Episode 147

Thud!

With his smaller frame, Arataso moved with lightning speed.

He leaped into the air, swinging his sword at Zeke.

Boom!

A green aura erupted from the blade, engulfing Zeke.

But Zeke’s Hershion deflected the green aura effortlessly.

As Arataso descended, he swung his sword down with all his might.

Crash!

The sword suddenly grew massive, its weight bearing down on Zeke.

Clang!

Arataso’s sword clashed with Zeke’s.

Boom!

Zeke channeled his strength into Bahamut, pushing back against Arataso’s blade.

Then, he pulled an orichalcum sword from his inventory, gripping it in his other hand.

Hummm!

A purifying blade emerged from the orichalcum sword.

Zeke swiftly drove the golden aura-infused blade into Arataso’s heart.

Crunch!

The orichalcum sword pierced through Arataso’s tough body, embedding itself deep.

Arataso writhed, screaming in agony.

The purifying blade burned him from the inside.

Sizzle!

Green smoke rose from his body.

[You wretched human! How dare you!]

Arataso’s eyes flared with green light.

Branches sprouted from his body, reaching out like living tendrils to ensnare Zeke.

In response, Zeke unleashed his Light’s Retribution skill.

Zap!

White currents crackled, exploding from within Arataso.

[Argh!]

The branches turned to ash, scattering in the air.

Green mist rose again from Arataso’s body.

[You insolent human! I will curse you with death!]

The green mist tried to penetrate Zeke’s Hershion, aiming to seep into his body.

The mist wasn’t just a physical gas; it was a part of Arataso’s very soul.

He intended to curse Zeke and retreat to the demon realm.

But Zeke, still holding his sword, spoke.

“Curse reflection.”

Zap!

The curse reflection skill, acquired from absorbing the ancient wraith that cursed Angelina, activated.

[Ugh!]

The curse meant for Zeke rebounded, striking Arataso’s soul instead.

The green mist that sought to envelop Zeke returned to its original form.

Arataso’s glowing eyes began to dim.

He gritted his teeth, hurling curses at Zeke.

[This isn’t over, human… As long as the green wish endures… You will never find peace…]

Zap!

Suddenly, Arataso screamed in pain.

[Argh!]

He realized his body was bound by chains of light.

Just before Arataso could vanish, Zeke had used soul-binding magic to tether his soul to his body.

Arataso expected his soul to return to the demon realm as his summoner’s soul perished. But he was shocked to find himself still in the mortal realm.

[What… What is happening?]

Zeke looked into Arataso’s fading eyes and spoke.

“You can’t just leave. I won, so you have to keep your promise.”

[I know nothing of this.]

“You said you were both separate and one.”

[Silence! How dare you mock me with such nonsense…]

Zeke pulled out a demon-specific torture tool, the Sacred Flame.

Fwoosh!

He held it to Arataso’s soul-bound body.

[Aaaargh!]

The effect was immediate.

Like Griesmodal, Arataso screamed in agony as the Sacred Flame burned him.

[Take it away! Get it away!]

Zeke removed the flame and spoke again.

“Ready to talk now?”

[To humiliate a noble warrior like this… My master will surely tear your soul apart…]

“Well, I thought it was too soon for you to talk.”

Zeke applied the Sacred Flame to Arataso’s soul once more.

After an hour of this fiery persuasion, Arataso finally began to speak.

[Stop, please stop!]

“Ready to talk?”

Arataso glared at Zeke, grinding his teeth.

Zeke asked him a question.

“What do you plan to do with the holy relic?”

[There was competition among the followers…]

“I know that already. Who’s the demon that wants the relic, and what do they plan to do with it?”

[I truly don’t know. I swear on my honor.]

“Really? Maybe a little more warmth will jog your memory.”

[No, please! Aaaah!]

Zeke continued his ruthless interrogation of the demon’s soul.

After another hour of Sacred Flame treatment, Arataso began to spill everything he knew.

[The Demon Lord! The Demon Lord wants the relic!]

With this new information, Zeke withdrew the flame.

“Who is the Demon Lord?”

Arataso, panting heavily, replied.

[The one my master serves.]

“By ‘master,’ you mean the ‘Clear Green Wish’ you mentioned earlier?”

[Yes.]

“So your master is a demon with a celestial name, yet serves another demon?”

[In the demon realm, it’s survival of the fittest. The strong take everything.]

It was a startling revelation.

A demon with a celestial name commanding other demons was a higher-tier demon.

‘A demon commanding other demons… Just how powerful is it?’

Zeke tugged on the chains, questioning Arataso.

“Why does the Demon Lord want the relic?”

Arataso gritted his teeth and answered.

[I truly don’t know what they plan to do with it. I swear on my honor.]

“I don’t care about a demon’s honor. So, what’s the name of this Demon Lord who wants the relic?”

Arataso shook his head vehemently.

[I can’t say.]

“Not enough Sacred Flame, I see?”

[No! It’s not that! The name of the celestial my master serves cannot be spoken by followers like us!]

Arataso cried out, as if spitting blood.

Zeke eyed him suspiciously.

Arataso pleaded desperately.

[It’s true. Please believe me!]

“Hmm.”

Zeke sensed some truth in Arataso’s desperate demeanor.

Deciding to drop the matter of the name, Zeke asked Arataso another question.

“I have a question.”

Arataso, now resigned, responded.

[…What is it?]

“The green aura you used. It felt different from demonic energy. Is it a technique mimicking human aura?”

Arataso laughed incredulously.

[Living long enough, I hear such nonsense! Human! Foolish, foolish!]

Zeke channeled Light’s Retribution into his orichalcum sword.

Zap!

[Aaaargh!]

“Stop babbling and answer the question.”

[You foolish human! The aura you use is a stolen technique from us!]

Zeke was taken aback by Arataso’s claim.

“Aura is a demon’s technique?”

Arataso laughed maniacally.

[It’s a power granted by the great celestial to chosen followers! It’s on a different level than the imitation you humans use…]

“If it’s not made from aura, then what is that aura made of?”

Arataso hesitated before speaking slowly.

[…It’s the power of the master I serve. Chosen followers can use the power of the celestial they follow.]

Zeke pondered Arataso’s words.

He had always believed that aura was created by Shaton Draker. This was hidden knowledge.

But Arataso’s claim that it was a stolen demon technique raised questions.

‘Did Shaton Draker learn aura techniques from demons?’

He recalled that Shaton Draker traveled the continent, studying various techniques to create aura techniques.

Perhaps he had modeled some techniques after demon powers.

With this unexpected revelation, Zeke asked Arataso another question.

“Do you know anything about Narak or Abel Draker?”

Arataso shook his head vigorously.

[I know nothing of insignificant mortals. We only grant their wishes when they offer sacrifices.]

Seeing that Arataso was a demon who could be reasoned with, Zeke had another thought.

‘He knows more than I expected and could be useful. Can I keep him in the mortal realm with soul-binding magic?’

Zeke opened the soul-binding manual stored in the secure library to see if there was any relevant information.

‘Oh? There’s something similar here.’

The manual mentioned that a soul captured with soul-binding magic could be stored in a medium.

Zeke pondered for a moment before pulling out an iron sword he hadn’t used in a while.

Sensing something amiss, Arataso spoke in a desperate voice.

[W-what are you doing?]

Following the manual’s instructions, Zeke used soul-binding magic to extract Arataso’s soul from the wooden block.

[Aaaargh!]

With a scream, Arataso’s spirit was forcibly extracted.

Zeke wrapped his iron sword in chains, trapping the demon’s soul inside.

[No, please!]

“Shut up and get in there.”

Zeke seared the spirit with holy fire, and Arataso’s screams echoed as he was drawn into the sword.

The iron sword thrashed wildly, shaking in all directions.

Moments later, the blade took on a faint green hue.

It was a sign that Arataso’s soul had settled into the sword.

“So the rumors were true. This iron absorbs energy well. Perfect for binding a soul.”

Zeke grasped the sword, now glowing with a pale green light.

Arataso’s voice echoed in his mind.

‘You wretched human! In the demon realm, all bow in fear and respect to Arataso, who commands thousands of death knights! To humiliate me like this! I will never forgive you!’

“And what will you do if you don’t forgive me?”

‘Well, I…’

“You need more discipline.”

Zeke wrapped the sword in chains and sealed it with a soul-binding spell.

As the chains melded into the blade, a pattern resembling chains appeared on its surface.

Zeke tossed the sword, now containing Arataso, into his inventory.

He then turned his attention to the green warriors Arataso had summoned. They had all turned into mummified corpses.

“The fate of those who make pacts with demons.”

Looking at the dead, Zeke recalled his past self.

Back then, he would do anything to become stronger.

He harbored resentment towards the Drake family that abandoned him and felt despair over his inability to protect those he cared about.

Carrying those emotions, Zeke had an insatiable desire for power.

‘If it were me back then, could I have refused a pact with a demon?’

No creature was as susceptible to temptation as humans.

Zeke shook his head, dispelling his thoughts as he gazed at the shriveled corpses of the green warriors. He used his power of decay to dispose of them.

Sssssss!

The mummified bodies dissolved, seeping into the ground.

With the cleanup complete, Zeke returned to where Boris was waiting.

“Boss!”

Boris greeted him warmly as Zeke appeared.

Exhausted from dealing with Arataso, Zeke pulled out some jerky to chew on and asked Boris, “Any movement from the Holy Kingdom?”

Boris’s eyes gleamed as he replied, “Yes, we’ve detected movement. They’ve followed the traces we left and entered Death Valley.”

Boris reported on the size and condition of the Holy Kingdom’s forces.

Zeke was taken aback by the report.

“Children, you say?”

“Yes. They had platinum blonde hair.”

Zeke realized they were descendants of Lubern.

‘They must have been brought here, believing the relic would guide them.’

Considering the possibility that Agamemnon might be a descendant of Lubern, Zeke couldn’t ignore the children.

After some thought, Zeke spoke to Boris.

“We need to lure them to where the relic is.”