novelraw Chapter 73 : Demon Race (3)
Chapter 73 : Demon Race (3)
Chapter 73: Demon Race (3)
Crack—!
In a darkness where not even an inch ahead could be seen,
something tearing apart echoed.
It was a chilling sound. Just hearing it made my body refuse to move properly.
‘My vision is completely sealed.’
I thought,
‘I can feel my senses dulling little by little. If this continues, not just sight, but hearing, smell—my entire five senses will stop functioning.’
If I didn’t find a solution quickly, I wouldn’t be able to do anything.
I slowly heightened my senses.
To detect the people around me.
When my vision first went dark, I hadn’t been far from the others.
I just couldn’t see them—they had to be nearby.
Drip, drip.
Like raindrops falling onto a calm lake, presences began to register one by one.
‘The Saintess, the Holy Knights, Garan, Kazan… they’re all nearby.’
Just as I was about to move toward them—
Slash—!
Something cut across my flesh.
A cold pain followed, along with the metallic scent of blood.
‘Someone just cut across my chest. Not too deep.’
In a situation where nothing could be seen—
Even a seasoned warrior would struggle to stay calm.
But I analyzed the situation.
‘Is a Holy Knight rampaging?’
It was possible. Sudden darkness like this—most would lose reason and fall into panic.
On top of that, no sound could be heard.
Unless one had nerves like mine, it would be impossible to endure.
Slash—!
Another wound.
This time, my side.
Fortunately, I had wrapped my body in internal energy. Otherwise, my organs would’ve spilled out.
Already two attacks.
Anyone else would have died.
‘Strange. I don’t sense any human presence around me. Then who is attacking me?’
Are they hiding their presence? Or is it an enemy?
I shook my head.
If it were an enemy, I would already be dead.
Unless they were toying with me—but there was no reason to attack like this.
‘Still, I learned something.’
The moment something cut into my body—
I could clearly sense the presence of the attacker.
It was only a hypothesis, but it seemed that being struck briefly restored my senses.
Even if I was wrong, it didn’t matter.
Right now, I had to try anything.
‘Focus. I need to catch them the moment they strike.’
Enemy or ally—it didn’t matter.
As long as I could grab them.
I just needed to confirm the condition for restoring my senses.
I sharpened my concentration to the extreme.
Instant reflexes were key.
I drew out every ounce of sensory awareness.
Slash—!
“Got you.”
Pain surged again—
And at the same time, my hand grabbed someone.
“Demon Race?”
The one I caught—
was a member of the Demon Race.
Pale skin. Sharp fangs.
The same appearance as those who spoke of the Great Night.
“How did you—!!”
The Demon Race screamed in shock.
Fear flickered in his trembling eyes.
Watching him struggle, I smirked.
“You use quite an interesting trick.”
The moment I made contact with him, my vision returned.
It was a curse-type ability.
“So if I’m not touching you, my senses disappear? Interesting. I’ve never seen a curse like this.”
“…So what if you figured it out?”
The Demon Race sneered.
“Look ahead. Your comrades are dying.”
As he said—
A horrifying sight unfolded before my eyes.
The Saintess flailing, unable to see her enemy.
Garan enduring every attack silently.
Kazan falling again and again, trying desperately to avoid strikes.
What angered me most—
was that the Demon Race were toying with them.
They could kill them—
yet chose not to.
As if human fear itself was their pleasure.
They were trampling over humans.
“…My anger is boiling.”
I muttered.
My voice carried a fury I had never shown before.
My cold gaze locked onto the Demon Race before me.
“Is this how you fight? No honor. No romance.”
“So what? The one who survives is the winner. No matter how strong you are, once you’re buried in the ground, you’re nothing!”
“……”
Veins bulged on my forehead.
Killing intent filled my eyes.
“Is that so? Then today’s winner will be me.”
Thud—!!
My fist slammed into his face.
The power of the Infinite Void Heart Fist, now greatly refined, carried lethal force in every strike.
But I didn’t kill him.
I didn’t fully understand how to break the curse.
If killing him caused my vision to vanish again—
it would truly be over.
So instead—
I executed the condition I had discovered perfectly.
Stab—!!
I drove his sword deep into my abdomen.
Blood poured out—but it didn’t matter.
As long as I remained in contact, my senses stayed active.
As long as it wasn’t a fatal point, it didn’t matter where I was pierced.
Then—
I hoisted the limp Demon Race onto my back.
Just in case, I wrapped his arms around my waist and secured them.
Crack—!
His bones twisted grotesquely in the process—
but I didn’t care.
As long as he stayed attached to me.
“I need to move.”
Even now—
they were trampling my comrades.
I didn’t want to see that any longer.
Swoooosh—!!
My body shot forward like a beam of light.
Like a predator chasing its prey.
Slash—!!
The head of the one before me flew into the air.
‘That’s one.’
The Demon Race still hadn’t noticed me.
The chaos and noise worked in my favor.
In unknown situations, humans were consumed by fear.
Even Holy Knights were no exception.
As death loomed—
they screamed.
And thanks to that—
killing the Demon Race was easy.
Even in a direct fight, I would’ve won easily.
There was no way they could handle me without even noticing me.
Even after killing all the Demon Race—
the curse didn’t lift.
Perhaps the invisible attacks had terrified them too much.
Most of them were crouched, trembling.
‘This is bad. They’ve lost too much blood. If we don’t treat them soon…’
I sighed.
I didn’t want to use such a rough method.
I picked up a Demon Race corpse—
placed its sword into its hand—
and stabbed it into Garan’s thigh.
“…!!”
Garan instantly grabbed my throat.
Too fast to follow.
The pressure crushed my windpipe, and I frowned.
“...It’s me.”
“…Leon? What is—”
He stopped mid-sentence.
Shock filled his eyes.
“…What the hell happened to you?”
Of course.
My appearance was horrific.
A corpse tied to my waist—
and a sword embedded in my abdomen.
It was beyond description.
“Are you insane? Why is there a corpse tied to you? Did you hit your head?!”
“It was to break the curse. As you can see—you’re fine now.”
“…Huh?”
Only then did Garan look at himself.
A sword in his thigh—
and a Demon Race corpse.
As expected of a veteran mercenary—
he understood immediately.
“I see. Good work, Leon. You saved us. I have many questions, but… let’s wake the Saintess first.”
I nodded.
Too many were injured.
We needed her power.
I picked up another corpse and sword.
Garan asked awkwardly,
“…You’re going to wake the Saintess the same way?”
“There’s no other method.”
“…Right. Then do it.”
Stab—!
I carefully stabbed the Saintess.
Unlike with Garan, I was gentle.
She wasn’t someone hardened by a rough life.
“Hah—!!”
She gasped and opened her eyes.
“…I can see?”
“I know this is confusing, but the situation is critical. Please follow my instructions.”
“Ah… yes.”
As expected of the Saintess—
she remained calm.
“What’s the situation?”
“Everyone is under a curse. To temporarily break it, they need to be stabbed while in contact with a Demon Race.”
“……”
Her gaze shifted to my waist.
Her eyes trembled.
Then she looked at her own hand—
where I had stabbed her instead of her thigh.
She smiled awkwardly.
“…I see. Thank you.”
“It’s nothing. Please treat the injured first.”
“Right.”
She immediately moved.
Even in haste, her actions were precise.
Her healing—
was extraordinary.
Just by placing her hand, torn flesh regenerated.
Broken limbs reset.
Fatigued bodies regained vitality.
“S-Saintess…?”
The Holy Knights called out—
but still couldn’t see her.
They cried her name desperately.
One by one, as they were healed—
their voices joined the chorus.
She continued healing—
listening to their cries.
Eventually—
everyone was treated.
“…Thank you. Without you, we would’ve been wiped out.”
“It’s not over yet.”
I said, scanning the surroundings.
“You’ve noticed, right? This place has changed.”
She nodded.
“Yes… the traces of you breaking the walls are gone.”
“And more subtle changes. Ones you wouldn’t notice without close observation.”
She fell silent.
I understood.
Ambushed—and now abducted.
Anyone else would be cursing.
But she maintained her composure.
“I’ll remove the curse.”
She said calmly.
“It will take time. Please protect me.”
“Understood.”
She knelt—
clasped her hands—
and began to pray.
‘A prayer.’
I had heard—
a priest’s holy power doubled through prayer.
She was asking Solar for strength.
As I stood guard—
Garan spoke,
“Leon. Can I ask something?”
“Go ahead.”
“How did you figure out how to break the curse?”
“…I just figured it out while getting hit.”
“…You WHAT?”
“Every time I was struck, my senses briefly returned. So I grabbed one at that exact moment. Then my vision came back.”
“……”
‘Is he insane?’
Garan stared.
‘How do you even pull that off?’
In total darkness—
no sight, no sound, no presence—
who could stay calm?
‘I stayed conscious too…’
But he couldn’t find a solution.
He just endured.
And this guy—
caught an enemy in that instant?
‘That’s like finding a pearl in a desert.’
And he says it so casually?
‘So he’s got talent worthy of the Conqueror’s son…’
No—
it was beyond imagination.
Garan opened his mouth—
then closed it.
‘What a ridiculous world.’
A small resentment toward the world itself.