NOVEL NEXT chapter 383
383. Nemesis of the Demonic (1)
Ha.
‘This is really something else.’
I felt it the moment I entered the gate and unleashed my first strike.
My body feels…clear.
No, ‘clear’ doesn’t even begin to describe how light I feel.
I had no major complaints with my previous physique, seeing as how I had pushed it to its absolute limit,
But I was wrong.
The power coursing through me was completely different from before.
Immensely.
All the effort I had poured in until now was amplified, bursting forth twofold.
The tangible difference of a body that had risen from the lowest tier of potential to a ‘normal’ level was beyond imagination.
‘4-Star… No, a destructive force closer to a 5-Star.’
Simply kicking off the ground lightly, and my zero-to-sixty time was cut in half.
My body flew forward much further than I anticipated, and, honestly, controlling it was a struggle at first.
It felt like upgrading the engine of an ordinary mid-size sedan to that of a supercar.
‘Good thing I tested this out, or it would have been a real disaster.’
Well, even if it wasn’t here, I would have had to test it out to some degree in the training grounds.
‘Still, nothing beats real combat when it comes to getting truly familiar with something.’
But at the same time, I felt a twinge of regret.
These paltry monsters wouldn’t allow me to properly test the upper limits of my power.
‘If another Star Ascendancy were to happen here…’
The mere thought sent my heart racing.
If that were to happen, it might actually become possible to wipe out the entire map with a single click, like one of those overpowered characters I used to create by splurging on gacha in the game Velvetthra.
‘No, it’s possible.’
A certainty bloomed within me.
Add the fifth star and Emptiness, and truly, transcendence could be reached.
A pleased smile touched my lips as I raised my blade towards the mind-folk, who, only moments ago, had been poised to flee.
* * *
The mind-folk were now incapable of anything resembling rational thought.
Who was Jin Yuha?
Though the name that inspired the most dread in the mind-folk was likely the Butcheress, Baek Seolhui,
Jin Yuha, too, possessed a reputation that resonated within the demonic realms.
Every time Utopia entered a demon gate, they were always the ones rooting for the opposing side, the demons.
So, when he faced the Insatiable Spider Queen, they had nervously cheered for the arachnid monarch.
The result? Utopia’s victory.
Even the demons they worshipped had been crushed beneath his heel like insects; what hope did mind-folk, beings who drew strength from them, have?
“L-Leader… what do we do…?”
“… Shit.”
“Why… why is that b*stard Jin Yuha here?!”
“…Shit!”
“We… we have to run!”
“…SHIT!!!”
They spoke of escape, but from the moment Jin Yuha’s gaze fell upon them, they were paralyzed.
Unbeknownst to them,
First Achievement Title Ⅰ – Slayer of the Impossible Foe. Demonsbane(魔殺)
{10% additional damage against all types of mind-folk and demons.}
First Achievement Title Ⅲ – Slayer of the Demon King. Kingslayer(王殺)
{Those possessing demonic energy feel an instinctive fear.}
And further still.
Trait: Charisma.
These two titles and trait instinctively branded Jin Yuha as a natural predator to the mind-folk, freezing them like frogs before a serpent.
Thud—
*Thump-*
*Thump-*
As Jin Yuha approached, cold sweat beaded on my skin despite myself,
his footsteps ringing in my ears like thunder.
His eyes, black as night, without a single spark of light, lifted to scan the trees.
Fragile and slender, though he was a man.
Here, no one could afford to see Jin Yuha as such.
“Hey, come down.”
He spoke, his voice a low rasp.
The Main tried to rebel in anyway they could but their bodies, already broken by fear, were honest.
At his command, the Main trembled and clambered down from the trees.
“Playing some fancy tricks, eh?”
*Thwack.*
Jin Yuha spoke, his blue sword dripping monster blood, casually slung over his shoulder.
“What, detonate Multan and Walpurgis and while everyone’s distracted, you blow up the Quetta Gate and try to nuke Pakistan?”
*Flump.*
The Main flinched
At Jin Yuha’s words, their bodies shuddered as if caught in an earthquake.
Never could they imagine that he knew their plans in their entirety.
“I suppose, since the Main Purge Squad is shorthanded… with the Purge Squad superiors busy dealing with other Main, a move like that would have some impact. But what a pity. I’ve already cleaned up this mess.”
*Gulp.*
“P-Please, spare us!”
“Hmm… spare you, you say?”
“Yes, I-I swear! Never again! Absolutely! I will never commit another one of these, i-impious acts!!!”
Nadia, the Main with burn scars on her face, prostrated herself, her forehead pressed to the ground.
“P-Please!”
“W-We are sorry!!!”
Then the other Main also began to beg before Jin Yuha, adopting the same posture.
There was no other way.
To oppose Jin Yuha here would be an act of madness.
The mere sight of him was enough to be consumed by dread; any such bravado would only lead to a dog’s death.
The faintest glimmer of hope resided in…
Unlike Baek Seol-hui, who sliced through Minds without question or answer, Jin Yu-ha was a hero.
To cling to his compassion—that was the only way to preserve their lives, perhaps.
With that conviction, the Minds began to beg before Jin Yu-ha.
However.
Jin Yu-ha’s reaction was unlike anything they had anticipated.
“Hmm, oho. What’s this? I can see it?”
Jin Yu-ha, his face etched with a peculiar expression, observed the Minds and then, surprisingly, voiced his admiration.
And then…
*Thwish!*
Jin Yu-ha’s sword slashed across her chest region.
Just as she thought it was all ending so meaninglessly.
“…Huh?”
Nadia, who had tightly squeezed her eyes shut, examined the spot where she had been cut with a bewildered look.
There was no wound.
Jin Yu-ha had forgiven them!
“T-thank you for sparing u-“
“Hmm? I wonder if you should be so thankful?”
“Pardon? What do you mean by…”
Her face alight with heartfelt gratitude as she turned to thank Jin Yu-ha, she suddenly felt a strange sensation.
The connection to the demon realm, the flow of demonic energy, had been severed!
“W-what is…”
A dark crimson aura was leaving her body, transforming her back into an ordinary human form.
‘No, this can’t be…’
A sudden wave of nausea.
*Gaaah!*
“aaah!!!”
“S-stop, stooop!!!”
“P-please, st-stop!!!!”
The Minds vomited blood, screaming in agony.
The expulsion of mana was never a peaceful affair.
Agony akin to having bone and flesh meticulously carved away.
With each fading wisp of mana that had enveloped their beings, a searing pain swept through their entirety.
“To sever the connection with the Mazoku, returning them to mere humans, eh…”
Jin Yuha mused, gazing at them with an intrigued expression.
“Hmm, it’s true the costs of the Demon Correctional Facility were no joke, was it? And the Demons we’ve apprehended this time are a truly considerable number.”
The Demons’ screams gradually subsided.
The light in their eyes dimmed, revealing aged bodies and pallid complexions.
“I wonder if this could be applied to Ichika’s curse? I hope it works.”
* * *
– Woah, what was that?
– Suddenly waving that sword, and they all aged?
– Ah, that’s so satisfying, kekeke. Becoming like that is way more cathartic than just dying, LOL
– But wait, what is that, haha… Can Jin Yuha even use magic now…?
– Holy crap, LOLOLOL. They all look like they’ve aged 50 years, HAHAHA
Those watching the broadcast were equally bewildered by Jin Yuha’s newfound ability.
Shin Sehee, eyes bloodshot from using her Mind’s Eye, let out a hollow laugh.
‘…This is even possible?’
“To sever mana from a Demon… this is beyond the pale… Jin Yuha-ssi…”
Until now, the law dictated Demons be subdued then contained, or, failing that, killed outright.
Once tainted by mana, a Demon would inevitably succumb to the Mazoku’s will.
Hence, the astronomical investments and fortifications poured into the Demon Correctional Facility.
But, if mana could be stripped from Demons?
All those defensive costs could be slashed to a tenth, or less.
And the chattering mouths of the noisy politicians, yammering about Demon rights, would be silenced in an instant.
Moreover…
‘This would be utter despair for the Demons.’
To be deprived of mana was akin to ripping mana from a Hunter.
Most would sooner embrace death than suffer such a fate.
And for Demons, who practically worshipped that power as a deity, what greater torment could there be?
“There’s no loss as profound as being robbed of what you already possess.”
A disconcerting notion, surely, even for the Mazoku.
If Jin Yu-ha was to be believed, the Mazoku derived their power from the life force and sacrifices offered by the Maim.
This event, undeniably, held the potential to be pivotal in future Mazoku counter-measures.
“That’s all for today’s Utopia broadcast. Thank you all for tuning in!”
– Don’t go!!!
– Where are you going!!!!
– ㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠ When will you be back if you leave today!!!
– Se-hee, Se-hee, get an interview with Jin Yu-ha!
*Beep.*
Shin Se-hee delivered her final greeting and then ended the broadcast, rising from her seat.
To harness Jin Yu-ha’s power, preparations were needed.
“Heh heh heh… Truly… He never ceases to amaze.”