Hero's Coffin Chapter 35

Chapter 35

The succubus flew swiftly towards Kalterik, as if shot from a bow. This happened just before Kalterik could receive the holy relic.

Whoosh!

The holy relic rose high into the air as if trying to avoid the unrighteous energy. The succubus glared at the ceiling, its eyes bulging. An obsession bordering on compulsion rippled in the demon's red eyes.

[I must have it. I must take it!]

With only one wing remaining, the succubus couldn't fly high. But as if trying to reach the small sun somehow, it stretched out its hand and leaped up, stepping on the debris.

"Where do you think you're going!"

A collision occurred as Kalterik tried to stop the succubus. As the holy power emanating from his swung greatsword clashed with the succubus's demonic energy, boom! An explosion occurred. Even he, standing behind, was swept up in the aftermath and staggered. Dust spread thickly like fog.

That explosion led to an unexpected result.

"Sir Kalterik...!"

As the debris that had been trapping him and Kalterik like a hemisphere flew away in the explosion, they were reunited with their companions on the other side.

Noi called out Kalterik's name joyfully, Mela's eyes widened, and Harenir quickly scanned the space. Monster corpses were visible all around him. It seemed he had slaughtered all the monsters the succubus had summoned.

Harenir's gaze fell on the holy relic floating high in the ceiling. It had risen much higher than before the explosion, and though the emperor's soul had disappeared as if swept away by demonic energy, it seemed his last will had moved the holy relic.

"Commander, the holy relic has appeared!"

Kalterik reported loudly. Harenir slowly nodded, seeming to have inferred the situation from Kalterik's use of "appeared" rather than "found".

"Well done. Now then..."

The tip of the pure white holy sword pointed towards the succubus. The holy sword, which bore not a single bloodstain despite having cut down numerous monsters, inspired awe born of dissonance as much as it looked noble. While monsters had been miserably killed by being cut with the sword, the sword itself was shining purely white.

[Ha, haha, kyahahahaha!]

Suddenly, the succubus burst into mad laughter. Its pink hair swayed in the air as it bent over, holding its stomach and laughing.

Just as he was wondering if it had lost its mind in the face of impending death, the succubus raised its head. It glared straight at each of the companions and spat out as if grinding its teeth.

[Do you think I would die at the hands of mere humans?]

"Yes."

[Kyahahahaha! Our era hasn't come yet, that absolutely can't happen!]

It was a conversation where one didn't know whether to be surprised at Harenir's calm response in this situation, or to worry about the mental state of the succubus still cackling with laughter.

Anyway, thinking that they would take care of it now, he was about to relax. His energy had completely drained as the summoning of the undead had been cut off when the explosion occurred earlier. As he held his dizzy head, suddenly a wind blew.

A very chilly and sticky wind.

Gray mist began to spread around the succubus. This change started from the moment it raised both hands and chanted words he couldn't understand at all. It wasn't the imperial language, nor the divine language. Was it the demon language then? From the moment he heard it, he felt a surge of revulsion.

Kalterik, seeming to sense something was wrong, charged at the succubus. He leaped as if to strike down with his greatsword, but bang! He was repelled and crashed into the wall.

Through the mist, tap, tap, the succubus walked out. The leg that had been limping until just now was straightened, the wound on its shoulder disappeared, and even the torn wing was regrown. While all these changes were shocking, the most surprising part was...

[You, kihit, kik, know nothing.]

The third horn that had appeared in the center of the succubus's forehead.

Clearly, until just now, there had only been two horns on either side of its forehead, but suddenly an additional horn had grown. However, not only was it quite different in shape from the existing horns, but most importantly, its 'color' was different. The existing horns were dark red, but the horn in the center of the forehead was dark gray.

A horn that looked as if it had faded to a colorless state. It felt similar to what he had seen in the Encroachment Zone. A color that held no hue, no warmth.

Flap!

The succubus flapped its wings widely. A fierce gust of wind spread like a whirlwind, making it difficult to maintain balance. Now the color of the demonic energy flowing from the succubus was not dark red, but only pitch black like an abyss.

[I'll plunge you all into nightmares...]

Bang! Before the demon's gloomy declaration could properly end, a loud noise erupted.

"There's no need to go to such trouble. This is already enough."

Harenir approached the succubus, breaking through the fiercely blowing wind. With just a light swing of his sword, he split the storm-like demonic energy and reached right in front of the demon.

The succubus twisted its lips and attacked, whoosh! raising its claws. Ominous demonic energy scratched past Harenir's face. His left forehead was deeply cut, blood splattered on his golden hair and poured down, covering his blue eyes. The wound was deep.

Gasp, he inhaled in surprise, but when Harenir smoothly brushed his hair back with his hand, only a perfectly clean forehead was visible. The wound healed so quickly that it disappeared in the blink of an eye. Only the faint golden holy power swirling around seemed to indicate that a scar had existed.

Even though it had been a serious wound that soaked half his face in blood, there was not a single blemish on him. It was an amazing recovery ability no matter how many times he saw it. The bloodstain remaining on his cheek felt strange.

Harenir smiled, "Huh huh."

"You were avoiding the face until just now, have you gotten bored of it?"

[You, annoying human...!]

He swung the holy sword diagonally downward. The succubus hurriedly dodged backward, but was already deeply cut from the nape of its neck to its collarbone. Black blood poured out and the succubus screamed.

The succubus, hastily flying into the air, breathed roughly. It trembled with rage, and then finally spread its arms wide. Whoosh, black energy spread throughout the entire space.

[All shall fall into nightmares!]

This time too, Harenir tried to leap to block the demon's suspicious attack, but at that moment, Noi collapsed behind him.

"Ugh, urgh...!"

As if the demonic energy spread by the succubus had the power to plunge one into dreams, Noi suffered, clutching his head. Being a fairy, he seemed particularly vulnerable to demonic energy.

Kekeke, the succubus laughed and flapped its wings. Harenir, perceiving that it would take a hostage again like before, quickly moved to block in front of Noi, and in fact, he had expected the same, but...

The direction the succubus headed was right in front of him.

[First, you who toyed with me.]

It was quite a proactive succubus. Originally, dream demons were supposed to invade the dreams of sleeping humans, but this one was making people dream first.

He blankly watched the two hands approaching his face. If those hands grabbed his head, would he be trapped in trauma like Kalterik had been? Would he see Isaph's memories, or 'his' memories? While having detached questions, he suddenly came to a strange thought.

"Dreams..."

Somewhere, dreams are described as the realm of the spirit. That they are closely related to the soul, and thus dreams are interpreted as messages conveyed by the soul. The most common example is the experience of seeing memories of past lives in dreams.

If that concept were extended, perhaps the ability used by the succubus was similar in context to Isaph's necromancy. If so, could the ability of this being, which the empire condemned yet hadn't dared to capture until now, possibly...

Surpass this succubus?

He stretched out his hand towards the succubus. The answer to the question is obtained by trying it directly. Just before the succubus's hand could touch his head, he extended his hand towards its nape, spreading his fingers.

"Fall."

Black-purple energy spread rapidly. He deliberately aimed for the wound Harenir had inflicted. Crackle! The pitch-black demonic energy and his energy collided. Having already expended a lot of energy summoning undead earlier, the energy that had barely remained plummeted to the bottom.

Though his mind reeled, thankfully his guess leaned towards being correct. Whizzz— The succubus's soul shook as if about to be ejected, then barely returned to its body.

[You... you! How dare you do this to me!]

The succubus, which had been dazed for a moment, looked at him in shock. The demon immediately gathered demonic energy in both hands. Rumble! Vicious energy gathered in its hands enough to shake the ground. The succubus glared fiercely, as if to punish him for momentarily confusing it.

[I'll make you struggle in the most terrible nightmare!]

His body trembled with tension from the evil demonic energy. He blankly looked down at his trembling hands, clenching and unclenching them a couple of times.

[I'll very carefully...]

"Get lost."

He said, pressing his palm against the wound on the succubus's collarbone. He saw a possibility. If so, now it was time to make it possible.

He scraped the bottom of his already depleted energy and poured it all out. Black-purple energy burst out like spilled ink, and at some point, the purple color began to swirl more fiercely. His hair fluttered wildly in the wind blowing from the collision of energies.

The succubus's soul was repeatedly ejected and then returned to its body.

[Ah... kyaaa! ...aaaaargh!]

The demon's screams, breaking off, chillingly echoed through the space. Even in the midst of a headache that felt like his head might split, he gritted his teeth and endured. The succubus tried to resist, swinging its arms wildly, but... thud, finally its hands fell.

Almost simultaneously, his energy depleted and he staggered as he surveyed the situation. The succubus's bright red eyes rolled back.

Did, did I defeat it?

...Wait, I shouldn't step on this flag.

[Kyaaaaaaaaaaaaah!]

Ugh, fuck.

[I will surely curse you...!]

He almost let out a string of curses at the succubus's action of suddenly opening its eyes wide and screaming. He was so startled that he froze, unable to make a sound, when Harenir, who had approached just then, swung his sword upward with a whoosh!

Thud, roll roll roll...

The succubus's head, which had flown far, rolled on the floor, unable to even close its eyes.