Chapter 169: Assault

Chapter 169: Assault

< Chapter 169: Assault (2) >

“My spear...!”CHeCk for new stories on no/v/el/bin(.)c0m

Mephisto was utterly dumbfounded.

“Don’t just thoughtlessly throw your weapon around. It can become problematic if someone takes it like this.”

“You bastard...!”

Glaring at Kang Seo-yul, who was fiercely attacking with his own spear.

“What did you do?!”

“Can’t you see? Thanks to some kind demon who carelessly dropped a fine spear on the ground, I picked it up and I’m using it now.”

Mephisto’s cherished weapon.

[Thorn that Swallows Flesh]

It’s an S-rank ancient relic.

“How did you manage to steal the spear bound to my soul?!”

As Mephisto desperately tried to fend off the jabs of [Thorn that Swallows Flesh] with his nails, he shouted.

“Well. Diligently. Gave it my best?”

Kang Seo-yul smirked.

A malicious smile that could make any observer’s mood turn sour.

“This damn bastard...”

Mephisto’s anger grew with each taunt.

“Why would a demon like you side with Alfheim?”

“Why?”

Kang Seo-yul looked drastically different than usual.

He had a single horn on his head, and on his back fluttered large demon wings. Additionally, a dark aura wrapped around his entire body.

He looked every bit like a demon.

“Because it’s more fun to torment Mephisto.”

“This... low-ranking demon brat...! Having the audacity!”

Demons are distinguished by the number and shape of their horns. One represents a low rank, two is mid-rank, and the horns change form for high ranks.

“Yes, the low-rank one beating up the mid-rank one.”

Kang Seo-yul has one horn, indicating low rank.

Mephisto has two horns, signifying mid-rank.

Yet, Mephisto was the one at a disadvantage.

“Explode!”

Mephisto’s black magic, filled with his will, moved to crush Kang Seo-yul.

But it was in vain.

“Disperse.”

Kang Seo-yul’s dark magic countered Mephisto’s.

“How can you even use my abilities!”

“I told you. Well, diligently, and gave it my best.”

Mephisto gritted his teeth.

His face was filled with rage that looked like it would explode at any moment.

The reason Kang Seo-yul could use Mephisto’s abilities was that he held the weapon, ‘Thorn that Swallows Flesh’.

‘Just like Lucifer’s Spear or Michael’s Holy Spear, individual weapons crafted and refined with their magic contain their respective abilities.’

Of course, [Thorn that Swallows Flesh] also contains Mephisto’s abilities. Kang Seo-yul was merely utilizing it.

“You’re really weak in one-on-ones, huh?”

Kang Seo-yul stabbed Mephisto’s shoulder with the spear.

Blood spurted, painting the sky.

‘This is easier than I thought? Your transcendence system is working perfectly, yet this is all you’ve got?’

Mephisto’s power is SS-rank.

He has achieved transcendence.

However, aside from his high magic power, his other abilities aren’t that impressive.

“Kuek!”

Mephisto winced as he regenerated his wounds.

However, soon after, wounds resembling honeycombs appeared all over his body due to Kang Seo-yul’s continuous attacks.

‘Could it be, have I become this strong?’

Even if it’s low-tier, obtaining the traits and physical specs of the demon clan was a significant advantage. Moreover, with the use of the S-rank artifact [Thorn that Swallows Flesh], he was bound to be strong.

“Magic explosion!”

“Hey, I told you it won’t work.”

On top of that, Mephisto’s only strength, his magic, was rendered useless. It was only natural that Kang Seo-yul had the upper hand.

“How can you so easily neutralize my magic...”

“My eyes used to be the Dragon Eyes until recently. I’ve analyzed your magic structure perfectly with them beforehand.”

“How can a lowly creature like you... How dare you spout such nonsense!”

A vein throbbed on Mephisto’s forehead. His patience had worn thin due to Kang Seo-yul’s constant teasing.

“Believe it or not. I’ve told you the truth.”

Until recently, Kang Seo-yul’s eyes were ‘Dragon Eyes’, and with them, he had completely analyzed Mephisto’s magic.

That’s why he could neutralize Mephisto’s magic so effortlessly.

Although he can’t use the Dragon Eyes now, the structure of Mephisto’s magic that he analyzed beforehand hasn’t changed.

‘...Damn it! Damn!’

Mephisto internally cursed.

‘What the hell is happening? Why is there a low-level demon in Alfheim?’

Mephisto dodged Kang Seo-yul’s rapid stabs while trying to figure it out.

‘Why can’t I see the other elves? If they were here, my Evil Concentration would’ve activated, and this guy would’ve...’

Everything was a mystery.

Suddenly!

“Argh!”

“Missed.”

Kang Seo-yul’s stab narrowly missed Mephisto’s heart. If it had hit, Mephisto would’ve died on the spot.

Among the unique abilities of the ‘Thorn that Swallows Flesh’ is the ‘Heart Breaker’ function. If the heart is pierced, death is instant.

‘Damn, damn, damn!!’

He couldn’t help but curse.

‘Did he know about today’s ambush?’

It’s the only thing that makes sense. ‘Were the elves absent because the attacker knew it was me?’

Thinking that way, everything seemed to fit. But still, something was off. Only three people knew about the attack on Alfheim.

‘The Demon Lord, me, and Lucifer.’

If the plan was leaked...

‘Could it have been Lucifer?’

“I’ll make you regret ever taking Mephisto lightly!”

It’s an escape skill mentioned in the original work.

Once this ability is activated, there’s no way to stop it.

Well, I didn’t plan on stopping it in the first place.

“Ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha!”

Mephisto vanished while laughing out loud.

Looking at where Mephisto completely disappeared, I raised the corner of my mouth sky-high.

“Mission accomplished.”

The operation named [Hey Mephisto, Hey Mephisto, I’ll deceive you and cause a ruckus] was a success.

* * *

After all the battles had ended, the elves who had been out of the range of the ‘Concentration of Evil’ returned.

“Oh, great Father.”

“We pay our respects to the great Father.”

It seemed they held a deep admiration for me, who had anticipated Mephisto’s ambush and even managed to fend it off on my own.

They bowed their heads with expressions of awe and paid their respects.

This is a bit overwhelming.

“Don’t you all see that the Father is uncomfortable? Please, rise.”

As I was scratching my cheek, Illyna stepped forward. She seemed to have noticed my discomfort.

“The Father has just finished a strenuous battle. Before expressing gratitude, we should let him rest first!”

Oh, is that so?

“Ah!”

“We weren’t considerate!”

“There’s no rush to express our gratitude. We can do so formally tomorrow, even calling all the elves together for it...”

“...”

I was mistaken.

Illyna is actually escalating the situation. If such an event actually gets organized tomorrow, I’ll have to sneak away discreetly. I don’t want to see hundreds of elves bowing to me at once.

“Ah.”

Noticing my lost expression, Illyna looked surprised and exclaimed.

“For now, everyone, please leave. It seems the Father is very tired.”

“Understood.”

“Then, we will see you tomorrow!”

The elves who filled my room hurriedly exited.

“Then, I’ll be off too... Father, please rest well.”

“Yes.”

Lastly, Illyna left the room. Now I can finally breathe.

I slumped onto my bed, exhausted.

“You’re being treated almost like a hero.”

Looking at me, Ai chuckled mischievously.

“Well, I did act like one.”

What would have happened if I hadn’t thwarted this attack?

The guardians of Alfheim, fighting on the front lines, would have returned and eventually repelled Mephisto.

However, this would have breached the northern boundaries and quickly led to their downfall.

That was the original past.

“Fortunately, it seems that they haven’t noticed you turning into a demon.”

“I had sent them away under the pretext of the ‘Concentration of Evil’, and I was careful not to let my magical aura spread out.”

I couldn’t afford to show my demonic form to the elves, who know me as a high elf.

“Did everything go according to plan?”

“Indeed. It went well.”

I stretched and cracked my neck from side to side.

“With this, Mephisto will go into hiding and will likely move covertly to target Lucifer. If we’re lucky, Mephisto might even take out Lucifer for us.”

“Even if we’re unlucky, there will be some damage to the demon realm.”

“Exactly.”

Use the bait to catch the fish.

No, use the demon to catch the demon.

The plan is a success.

“So, effectively, the first phase of reviving Alfheim and Reperiel is completed, and it’s time to move on to the second phase.”

“Indeed. From the second phase, we’ll need your power more than ever.”

“Leave it to me.”

Ai smiled as if to reassure me.

“By the way, are we heading to Reperiel as planned in three days?”

“Yes. Rena said the full-scale attack on Reperiel occurred six days after Mephisto’s assault.”

“Then can’t we go a bit later?”

Ayi tilted her head.

“There might have been some changes since Mephisto’s assault failed. So, just to be safe, we’re going on the third day.”

Ayi’s eyes widened in amazement.

“...Wow. You even considered the butterfly effect? Seo-yul, you’re really sharp. To think that far ahead.”

“...”

I’ve been affected by that damned butterfly’s wings more than enough. In my situation, it’s impossible not to think about it.

“Then I’ll head back to my room. You must be tired, Seo-yul.”

Ai got up from the bed and headed out.

“See you tomorrow~”

“See you tomorrow.”

Thud-

Ai closed the door behind her.

Finally, I was alone.

First and foremost, I removed my outer robe and checked the demon’s mark.

“It’s obviously black, right?”

Perhaps the secret of the white and black wasn’t just activation and deactivation.

“...It has changed, but...”

Fortunately, the mark was black.

It seems like my assumption was right: black for deactivation and white for activation. But while it’s good to confirm the color change...

“Isn’t the shape change a bit random?”

The form of the demon’s mark had changed from a single-horned demon to a double-horned demon.

< Chapter 169: Assault (2) > End.