Encounter

Clang! Clang clang!

Burke’s sword tried to grind against mine as if it were a saw blade.

The sword itself wasn’t anything special.

It was just that the demonic energy Burke wielded contained such power.

However, the sword my master gave me didn’t even get scratched by such power.

As I confirmed during the bandit fight, it truly is an absurdly fine blade.

“Aaaaaaarghhhh!!”

Burke seemed to be screaming.

Yes, he must feel wronged, must be in agony.

So he should cry as much as he wants to cry and scream as much as he wants to scream.

Burke has no special talent.

He probably knows he can’t win against me.

Yes, he just has demonic energy added on top of the effort he built up over 5 years.

If I wanted to kill Burke, I could do it right now.

But I can at least keep him company until he vents all his final frustrations.

It was his life. And it ended up like this in someone else’s hands.

Then shouldn’t I at least give him a chance to show everything he’s worked for until now?

“I’ll remember clearly that you existed.”

Sword clashes against sword. Burke who was rolling on the ground throws dirt.

I sweep away the flying dagger with my sleeve. I dodge the kick that shoots up from below.

The more he fought, the calmer he became, and accordingly, the proportion of demonic energy he used decreased as well.

“Hic……”

He no longer vented his frustrations but was simply accepting the outcome he had to face.

“Hic, hicc.”

No anger remains, only sadness.

Little by little, through his actions and techniques, he showed what kind of life Burke had lived.

And accordingly, the tears Burke shed flowed quietly and calmly.

And when he finally drew out all his strength and slashed at my waist.

He finally stopped.

I finally understood that all that struggling was the path Burke had taken to survive.

Swoosh!

I shape the holy power that had been faintly flowing into form.

What I borrowed was Jupiter, one of the celestial gods who rank as major deities even in the Pantheon Temple.

Jupiter’s lightning.

Crackle!

The lightning that was with me in my final moments manifests in the form of a spear.

Life returns to Burke’s eyes that had been in an almost trance-like state.

Following that, Burke lowered his head as if resigned.

“Promise.”

“Yes.”

“Keep your promise!!”

“I swear in the name of all the gods of the Pantheon Temple. I will definitely ensure your sister lives a normal life.”

The greatest oath I could make. Burke would know what it means for a priest like me to swear on the gods’ names.

“…Thank you.”

Finally seeming to accept his death, Burke lowered his head without resistance.

He must be hoping our promise will be kept. That’s why he’s trying to curry favor by bowing his head to me whom he’s only known for a week.

“Please take care of my sister……”

BOOM!!

A thunderous roar sounds along with that oath.

Jupiter’s lightning that left my hand pierces Burke’s heart.

The lightning embedded in his heart spreads throughout Burke’s body.

Half-demons don’t die easily to powers other than holy power. The power of demonic energy constantly regenerates their bodies.

That’s why aside from purification through holy power, the only method is to keep killing them until they can’t regenerate, inflicting pain.

So I end it in one strike. I cut off his breath with my strongest card so his suffering will be brief.

“Clai…re.”

“……”

“Sor…ry. Big brother… was a fool……”

It must have felt like his body was burning up. Yet rather than screams, he left apologies for his sister.

“Well done.”

All I could do for him was pray that his soul might be forgiven by the gods.

“Burke.”

When was it?

I recall my final promise with him that had congealed in my heart.

Burke had realized he was gradually changing.

He noticed he was starting to harbor killing intent toward Claire.

-■■■. You kill me.

So he told me. Asked me to kill him. He left such words with me who could be called his friend.

But when that moment actually came.

When Burke started rampaging in the middle of town, I didn’t kill Burke but ran away.

I could hear later what happened to Burke. Surrounded by numerous hunters and priests, he died after being pierced by countless blades.

Claire, Burke’s sister, was there too. She watched her brother die.

She watched as her loving brother tried to kill her.

And finally was surrounded by numerous hunters and murdered.

It shouldn’t have been like that. I should have killed Burke as promised.

I shouldn’t have let Claire see such a horrific sight. I shouldn’t have let her experience such a horrific thing.

Yes, so just like now…

“This time I kept my promise.”

I’m not sure if my words reached him. His corpse was already turning to dust and beginning to scatter.

What a cruel thing it is.

That half-demons can’t even leave their bodies in this world…

“So this is why it’s called a trial.”

Because it can feel so empty to those watching.

*     *     *

Around the time Lost was giving Burke peace as a human,

“Uahahahaha!”

Boom!

Titan was locked in fierce combat with Tross Ryan.

Tross Ryan receives his overwhelming power with a single sword.

Titan wasn’t inferior to Tross Ryan in any aspect.

Not in strength, technique, or even speed.

But he was being pushed back. Tross Ryan with aura imbued could easily overturn differences in strength and speed.

An ability that defied common sense.

“Magnificent!”

Titan seemed to be having an epiphany watching the blue aura coalescing at the tip of Tross Ryan’s sword.

‘So father can handle this…!’

At the same time, Titan trembled.

Craig is stronger than him. Even without using aura, he was strong enough to subdue him.

Yet realizing that such a Craig could actually handle aura as well felt like an insurmountable wall and sparked his competitive spirit.

“Yes, I’m still not qualified after all.”

Craig had never demonstrated aura in his battles with Titan. He hadn’t needed to.

You don’t use a cow-slaughtering knife to kill a chicken. Titan was still far from being worthy of seeing Craig’s aura.

“No matter who you are, I must thank you for this encounter.”

A being stronger than himself who could handle aura. Being able to fight such an opponent meant there was much to learn.

Setting aside that he was evil, he couldn’t deny this was someone who had taught him many things.

“Hmm!”

Boom!

Titan’s hammer falls onto Tross Ryan’s sword.

The aura-imbued sword receives that hammer and remains intact.

Tross Ryan who must have felt that weight remains steadfast.

‘I…’

But rather, Tross Ryan couldn’t hide his bewilderment.

Clang clang clang!

This time he deflects Titan’s thrusting spear to the side. While breaking into cold sweat at the razor-sharp keenness, he immediately uses that gap to leave a scratch on Titan’s body.

The situation was clearly advantageous for Tross Ryan. Though Titan wielded weapons centered on weight, he couldn’t bring out that power in this situation.

Meanwhile, Tross Ryan was demonstrating unified offense and defense swordsmanship, stabbing his sword through gaps between gaps.

But there were no fatal wounds. Titan always struck first.

‘I’m being outmatched in technique?’

He’s superior in both strength and speed.

But Titan’s exquisite attacks made it difficult to utilize that.

“To think I would be, by such a barbarian!!”

Titan’s weapons are originally the type that crushes with strength and weight. Naturally, there’s nothing special about them in terms of technique.

Yet being outmatched means there’s a big difference between the two.

Though Tross Ryan was a knight of considerable skill, he doesn’t rely on aura. His essence is that of a swordsman.

If your sword handling is crude, what good is being able to use aura? It would be like putting a pearl necklace on a pig.

But at this moment, his pride was starting to crack.

Someone stronger than him? Sure, there could be plenty.

But not the being before him.

Such a stupid barbarian couldn’t be better than him.

He had invested his whole life.

He had dedicated his life to the sword and as a result gained his current position.

“What an amusing fellow.”

Thud!

Titan’s strike that hadn’t been landing effective hits until now. Tross Ryan staggered greatly from the fist that was swung after dropping the hammer.

“Kugh.”

It was a punch thrown as if just tapping.

It didn’t seem to have proper strength behind it, let alone aura.

Yet even so, Tross Ryan felt his consciousness fly away for a moment. No technique or aura was needed.

Titan’s body was already completed to a sufficient degree.

“This is…”

He was hit by such a simple strike.

It was humiliating. But more than that, what filled Tross Ryan’s heart was jealousy.

“Isn’t this cheating…”

Muscles that are difficult to cut even with an aura-imbued sword.

Technique that surpasses his own.

And above all else, a completed body. No, even something beyond that.

It makes everything he built through effort meaningless.

The fact that just being born an orc could grant such a completed body made him angry.

“I…! I poured my whole life to reach this level!”

The aura coalesced on Tross Ryan’s sword blazes like flames.

He manifests the power he built over his lifetime in the form of rage.

“For me to, to the likes of you!!”

Tross Ryan deeply lowered his body while holding his sword with both hands.

Then he charged in like a lion targeting its prey.

Slash!

A deeper wound than before was carved into Titan’s body.

Red blood burst forth from that absurd cutting power and Titan’s body staggered for a moment.

“I did it… I did it!”

The moment Tross Ryan shouted in triumph, Titan traced his wound with his fingertip.

He seemed to show no particular emotion.

“Is that your full power?”

“……”

“Is that what you wanted? You dedicated your whole life, melted your life into power, and that’s all?”

Titan’s gaze looking at Tross Ryan was cold. It seemed to show disappointment at a glance.

“For just that level of power, for power that’s satisfied with inflicting just this kind of wound.”

Crunch!

Titan clenched his fist after discarding his weapons. An ominous presence began flowing from his tightly clenched fist.

“You bought and sold your fellow humans?”

Tross Ryan earned money through human trafficking.

He used that money to build up his family, his power.

For armor to protect his body, for a sword that could cut any opponent.

Just for such things, he had bought and sold people.

These were things Titan absolutely couldn’t understand. No, he didn’t even want to try understanding.

“What did you gain through that power? Is wounding me your badge of honor? You committed such horrific acts just to be satisfied with that much?”

“Someone like you who had everything from the start wouldn’t understand!”

The opponent doesn’t know. Doesn’t know how cornered he was. Probably never even had such worries.

Tross Ryan shouted in rage. Knowing no logic could dwell in his words, he could only shout.

“No, no one had everything from the start.”

Titan’s response to that was so very calm that.

Tross Ryan could only watch Titan’s next actions without being able to say anything.

“I too was just a powerless youngster when I was young.”

Crunch!!

Titan’s foot stretched forward as if brushing and fixed onto the ground.

“Everyone is like that.”

Then after pulling back his fist greatly, he threw it while simultaneously rotating his ankle, waist, and shoulders.

With a posture that was the very embodiment of perfection, pouring in all his strength.

“The starting points weren’t that different. What was different was how to respond to the desperation faced.”

BOOM!!

An absurd thunderous roar sounds and.

“That mindset alone.”

Finally, everything blocking Titan’s front disappeared.

“You’re not the only one who felt desperation.”

*     *     *

Around when Burke’s body completely turned to dust and disappeared.

I was watching the Ryan baronial mansion crumbling.

Looking at that absurd scene, I could tell the outcome was already decided.

It’s obvious who did it.

After all, this isn’t something that could happen from just swinging a sword a few times.

“…By now Duke Forys should be arriving too.”

Probably together with Allen Wise, the hunter’s guild master who had connections with Burke.

Since a grand mage like him is getting directly involved, there shouldn’t be any problems, but there’s such a thing as social face.

With this, the stage Titan wanted for fighting Allen Wise is complete. Though I’m not sure if he can do it after fighting Tross Ryan.

Given Titan’s status, it will probably end up as just an exhibition match anyway.

“Well then, about time…”

Time to release the path I had blocked to corner Burke.

The alley leading to the Ryan baronial mansion doesn’t get many people, but keeping it blocked like this would be inconsiderate.

“……”

I place my hand on the ice wall I created.

Just that alone makes the ice wall begin disappearing into light.

It was borrowed in exchange for holy power.

I’m just returning it.

The moment I completely broke down the ice wall and opened the path.

“What…?”

Before my eyes appeared an old man wearing a bizarre smile.

I was dumbfounded at that fact.

It felt like an illusion where the world had turned monochrome and collapsed, while simultaneously feeling like a terrible nightmare.

“Thanks to you, I saw something interesting. Sorry for peeking, young man.”

“……”

A hunched old man. He looks both like a sage and a devil.

I couldn’t forget even if I wanted to. How could I forget that appearance?

“Hmm? Young man, why are you standing there blankly? Did something happen?”

Demons are beings that turn people into half-demons and ultimately transform their existence into demons. That’s how they increase their kind.

“Why are you trembling so? Are you cold? Or struck with fear? Of whom? For what reason?”

Then wouldn’t there be an original being who created those demons?

There exists a being that humans should fear most when naming him.

One of humanity’s designated 10 trials. A task that must be overcome someday.

The being positioned in the final chapter of that list.

“You seem to know who I am.”

<The One Who Is Everywhere>

Malice

“Answer me.”

That unidentified trial was also called this in the future I knew.

“You know me.”

The King of Darkness, ‘Belial’.

“Don’t you?”

Coincidentally, the being right before my eyes now was ‘him’.