my blood begins to churn with excitement.

Swish...

Quickly equipping my newly enchanted attire, I smirked with a sense of satisfaction as I placed my foot down on the dry branch, breaking it without any noise.

They were working, my fucking enchantments were working!

In silence, I did a couple more tests, like punching myself in the gut to test my jacket's capability of reducing physical damage and kicking the ground to test the agility-enhancing effects of my enchanted jeans.

As expected, every rune served its purpose flawlessly...

"It's time~"

I felt words rolling off my tongue as I looked toward the Void swirling just a dozen steps away from me.

Don't get me wrong, I don't usually get this excited or childish, however, for some reason, the Void gave me a strange sense of security...

No, it wasn't that...

It was similar to a feeling of home.

Slap...

"What the fuck am I thinking?!"

Slapping myself in the face, I snapped back to reality, reminding myself of the task at hand with some physical pain.

Was I really mesmerized by a fucking Void? Really!?

Ah... Fuck, I'm getting distracted...

Activating my HoloLink, I quickly accessed the mission briefing and reviewed the details left by the previous members of the guild that had explored this Void as a quest before me.

"..."

Reading through the lines, I closed my eyes making sure that I recalled everything.

According to the information provided, this Void is said to transport me to a specific region in hell. This region consists of a collection of small islands that are in a constant state of movement and rearrangement. These islands are connected by chains crafted from obsidian, a material known for its toughness and ability to withstand the intense heat of hell.

In the report, it was also mentioned that these obsidian chains are incredibly resilient, capable of supporting significant weight and enduring the harsh conditions of hell.

However, it was also noted that the islands themselves are overrun with a variety of demonic creatures. These inhabitants range from low-level demons to more common denizens of hell.

Well, it was clear that this mission was not going to be easy.

On the same note, when did I ever have something easy?

Howl...

"I should go..."

Hearing the haunting sound of a distant howl, I glanced at the forest one last time before closing my HoloLink and stepping toward the swirling Void.

The portal emanated an eerie glow, growing brighter with each passing second before I finally stepped through, fully immersing myself in its depths.

Swoosh...

As soon as I stepped through the void, all of my senses were cut off...

I couldn't hear.

I was unable to open my eyes.

I didn't feel clothes on my skin.

I was incapable of sensing or interacting with Mana.

It was like my consciousness was completely detached from my physical body, floating in an ethereal void.

If in-game all it took was a few seconds of loading screen, to transport me from one location to another, then reality had a strange and disorienting way of doing the same.

Click...

Suddenly, I felt something pulling, No... I couldn't feel it.

It wasn't a sensation that I could comprehend or describe in physical terms.

All I knew was that I was being drawn towards something, a force that seemed to be guiding me through the depths of this mysterious void.

Click...

Suddenly, the pull lost its intensity and everything around me turned white before the light dimmed down to a soft glow.

Oh by the way, I still couldn't feel my body, however, my eyesight and hearing returned to me.

At that moment, I found myself looking at a strange sight...

I was hovering above a vast landscape of plains stretched as far as I could see. It was a surreal and otherworldly view that left me in awe.

Well, that was until my consciousness, suddenly, flickered out and the scenery changed completely.

The same plains that I had been witnessing a few seconds ago were now in complete chaos.

The once serene plains had transformed into a blood-soaked battlefield, bathed in darkness and despair. The air was thick with the stench of death, and the ground trembled beneath the weight of countless fallen bodies.

Corpses lay strewn across the desolate landscape, their lifeless forms contorted in grotesque positions. Broken armor shattered shields, and twisted weapons littered the ground, remnants of a violent clash that had unleashed chaos upon this forsaken place.

One thing is certain, this was not my intended destination...

How the fuck did I end up here?

Suddenly, my eyes were drawn toward the north side of the battlefield.

Amidst the chaos and carnage, I saw a figure standing tall, commanding attention even amidst the gruesome scene.

A man with a sword gripped tightly in his hand stood with an air of authority, his presence emanating power and intensity. But what truly caught my eye were the two massive black wings unfurled behind him, contrasting starkly against the blood-soaked ground.

The wings seemed otherworldly, stretching wide and reaching toward the heavens. Their feathers shimmered with ethereal darkness, giving off an unsettling aura. It was as if the very essence of darkness had taken physical form within those majestic wings.

'Demon...'

My eyes instantly narrowed, filled with curiosity and awe.

Why was I in awe upon the sight of a Demon? Well, it's kind of simple...

This was the highest stage of power a Demon can achieve - gain the wings of a fallen angel.

Usually, Demons have bat-like wings that are associated with their menacing and grotesque nature, however, this one did not.

This demon had wings that were reminiscent of the fallen angels themselves, majestic and awe-inspiring.

However, this was confusing...

As far as I can remember the only Demon that possessed these wings was Demon King and he looked nothing like this figure standing before me.

Although I couldn't make out its face, I was certain that Demon King's hair wasn't black, it was a fiery crimson that matched the flames of hell itself.

"Ughhh..."

Beneath the figure's feet lay a man with blond hair and green eyes, his features twisted in pain and anguish. He wore tattered clothes that were once a vibrant shade of blue, now stained with dirt and blood.

Observing the man, my eyes slowly scanned his body for any recognizable features or details that might provide a clue as to his identity.

!!!

However, I didn't need to search for long.

Just in his left hand, I noticed a weapon, a greatsword that seemed to emit a faint glow, or rather as if Lightning particles were dancing on its blade.

It was Balmung, a sword wielded by Drake at the end of the story.

"..."

It seems that the man lying beneath the Demon was none other than one of the protagonists of this world, the strongest one, in fact.

"Tell... me why did you betray us?!"

His rough voice echoed through the air, filled with anger, betrayal, and a tinge of sadness.

Honestly...

What the fuck is happening!?