Chapter 145 : Beyond the Sky

Pussus……. (Hiss…….)

As the White Light scattered in all directions slowly cleared, the dragon of fire that seemed as if it would swallow everything on the ground once disappeared.

The sword that destroys Demonic.

And cuts Magic.

Divine Sword Levatein.

Due to that, the dragon of fire was completely annihilated.

No matter if it was Divine Sword Levatein, with a reproduction rate of merely 15%, it probably couldn’t have cut the Magic of Self-Sacrifice, but thanks to wrapping it in Demonic energy and supplementing the insufficient power, it was possible to cut the Magic of Self-Sacrifice.

“Un, believable…….”

“Is that the Mage of Thunder……!”

Winter Castle knights stared at this scene dumbfounded.

‘It will end easier than I thought.’

Because one of the Demonic persons swept up even the nearby Demonic persons with the Magic of Self-Sacrifice, the condition of the remaining Demonic persons was not very good.

Of course, due to the characteristics of Demonic persons, their combat power doesn’t weaken significantly no matter how bad their condition is, but the problem was that the number of Demonic persons had already decreased significantly.

On the other hand, since Winter Castle’s forces were still almost intact, from now on it was no different from mopping up remnants.

“What is everyone doing?”

“……Huh?”

“Finish mopping them up.”

“Ah.”

Only then did the Winter Castle knights, who were dumbfounded for a moment, rush towards the remaining Demonic persons.

Although I had exhausted all the AKR-74 Assault Rifle rounds, I also held the B686 Double Barrel Shotgun in my hand and stepped out to support the fire.

Tang!

Taaang─!

The Demonic persons are certainly threatening.

Not only because of the excellent combat power possessed by individual Demonic persons, but especially because the Demonic energy they harbored possessed properties like deadly toxicity to humans.

However, such strengths of theirs were meaningless in front of bullets harboring the power of the Postponer of Ruin.

The armor harder than steel called Demonic energy that the Demonic persons were wrapped in rather became a huge weakness for them, and the tenacious vitality due to Demonic energy also crumbled powerlessly in front of the power of the Postponer of Ruin.

“Heaven…….”

“Vicious horde who knows no honor! Return to the earth!”

The swords of Winter Castle knights, whose poison was fully raised, cut the arms of the Demonic persons and struck off their necks.

The fight continued again.

Until I stepped forward, it was a situation where Winter Castle knights were being pushed back unilaterally, but as I stepped forward, the situation changed.

The knights’ swords struck off the arms and legs of the Demonic persons, and if they didn’t stop despite that, they blew off their heads.

Only then did the Demonic persons, who possessed such tenacious vitality, begin to fall one by one.

“Kuaak!”

“Sir Oron!”

Despite it being such an advantageous situation, not a small amount of damage occurred on the Winter Castle knights’ side as well.

That’s how tenacious the Demonic persons’ vitality was.

Like that, we slaughtered a total of eighteen Demonic persons, and succeeded in capturing the remaining two Demonic persons as prisoners after cutting off their arms and legs.

No matter if a Demonic person can replace parts of their body to some extent with Demonic energy, it is impossible to replace all disappeared limbs.

“You probably won’t need to stop the bleeding separately. Even so, they won’t die, so in many ways, it will probably be better to just leave them like that.”

It was meant to say that it might become troublesome if I stopped the bleeding unnecessarily and the Demonic persons who gained energy ran wild using Demonic energy.

Even though they have no limbs, the power of a Demonic person, Demonic energy, will still remain.

“Hmm, is that so? Understood.”

Despite it being a somewhat strange statement, Edric obediently conveyed my words to the knights.

The knights also seemed to respect Edric, as they obediently followed those words rather than refuting separately.

As I already knew, Edric was a figure in a quite strange position even within Winter Castle.

“Mage of Thunder, you are more than what I heard in rumors. Thanks to you, I lived.”

A Knight of Winter Castle who revealed himself as Gunnar Winterheart greeted me as a representative.

“It is a relief that a talent like you is in Winter Castle. If it weren’t for you, the damage would have been great.”

“I just did what I had to do.”

“By the way…….”

Gunnar Winterheart’s gaze looked at me.

“The energy those guys used and the energy you used were quite similar…… is there any relationship?”

Is he asking as expected?

I already utilized Demonic energy including Demonic Bullets several times in the battle with the Demonic persons.

Naturally, seeing me use energy similar to Demonic persons, he couldn’t help but have such questions.

“It seems it would be difficult for me to tell you about that part right now.”

“Is that so?”

Whether it was because I played a big active role in this battle or because he thought he couldn’t pressure me right now, I didn’t know, but Gunnar backed down more obediently than I thought.

“It seems we will meet again sooner or later, Mage of Thunder.”

Gunnar disappeared inside Winter Castle along with the captured Demonic persons with those words as the last.

Although Winter Castle would also make efforts in their own way to find out the full story of this incident, honestly speaking, I didn’t have high expectations.

Because if one thinks about what kind of existence Demonic persons are, one can know how absurd it is to open their mouths with something like torture.

No, even if they open their mouths, would there be anyone among the Demonic persons who properly remembers the full story of this incident.

I was negative.

“Everyone worked hard. Thanks to you guys, the damage was greatly reduced. Let’s return to the barracks immediately.”

As the situation was settled, Edric praised the 4th Special Task Force members.

“Ugh, what on earth are those monsters? They are guys I’m seeing for the first time.”

At Conlan’s words, Edric shook his head.

“Well, I don’t know that well either. It’s my first time seeing such people too.”

“Even if you are seeing them for the first time, Captain?”

“Regrettably, that is so.”

“Something is ominous.”

“I agree.”

“Just how is the world turning……. Tsk.”

“The world was always a kaleidoscope, big guy.”

Alicia approached me.

“Vell, are you okay?”

“I am okay. In my view, you don’t look okay.”

“I am okay.”

“Okay indeed.”

Seeing as there were big and small wounds all over her body, it seemed Alicia also went through quite a fierce battle.

I handed Alicia the medicine and bandages I had bought at the auction house.

“……Thank you.”

While doing so, Edric approached.

“Vell, do you know something?”

“Well. I also don’t have anything certain yet, so if I get to know for sure later, I will tell you again then.”

It would be good to say just this much for now.

Telling the truth would only complicate the story, and I had no intention of telling it either.

“Hmm…… is that so? Understood.”

Despite Edric probably also having the same question as Gunnar, he didn’t say anything more than that.

Sometimes I was curious about his inner thoughts, whether it was insensitivity or what, but as always, I had no intention of digging into it.

Exactly this much appropriate distance.

That was the distance I had maintained in the 4th Special Task Force until now, and I had no intention of narrowing that distance.

Because ultimately, they and I were different.

Because we had to be different.

‘Then…….’

Before returning to the barracks, I collected Ascension Stone Fragments from the corpses of the Demonic persons.

Despite openly packing Ascension Stone Fragments from the corpses of Demonic persons, there was no one particularly restraining me.

It seemed the performance of cutting magic shown a while ago was quite useful.

Eighteen Ascension Stone Fragments excluding those of the two Demonic persons captured as prisoners.

That came into my hands.

“……Was there that much to pack from those monsters?”

At Conlan’s words, who was watching my actions quietly, I nodded roughly.

“Well, it’s on the side of yes.”

“Even so, I don’t really want to touch the things those monsters possessed……. Well, if you say you will pack them, I guess that’s that.”

Conlan merely said that in passing, and none of the special task force members spoke about me packing Ascension Stone Fragments.

Should I say it feels like they don’t think it’s particularly strange just because a guy who originally does eccentric things does one or two more eccentric things?

‘Well, it worked out well for me.’

Although I packed a large amount of Ascension Stone Fragments for now, I couldn’t absorb them all in this place.

Previously when I absorbed an Ascension Stone Fragment, a huge storm of Demonic energy occurred to the extent that it could be detected from the outside.

Then, if I absorb this amount of Ascension Stone Fragments at once, what on earth will happen.

‘Not simply a level of being detected, it might exert some influence on the entire Empire.’

Therefore, I moved my steps to the barracks while packing the Ascension Stone Fragments for now.

***

The Winter Castle attack incident by twenty Demonic persons caused great repercussions in Winter Castle.

The overall security of Winter Castle was greatly strengthened, and messengers whose destination and origin were unknown came in and out of the castle gate day after day.

That’s how shocking the existence of Demonic persons was, and Winter Castle side also seemed to be trying to find out about the full story of this incident while sharing information about them with the Empire.

As a result, although most facts were not revealed, there is one thing that was revealed.

The very fact that the identity of the Demonic persons were all people called travelers or explorers.

Yes, players.

‘Eventually, it becomes like this.’

The conflict between natives and players was a problem that would explode someday, but the incident was growing quite large to the extent that one might think this very incident is the trigger if there is one.

Especially, since stories about Winter Castle were coming out even on the Anonymous Bulletin Board, there was no need to explain further.

-What happened at Winter Castle? Recently there is a lot of talk about that side in the Empire.

-Heard Demonic persons appeared at Winter Castle.

-Fr?

I don’t know how on earth the Anonymous Bulletin Board users know about the incident that happened at Winter Castle, but at least it seemed certain that this incident was spreading to the Empire.

Still, what is behind the attack of the Demonic persons was not revealed.

It was true that I was also curious about that part, but right now what was urgent for me was about the Ascension Stone Fragments rather than that.

‘I should be able to move soon.’

Since I couldn’t do the job of absorbing Ascension Stone Fragments inside Winter Castle, I looked for Edric.

“Captain.”

“Ah, it’s you. What is the matter?”

“May I go out for a while.”

“Hmm, what is the matter?”

“I thought I might try hunting demonic beasts after a long time. It feels like pins and needles staying inside.”

“Will you be okay alone?”

“Yes, I am okay.”

“Understood.”

Despite probably knowing that my business for going out was not simply hunting, Edric obediently issued a leave permit.

“Thank you.”

“Have a safe trip.”

Receiving the leave permit from Edric, I headed outside the castle gate just like that.

“Look who it is! Isn’t it the Mage of Thunder! I heard about your active role a while ago. I heard it was really amazing.”

The Guard Team Leader whom I get along with quite well welcomed me.

“I just did what I had to do.”

“I knew you would say that. Is it an outing? Have a safe trip.”

Leaving Winter Castle just like that, I headed east as much as possible.

Since the real purpose was not hunting demonic beasts or anything, naturally, there was a need to head to a snowfield far away from Winter Castle as much as possible.

Like that, how long did I head out.

Around the time the huge appearance of Winter Castle disappeared beyond the horizon, I stopped my steps and took out the Ascension Stone Fragments that were in my bag.

The sizes of the Ascension Stone Fragments were each different, but at least among them, there was none that could be called small compared to the fragments I had seen until now.

Should I say they all possessed sizes above average.

‘If I absorb all of this…… then I will definitely be able to know a little bit about what the Great Heaven is.’

I barely made it here.

Since there was no need to hesitate anymore, I placed my hands on the Ascension Stone Fragments.

[Absorbs ‘Ascension Stone Fragment’.]

[The Great Heaven issues a trial to you.]

At that moment.

Kugugugugugu!!!!

A huge storm of Demonic that had not dared to be seen until now arose and continued straight to the sky.

If I were to explain that overwhelming scenery in a single phrase, there was only one.

The sky opened.

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