LGHTNOVELBOOK Chapter 12
A deafening sound rang out as my consciousness faded into the distance.
[Authority, ‘Healing,’ is now activated.]
Right, something like this was easy to heal. I had almost forgotten, considering it had been so long since I was called a “Saintess.”
Grinding my teeth, I made a vow.
That damn bastard—I’ll annihilate him no matter what.
Grasping the chains in my hands, I swung them with all my strength. The sensation of my skin burning in the flames prickled me, but I soon grew accustomed to the pain.
— Keugh…!
“Who said you could play with fire?”
— You! How can you wield the flames of Hell?!
“Flame of Hell? No wonder the constellations were throwing such a fit.”
[Sanctuary, , strongly asserts copyright!!]
Is this really the time to be worried about that, you damn stars!?
The chain that pierced through the Demon God’s shoulder was now tightening around his body. The blue lightning crashing down was more of a decorative effect.
— Do you know… how long I’ve waited for this moment…?!
“Like I care!”
The Demon God grabbed the chains with both hands and grinned with an expression that screamed “I’m the epitome of evil.”
Disgusted, I decided to finish him off as quickly as possible. Just as I was about to activate my authority—
“……!!”
A sharp spear pierced through my body. The searing pain forced a distorted expression onto my face as I gagged.
— Hahaha! This is the power I wield!!
The chains binding the Demon God fell loose. Spreading his arms wide, he emanated an ominous black aura.
Ah, damn it!
[The second shackle of the title, ‘Godslayer,’ loosens slightly.]
[The third shackle of the title, ‘Godslayer,’ loosens slightly.]
Trying to hold back so I wouldn’t injure the damn Demon King wasn’t worth it.
Although my body healed quickly, the anger surging within me was something even the ‘Healing’ authority couldn’t touch.
[The holy sword, ‘Sword of Glory,’ awaits its master’s command.]
I felt the handle of the sword settle firmly into my hand. Just as I was about to draw it in one swift motion—
“Are you insane? Or do you have a spare life?”
Someone stood in my way.
At the same time, a greatsword slashed through the air, stirring up a violent gust.
“And what’s up with that Demon King? Did he completely lose it?”
With a loud thud, the woman drove her greatsword into the ground and frowned as she spoke.
Her irritated tone left me momentarily speechless, my lips fumbling.
“…Hero?”
The Hero had shown up to hunt the Demon King.
The Hero, making her entrance like this—seriously?
“Did you come here for a raid…?”
“What nonsense are you spouting? I’m just here to kill the Demon King.”
Oh, so it’s a raid.
The Hero, clearly annoyed, asked, “Guild Master, why are you even here without a proper request? And what happened to you—what’s with this sorry state?”
I blinked in surprise at her words.
“How did you know I’m the Guild Master?”
The Hero gave me a look that asked if that was even a real question.
“You asked that mage bastard to open a portal, didn’t you? The destination was clearly here.”
Ah, right. That did happen.
Scratching my neck awkwardly, I muttered, “I didn’t trust that bastard’s antics, so I came to help and ended up rolling around.”
“You really know how to make life hard for yourself, huh?”
The Hero clicked her tongue and lifted her greatsword again.
— First the Saintess, and now the Hero!!
The rumbling vibrations made the Hero’s face twist in irritation. Standing beside her, I expanded the range of my authority.
The Hero glanced at me briefly and threw a casual word of thanks.
“Thanks.”
“You’re welcome.”
“But seriously, what is that thing? It doesn’t seem like the Demon King.”
“The Demon God decided to manifest in the Demon King’s body.”
“Ha…”
The Hero let out a short, disbelieving laugh before curling her lips into a smirk.
“So that’s why those self-important stars were raising such a fuss.”
Hearing the profanity muttered near my ear, I gaped slightly.
[Constellation, ‘Greater Lord of Hell than Satan,’ is impressed by the Hero’s bold speech!]
Even I was impressed, stars.
The Hero must have seen the same message. She clicked her tongue and spoke to me.
“Guild Master, there’s something I’ve been meaning to ask if I ever ran into you.”
“Yeah?”
“Can you request a mute function for these message windows?”
“Who am I supposed to ask about that?”
If that were possible, I’d have done it ages ago. Hearing my retort, the Hero nodded with a dry laugh, as if conceding the point.
Watching her casually wield her massive greatsword, I couldn’t help but ask, “By the way, do you know the Demon King personally? Why did you come here?”
“Check my titles. Do you think I’d know that bastard personally or not?”
I immediately activated the Eye of Truth to check her titles.
[Main]: Hero (Ex)
[Sub]: Echina’s Returnee (Ex), Swordmaster (S), Hero (S), Absolute Defender (A)
If it says “Echina” and not “Dekhion”…
“…You don’t kno w the Demon King personally, right?”
“Even if I don’t, it’s still the ‘Demon King,’ isn’t it?”
She seemed normal enough, but maybe she was just another one of those concept-obsessed types. With the Demon King and Hero paired together like this…
Seeing my face twist in disdain, the Hero quickly added, “Don’t get the wrong idea. I’m only here because of my title as ‘Hero.’ It keeps nagging me to fulfill my duty, and frankly, it’s annoying.”
“Ah, I see.”
Since the Hero’s nemesis was usually the Demon King, I guess that logic somehow applied here too.
Nodding in understanding, I murmured, “So if I want to see you, the Demon King just has to start causing chaos, huh?”
“Don’t say something so horrible.”
— Are you two flirting in front of me!?
The Demon God’s thunderous strike came crashing down, and I dodged it while the Hero parried with her greatsword.
Boom!
The ground caved in under the impact, and I pursed my lips.
“Guild Master, is dodging all you’re good at?”
“It’s an instinct! I can’t help it.”
“Ridiculous,” she muttered curtly before adjusting her grip on the greatsword and charging forward, kicking off the ground.
At the same time, dark lightning began to rain down. The Hero scoffed as she swung her greatsword, cleaving through the strikes with ease.
|Pr. Hero|: Are you just going to watch from behind?
The message made me chuckle.
|Pr. Godslayer (Guild Master)|: As if.
I gripped the handle of my sword, which had been resting in my grasp.
《The seal on the title, ‘Swordmaster,’ has been forcibly released.》
[Effect reduced by half.]
[Effect reduced by half.]
…[Effect reduced by half.]
Ignoring the flood of messages cluttering my vision, I swung my sword.
|Pr. Godslayer (Guild Master)|: Hero, duck.
The Hero glanced back slightly before swiftly ducking her body.
A blazing blue trajectory shot toward the Demon God.
— Such a trivial ember…!!
Boom!
The Demon God was buried under a pile of debris.
Kneeling on one knee, the Hero stared at the sight in a daze before shouting at the top of her lungs.
“Guild Master! Are you insane?!”
“I did warn you to duck.”
I shrugged, as if that should be enough to excuse everything. The Hero scowled, rising to her feet. The sound of her greatsword slicing through the air was strangely crisp and clear.
— How dare you… to me…!!
In the meantime, the Demon King, who had been buried under the rubble, staggered to his feet.
Clicking her tongue, the Hero commented, “What do we do about this Demon King? If he comes to his senses, he’s going to be embarrassed out of his mind.”
“He absolutely won’t.”
I leapt into the air, standing above the Hero’s head.
“But didn’t you say you came here to subdue the Demon King?”
The Hero smirked, adjusting her grip on her greatsword.
“I came to knock some sense into him. I thought he was just a deranged concept-obsessed lunatic, but it turns out he’s been possessed.”
“Possessed…”
Well, she wasn’t wrong.
The foul energy, resistant even to purification, began to surge on the wind, spreading like poison.
I raised my hand to cover my mouth, but the Hero impatiently swung her greatsword, conjuring a gust that dispersed the miasma.
“Godslayer.”
“…?”
In the Hero’s hands, her greatsword had been replaced by two shorter blades.
“That title of yours… Can I trust it?”
Instead of answering with words, I gave her a smile—a smile that might as well have been a sneer.
She seemed satisfied with my response, chuckling softly as she stepped forward.
The sharp, black aura surrounding the Demon God lashed out toward us. Without hesitation, we both charged straight into it.
The explosions echoing below were of no concern to us. They didn’t warrant our attention.
[Sanctuary, , is watching the scene with intense interest!]
[Sanctuary, , is deeply intrigued by the returnees who challenge gods in this otherworld!]
[Sanctuary, , frowns upon the returnees fighting gods on equal footing!]
…Damn stars.
[Absolute Authority, ‘Star Gate,’ is now activated.]
To these so-called great stars, we’re nothing more than entertainment, a spectacle, a curiosity?
【Star Gate Opening】
[Summoning the ‘Central Great Temple’ of the destroyed dimension, ‘Gloria.’]
[The eyes of the stars seated upon their thrones in the heavens are blinded!]
“Hero!!”
The Hero froze, startled by the abrupt shift in the surroundings.
At my shout, she snapped out of her stupor, deflecting the incoming attacks as she moved again.
The closer I got, the harder it was to breathe. The oppressive energy felt like it was strangling me.
— You pathetic human!!
“I’ve already killed a god.”
Twisting my body, I maneuvered the chains, which slithered and coiled tightly around the Demon God wearing the Demon King’s form.
At the same moment, the Hero drove one of her blades into the Demon King’s shoulder. And of all places, it was the exact same spot I had pierced before.
— Cowards…!!
The voice from the struggling body was no longer singular. A cacophony of voices overlapped—some begging for mercy, others cursing me for trying to destroy them.
Voices I had heard too many times before.
[Absolute Authority, ‘Destruction,’ is now activated.]
They were agonizing voices.
Gripping the Demon King’s head tightly, I ignored the bitter wind cutting across my arms. It slashed at me like blades, but my mangled arms regenerated in an instant.