novelraw Chapter 296 : Demon King (4)
Chapter 296 : Demon King (4)
【My, am I an uninvited guest?】
“…….”
【No, in this case, it seems you two are the ones who are the uninvited guests.】
Isaac Einstein had made his appearance, but surprisingly, neither Louis nor U-jin were flustered.
The reason was simple.
From the moment they entered the Black Forest to hunt the Demon King, they were prepared to face whoever might appear.
In fact, the Black Forest was the Demon King’s domain even before it was anyone else’s.
In this place, it wouldn't be strange for anyone to appear at any time.
Rather, it was more strange that no one had appeared until now.
“…….”
The Duke-class forces had all moved to the Anti-Demon Front.
Accompanied by the Primordial Demons, their goal was to carve a path into the continent and consume the Church Alliance whole.
However, as a strategist, Isaac Einstein had no reason to be out on the battlefield.
His role was to gauge the movements and coordination of each legion at the Anti-Demon Front and devise grand plans.
Since the advance with the Primordial Demons had already begun, Isaac Einstein’s work should have already been completed.
Therefore, it wasn't particularly strange for Isaac Einstein to appear here in the Black Forest at this time.
Moreover.
“…I’ve really wanted to see you in person at least once.”
U-jin had suspected as much.
『Ah, and I just happened to have something to say. A gift will be coming your way soon, Junior. Keke.』
『I don’t know your exact plan, Junior, but you’ll probably have to suffer quite a bit because of it. There aren’t many things I’ve put that much effort into.』
『…….』
『It was originally supposed to take a bit longer… but I wanted to see how you’d react, so I moved it up a bit. Make sure to receive it well.』
It was the Northern Subjugation War that Isaac Einstein himself had mentioned he ‘put quite a bit of effort into.’
It was U-jin who had completely collapsed during the Northern Subjugation War, which had been planned and designed for so long.
Of course, since Isaac Einstein hadn't been part of the Northern Subjugation Force, he wouldn't know the detailed progression of events.
However, given that U-jin’s name was never missing from the major reports spreading throughout the Order, there was no way he was unaware of the influence U-jin had exerted during the Northern Subjugation War.
After all, Isaac Einstein was the one who had given the warning in advance.
Since he was looking at the face of the very person who hadn't fallen for a single trap and had ruined everything, it was a sight Isaac Einstein had to see for himself.
Whether it was out of anger or pure curiosity.
“…Can’t you just step aside? I have business back there.”
【…….】
“I’ll just finish my business and leave immediately. Seriously.”
When U-jin asked while gesturing with his chin toward the Demon King’s Castle behind them, Isaac shook his head and brushed back his white hair as if he found it amusing.
【Of course, I know. The Demon King Hunt.】
Keke—
【But I’m sorry, stepping aside is impossible. I have my own position to consider.】
Snap—
As Isaac Einstein snapped his fingers, numerous presences emerged from the thickets.
‘…At least in the hundreds.’
It was obvious who they were without even looking.
The Black Forest was called the ‘Black Forest’ partly because it was the haunt of the Dark Knights, the Demon King’s royal guard.
Dozens were within sight, and if all were counted, there were likely hundreds.
Before they knew it, numerous Dark Knights were surrounding U-jin and Louis.
Keke—
With his characteristically playful tone, Isaac shook his head.
【No, no. I can’t let you live this time, Junior. If I let you go here, my head will roll.】
While he was speaking.
‘……?’
U-jin noticed a small presence emerging from behind.
One of the Dark Knights was attempting to approach from a blind spot in his vision.
It was such a careful and faint presence that he almost missed it, but his unconscious combat instincts sounded an alarm, allowing him to notice.
Just as U-jin reached into his coat to pull out his magic engineering firearm, ‘Dragoon’—
BOOM—!
Before U-jin could even draw his hand back, a thunderous explosion erupted from behind.
“…….”
Turning around, he saw a muscular, blond, middle-aged man—nearly 1.5 times U-jin’s size—slamming the back of a Demonic Species’ head into the ground, his hands pressed together in silent prayer.
“Amen.”
“…….”
It was a sight that could be described as the most unfitting in the world.
A muscular, blond, middle-aged priest, whose muscles seemed ready to burst through his clerical robes, pressing his hands together while looking at a crushed skull.
“…Is that a prayer for them to please go to hell? Something like that?”
It was a sight quite familiar to U-jin.
The true form of ‘Leonardo Louis Button,’ which he usually kept sealed.
Thud—
Ending his silent prayer, he unfastened the silver cross necklace from around his neck.
Then.
Crrreeeaaak—
The cross, which was clearly small enough to fit in the palm of a hand, transformed into a massive two-meter cross befitting Louis’s giant stature.
Thump—
Louis, having lightly set down the cross and taken a combat stance, muttered.
“…I will handle this place. Please go.”
Following that low murmur, Isaac Einstein’s laughter broke out.
Keke—
【Will that be possible? You won’t be able to use mana here.】
He was referring to the Mana Interference Barrier.
In truth, that was something even a high-ranking priest of Louis’s level would find difficult to overcome.
The fact that they couldn't obtain coordinates because of it was proof enough that Louis’s magic could not completely bypass the Black Forest’s Mana Interference Barrier.
However, Louis replied without concern.
“It does not matter.”
What happened next was astonishing.
Slowly—
Leonardo Louis Button gripped the giant cross with both hands, lifted it behind his head, and slammed it into the ground with all his might.
BOOOOOOM—!
The moment the cross was driven into the ground, a terrifying roar echoed through the surroundings.
The ground all around them collapsed entirely.
A massive crater, its diameter impossible to gauge at a glance, was carved out. As U-jin fell, he instinctively spread wings from his back.
On one side was a black wing, the very symbol of the Demonic Species.
And on the other was a pure white wing.
Seeing the pair of black and white wings spread out, Louis’s lips curled upward.
The reason was simple.
That white wing extending from one side of U-jin was the very symbol that appeared when the Saintess performed her miracles back when she was active.
Louis’s decision to destroy the ground without even a word of warning to U-jin stemmed from the thought that if the Saintess really was a messenger sent to make U-jin known in advance, then he would surely spread those wings.
And his hunch had proven correct.
“…I shall walk the path the Saintess has trodden.”
Muttering in a small voice that only he could hear, Louis finally turned his body.
And even before his body could hit the bottom of the collapsed crater, he burst the heads of two Dark Knights who were falling beside him.
The scene of him plummeting into the deep pit along with hundreds of Dark Knights was a sight that truly deserved the word ‘hell.’
“…….”
U-jin looked down at that sight for a moment, his expression a mix of complexity and nostalgia.
The reason was simple.
He was remembering Louis from the first timeline, before his regression.
‘…….’
Leonardo Louis Button’s true strength was ‘physical power.’
Of course, as the ‘Heresy Inquisitor,’ a high-ranking priest of the Order, his magical talent far exceeded the average person's, and it was a part of him that hadn't been revealed because he usually took the form of a child.
But the talent he was born with was ‘strength.’
A terrifying, monstrous strength that couldn't be fully described even by saying it was second to none.
It was something beyond the standards of what a human could possess.
‘The Cross Suppressor.’
That giant cross necklace Louis always wore was also one of the relics left behind by the Messiah.
It suppressed the wearer’s physical strength to the extreme, compressing their appearance to that of a child.
Because he was born into a lineage of ‘monstrous strength’ and often caused trouble for those around him during his growth, it had been bestowed upon ‘Leonardo Louis Button’ during his days as a novice priest.
Even though his innate magical talent was considerable, and he could display enough martial prowess to easily overpower most heroes even in that child’s body with the suppression active, he had never unfastened it until now.
But it seemed he had made up his mind.
Once the ‘Cross Suppressor’ released its restraint, it could never exert the same effect on the same wearer again.
To put it simply, he could not return to being the ‘Leonardo Louis Button’ he was before.
Well, some might say this:
Isn't being strong a good thing? If he’s a Heresy Inquisitor, he’ll have plenty of occasions to use physical strength, so why bother hiding it?
But.
That was something one could only say if they didn't know Leonardo Louis Button.
While that ‘monstrous strength’ might be a blessing to some, to Louis, it was closer to a ‘curse.’
It was something he had never revealed to anyone, only to U-jin back in the Suicide Squad.
When he was young, Leonardo Louis Button had accidentally caused an incident with his monstrous strength that left someone crippled.
Of course, it wasn't intentional, but considering he was only in his early teens at the time, it was the worst kind of incident a child could experience.
The ‘Cross Suppressor’ had been bestowed upon Louis because of that incident.
Since then, Louis had suffered from that trauma, continuing to wear the Cross Suppressor.
Even in numerous life-threatening situations while fighting the Demonic Species, he had never released the Cross Suppressor, holding back his true strength until the very end.
The fact that he had released it now meant he had no intention of returning to how he was.
In other words, it meant he was prepared for the ‘end’ here.
Even during their time in the Suicide Squad, he had endured without releasing the suppression until the very last moment, only letting go when his life was in imminent danger and the end was certain.
“…….”
U-jin was momentarily dazed by the memories of the first timeline passing before his eyes.
But he quickly flapped the two wings on his back.
Remaining stalled here would only make a mockery of Louis’s sacrifice.
While Louis held back Isaac Einstein and the Dark Knights, U-jin had to do his job.
Flap—
Starting with a slightly awkward beat of his wings, U-jin immediately turned his body toward the Demon King’s Castle.