Thud, thud—
“Ugh. So stiff.”
I pushed aside the Oni that was cautiously approaching and loosened my recovering shoulder joint.
I felt a prickly gaze on my back.
“……”
“…What?”
“Oh, nothing. Just thinking I worried for nothing. If I’d known you’d recover instantly like a lizard growing its tail back, I would’ve broken your other side too when you were sprawled out…”
“…That’s a bit harsh, don’t you think? It’s thanks to me that you didn’t get hurt when we fell.”
“We fell because of you in the first place. If you don’t like it, you can be the Succubus next time.”
Pfft—
Her exasperated eyes turned to me.
I’d thought she was overreacting when she saw me injured, but it seemed she hadn't properly read about my ‘Trait: Half-Vampire’ on the train.
With most of my memories having evaporated while I focused on the battle, I couldn't have known such fine details either.
Swaaah—
The blood that had splattered from killing the Oni reset my twisted ankle and mended the broken bone.
Of course, even though my exterior appeared fully healed, the internal damage was still accumulating.
The compounded and accumulated damage from falling several thousand meters was not something that could be compared to taking a few hits from an Oni.
Even so, my exterior was able to recover quickly because the vampire trait was more effective against physical damage.
Unlike on the train, where I healed instantly every time I was hit by the Oni, my insides were still in the process of recovery.
“…It’s incomplete, I see.”
“Right?”
“Of course, it’d be absurd to compare it to the original… but it definitely feels slow.”
Pfft—
Spoken like the ‘Last Vampire’ he was.
He was examining my recovering body with great interest.
I understood.
It must have been a very long time since he had seen another vampire.
‘…His first blood kin.’
Technically speaking, I would be the first blood kin he had successfully created.
“…If you don’t mind, I’d like to open up your abdomen to check the recovery state of your internal org—.”
“I do mind.”
“…Let’s consider this payment for tearing my clothes earlier. Wouldn’t that be an equivalent exchange?”
“…How can tearing clothes be the same as tearing open a stomach?”
“……”
Of course, that didn’t mean we could afford to waste time.
Fzzt—
…I couldn’t just leave the satellite magic blocked by the Devil’s Singularity forever.
Heave-ho—
I lightly got to my feet and looked down at the sprawled-out Oni.
‘…Doesn’t seem too far.’
The Oni who came to see us were mere soldier Oni, acting as a sort of patrol.
Considering they arrived so quickly after the noise, the distance to ‘his’ location was clearly not far.
…It was soon.
『…Don’t make me laugh, brat. I will never trust anyone again. Not even if my father came back from the dead.』
Until I met the reason I came to Kunlun.
“…Let’s go.”
* * *
Step, step—
“Hey.”
As we were walking in the direction the Oni had come from, Loxy, who had been walking in silence, suddenly spoke up.
“……?”
“I have a question.”
“What is it?”
“This.”
She took the medal from her waist and asked.
“From what I heard earlier, this place is classified as ‘unexplored territory’…”
“……”
“Is there really a need to keep this on?”
It was a valid question.
Back when we were on the Guardian Train, numerous Constellations were undoubtedly looking down on us from high above.
But now that we had officially failed the train guardian request, we were no longer on a mission. The only Constellations who could watch us were those in charge of this region.
And although the Murim Empire’s territory surrounded the area, the Kunlun region was strictly designated by The Order as ‘unexplored territory.’
In short, it was a region where no ‘jurisdictional Constellation’ existed.
So, at first glance, her words made sense. There was no reason to use up mana to keep the ‘Devil’s Singularity’ active when no one was watching.
However.
My answer to her question was ‘Yes.’
“Yeah.”
“…Why?”
The reason was simple.
Although it was highly inefficient, it wasn’t impossible for beings on the level of Constellations to bend the system’s rules and act outside their authority.
…Just like the Constellation, 'Olympus's Ruffian' had done to me at the Second Gateway.
“Just in case some perverted old man decides to force a peek.”
“……”
“Better to prevent it beforehand.”
Moreover, the guy we were about to meet had a ‘bounty’ on his head.
Considering the potential repercussions, it was better to be thoroughly prepared like this.
Loxy still furrowed her brow as if she didn't understand, but she didn’t press further, perhaps realizing she wouldn’t get a straight answer even if she asked more.
Instead, Jerry spoke up.
“…Partner.”
“What?”
“…Do you know anything about the Oni?”
“Of course. I know them well.”
Swoosh—
“…Probably better than her.”
I said, glancing back at Loxy.
Loxy shrugged her shoulders as if confessing.
“…I don’t know much. They’re not my field of expertise, and the Oni were a nomadic Magical Beast race scattered all over the Demon King’s domain without any central territory.”
Loxy, cupping her chin with her thumb and forefinger, tilted her head for a moment before adding lightly.
“Well… their leader was somewhat memorable. What was his name… I think he disappeared right after being granted the title of Baron.”
“……”
“…Anyway, if my memory serves me right, the Oni were kicked out of the Demon King’s Allied Forces around that time.”
“…Still, that’s quite a bit to know.”
A brief silence fell.
Step, step—
Jerry continued his questioning.
“…Ever since the train, I’ve felt that something was off.”
“……”
“…After thinking about it, I noticed something strange about the Oni.”
“…Something strange?”
“The Oni formed a ‘pack’.”
Loxy flinched at the following sentence.
“…That’s right. It was so natural that I didn’t notice. I remember them as a strange race that acted individually, even when fleeing, unless they were participating in the War against Demons.”
She, too, had sensed that something was off.
The group of Oni that attacked the train.
And the Oni that had just become my potions.
They were all moving in groups.
“…My memory can’t be wrong. The first image that comes to mind when I think of Oni is ‘a moronic race that goes it alone despite having nothing to their name’.”
“…Right. They’re a race that doesn’t usually stick together because of their fiery tempers that flare up easily.”
“Then why…” Loxy asked impatiently, her brow deeply furrowed.
“…As far as I know, there’s only one thing that can unite the unruly Oni into a single, cohesive group.”
“……”
And that’s when I cut in to answer.
“Fear.”
“…Fear?”
“A primal fear, imprinted on their DNA, that they feel from birth.”
“……”
“Only that primal fear can compel the Oni into collective action.”
It was then.
Crunch—
“……!!!”
Just in time, a gruesome sound echoed from not too far away.
It was too sharp to be the sound of crushing flesh.
And too blunt to be the sound of slicing meat.
Yes.
It was like the sound of chewing through something hard with teeth.
The only odd thing was that it was too loud for someone chewing on a normal-sized piece of food.
And.
—Kuaaaak!
There was the scream that came with it.
Shrug—
“How about it?”
“……”
“Wouldn’t that be terrifying enough?”
The source of the sound was literally right in front of us.
A scream of agony from beyond the bend in the canyon path.
The unknown being on the other side crunched a few more times before revealing itself.
“To fail at such a simple task and let these rats follow you. You're all completely useless.”
Thump—
A low, deep voice, and heavy footsteps.
Its appearance perfectly matched the atmosphere I had felt from just beyond the wall.
A massive height that had to be at least five meters.
Giant horns sprouting from both sides of its head.
And sharp protrusions, similar in shape to the horns, covering its right arm.
Even the dark gray iron mace clutched in its right hand.
It was a fearsome appearance that would make anyone think of the words ‘Oni Chieftain’.
So.
Swoosh—
“…Long time no see.”
It looked exactly as I remembered.
* * *
At the sight of the monster that appeared from behind the cliff, Loxy sank to the ground without realizing it.
…It wasn’t just because of its ferocious appearance.
Wandering through the Demon King’s domain, she had seen countless hideous bodies and even more hideous faces.
The reason she unconsciously felt a sense of draining helplessness was because.
The information her mind had unconsciously processed at a single glance told her just how strong the being that appeared from behind the wall was.
‘…That’s definitely.’
First of all.
The monster that appeared from behind the bent wall was holding the head of an Oni in its right hand, and a blackish horn was attached to that Oni’s head.
If she was correct, that was probably the Mana Stone thief that Jerry and U-jin had mentioned, and the owner of the finger U-jin had found.
In other words.
It was a ‘Named-grade Magical Beast’.
Looking at the current situation.
The crunching sound from behind the wall just now was clearly the sound of that nameless Named Magical Beast being eaten alive.
And the strength to hold a Named Magical Beast in one hand and eat it alive was…
…a level of power that Loxy could not even begin to fathom.
In addition to that.
‘…A Dark Sword.’
Tucked carelessly into its waistband was a jet-black longsword.
It was the symbol of a Dark Knight, said to be the Demon King’s own sword.
The symbolic weapon of the Dark Knights, the Demon King’s direct elite guard who took orders from no one, were loyal only to the Demon King, and faithfully executed only his commands.
The presence of that black longsword proved that, whatever the case may be now, the monster before her had once been a part of the Demon King’s direct elite guard, the ‘Dark Knights.’
‘……’
…Honestly, even just this was already an astronomical level for Loxy.
Even if they didn’t possess the influence and power of the Titled Demons.
A Dark Knight’s personal martial prowess was directly acknowledged by the Demon King, making them a powerful Magical Beast.
Some Magical Beasts belonging to the Dark Knights even possessed martial strength greater than that of a Baron-rank demon.
There was no need to further explain their strength.
…But that wasn’t the end of it.
‘…Solo Darkwing.’
The familiar black wing tattoo engraved on the monster’s left arm.
It signified that he was a ‘Baron,’ a demon who had been personally granted a title and territory by the Demon King.
A Titled Demon.
A high-ranking official of the Demon King’s Allied Forces, whom Loxy had never even properly encountered in her entire life.
A key power in the War against Demons, a Titled Demon, had just appeared before her, chewing on a Named Magical Beast.
Therefore, Loxy, who knew the weight of that title all too well, couldn’t help but feel a sense of draining helplessness along with a primal fear for her life.
“Long time no see.”
Swoosh—
…Of course, U-jin, who must have known just as well as Loxy that the monster before them was a Titled Demon and a former Dark Knight, was just spouting such words while casually raising his right hand in greeting.
‘…Then this monster is.’
A history of serving as a Dark Knight, and the status of a demon granted territory and a title by the Demon King.
An appearance identical to that of an Oni.
…And the unsavory circumstances of hiding in the Church Alliance’s territory, despite being a Titled Demon, for reasons she couldn't fathom.
There was no need to wonder who he was anymore.
As far as Loxy knew.
There was only one person in this entire vast Upper Plane who fit that description.
‘…The Baron of Wrath.’
As Loxy organized her chaotic thoughts and put the puzzle pieces together one by one.
She was finally able to recall a forgotten name from the depths of her memory.
‘Shuten.’
.
.
.
[Bucket List #7]
『Party Member Recruitment - Baron of Wrath, Shuten.』