◈ Episode 503. I Wanted to Become Light (2)
There was no hesitation in the choice.
“No one needs to shed blood.”
Paimon and Rox.
Whichever it was, neither would be hunted with the silver dagger my senior had handed me.
Well, to put it grandly…
Our dear Grandfel was not the sort to choose from the options given to him.
Was he not someone who carved out a new option altogether?
I looked at the two gazes directed at me and spoke.
“They have shown me light.”
I had witnessed pride in Paimon, a demon.
And in Rox as well, who had fallen and become a half-blood demon, I had found Shining.
I had found Rox’s will, the will of one who had wanted to become light. ‘In the end, the reason Rox went on that rampage without thinking of the consequences was…’ Everything had been to become light.
To become stronger.
Not to become stronger for himself, but for Dmitri, who had closed his eyes before him. At my words, the Akshan senior with his hood pulled low spoke.
“Are you saying you will postpone their disposal?”
Well, strictly speaking, that wasn’t wrong, was it?
That ordinary answer.
I uttered it grandly in Grandfel’s manner of speech.
“I am not postponing it.”
“Then?”
“It means I will watch and judge.”
That, too, was not wrong.
If I rashly hunted either Paimon or Rox here and now, I felt as though I would never be able to shake off the bitter aftertaste for the rest of my life. It meant I would take a little more time and watch their pride. ‘I need to have a proper conversation with Paimon.’ About why he was showing me such burdensome goodwill. ‘And I’ll have to properly hear Rox’s circumstances too.’ Even if I had a rough guess, I had never actually had a proper conversation with Rox. ‘Then what’s left is…’ The answer to our Akshan seniors’ question, I suppose?
I looked at the flickering quest objective.
Convince Akshan of Hell, or refuse them. ‘Good grief, ask something worth asking.’ I, Lee Hoyeol, who had not yet been properly dyed in pride, might have been mistaken for a moment… but our Grandfel had never, not even for a single instant, failed to acknowledge Akshan of Hell, had he?
What kind of reckless grandstanding would spill out of my mouth this time?
“Furthermore.”
And in front of the Akshan seniors, no less.
As my lips slowly parted, I, Lee Hoyeol.
Was just about to squeeze my eyes shut as always.
“I will not listen.”
Huh, my senior cut me off outright.…
Um, you’re not sulking, are you?
While I stood there bewildered, my senior was merciless.
Whirl.
With dazzling hand movements, he retrieved the silver dagger he had held out to me.
He slipped it back into the sheath at his thigh and pulled his hood even lower.
That was when it happened. [The participants withdraw from your exorcism ritual.]
Fwoosh.
The flames of Hell flared up, and one by one, my seniors began to vanish into the green fire. Did even their order of departure follow some kind of rule?
Staring.
Shegwin was waiting his turn, gazing at me intently.
By the way, was it really fine for them not to hear my answer?
I checked the status of the quest.
-Encounter the demon hunters of Hell. (On Hold) ●Acknowledge Akshan of Hell. (Choice) ●Reject Akshan of Hell. (Choice) …
It wasn’t as if I had put it on hold because I wanted to.
Tsk, even if I felt wronged, there was nothing I could do. This haughty personality was not honest enough to grab hold of someone who turned away without lingering regrets.
Besides, until Shegwin disappeared beyond the hellfire.
The masked demon hunter who had remained in place.
My senior turned his body and added.
“You are not yet ready to face it.” …
Ready to face it? ‘What is that supposed to mean? I’m ready for anything on this side.’ Who exactly are you saying I’m not ready to face?
In any case, Akshan’s manner of speech was no less formidable than Grandfel’s. Before I could ask back, my senior’s feet began to be swallowed by the flames of Hell.
Even so, he unilaterally conveyed his words.
“When you are truly ready to face it, come find us.”
Come find you. It was obvious where he meant.
“In Hell.”
The quest flickered once more.
-Encounter the demon hunters of Hell. (On Hold) ●Acknowledge Akshan of Hell. (Choice) ●Reject Akshan of Hell. (Choice)
-Enter Hell. (In Progress)
I kept my words to myself. ‘Yeah, what is there to say right now?’ My seniors, no one else, were telling me I was not ready. And I, the person in question, did not even understand what that readiness referred to. ‘At this point, anything I say would just be an excuse.’ Because I knew that.
Even Grandfel’s proud blabbering mouth was staying firmly shut.
On top of that, there was still a matter left to deal with. ‘In the end, I’m volunteering for hardship again this time too.’ Still restrained.
Paimon and Rox were staring at me.
I, Lee Hoyeol, was having my delusions flare up again.
Would it really be all right to release those restraints just like this? ‘They look even angrier than before.’ Considering the personalities of our Akshan seniors…
There was no way they had put those restraints on through gentlemanly procedure.
Was I going to have to deal with the aftermath of that anger all by myself?
The moment I hesitated.
The last demon hunter, now with only his head remaining in the blazing hellfire.
He turned his head halfway and opened his mouth.
From between those falling lips.
Words that made me flinch even harder followed.
“I will wait, Grandfel Claudi Arpheus Romeo.” …
Wait a second. ‘You know the full name, you…?’ Someone might ask.
Was it such a big deal that he knew?
But at least in Akshan, those words carried great meaning. Let us put ourselves in the opposite position. Why do you think I roughly lump them all together as Akshan seniors?
Unless they were named NPCs like Gabriel.
Demon hunters did not even know one another’s names.
I told you, didn’t I?
Akshan was an organization without blood, tears, or affection.
They did not chat warmly among themselves.
Nor did they introduce themselves.
And yet he knew my, Grandfel’s, full name. ‘This, perhaps…’ In this moment, the reason my seniors had simply withdrawn.
I began to think it might have something to do with Grandfel.
If so, then entering Hell could not be postponed for long. ‘I’ll have to prepare right away.’ The romantic explorer, Lorenzk. He had seemed restless anyway. No matter how dangerous Hell was, if I invited him, wouldn’t he welcome it with open arms? [The skill, ‘Exorcism Ritual,’ is deactivated.]
Along with the flickering message.
I sank into one last idle thought.
It was a plea I offered to the senior who had now vanished completely. ‘By the way, could you please not tell the other seniors that name…? I can overlook everything else, but Romeo—you really could have left that part out….’ *
In the end, his fears had not been misplaced. ‘You.’ Within the exorcism ritual.
What frightened Paimon was neither the flames of Hell nor the demon hunters who had leapt out from those hellish flames. Paimon feared and guarded against only one thing. ‘All changes began from there.’ A single ray of light.
That single ray of light had turned around a situation that had been on the verge of exploding.
At that point, Paimon could be certain. ‘It seems the time has come to make a decision truly for your sake.’ Even if it earns me your hatred.
Now I have no choice but to act.
No choice but to save you. ‘From that damned single ray of light.’ Paimon cast aside the restrained incarnation without lingering attachment.
It was likely due to the influence of the flames of Hell and the dead who had clawed their way back from Hell.
He could not reclaim all the authority lodged in the incarnation, but it did not matter. ‘That one will be sufficient as a vessel as well.’ Yes.
Was there not a vessel beside him that was usable in its own way? The human body was useless beyond measure, but now that, under the influence of corruption, demon blood had begun to flow through it in a turbid mix. ‘The fact that he understood my voice is enough.’ It meant he possessed the qualifications of a vessel.
Possession required no particular effort.
The Ten Thrones were irrational existences, after all.
Paimon soon took over Rox’s body.
And then he grasped the power of the half-blood with even greater precision.
Thanks to that, he was certain. ‘As expected, it is enough.’ Because what I am aiming for is not you.
It is merely to completely snuff out that single ray of light.
In a sense, it was killing two birds with one stone.
In the process, this world would fall into even greater chaos. ‘This world will be unable to escape negative emotions.’ Fwoosh.
At last, the hellfire began to die out, and the scenery changed as well.
In Rox’s body, which Paimon had possessed, he searched for an opening.
And the chance came.
Clatter.
The silver shackles that had bound the body came undone.
He did not delay.
Not even for a single instant, because he no longer wished to see it.
The sight of you being swayed.
By something as insignificant as a mere ray of light.
Paimon’s authority, Golden Paradise.
The sword Rox held in his hand began to transform. Paimon’s army, which had revealed itself from the maw of Behemoth. It was the authority that had wrapped that golden army.
Its exact effect was to forcibly raise the target’s rank.
At this moment, the weapon Rox had equipped was [Unique] grade, so it would not be wrong to say its performance had risen to [Epic]. From [Epic], it was reborn into an item of [Legendary] grade.
And that was not all. A golden energy began to dwell in the blood flowing through Rox’s veins as well. The change was too great to hide. Rox’s wings began to grow even larger.
Shing.
It was possible.
He could see it in his vision that looked into the future.
The sight of himself saving you from that single ray of light.
Flutter.
Once the restraints were completely released, Rox—Paimon—soared upward.
He rushed toward the defenseless Hoyeol.
And blood gushed forth.
Puuuk.
“…?”
From Rox’s nape.
It was neither pure magic power, nor magic, nor the anomalous, nor sword energy.
Because Rox had stabbed his own nape with his own hand.
“!”
Naturally.
Paimon had never performed such an action.
That was why he could not accept it.
How could a mere human resist my possession?
With such paltry willpower.
To defy my control makes no sense…
“…Thank you.”
Gurgle—blood poured from Rox’s throat.
“For calling me light… me, who was lacking, foolish, greedy, unworthy of being called a hero, and in the end showed such a hideously ugly sight….”
Rox’s mouth was smiling faintly.
Toward none other than Hoyeol.
“Thank you for calling someone like me light….” …
Light.
Paimon realized it belatedly.
That single ray of light had not bewitched only you.
Even this foolish human.
Had come to follow it dimly.
But Paimon did not panic.
Because he was certain. ‘Human, do you truly think you can stop me?’ This made it even clearer.
I, Paimon.
Even if I must draw my last breath by your hand.
Even for your sake.
I must extinguish that single ray of light without fail.
He became certain of it. ‘A mere human cannot stop me.’ The only way to stop me is for you to take your own life, human.
But you would not have such resolve.
This is an irrational possession whose costs do not balance out.
That was right.
Even if Rox took his own life, Paimon would not die.
Because the Ten Thrones were irrational existences.
Only an extremely small portion of his authority and consciousness would vanish.
However.
Puk.
Rox’s sword did not stop.
Until it completely pierced through his own neck.
He drove the sword deep in. ‘…What!’ Even Paimon was so shocked that, for a moment, he lost the dignity of one of the Ten Thrones.
Rox had already resolved himself to die.
That Rox spoke.
“…I hoped the most heinous demon written in the quest objective would be me.”
But no matter what.
It seemed that was not the case.
Soon, Rox’s vision flickered. [You have failed the class quest.]
With unexpected messages, one after another. [The Grandmaster of the Anomalous guides you to the realm of the anomalous.] [A new class quest begins.] [Class Quest: Wandering Knight]
“…?”
To Rox, whose eyelids twitched, Hoyeol spoke.
“Rox.”
In his characteristic manner.
“You clearly told me to disappear from your sight.”
He pressed him.
“So until I hear a reasonable explanation for that statement.”
He handed down a fitting judgment.
“I will not permit your eternal rest.”
“…!”
At that, the light of life rippled through Rox’s body.... [The blessing of the First World Tree dwells in the target.]