A Regressor's Bucket List

Chapter 294 : Demon King (2)

The area where U-jin and Leonardo Louis Button arrived was the 'Black Forest,' located at the western edge of the continent, where the Demon King's castle stood.

Situated in the deepest part of the western magical beast region, this was the place where The Order had the least information, as it was home to the Demon King himself.

The name 'Black Forest' was given precisely because of its nature as an 'unknown region.'

While The Order had at least some understanding of other territories belonging to the Demon King, this was the only place on the continent that they had 'absolutely no' grasp of.

“…Originally, I intended to set the coordinates in close proximity to the Demon King’s castle.”

“…….”

The fact that the place U-jin and Louis arrived at using hyperspace magic was the outskirts of the Black Forest was, in a sense, due to this context.

Assuming that the Messiah's hyperspace magic could reach anywhere in this world, one couldn't help but find it strange.

Their goal, after all, was to reach the ‘Demon King’s castle.’

In a 'touch-and-go' situation where Primordial Demons were struggling to crawl into the continent, there was no reason to go out of their way to walk from the outskirts like this.

No, it wasn't just a matter of reason; it was simply the right thing not to do—if they truly considered the anti-demon soldiers who were risking their lives in battle all across the continent.

“I couldn’t specify the exact coordinates.”

Naturally, the reason Louis had set the coordinates of the hyperspace magic outside the Black Forest was that it was impossible to set them inside.

“…I tried to make it work somehow, but it was beyond my capabilities.”

The Black Forest region, where the Demon King's castle was located, was a special space where the use of mana was restricted, much like the Veil of the Black Sea.

It wasn't to the extent of completely shielding all magical effects like the Veil of the Black Sea they had experienced during the Northern Subjugation War, but a mana barrier had been installed to disturb the mana within the forest, making its operation difficult.

It was hard to quantify, but by simple calculation, the difficulty of manipulating mana had become roughly five times harder.

It had been impossible to pierce through that interference magic and set coordinates for the exact location of the Demon King’s castle.

Of course, that didn't mean the 'Messiah’s magic' had some sort of inherent limitation.

Despite being ancient, the Messiah’s magic possessed a higher-dimensional and beautiful capability beyond any existing magic circle.

It was the power of a hero that had once sealed even the ancient Primordial Demons.

It wasn't so flimsy that it would be stopped by a mere mana interference barrier installed around the area, rather than the Demon King himself.

If they could have pinpointed the exact coordinates, U-jin and Louis would have appeared inside the Black Forest, not outside.

No, if it were possible, they would have appeared right in front of the Demon King.

The problem lay entirely with Leonardo Louis Button.

To find coordinates outside of the Order Territory, a separate coordinate magic via satellite magic was required. With Louis’s ability, he simply could not set the exact coordinates of the Demon King’s castle due to its mana barrier.

Shrug—

“It doesn’t matter. It’s not like it’s far.”

Well.

From U-jin’s perspective, it wasn't that important anyway.

The walking distance had increased, making it a bit more troublesome, but that was all.

As long as they could get to the western edge immediately, it was okay.

This didn't even count as an obstacle.

What U-jin was going to do now was a ‘Demon King Hunt.’

It was something that could never be achieved if one were to be inconvenienced or succumb to this level of hindrance.

“…I understand.”

Crunch, crunch—

Step, step—

How many steps had they taken in the silence that followed Louis’s last answer?

“…Um.”

Louis, who was walking in the lead, suddenly spoke up.

“There is something I want to ask, Seo U-jin.”

“What is it?”

Their footsteps did not stop.

Louis continued speaking, facing forward without looking back.

“I didn't intend for this timing… but it seems quite appropriate.”

Though Louis hadn't brought up the main point yet, U-jin could roughly tell what he was trying to say.

It wasn't as if he had known Louis for only a day or two, and during their time in the Suicide Squad, Louis was one of the men he had the most combat experience with.

Just by looking at the timing, tone, and expression, he could guess what Louis was thinking.

…Well, the thought that there wasn't much else to ask now that the flow had reached its end also played a part.

And so.

He blurted it out directly.

“No, I’m not.”

“…Pardon?”

“The Saintess’s proxy.”

“……!”

As if proving U-jin right, Louis flinched in reaction.

“At the time, I just thought it would be better to say it that way. I’m not actually the Saintess’s proxy.”

U-jin’s calm addition was a brazen admission, enough for someone to grab him by the collar and demand to know if he had been deceiving them all this time.

However, Louis's reaction was calmer than expected.

“…As I thought.”

The reason was simple.

He had been thinking for a long time that it might be the case.

『…That’s why she chose a proxy.』

『…….』

『To take over her role until she is resurrected.』

The fact that he had even intended to ask about it again now made it obvious, but Louis had not fully believed the story U-jin told back then.

However, that sigh-like murmur came from a heart that, while suspecting something was off from early on, desperately hoped it wasn't a lie.

If it were a lie, then the Saintess was not the resurrected one prophesied by the Messiah, but a false resurrection, and even the possibility of her return would vanish.

‘…….’

It was at the midpoint of the Northern Subjugation War that Louis felt a strange sense of dissonance.

At first, it was just a very small thought.

‘…Something feels different.’

If U-jin were truly the Saintess’s proxy, one should have been able to catch glimpses of the Saintess in him.

But in Louis's eyes, that wasn't the case.

Well, it wasn't that they had no commonalities at all.

Just as the Saintess had performed 'miracles' while traveling all over the continent, U-jin had also performed 'miracle-like deeds' during the Northern Subjugation War.

The unbelievable feats U-jin displayed during the Northern Subjugation War were certainly great enough not to pale even when compared to the Saintess’s miracles.

Of course, the nature of his deeds was slightly different from the Saintess’s ‘miracles,’ but until then, it was just a ‘small doubt’ held in his heart.

“…….”

And that thought developed further into the specific idea that something was ‘strange’ when Louis carefully looked back at U-jin’s tracks after the Northern Subjugation War ended and before the southern invasion occurred.

U-jin’s incredible feats were certainly sufficient to prove he was the Saintess’s proxy.

First of all, he knew in advance that the Northern Subjugation War itself was a precise trap set by Isaac Einstein, and he had resolved each issue one by one with his own hands.

That work, which was close to the level of 'future sight,' was a marvelous experience even for someone like Leonardo Louis Button, who was quite a veteran within The Order.

However, the problem was the ‘timing.’

『A cross appeared before my eyes.』

『……!』

『A cross suddenly appeared while I was sleeping. I don’t know exactly what the principle was or if it was a dream, but the Saintess was hanging on that cross.』

Judging by what U-jin said at the time of the Beastkin Nation’s reconstruction, he became aware that he was the Saintess’s Herald just before the Northern Subjugation War began.

That is, at the time the ‘Saintess’s execution’ took place.

But thinking back carefully, that certain excellence U-jin possessed had not manifested since then.

It was much earlier than that.

It was difficult even for Louis to pinpoint exactly when that moment was, but honestly, Louis had felt something different from U-jin since as far back as the Gateway Zone.

He couldn't shake the thought that there was something inconsistent about the timing.

If U-jin were truly the Saintess’s Herald and had become aware of it through her appearing in his dream just before the Northern Subjugation War, something significant should have changed.

But U-jin was the same as before, and he had been exceptional from the start.

Of course, he wasn't denying the person of U-jin himself, whom he had seen until now.

The influence U-jin had exerted on The Order was by no means small, and every single thing he had done was great.

However, he didn't know where the unique excellence U-jin possessed originated from.

Louis couldn't erase the thought from his head that it might be separate from the Saintess.

Even as he hoped more than anyone that it wasn't a lie, the more he thought about it, the stronger that feeling became.

Of course, having come this far, it wasn't a big deal.

Whatever U-jin’s exact intentions were, pushing for the Northern Subjugation War, as U-jin had said, was the right choice.

And honestly, to demand an explanation now for his impersonation would be petty, considering U-jin had already brought benefits to The Order equivalent to those of the Saintess.

Even in the case of these Primordial Demons, if it weren't for U-jin, it was such an absurd disaster that The Order would have had no alternative with its own power.

Of course, he felt sorry for the other soldiers, priests, and Heroes who were suffering on the front lines.

But if it weren't for U-jin, no matter who went or what they did, they wouldn't have been able to pull off the impossible feat of ‘stopping the Primordial Demons.’

If U-jin hadn't summoned the ‘Divine Beasts’ through those Holy Relics that weren't even registered in The Order, they would have been failing miserably just against the ‘Leviathan’ that appeared in the south.

Of course, they hadn't been completely dealt with, and there was a limit to slowing down their advance into the continent, but that too was something no one else in The Order could have done.

So, Louis nodded in acceptance.

‘…Right. That’s just the truth. Let’s not be shaken.’

In any case, what Louis wanted wasn't whether U-jin was the real deal or a fake.

Rather, he was curious whether the Saintess’s resurrection was truly possible, or if it had been impossible from the beginning.

It was better to know in advance than to taste despair after letting hope grow further.

After all, it was arrogance to think they could definitely come out alive now that they had entered the Black Forest.

And just as Louis was murmuring so in his heart.

“…It’s the opposite, actually.”

A sentence that was impossible to understand popped out of U-jin’s mouth.