Chapter 107: The Wounded Count

Gaon’s choice was Ruhen.

The reason he decided to clear Ruhen first wasn’t solely because the demons might flee.

There was another reason.

Ruhen wasn’t inhabited only by demons.

Those who hadn’t escaped when the demons overran Ruhen long ago were still there.

And not just one or two.

Expanding his senses to scan the entire city, he found their number to be five hundred.

It’s fortunate they’re in two places, at least…

Could he really call it fortunate?

The survivors weren’t scattered across multiple locations.

They were divided and confined in two places.

But there was a problem.

The prisons holding the survivors were rigged with numerous arrays mixing demonic energy and shamanic power.

More precisely, the number of arrays wasn’t the issue.

There was one array Gaon recognized.

An array that, upon activation, would explosively drain the life force of everything inside it.

Given the survivors’ levels, not a single one could withstand it.

The moment it activated, they would all die.

The problem was how easy it was to trigger.

As long as the entity linked to the array willed it, it would activate immediately.

Rescuing one group would almost certainly cause the array in the other to trigger.

I should attack elsewhere first to draw their attention.

No matter how he looked at it, rushing straight to the rescue wasn’t an option.

To save them all, he needed to divert attention elsewhere.

Where would draw the most attention?

He didn’t need to think long.

Swish.

Gaon looked once more at the rift to the demon world.

A grand mansion at the center of Ruhen.

Originally the main residence of the Alon marquis family that had ruled Ruhen.

But now it served as the dwelling of demon count Aishul.

“Phew…”

Aishul let out a rough sigh and looked at his right arm.

A 30-centimeter-long gash marred it.

Demonic energy continuously leaked from the wound.

It wasn’t just the arm.

His abdomen, hidden beneath his clothes, was in poor condition too.

Though not as severe as the arm, a 15-centimeter wound was there, leaking demonic energy just the same.

That damn holy knight bastard.

Aishul clenched his teeth recalling the human who had inflicted the wounds.

The more he thought about it, the more rage boiled up.

Of course, he had already killed the man.

But the anger wouldn’t subside.

That was when it happened.

“……!”

Aishul flinched, his rage-filled face tensing.

Because of the massive aura detected by his senses.

Boom!

An explosion followed, accompanied by a wave of energy.

“What the—!”

Aishul shot up from his seat.

He turned his head toward the direction of the blast.

Of course, the wall blocked his view.

But Aishul knew.

He knew where the explosion had occurred.

The source of the energy wave.

The rift to the demon world.

That was the problem.

Anyone could see that someone was attacking the rift.

Who on earth would attack a demon world rift?

Boom! Boom!

Explosions rang out in succession.

This isn’t the time to stand around!

Snapped out of it by the blasts, Aishul rushed to the window and soared into the sky.

He looked at the rift.

“ ”

Seeing it, Aishul was speechless.

He had known it was under attack.

But he hadn’t thought the rift itself would suffer major damage.

It was a 7-star demon world rift, after all.

Yet contrary to his expectations, serious damage had occurred.

Boom! Boom!

Explosions continued to echo.

With each one, the rift shrank rapidly.

At this rate, it would soon close completely.

I-I have to stop it!

Instinct screamed that he must block it.

The most immediate way was to intercept the magic slamming into the rift.

But the power of the spells was the issue.

It wasn’t something he could block alone.

If his body were in peak condition, maybe—but in his current state, trying to block it would only cause more harm.

Aishul scanned the surroundings.

To find the caster.

“……!”

Spotting the culprit, Aishul couldn’t help but be shocked.

A human.

A human with deep black hair.

How on earth…

Come to think of it, something was off.

This was a demonic-energy-dominant region.

Attacks based on mana or holy power would normally be halved in strength.

Yet how could the magic display such overwhelming power?

Does he have a holy relic or something?

The Holy Empire of Seionia possessed relics that could temporarily neutralize demonic energy.

Perhaps he had one—or something with a similar effect.

That was the only way to explain the current situation.

Boom!

The sound in his ears snapped Aishul out of his thoughts.

This wasn’t the time to ponder.

Aishul urgently raised his demonic energy and extended his hand.

Whoosh!

A condensed black beam of demonic energy shot toward the human.

The human paid no heed to the black beam.

Aishul grinned widely.

Whether the human hadn’t noticed or simply ignored it despite noticing—the reason was unknown.

But one thing was certain: it was a fatal mistake.

The black beam wasn’t an ordinary attack.

It carried all manner of curses.

If not blocked properly, multiple curses would take hold.

But what followed left Aishul bewildered.

The black beam struck the human.

Yet the human’s expression showed no change.

Was he enduring it with sheer mental fortitude?

No—from what Aishul could see, it felt like no damage had been inflicted at all.

The one silver lining was that he had drawn the human’s attention.

“…Who are you!”

Aishul shouted.

“Shouldn’t you introduce yourself before asking someone else?”

The human replied with a question of his own.

Aishul slightly furrowed his brow.

The demonic tongue was utterly fluent.

From the Northern Alliance? Or Abyss?

At first, he had thought it was a human from the human faction.

But judging by the fluency, it was likely from the Northern Alliance or Abyss.

And of very high status.

“No name?”

When Aishul remained silent, the human asked again.

Snapped out of his thoughts, Aishul shouted in a voice thick with rage.

“I am Count Aishul, servant of Lord Asen! What faction are you from?”

“A count, you say?”

At Aishul’s words, the human asked with a slightly taken-aback expression.

As if to say, You?

Aishul scowled at the reaction.

That was when it happened.

The human extended his hand.

Boom!

An explosion roared simultaneously.

Aishul turned his head toward the sudden blast.

He could see it.

Countless subordinates caught in the explosion—dead or dying.

“ ”

Aishul was dumbfounded.

To divert attention elsewhere while facing him?

Just how much was he being underestimated?

Aishul turned back to the human.

The human wore an utterly relaxed expression.

…No choice, huh.

Until now, Aishul had held back his full power, wary of worsening his wounds.

But the situation demanded he go all out.

Even if the wounds aggravated.

Having decided, Aishul raised his demonic energy to its limit.

His body grew larger.

And that wasn’t all.

Patterns emerged across his flesh.

Feeling the fullness coursing through him, Aishul smiled and extended his hand once more.

Whoosh!

A black beam far larger than before flew toward the human.

Previously, the beam had inflicted no damage.

But this time, Aishul was certain of a different outcome.

He had poured in incomparably more demonic energy and curses.

Yet what followed left him horrified.

Shimmer.

A translucent barrier appeared.

Clearly one the human had created to block the beam.

The black beam slammed into it.

Boom!

An explosion echoed.

Cracks formed on the barrier.

And that was it.

In the end, the black beam failed to pierce it and dissipated.

Aishul was flabbergasted.

He had poured in enormous demonic energy.

Yet it couldn’t even breach the barrier?

Crack-le!

A freezing sound followed.

Aishul instinctively turned toward the source.

His subordinates, frozen solid, came into view.

Clearly the human’s doing.

Aishul swallowed hard.

When subordinates had died in the earlier explosion, rage had surged.

But now, it wasn’t rage—it was fear.

Judging by the power displayed, even at full health, he wouldn’t have been a match.

Who is he?

That only heightened his curiosity.

Where was this?

A demonic-energy-dominant region.

Whether Northern Alliance or Abyss, no demonic energy emanated from the human.

Meaning he hadn’t yet shifted his foundation—and thus couldn’t exert full power.

Yet this level of strength?

His identity was unbearably intriguing.

That was when it happened.

The human drew his sword and aimed it at Aishul.

“…He wasn’t a mage?”

Aishul flinched.

He had naturally assumed a mage.

Yet why a sword?

No, he’s definitely a mage.

But considering the level of magic, he was certainly a mage.

What was he trying to do?

Why would a mage draw a sword?

In that instant.

Humm!

The human’s sword vibrated.

Pop!

Something burst.

Aishul looked down at the source of the sound.

A hole had been punched clean through his chest.

Aishul was speechless.

He hadn’t seen anything.

What on earth had happened?

But there was no time to think.

His mind grew hazy, vision darkening.

Swish.

Aishul lifted his head.

The human’s face was filled with satisfaction.

Looking at the human, Aishul thought.

…What should I have done?

The rift was under attack.

So he had stepped forward.

If he hadn’t, the rift would have closed.

Yet this was the result.

Should I have fled?

Pondering the best choice, Aishul met his death.

The falling body of the dead Aishul began to plummet.

The human who had killed him—Gaon—extended his hand.

The plummeting body halted in place.

His abdomen split open, and a demon stone popped out, flying to Gaon.

As expected.

Examining the stone, Gaon made a regretful face.

The Kalbornia he had killed earlier had left two 8-star stones.

But Aishul left only one.

And it was 7-star, not 8-star.

Not all counts were the same level, but the difference was too stark.

Of course, it wasn’t entirely unexpected.

Who did this to him?

Aishul’s condition had been poor.

Incomparably weaker than Kalbornia.

Honestly, without the introduction as a count, Gaon would have thought him a viscount.

Swish.

Gaon tucked the stone into his pouch.

He turned his head to the rift.

Two or three more spells should close it.

Gaon immediately fired successive spells at the rift.

Boom! Boom! Boom!

Thus, the demon world rift closed completely and vanished.

Gaon could feel it.

The demonic energy thinning.

Nice.

With a satisfied expression, Gaon turned to the city of Ruhen.

The demons showed two reactions.

Some approaching to assess the situation.

Others fleeing after realizing Aishul’s death.

At this point, I don’t need to worry about the survivors.

It didn’t seem likely the arrays would activate now.

Gaon began pouring magic toward the fleeing demons first.