62 – BAD END: Wizard (3)
During the journey from the Demon World to the Empire, Lily asked many questions.
It seemed that this rescue mission was her alone.
There were also things happening in the human world, and it was easier for her to move forward alone through all that quantity.
It made sense. If she moved together for no reason and someone fell behind, she would soon be isolated.
It was better to quickly rescue one person than to create two rescuers.
Of course, rescuing that one person was difficult as well… But in any case, she managed to save him, didn’t she?
After that, Lily asked about his wounds, but he didn’t answer. It was an expression that clearly didn’t want to talk about it.
Because of that, Lily had no choice but to pass over that part. She only thought, “There were many things happening.”
Next, she asked what had happened in the human world while she was absent. He made an awkward expression, but still opened his mouth to give some kind of answer.
“It’s… that.”
It seemed that the human world had been invaded by monsters.
Amidst the monster invasion, I infiltrated and used my abilities in the center of the city.
As a result, it is said that thousands of people died.
Those affected by the powers stabbed each other, committed suicide…
Luke, who had said that much, closed his mouth, as if he didn’t want to say anything more.
Walking along like that, I finally managed to escape the demon realm. And soon after, I could meet her comrades.
They all had tiredness pressed into their eyes.
Perhaps because they were busy dealing with the monster incident, they all looked exhausted.
When the party members saw her and Luke, they had surprised expressions on their faces. It wasn’t just because Lily had returned, but because the condition of the hero was beyond words.
The wounds on her back had healed neatly over time, but no matter how much time passed, her left eye and the pinky and ring fingers of both hands did not return.
As if they had disappeared forever.
The reactions of the party members were varied.
Camilla furrowed her brow, Adele widened her eyes, and Yuris…
“Ah, ah…”
He cried. As if he didn’t want to believe this situation.
As if faced with the worst scenario.
Tears fell endlessly from his emerald sapphire eyes.
He seemed to feel a lot from the hero’s injury.
Luke quietly comforted her as he watched her.
He was fine. Even though he didn’t come back like this. He had suffered minor injuries, but he had gained a lot of experience. The comforting words that sounded like excuses continued for a while.
Nevertheless, Yuris still couldn’t stop crying.
Knowing that parts of the hero’s body could not be regenerated, they continuously cast sacred magic.
Of course, that didn’t mean the permanently vanished left eye would heal.
Ulysses would know. He just didn’t want to believe it.
Lily watched all of that spectacle.
It was a sight that wouldn’t have happened if she hadn’t been captured.
Because Lily felt that all the tragedies before her were her own fault…
She couldn’t speak for a while.
*
There were great accidents and irreparable losses.
But that didn’t mean they could stop the subjugation.
Only heroes could oppose the Demon King.
They had to keep moving forward without rest.
Fortunately, as Luke had said, they didn’t only suffer losses this time.
They sacrificed a lot, but gained many abilities in return. Losing one eye, they gained ‘heightened senses’, and giving up their pinky and ring fingers, they gained ‘dexterity’.
In addition, they killed countless monsters and leveled up a lot.
Of course, Lily, who couldn’t see the status screen, didn’t know that fact… But at least they hadn’t become weaker than before.
There was also other good news.
“We have found the headquarters of the Monster Cult.”
It was the hero’s words.
It seemed that they had obtained information from the monsters while rescuing Lily.
“Hmm? I didn’t expect you to keep quiet even if you died. I found out easier than I anticipated.”
“Yes. After stabbing a few times with my sword, it was easy to make him talk.”
“······.”
Although there were some inhumane acts involved in the process, it didn’t matter since the other person wasn’t human either.
Anyway, the important thing is that we found the hideout of the monster.
Among all the Four Kings, the monster was the most difficult to track down.
Unlike the other Four Kings who settled in one place, this guy frequently invaded the human realm, making him vulnerable to house raids.
That’s why he often moved his hideout.
But we found out his hideout. That means there’s a high chance of exploiting his vulnerability.
“There’s no need to hesitate, let’s charge right away.”
Luke said.
“Just giving him time like this only benefits him. I’m also co…ugh…! I’ve recovered somewhat. It’s right to leave right now.”
“······.”
His left eye was still empty.
Lily deliberately ignored that eye.
The party members exchanged glances, considering the situation. It was risky to depart without properly fixing everything.
And they weren’t sure if the hero was really okay.
Looking at the hero’s pale appearance, he seemed to be in more pain than anyone else.
And sometimes, when he coughed harshly, it made them feel sorry for him.
But there was no other choice.
The party members accepted the warrior’s proposal as it was.
*
It took over half a year to subdue King Chung.
This was because King Chung resided deep in the demon realm, and there were numerous monsters in the way.
No matter how talented the warriors’ party gathered from the continent, they needed time to grow.
That’s why it was inevitable that it would take a long time to subdue King Chung.
However, it was not as daunting as it seemed.
Although it was located deep in the demon realm like King Chung, the journey to the Gweroi Castle was not as difficult.
The monsters they encountered on the way were not as numerous or powerful as those in King Chung’s domain.
The warrior party, including Luke, was able to reach Gweroi Castle in just one month.
Lily murmured quietly.
“It’s not as big as I thought…”
Its size was smaller than expected. Unlike Chunghoesung, which was the size of a small country, Gweroi Castle could be seen at a glance.
Of course, it was larger than a mansion, but it was too modest to be called a castle.
Lily felt curious about it, and Luke answered her question.
“He moves whenever his residence is discovered. Building a huge castle would only give him a headache when he moves.”
How does he know all this information?
Lily had always wondered every time she saw him, but she decided to let it go now.
As they went further inside, they saw a figure.
“Oh no, I didn’t expect our residence to be discovered so quickly…”
In a black suit, there stood a handsome man with shiny golden hair. His actions and way of speaking exuded a peculiar formality.
With a dignified physique and flawless skin, he appeared to be the son of some wealthy noble family.
However, no one here felt at ease.
“So, how was it? Did you like the gift I prepared?”
The man in front of them was none other than the one who had killed thousands of people.
One of the Four Heavenly Kings. The puppeteer, Net.
His likable appearance was nothing but a deception.
Inside him, he possessed a more cruel nature than anyone else…
The party of heroes quickly assumed their battle stances.
Luke and Camilla wielded their swords, Adel held a bow, and the saint unleashed her holy power while Lily conjured her magic.
Today, they would definitely bring down another evil.
Lily made up her mind, her resolution soaring.
But little did they know.
No matter how he appeared on the surface, he was one of the Four Heavenly Kings.
From Noble mtl dot com
The power accumulated over hundreds of years was not something to be taken lightly.
*
Crack!
Camilla’s sword strike pierced through Luke’s chest.
Bright red blood splattered in all directions from Luke’s body.
Under normal circumstances, he would have used his eerie black magic to manipulate the blood somehow, but this time, the hero couldn’t do it.
Half of his body had already crossed into the depths of the net. Even if he tried to use his skills, his own body would get in the way.
The hero party tried their best to disrupt the net’s brainwashing, but the result was as it appeared. There were limits to stopping its abilities, and as a result, Camilla and the hero had half of their bodies taken away.
“hehehehe, it’s been a while since I’ve had such a tough fight! Wonderful! I’m delighted!”
Of course, the monster wasn’t in perfect condition either.
Its body was filled with vital energy, and blood vessels ran along its head. It was clear that it had suffered serious injuries, as it had no self-healing skills.
But the party’s condition was worse than that.
The moment they were brainwashed, they were already rendered incapacitated. And to make matters worse, as time passed, even Adel began to succumb to the brainwashing.
Of course, the hero also made an effort. He tried to free himself from the brainwashing, even if it meant self-harm, and he summoned up his magical power even as his blood twisted.
In addition, Lily only learned today that the hero had the ability to do “that.”
“I offer ten years of my life.”
“I offer my right thumb.”
Word by word.
With each mutter from the hero, something disappeared from his body. But at the same time, an overwhelming power overflowed.
The brainwashing was undone, and the lost magical power surged back.
His appearance was definitely intimidating, but… it didn’t last long. After repeating it two or three times, the hero collapsed on his own.
Although Lily had only seen it happen two or three times, she could easily guess the reason. He was probably exhausted even before he could offer more.
Or perhaps he had reached the point where he couldn’t offer anymore…
…Lily naturally realized that the reason lay with herself.
After a while, the hero finally fell.
The monster’s magic and abilities, and facing both Adel and Camilla at once, had reached its limits.
The disbanding of the party happened in an instant when the hero fell.
In the blink of an eye, Ulysses’ head fell, and Camilla and Adel committed suicide as if it were planned.
Splat! Swoosh!
Amidst the splattering blood in all directions, Lily was the only one left.
“It was a tough fight! But now, it’s just the two of us!”
The maniacal eyes of the sorcerer were fixed on her.