Chapter 106: Speedrun (3)

Chapter 106: Speedrun (3)

༺ Speedrun (3) ༻

The Flame Demon, an age-old Demonic Creature, had long reigned as the Ruler of this Scorching Zone.

Its massive body could truly be said to boast the majesty of a Giant of Fire.

–...

And that giant rose up, waking up from its long slumber.

Normally, it should currently be in the midst of hibernation, but it had forced its eyes open, drawn by the potent smell of an overwhelming ‘presence’.

-...

The Flame Demon immediately fell into thought.

What kind of existence could possibly dare to make it feel this way?

At the very least, it had to witness who it was with its own two eyes.

With such a resolution, the Flame Demon fully rose from its slumber.

The flames of mana wrapping around its body held the grandeur of a disaster; the mana flowing endlessly mixed with its breath, enough to cause an ultra high temperature flame just on its own.

As it made its grand appearance and stepped out of its nest, other High-Grade Demonic Creatures nearby ran away with their hearts in their mouths, utterly terrified to death.

After all, the Ruler of this vast Scorching Zone had revealed its overwhelming majesty to the entire firmament.

-...

Its eyes then turned towards the direction where it felt the most powerful aura.

The far distant sea.

The Flame Demon was familiar with what was lurking beneath.

The Sea Serpent. The Ruler of the Sea with strength comparable to its own.

-...?

However, something was strange.

The Sea Serpent’s aura which could always be felt from there was absent.

Instead of the expected aura, something much more sinister could be sensed.

Below the depths where the Sea Serpent usually dwelled...

In a much deeper place.

-...!

And the Flame Demon, instinctively detecting this aura, flinched.

Although the Flame Demon itself was a considerably ancient being, what dwelled within those depths was...

Not just ancient, but something that was closer to indescribable.

Merely looking at it brought an unpleasant feeling crawling up from the depths of its consciousness.

Upon feeling this, it unconsciously stepped back a few paces, then froze in shock because of a truth it realized.

It was scared.

The Flame Demon itself was scared.

An existence, who had reigned over this area as a Ruler for ages, was now afraid of the being in the deep sea.

Without even facing it directly, just the aura that emanated from there was enough to cause this phenomenon.

-...

Shocked, it became rigid and only later did it detect a ‘change’ happening nearby.

-...?

It could feel something strange.

Something much closer than the monstrous entity far in the sea was approaching.

As the Flame Demon turned its head towards that direction, a similarly unfathomable scene was unfolding.

-...

The Flame Demon looked at the ground and the sky alternately with a questioning look.

What had happened? Had the laws of the world changed while it slumbered?

Why?

Why were bastards that should be walking on land floating in the air?

-!!!!!!!

-!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Screams and howls filled the air; Courtesy of the Demonic Creatures that were all hit by something and sent flying in the air in a half-obliterated state.

Moreover, among them were powerful High-Grade Demonic Creatures that even the Flame Demon itself would be wary of.

Golems of Fire, made of mana stones of flames, larger in size than even itself.

Hellhounds that could tear through most defensive gear with just its teeth and claws.

Even Fire Spirits that were capable of turning the entire area into ashes by pouring out demonic spells of fire.

Each and every one was a calamity if let loose outside this Scorching Zone.

And yet...

Those existences were being flung into the air, screaming in groups of at least dozens at a time.

-...?

And if it scrutinized such a scene in greater detail, it would only deepen the questions and doubts the Flame Demon harbored on what the hell was happening in the world.

For there was a human ‘punching away’ these respectable Demonic Creatures as if they were pounding out feathers.

As they ran, they merely swung their hands, as if flicking away dust.

It felt as if they were nonchalantly removing some troublesome obstacles that were in their way.

However, despite such weak and lackluster movements...

-!

A Golem of Fire shattered to pieces when hit by their fingertips.

-!!

A Hellhound was split in half from a casual halfhearted kick.

-!!!

The blaze conjured by a Fire Spirit pouring out all its strength just ‘bounced’ off their bare body as they advanced.

Each and every one of these Demonic Creatures that were close to a calamity were effortlessly handled as if they were mere toys.

What was this?

Where the hell did this monster come from?

-...

As if its soul had left its body, the Flame Demon looked blank towards them, then focused more intently on the humans.

They were an odd pair, fitting for such bizarre sights.

“Why do you keep running away...? Huh? I told you to explain, right?”

Immediately after, a hand grabbed my collar while wrapped in a blue aura; of course, the owner of it was Riru.

Her eyes were lifeless; There was no focus in them at all.

Clearly, she had lost her fucking mind.

“...”

Uh. But, um hey, you know...

I would like to answer, but I’m kinda suffocating.

Since I was hanging in the air, grabbed by my collar, it was impossible for me to breathe. A choked voice leaked out. My vision flickered.

“You, you, you definitely said you liked me befor-”

Riru, veins popping on her forehead, tried to continue to say something, but...

“Yes. That’s as far as you go.”

There was a ‘red aura’ that interrupted.

Interfering with the blue aura emanating from Riru, it slapped her hand away.

[...]

From within Soul Linker, I could feel Caliban’s displeasure rapidly increasing.

The reason for that was...

Red Devil’s Aura.

“...”

When I turned my head, I saw Faenol standing on a rock, holding a staff.

I had called her here in advance. I knew I would definitely need her around this time.

While smiling slyly, a red aura bloomed from her body.

Unlike Riru, who had let her aura flow wildly in her surroundings, hers was clearly controlled and disciplined.

‘...The only Vessel that is able to control her Devil.’

While recalling this characteristic, I sighed inwardly.

I had no intention of using her in an actual ‘battle’, but it was necessary to utilize her to deal with Riru at this very moment.

After all, only a Devil could counter another Devil.

I was able to survive thanks to her knocking Riru’s hand away.

“...Who is she?”

“Faenol Lipek. I’m running for the next candidate to be Mr. Dowd’s lover. Nice to meet you, Waiting Line Senior.”

“...”

As Riru looked at Faenol, grinning and waving, with an incredulous expression...

While her focus was elsewhere, I took the opportunity to attach the mana stone I got from Faenol onto Riru’s body.

It was a ‘teleportation’ mana stone that any moderately skilled mage could make.

The set coordinates were the outermost area of the Forge of Struggle.

The effect was immediate. Riru, with the mana stone attached, disappeared in an instant.

“...Ah, I actually almost died.”

While coughing, I stood up from where I had collapsed.

A fresh blue bruise was marked on my neck where Riru had just grabbed me.

Despite all the cheat skills I had plastered myself with, I still suffered this much; It was truly difficult to grasp the extent of power that the Devil’s Vessels possessed.

“...Isn’t this just pushing back the issue by avoiding it now?”

While observing my condition, Faenol said this with a bitter smile.

“I’ve done everything you asked, but what is even the point of this?”

“It buys some time.”

“...”

Faenol frowned.

“...The Blue Devil is heavily influenced by its Vessel. Haven’t you been paying a lot of attention to that from the very start?”

“I have.”

“Yes. But if you just provoke her and then fling her away to somewhere else without a proper explanation, won’t that just make her even angrier?”

“It will.”

I rummaged through the destroyed body of the Flame Demon while rubbing my neck.

There was something in here I needed to find, after all.

“...Then how do you plan to soothe someone who’s that angry? If the Vessel goes berserk, like the case of the Grey Devil before, this entire area will-”

“I’m not going to soothe her.”

I sighed in response to Faenol’s words.

As I did so, her expression instantly went blank.

“...Excuse me?”

“I said, I’m not going to soothe her.”

I deliberately provoked her and flung her away with such thoughts in mind from the very start.

To make sure her head positively fumed with anger. To make the Devil’s Aura flow more intensely.

“...”

Throughout the entire progress of this chapter, I really took care to not make Riru angry, but...

Seeing Alan’s current state made me change my mind a bit.

As I said before, to face an unbeatable boss, I needed to do some batshit crazy things myself, to a level even Tatiana couldn’t predict.

Although going out of my way to meet Faenol was part of that plan, I needed something more... ’effective’ than that.

And so, I gave it more thought.

What was the craziest thing I could do within manageable limits?

What was a mean strong enough to smoothly get through the boss battle?

And that led me to this conclusion.

“I’m going to make the Blue Devil go berserk once.”

Well then...

Let’s take a look at Riru in her purest form.

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