Chapter 31
When I took out the glowing object from the inventory, it turned out to be a card with the portrait of a beautiful woman drawn on it.
【Heavenly Demon Divine Art Holder ■■】
The woman was the leader of the Heavenly Demon Cult and was once called the strongest in the world.
【Would you like to use it?】
YES / NO
“I’ll use it.”
【The Heavenly Demon Divine Art Holder ■■ descends into the present world.】
【Due to restrictions, a portion of her power will be sealed.】
【Due to restrictions, a portion of her power will be sealed.】
【Due to restrictions, a portion of her power will be sealed.】
As a bright light engulfed my vision, I closed my eyes, and when I opened them, a beautiful woman appeared before me.
Her long black hair and pale white skin stood in stark contrast. She wore a black robe and had a sword at her waist, unmistakably looking like a martial artist.
As I opened my eyes fully, I saw her beautiful pupils gazing at me with a blank expression. Even that expressionless face was stunning.
“I see… So that’s how it is.”
Her cold yet beautiful voice carried a chill as she murmured to herself, seemingly understanding something, before sharply turning her head to stare at me.
“Do you know who I am?”
“No, I don’t.”
“Your honesty is admirable.”
With those words, the woman suddenly approached me.
It wasn’t a matter of being close enough to touch noses—she was so near that I could feel her breath.
“In that case, I shall introduce myself first.”
The Heavenly Demon, who claimed to be the leader of the Heavenly Demon Cult and the strongest in the world, began speaking, but none of her words registered in my ears.
She was too close. Every time she spoke, I could feel her breath, and it was impossible to focus.
“C-Could you step back a little, please?”
Startled, I stammered, and she let out a small laugh before reaching out her hand—only to have it slapped away by Nika.
【Enemy?】
The atmosphere immediately shifted. The woman stepped back a considerable distance and assumed a stance as if ready to draw her sword.
“What is that ominous aura I sense?”
【Ominous?】
“Such things should not be kept nearby.”
Worried that my home might be destroyed if this continued, I told them to get along. Both nodded at my suggestion.
“Understood.”
【Okay!】
As if nothing had happened, the peaceful atmosphere returned, and we began chatting about various topics, though I didn’t understand much.
Still, it seemed like a good resolution, right?
…It’s a good thing, right?
***
***
***
For hours, I listened to her—Heavenly Demon—but there were too many unfamiliar terms.
“So, you’re from a place called Murim?”
“That’s correct. The current Murim World is located on the 87th floor, and I have achieved unification of the demonic path.”
She spoke with immense pride, but honestly, I didn’t quite grasp what she was saying.
Is it really that amazing?
“So, is it okay for you to be here?”
“Hmm… I don’t know how much I can say, but I will tell you one thing. There’s a reason I am here.”
When I gave her an affirmative response, she seemed pleased and enthusiastically began sharing various stories.
For example, how many days and nights she had fought to achieve unification of the demonic path—though, once again, I didn’t understand any of it.
After listening to her talk late into the night, I used the excuse of being tired to suggest continuing the conversation tomorrow, and she agreed.
As she entered the room I had prepared for my younger sister after her discharge from the hospital, she curiously explored every corner.
“Well then, please rest comfortably.”
“Thank you.”
After closing the door, I looked down at Nika, who was peeking out from my arms, and asked her to take good care of the Heavenly Demon since she was still adjusting.
Nika seemed to ponder this for a moment before nodding with a bright smile.
【I’ll take good care of her!】
“As expected, our Nika is so kind.”
***
***
***
“This world is full of fascinating things.”
She wandered around the room, tapping unfamiliar objects with her fingers and trying to guess their purpose, when there was a knock, and the door opened.
Standing there was a woman with striking red hair and piercing eyes.
“What business do you have?”
“Since we’ve met, shouldn’t we at least exchange names?”
As she spoke, she pulled a staff out of thin air, and the space around us began to distort.
A pure white, empty space.
The woman pointed her staff at me and asked, “What is your purpose in approaching me?” I explained that I had no purpose, but she didn’t believe me.
“My name is Lillian. I’ve heard of your reputation. They say you unified the 87th-floor Murim World and then suddenly disappeared one day. What kind of contract did you make with the Administrator to appear by your master’s side?”
“Due to restrictions, I do not remember.”
“Can you take responsibility for those words?”
“Responsibility…”
She smirked and said, “Questions are something the strong ask of the weak.” Then, a magic circle unfolded in midair.
A scorching ball of fire flew toward me. I easily split it in two and simultaneously approached the red-haired woman, swinging my sword, but something blocked me.
“Impressive. In Murim, there were fewer than ten who could block my strike.”
“Is that a compliment?”
“It is.”
I repeatedly aimed for the same spot dozens, even hundreds of times, causing cracks to appear. The red-haired woman stepped back and used something else.
“How fascinating. I’ve never seen such a technique before.”
Her voice sounded composed, but it was a front. In truth, the restriction on her power left her able to use only ten percent of her strength.
It seemed she, too, was under some kind of restriction, but not as severe as mine.
This was why I hesitated to make a contract with the Administrator. But it was too late to turn back.
Spilled water cannot be retrieved.
I must use my remaining strength to subdue her and extract information.
After an intense battle that lasted over an hour, both the red-haired woman and I were exhausted, though neither of us showed it.
“I can sense that your energy is running out. Do you plan to continue?”
“Oh my, Heavenly Demon, it seems your fingers are trembling. Are you all right? If you wish, I could let you stop.”
“…Let’s see this through to the end.”
“That’s just what I wanted.”
At that moment, we both seemed to have forgotten our original purpose, fully immersed in the fight.
Suddenly, the space around us began to tremble and crack.
At the same time, the red-haired woman started to shake. Her previously composed demeanor had vanished, replaced by fear.
“I-I’m sorry…!”
She finally collapsed to the floor, bowing her head in apology to something. What in the world was happening?
The space shattered, and something appeared—a sinister being that had been by my master’s side.
Floating in the air, it looked almost playful, as if trying to charm us with its adorable appearance, but its eyes locked onto us.
【Lillian, leave.】
“T-thank you! Thank you!”
Banging her head against the ground several times, the red-haired woman fled, leaving me alone with the sinister creature.
“I had planned to speak with you eventually, but I didn’t expect it to be this soon.”
【This isn’t a conversation.】
As it spoke, its form began to change.
【This is training.】
The once playful entity transformed into something so terrifying that it made my legs weak. Saliva dripped from its mouth, falling to the floor with a hiss as it melted the ground.
“W-what is that form?”
【Let’s begin the training.】
The creature disappeared in an instant and reappeared before me. Startled, I swung my sword, but I couldn’t block it.
With a single strike, I felt a shock so intense it nearly made me lose consciousness.
What a disgrace.
To think that I, the one who unified the demonic path and was called the strongest in the world, could be overwhelmed by such a sinister being.
…This cannot stand.
Even if it causes a backlash, I must unleash my power.
I forcibly drew out my sealed strength, causing my internal energy to go haywire and blood to spill from my mouth, but it worked.
For a brief moment, I could use thirty percent of my full power.
I swung my sword, tearing through space and splitting the being in two.
“My master will grieve.”
As I turned to leave, I felt a chilling presence behind me.
When I looked back, the creature was intact, as if it had never been harmed, staring straight at me.
【Is that all?】
“…Of course not.”
I swung my sword again, but it was futile.
The creature blocked my blade and swiped at me with its enormous claws. I stepped onto the air, retreating into the sky, but it followed me.
A creature with no wings soaring into the heavens?
The prolonged battle yielded no victor.
Abruptly, the creature stopped and stared at me.
【I’ll finish this quickly, so my master doesn’t wake.】
Its form began to change once more.
A massive, overwhelming presence filled the space, and countless eyes stared at me. It was impossible not to feel a chill.
【You just need to live, right?】
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