Chapter 367 — Archangel Hunting (2)

Anna Croft and I moved towards the battlefield right away.

Completely lost to madness now, Michael was ripping apart every single Constellation and Incarnation near him to bloody shreds.

The ‘Evil’ born only to destroy ‘Evil’.

After transforming into a Corrupted Angel, just Michael’s combat prowess alone would not lose out to that of Poseidon or Hades.

[Quite a few Constellations are paying more attention to the situation unfolding on the ‘Middle Island No.3’.]

[Constellation, ‘Demon-like Judge of Flames’, is looking at you with worried eyes.]

Those Constellations who had either already made their way into the ‘Main Island’, or hadn’t participated in the ‘Great War of Saints and Demons’, began shifting their gazes in this direction now.

After we reached the edge of Michael’s firing range, Anna Croft spoke to me. “Getting any closer than this will be dangerous. My [Covert Operations] skill can only....”

I reached out and grasped her wrist.

[Fable, ‘Pebble and I’, has begun its storytelling!]

[Fable, ‘Pebble and I’, is puzzled by the existence of ‘Anna Croft’.]

“Take care of this woman, as well.”

[Fable, ‘Pebble and I’, is looking at you with a slightly dissatisfied expression.]

[Fable, ‘Pebble and I’, has assimilated ‘Anna Croft’ into its effect.]

With that, we bravely ran through the battlefield. Michael and the other Constellations didn’t sense our presence at all. Most likely, we looked like a pair of pebbles rolling around on the ground or some such.

Anna Croft asked me with a shocked voice. “What is up with this Fable??”

“It’s a Fable for turning into a pebble.”

Since we didn’t have time, I replied to her like that.

Corpses of Constellations littered the pathways of the battlefield. Every now and then, we spotted still-breathing ones, too. Such as the Demon King from the 68th Demon World, ‘Darkness of no Value’, Belial.

After suffering from Michael’s attacks, he was barely holding on as Fables continued to leak out from his body. Wait, now that I thought about it, this dude was also aiming for me, wasn’t he?

Stab!

I oh-so-calmly sunk my [Unbreakable Faith] in his body next.

[You have eliminated the 68th Demon World’s Demon King!]

[Applicable Demon King is of a lower ranking than you are, and there is no change to the ranking.]

[You have acquired the [Modifier Necklace], ‘Darkness of no Value’.]

[You have murdered a fifth Demon King Incarnation Body.]

[Possibility of a new Attribute is opening up to you!]

“But, aren’t you a Demon King yourself?! Can you actually kill them like that??”

“Well, I’ll just give up being a Demon King, then.”

Anna Croft heard my perfectly-composed glib reply and formed a dumbfounded expression.

Ku-gugugugu!!

We heard the noises of Michael’s Status flooding out right behind us. If the Probability of the 2nd generation was slightly weaker, the entire forest would’ve been blown away by that power already.

“We don’t have much time left, so let’s hurry. Asmodeus should be in a state similar to this guy.”

The forest’s path near our position was decorated by the fallen fragments of a Demon King’s Fables. These traces belonged to a much-higher ranked Demon King, one that couldn’t be compared to Belial. You didn’t have to be a genius to figure out who they belonged to.

We brushed past the bushes for a bit until finally discovering a figure of a person leaning against the foot of a tall, ancient tree.

[....So, you did show up.]

As if it knew that I’d show up, Asmodeus was waiting for me with a smile on its face.

An arm and a leg of its Incarnation Body were cut off and missing; its chest area had been crushed as well, and it was truly hanging precariously on its last breaths.

[To think that Michael possessed the authority of ‘Corrupted’... you knew that from the beginning, didn’t you?]

Asmodeus formed an expression of someone who had realised everything now.

[And you’re going to take away my necklace.]

“Correct.”

Asmodeus’s overturned [Modifier Necklace] gleamed brightly. If I took a hold of all the words on that necklace, the Demon King should be kicked out of the ongoing ‘Great War of Saints and Demons’.

[In that case, you should hurry up.]

Asmodeus’s Incarnation Body belonged to a girl of around sixteen years of age. Even if this body died, Asmodeus’s real self wouldn’t die.

However, that body would die for real. And it... she, was the daughter of Manager Han Myeong-Oh. (ED: Han Myungoh → Han Myeong-Oh)

“I won’t kill you. Instead, let’s make a trade.”

[Trade? You want to trade after coming this far?]

“Kindly hand over a Myth-grade Fable to me. Then, I won’t eliminate you from this scenario.”

Asmodeus broke out into a loud peal of laughter before vomiting out a mouthful of blood.

[Now that is a rather amusing notion. Are you threatening me right now?]

“I am.”

For a brief moment there, palpable tension flowed between the Demon King and I. Asmodeus glared at me, but the light in its eyes seemed to contain this faint trace of resignation.

[You have become a true ‘Demon King’ now, haven’t you. No one in the 72 seats would be able to deny that you’re a true Demon King.]

“Thanks for the compliment.”

[However, there is a problem with your offer. Your target is me, so with what method will you not kick me out?]

“If you don’t lose all of your words, you don’t get eliminated from the scenario. I’ll leave you with one word remaining.”

The word I was planning to leave behind was ‘Of’, which was something I already had as a spare. Asmodeus spoke back.

[I’m so thankful that I might cry now.]

I extended my hand towards its [Modifier Necklace]. Syllables began flowing out one by one from the item next.

[Modifier syllable, ‘Lu’ has been acquired.]

[Modifier syllable, ‘St’ has been acquired.]

[Modifier syllable, ‘And’ has been acquired.]

[Modifier syllable, ‘Wra’ has been acquired.]

.......

When around half of the syllables came my way, Asmodeus spoke up while glancing at my own Modifier. No, more specifically, it must’ve been looking at the ‘Tion’ of my Modifier.

[Now that I take a look from up close, your Modifier truly is a tempting one.]

I quickly hid the [Modifier Necklace] under my clothes and replied.

“Don’t try to kill Michael, and just try to steal one word from him. If it’s you, it should be more than doable, right?”

[Just one word, is it.... Are you perchance speaking of this one?]

It was at that moment that a certain necklace held in its still-fine hand caught my eyes.

[Hunter of Grudges]

Its ‘targetted necklace’ with all of the words completed began emitting a bright glow.

[Demon King, ‘Devil of Lust and Wrath’, has attained the scenario clear condition!]

[Transmission to the next scenario has begun.]

I reflexively took a look at my own necklace of Modifier. It still said [Demon King of Salvation]. Meaning, that ‘Gru’ didn’t come from mine.

[I knew that this was a trap the moment Michael became corrupted.]

....No way, during such a short window?

The transmission to the next scenario began and Asmodeus’s Incarnation Body slowly dispersed before my eyes.

[Did you really think that I wouldn’t have made contingency plans for a situation like this one?]

From the onset, Asmodeus fought Michael for the express purpose of acquiring the syllable [Gru], nothing more. I belatedly reached out towards the Demon King, but things were already beyond my ability to interfere now.

[I pray you good fortune, ‘Demon King of Salvation’. Because... you too also need to collect just one more ‘word’ from now on.]

Accompanied by a brilliant flash of light, Asmodeus’s body disappeared from the spot. And the only things I had with me were those Modifier words that it left behind.

[De□ of Lust and Wrath]

God d*mn it, why did it have to be [Vil]....?

I underestimated Asmodeus, didn’t I? I turned my head around to find Anna Croft glaring daggers at me.

“What about the promise with m....”

“Shh.”

I reflexively placed my finger on my lips. Something felt off. Up until only a few seconds ago, the whole forest was awash with the chaotic screaming, but it was just too d*mn quiet now.

....As if all lifeforms had been killed off within the area.

Just as all the leaves and blades of grass in our surroundings stood up, so did the hair on my skin. I almost instinctively shouted out.

“Activate [Precognition], now!”

Her [Eye of the Great Demon] glowed in a bright crimson colour. Then, Anna Croft grabbed me and broke into a desperate sprint. After dashing over a hundred metres in an instant, she took a quick look behind her. I, too, was staring at the same spectacle as her.

Kuwah-aaaaah!!

The spot we were in only a moment ago was now being enveloped in a gigantic explosion. A purple-coloured half-dome reminiscent of a barrier collapsed in on itself in the blink of an eye and destroyed everything trapped within.

That was the [Judgement Field], the ability to destroy everything that could only be earned through ‘Corruption’.

Anna Croft spoke in a despairing voice. “There’s too much noise and I can’t see the future!”

“No need to see everything. You just need to read Michael’s attack patterns.”

“You still wish to fight him? If we use that ‘let’s become pebbles’ Fable or some such, we can surely escape from...”

“Didn’t you see that guy attacking even the stones on the ground just now?”

The Archangel hell-bent on killing me was walking out of the crater where purple-coloured smoke was rising up. Michael’s Fable, now triggered by the [Fruit of Good and Evil], was controlling his entire being. The Corrupted Archangel had already lost half of his reasoning.

[Demon King... of... Sal... vation...]

His powerful voice roused up all the goosebumps on my skin just by hearing it from afar.

“....Yup, he’s definitely not sane at the moment.”

“D*mn it, this is all your fault!!”

“Let’s go with Plan B.”

“Plan B? You haven’t even told me about that yet!”

“I’m trying to come up with it n....”

I couldn’t finish my sentence. Raging storm winds crashing in blew Anna Croft away to a distance, that’s why. Right after that, I saw Michael’s large, hulking frame rush towards me in a frightening turn of speed.

[‘Demon King Transformation’ has been activated!]

Along with cracking noises, my body began changing; a pair of jet-black wings and the horns of a Demon King rose up from my back and my head. Thanks to the Probability of the 2nd generation, my own Status had been strengthened further, as well. Of course, it’d still be a dog’s death trying to fight him with only this much Status, though.

[Attribute, ‘Scenario Interpreter’, has been activated.]

However, it wasn’t me who would be facing off against this guy.

[Great Fable, ‘Demon World’s Spring’, has begun its storytelling!]

[Great Fable, ‘Torch that Swallowed the Myth’, has begun its storytelling!]

Indeed, it would be the ‘Fables’ that I had earned so far.

KWA-BOOM!!!

The 「Demon World’s Spring」 loaded up on my left hand collided with Michael’s own left fist. Almost at the same time, the holy flames of the Torch burning on [Unbreakable Faith] aimed for the Corrupted Archangel’s body.

[Great Fable, ‘Torch that Swallowed the Myth’, is crying out in enjoyment!]

Michael was instantly shocked by what happened and quickly retreated while contorting his body.

The power of the ‘Great Fables’ was truly amazing. To think, they were able to face off against that frightening monster, even if he had been restricted currently by the shackles of the Probability of the 2nd generation. Indeed, it was not a waste of time to train under Yu Ho-Seong earlier.

[Fable, ‘Evil that Destroys Evil’, has begun its storytelling!]

[Great Fable, ‘Eden’s Demon’, has begun its storytelling!]

Unfortunately, I wasn’t the only one who possessed a powerful Fable.

Kugugugugu-!!

The incredible pressure emitted with Michael as its centre caused all my Fables to gasp out in pain. My Status was not quite enough to fight face to face with this Archangel, as it turned out.

[Great Fable, ‘Torch that Swallowed the Myth’, is roaring out in vexation.]

Sorry about that. If only I was a little stronger, you wouldn’t have to hold yourself back like this. Soon afterwards, a fearsome strike flew in and I received an incredible, stomach-churning impact.

[Great Fable, ‘Torch that Swallowed the Myth’, is protecting you.]

[Great Fable, ‘Demon World’s Spring’, is protecting you.]

[Fable, ‘King of a Kingless World’, is protecting you.]

[Fable, ‘the One who Opposes Miracles’, is protecting you.]

.......

My Fables were dealing with the Archangel’s attacks in my stead. For a brief moment there, several thoughts brushed past my brain.

What if I used [Hell of Eternity]?

What if I activated [Lightning Transformation] and [Way of the Wind] simultaneously? (ED: Electrification → Lightning Transformation. If you’re curious, TL says the raw is literally ‘lightning’, ‘human’, and ‘transformation’.) (TL: I see that you decided to go with Lightning Transformation, then.)

Awaken [Bookmarks] and call upon other characters?

No matter what I thought of, I just couldn’t see a clear way out of this. So, did that mean I only have that method left? But, I so wanted to avoid ending up in that pathetic state again.

Michael took large strides to come closer as I vomited out a bucketful of blood and backed away. He must’ve decided to end this right now, as purple-coloured aura was oozing out from one of his hands.

Soon, a purple-coloured half-dome was generated within my surroundings. There it was, the Stigma that couldn’t be cancelled once activated – the judge that punishes all ‘Evil’, [Judgement Field], was spreading out around me.

It looked as if my punishment would be in the form of compression to death.

“....Michael.”

However, did he know this small fact? That I’d been waiting for him to activate that Stigma of his?

“No, hang on... Corrupted Angel ‘Lucifer’.”

[Demon King, ‘King of Corrupted Angels’, hates that name!]

Originally, Lucifer was one of the main players that was supposed to lead the ‘Great War of Saints and Demons’ to its conclusion.

「No ‘Evil’ in this world can defeat the ‘King of Corrupted Angels’.」

This ‘Evil’ grew even stronger when confronting other ‘Evil’. And eventually, this monster would swallow up all ‘Evil’ out there. Heck, even a high-ranking Demon King within the top 10 positions wouldn’t be able to kill this guy. Because, he’d become the strongest existence in this world while fighting against ‘Evil’, you see.

「However, what would happen if his opponent was not ‘Evil’?」

All incredible power had a corresponding price to pay; while looking at the [Judgement Field] that was only around ten or so metres away from me, I reached into my inner pocket.

What I pulled out was a single apple – the [Star Relic Fruit] that I received from the ‘Scribe of Heaven’ just before ‘Gigantomachia’ went underway.

“Hey, don’t you miss the taste of this thing?”

Michael’s eyes began to quake rather noticeably now. He should be able to recognise this apple, because he too, had consumed this fruit once before.

“When an angel eats a [Fruit of Good and Evil], it’d go through [Demon King Transformation]. But, if a Demon King eats this fruit, what will happen?”

I could see the flustered Michael hurriedly extend his hand out.

Sorry, but it’s too late now.

Just before the [Judgement Field] crushed my body...

....Issuing the ‘crunch’ noise, I took a bite out of the [Fruit of Good and Evil].

< Episode 69: Archangel Hunting (2) > Fin.