356. Bonding (9)
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Of course, it’s certain that all demons are obsessed with me, but among them, the presence of the gray demon is truly unique.
All the major and minor events involving demons seem to revolve around this guy.
The same goes for the yellow demon, and even the future Elijah – the prophet’s case, ultimately, isn’t it all connected to this guy?
“Thinking about it, it’s quite contradictory.”
To be so eager to monopolize me and yet help others with different subjects. The motivation is unclear, isn’t it?
And after pondering about it as much as possible, I’ve come to only one conclusion about it.
“It must be because he has confidence in himself.”
As long as I am still breathing, no matter where or with whom I am involved, I consider myself already bound to him.
And in that regard.
[Found it.]
For the first time, the story is heard.
It’s evidence that I have become so close to the demon, and it also means that he is ‘sincere’ in that sense.
This guy.
He is extremely angry right now.
Just hearing his voice gives off an icy chill, as if frost is descending in the middle of summer. I am startled, and so is the prophet.
-…
-…
-…!!!!
True Strike.
Of course, Eleanor’s strikes were all filled with a level of power that could strip flesh from bone, but among them, this one was truly exceptional.
Even in the face of a considerable attack, not even blinking an eye, and even causing someone like me to die and come back to life several times, it was still enough to make one shudder in fear.
“…Insane.”
The master muttered with a hint of dizziness.
If a vast “void” existed in the wake of the True Strike, anyone would react in such a way.
It wasn’t just about things being torn, broken, or vaporized along its path, but it felt like an entire world was ‘deleted’ to the same extent.
It would be best to say that it holds administrative authority in a world programmed by oneself.
“The Void Zone, isn’t it something the demons created, but rather something this person made alone?”
“…Quite convincing.”
Saying so, the master looked at Eleanor, who was approaching with a relaxed expression.
She still had on the wedding dress she wore until today, and her appearance was undoubtedly that of my fiancée, but it was clear that a ‘different entity’ was moving that body.
As if coming after breaking through the Void Zone in a month, without a single scratch on her body, she walked as if being controlled by someone, resembling a horror movie.
“…What about Toker?”
[I killed him.]
“…Then what about Elia?”
[I just knocked her out for a moment. She’ll be mad.]
Amidst this, while I should be thankful for Elia knocking her out, I’m not sure whether I should be sad.
“…Hey, teacher.”
The master, who had been watching her, opened his eyes with a puzzled look.
“Disabling all the demons, to be honest, I was almost convinced. But what remains is the biggest barrier, isn’t it?”
…”
That’s true.
Unconsciously, I feel the sweat in my hands and take a deep breath.
Meanwhile, the sentence of Eleanor, the gray demon in front of me, continues as it is.
[Only now, only now, keep waiting.]
Ecstasy, delight, decadence, obsession.
A voice that seems to contain and blend all those things permeates the eardrums with a venomous quality, spreading in all directions.
[The moment when other thieves can’t lay a finger on ‘my possession.’ Only the moment when you become solely mine.]
“…”
Ah.
Upon hearing those words, I find myself involuntarily smirking.
It’s clear that this creature, while obsessing over me, also gave ‘opportunities’ to other women in this direction.
The ‘ultimate goal’ I’ve been striving for all along is ultimately to erase the threat of all demons and live ‘normally’ like a human being. The gray demon probably had a high chance of anticipating that I held such thoughts long ago.
And if this state is ‘established’ by making other women help me… at that point, there truly will be nothing that can stop this creature.
“Where do you think the final boss’s meal is going?”
Until the very end, it won’t hesitate to monopolize what it desires.
Of course.
Even so.
“Isn’t it enough to just subdue this?”
“No, so you’re saying you can do it?”
“If I hadn’t, we wouldn’t have even started.”
One thing I noticed since coming here for the first time is the fact that there is no actual ‘true form’ of the demon resembling Eleanor anywhere among them.
From the beginning.
One thing I noticed since coming here for the first time is the fact that there is no actual ‘true form’ of the demon resembling Eleanor among them.
Knowing that I would do something like this, it’s almost as if I had anticipated this situation from the start.
“…Your confidence always impresses, huh?”
The expression of the speaker who said so contorted immediately.
Probably because right after saying that, Eleanor, who had been walking slowly, suddenly flew at him like a demon and seized his throat.
“-….Ugh…!”
The arm of the guy who had always maintained composure even while racing with me got ‘deleted’ in a single blow!
…!
First, the face of the speaker turned pale in shock, and then his body was thrown back. The short holy sword that was held in that arm also flew and thudded onto the ground.
“Seriously, you monster…!”
Muttering those words while taking a deep breath, the speaker swiftly raised the holy sword held in the other hand, aiming it at the gray demon.
“If you hadn’t blocked properly, I might have really died.”
“Are you okay?”
“To be honest, it’s quite something to ask such a question to someone who lost one arm, but I’m fine for now. That other arm was originally a prosthetic.”
…”
So, did I just get punched by the guy wearing a prosthetic like a dog?
That, in its own way, is somewhat embarrassing.
However, before paying proper attention to such a fact, a voice that seemed to tear through eardrums echoed again from the front.
[Could you refrain from calling ‘mine’ with such disgusting words?]
“…”
No.
Well, we are married in the future, so I can call it that way.
Thinking so, I stand next to the visionary.
Despite the clear stance of trying to be on this guy’s side, Elnor’s face is now wrinkled.
“Hunting demons with a hero. Don’t you think it’s quite a romantic opportunity? Certainly, we can’t miss that, can we?”
“What are you talking about?”
“…?”
I don’t know what kind of delusion you’re having.
I never intended to fight this guy from the beginning.
“If you don’t fight, what are you going to do?”
“Ever heard the saying, ‘a married couple’s fight is like cutting water with a sword’?”
“…What are you talking about all of a sudden in this situation?”
Even though the visionary said that in a perplexed tone, it’s a clear fact that fighting with Elnor now is meaningless.
Especially when there’s a way to subdue without fighting.
“…”
Taking a deep breath, I stride forward confidently with determined steps.
And walking, I gather the scattered magic left on the floor by the stamp of the otherworldly gate into my ‘sight.’
Then, a grey spirit attached to Elnore becomes distinctly visible to my eyes.
It appears akin to the vessels of other demons from the future that have ‘raised’ Elnore, possessing a similar nature.
At first glance.
“…”
However.
There’s a slight difference.
It’s fundamental, as the grey demon has displayed behavior notably distinct from other demons until now.
In essence.
While other demons fundamentally displayed a clear ‘communication’ with themselves, if there was proper communication between the demon itself or the vessel until now, it’s safe to say that there hasn’t been any proper conversation.
[Indeed, I knew you would come towards me-]
As soon as I confirm my approach, facing the grey demon who speaks in a voice that indicates “I knew you would come,”
I meet its eyes directly.
“You took my empathy.”
I insert the ‘decisive weapon.’
[…]
The movement of the grey demon freezes.
An expression of profound surprise forms on its face, unexpectedly speechless.
“…Why suddenly bring that up here…?”
“…”
In the current situation, even the person himself was surprised by the words, and from behind, the sound of a sage throwing such words was heard.
From Noble mtl dot com
No.
It does sound really strange, but in the current situation, it’s a card that can be quite effective.
“…Why would that be effective…?”
“If you’ve been harboring this suspicion until now and confirm it with your own words, there’s one person whose eyes will be opened wide.”
Indeed, as soon as that sentence ends, the twisting gray devil’s appearance contradicts it even more.
As Eleanor, who had been controlling the situation like a marionette, began to show a moment of inhumanity and ‘consciousness’ in her movements, his face became even more distorted.
Perhaps it was just a mood, but it also felt like cold sweat was trickling down…
“What did you say?”
Continuing on.
The gray aura clinging to Eleanor’s eyes is released, and there is no doubt that such a sentence is dropping.
“Who did what with whom…?”
[…]
It was a much more terrifying sight than the one that first appeared here.