Chapter 83: To the Demonic Realm (11)

Kaaang!!!

With a fierce roar, ice fragments scattered in all directions.

‘This much isn’t enough.’

It was certainly a power that couldn’t be compared to when I hadn’t wreathed it in Demonic energy, but unfortunately, it was insufficient to break through the barrier created by the Magic of Severe Cold in time.

Kang!

Kaang─!

The Fang of Blazing Fire struck the ice barrier over and over again.

But only large and small cracks formed; it could not break through the massive ice barrier.

Because it slipped on the blood flowing from my burst palm, I kept losing my grip on the Fang of Blazing Fire.

I had no sensation in my hand.

Nevertheless, I did not stop swinging the Fang of Blazing Fire.

Kang!

Kaang─!

Only the roar of something crashing echoed continuously, and Yohan’s breathing, which I could feel from inside the ice barrier, gradually grew fainter.

“F*ck…….”

A curse, which I had almost never uttered since coming to this world, escaped me unknowingly.

Nevertheless, my agitation subsided surprisingly quickly.

Even though it was a situation where that was completely impossible, the mind of the Postponer of Ruin had granted me peace and composure.

‘It can’t go on like this.’

Analyzing the target and finding the answer.

That was one of the things I did best in the World of Justice Online.

‘In that case.’

If I couldn’t break through the ice barrier with just the firepower I had now.

‘I’ll create even stronger firepower.’

The easiest way among them was for me to make a contract with the Demon of Blazing Fire, but that was only the last and worst choice.

So much so that if I made a contract with the Demon of Blazing Fire in this state, I couldn’t even fathom what Price I would have to offer.

Above all, I still had one option left.

The most familiar and powerful weapon I had.

[Activating ‘Weapon Summon(??)’.]

[A ‘Lv.1’ weapon is being summoned.]

[Summoning weapon, ‘Colt garrison B-09’.]

I gripped the Colt garrison B-09 and pulled the trigger toward the ice barrier.

Taang!─

Should I say it was obvious?

The bullet that hit the ice barrier created a small crack in the ice barrier and then ricocheted right off.

‘As I thought, it’s no use.’

I already knew this much would be insufficient.

I recalled the ways Yohan had handled Demonic energy.

‘Certainly, each bit of Demonic energy had moved as if it were alive.’

If that was possible, wouldn’t it be possible for the Demonic energy itself to maintain its power even if it was temporarily separated from me?

The thought was short, and the action was fast.

Sssss…….

The Demonic energy inside me stirred and moved toward the Colt garrison B-09 in my right hand.

To be precise, into the magazine inside the Colt garrison B-09.

‘If I just carelessly infused Demonic energy into the Colt garrison B-09, it will only become a sturdier blunt weapon. To strengthen the gun’s power, I ultimately have to infuse the Demonic energy into the bullet.’

I didn’t know if that was possible or not.

Because it was something that, at least in the World of Justice Online, no one could have tried experimenting with.

Sssss!

The Demonic energy that had been staying in the Colt garrison B-09 immediately flowed into the magazine.

I didn’t know if the Demonic energy would remain in the bullet even after the trigger was pulled.

But it didn’t matter.

Since I would find out soon enough.

Taaaaang!!!

I saw it.

The black aura wreathed around the bullet fired from the muzzle.

[You have acquired the Art, ‘Demonic Bullet(B)’.]

At the same time as the Demonic Bullet, wreathed in Demonic energy, struck the ice barrier.

SHAAAAATTER!!!

The ice fragments that shattered into pieces scattered in all directions.

Swish!

Swiiiiiish!!!

The scattered ice fragments flew in like dozens of blades.

I had no hobby of standing still and becoming an ice skewer, so I hurriedly turned my body.

The ice fragments that hit the Blade Black Raven Cloak bounced off powerlessly.

No matter how much it was an ice barrier made with the Magic of Severe Cold, once it was broken, it was no different from ordinary ice fragments.

“Hoo…….”

When I carefully looked back, I saw Yohan, who was almost buried in the ice debris.

Judging by the extremely faint breathing I heard from within, his condition did not look good.

No, it would be weirder if he was fine after suffering from gunshot wounds, burns, and on top of that, frostbite.

‘Is it pretty much over?’

A faint Demonic energy still lingered around Yohan’s entire body, but it was far too insufficient to control his physical body.

Yohan was also in a state of having completely lost consciousness.

That was why I had to completely uproot that Demonic energy at this opportunity.

Because if not now, I wouldn’t have the chance.

Trudge, trudge.

I headed toward the collapsed Yohan with staggering steps.

When I cleared away the broken ice fragments covering Yohan’s body, Yohan’s form was finally revealed.

Yohan had not regained consciousness, but the Demonic energy inside him had not.

Hsss, hssss!

The snake of Demonic energy that rose from Yohan’s entire body revealed its bestial nature upon seeing me.

Nevertheless, the reason I did not stop extending my hand was because the Demonic energy gushing from Yohan was now at a level closer to a worm than a snake.

“Where do you think you’re going?”

With one light wave of my hand, the worm of Demonic energy was powerlessly knocked away.

No matter how faint, Demonic energy was a dangerous power.

But it was useless against me.

Because I had the absolute power to crush that very Demonic energy.

[Due to the effect of the ‘Postponer of Ruin (EX)’ trait, additional damage is dealt to targets with the Demonic attribute.]

[It is a powerful Demonic! Additional damage is dealt!]

[500% additional damage is dealt!]

The power of the Postponer of Ruin also did not activate that strongly, showing just how weak the Demonic energy Yohan was emitting had become.

Of course, this was more than enough, so I went right up to Yohan and placed my hand on his head.

“Gurg, gurgle……!”

With that, Yohan’s entire body trembled violently, and a seizure occurred.

It was not that something was wrong with Yohan’s physical body.

To be precise, it was the Demonic energy inside him rampaging.

Hsssss!

As if sensing the threat of the Postponer of Ruin which excluded Demonic, Yohan’s Demonic energy rose all at once and surged toward me.

But it was slow, and weak.

I lightly snatched the outstretched stem of Demonic energy with my hand.

This was thanks to the power of the Postponer of Ruin, which made it possible to grab with my hand what I originally shouldn’t have been able to grab.

Skreeee!!

As soon as I lightly squeezed my hand, Yohan’s Demonic energy, crushed by the power of the Postponer of Ruin, screamed.

There was no need to hesitate.

I began to pull the Demonic energy I held in my hand.

“Come out here.”

Snap, sn-snap!

With a sound as if a tough fiber was snapping, Demonic energy began to be pulled out of Yohan’s body.

“Gurgle!”

Yohan’s seizure intensified accordingly, but I did not stop.

Because if I stopped carelessly here, it would instead be counterproductive.

Sn-SNAP!!

With a bizarre sound, the Demonic energy finally pulled out of Yohan’s body and cried out ominously.

Wuuuuu──

The tightly balled energy of Demonic trembled bizarrely, as if it were alive.

I could have immediately extinguished it with the power of the Postponer of Ruin, but I had a different thought.

‘This…… might be possible.’

The Demonic energy that began to slowly flow from my body went to meet the Demonic energy caught in my palm.

SKREEEEEEE!!!

After that, it was feeding time.

The Demonic energy, wreathed in the power of the Postponer of Ruin, enveloped Yohan’s Demonic energy, and a bizarre sound, like scratching a chalkboard, echoed.

The bizarre sound was not long.

Before long, Yohan’s Demonic energy quieted down, assimilated with my Demonic energy, and was naturally absorbed into my body.

As if it had been mine from the beginning.

[Demonic energy has been absorbed!]

[Understanding and control over Demonic have greatly increased!]

[Demonic energy increases. (+2)]

[3 → 5]

‘Hoh…….’

I had a feeling it would work somehow, and I succeeded far more easily than I had expected.

I had succeeded in taking another’s Demonic energy as my own.

I could feel it.

That a power that couldn’t even be compared to the Demonic energy I had harbored until now had come into my hands.

Sssss…….

When I gently raised Demonic energy at my fingertips, a sluggish Demonic energy flowed out.

That Demonic energy changed its shape according to my will, and also increased its size.

It meant that my control over Demonic energy had increased to a level incomparable to before.

If Yohan had fully absorbed the Demonic energy he had shown earlier, even this would have looked laughable, but that was not a power I could control yet, no matter how much I had the power of the Postponer ofRuin.

No, in the first place, there was no way I could have completely suppressed that amount of Demonic energy.

‘More important than that is that I’ve learned I can absorb another’s Demonic energy as my own.’

Of course, the process wouldn’t be easy, but if I could just utilize this properly, things would become much easier from now on.

‘Then…….’

I shifted my gaze to Yohan.

The Power of the Orb of Water was exerted, and small water droplets seeped into Yohan.

It seemed recovering wouldn’t be easy, as he had suffered burns, frostbite, and gunshot wounds all at once, but what was important now was that Yohan hadn’t died.

‘For now, it would be better to go back to the safe zone.’

As it was, the atmosphere in the Demonic Realm was already tense because Yohan and I had caused such a commotion.

Thanks to the scent and traces scattered by the Mutant, other demonic beasts hadn’t flocked here yet, but that wouldn’t last long.

I moved my feet, with Yohan slung over my shoulder.

***

Yohan regained consciousness a few hours after we arrived at the safe zone.

His injuries were serious enough that it wouldn’t have been strange if he had died, but he had barely regained consciousness thanks to me focusing the Power of the Orb of Water as much as possible.

“Where……? Keuk!”

“Stay lying down. If you overdo it, your wounds might get worse.”

“How on earth, is this……”

“Do you have no memory?”

“Ugh!”

Yohan clutched his head.

Not long after, as if his memories were slowly returning, the look in Yohan’s eyes as he looked at me changed slightly.

“……Are you hurt anywhere?”

“I’m fine.”

“……I’m sorry, truly. I have no words. Because of me, this kind of thing……”

Yohan’s voice cracked.

It wouldn’t be bad to give Yohan more time like this, but I had something I needed to do.

“I have something I want to ask.”

“……Please ask. If it’s something I know, I’ll tell you anything.”

“Can you raise Demonic energy right now?”

“That’s……”

Yohan trailed off.

It seemed he remembered what had happened because of the Demonic energy.

“I know what you’re worried about. I just want to check.”

“But……”

“I said it’s fine.”

“……I understand.”

Yohan squeezed his eyes shut.

However, even as time passed, nothing happened.

“As I thought.”

“……What happened?”

“I removed the Demonic energy in your body.”

Yohan shot up with a stunned expression.

“W-Wait a minute! Removing Demonic energy was possible? How? If there’s a way, then more people could be─”

“Stop.”

“……Yes?”

“I know what you want to ask. But the method I used to remove the Demonic energy is something only I can do. So even if you know the method, it will be useless.”

“That……”

I knew what Yohan had been expecting.

Like the ultimate pushover among pushovers, he must have thought that if Demonic energy could be removed, he could save many Players.

Even though that process would surely not be easy.

‘That aside…….’

Seeing Yohan this time, I felt that one of the conjectures I had made so far was falling into place.

Yohan probably wasn’t the first Player to lose his reason due to Demonic energy after absorbing a fragment.

If so, what happened to them now?

“I have something I want to ask.”

“……Please ask.”

“You said before that you had seen the Newbie hunter in person.”

“Ah…… that’s right. But why that, all of a sudden……?”

“In that case, was the Newbie hunter also someone who had lost their reason to Demonic energy?”

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep