Chapter 289 – Neither Humongous Nor Great (1)

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Translated by Heavenly Cat

Read it only at Novelbyu.com & Utoon.net

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Claudi.

The moment he heard that word, Wolf recalled the rumors floating around in the adventurers’ world. Because the word the demons of the Demon King’s Castle, who appeared here in reality, were howling was exactly ‘Claudi’.

It’s natural for this world to fall into questions.

Interviews, smartphones, internet.

They themselves do not even know about the things the adventurers are babbling about.

So what would the adventurers know about the existence of the Arcana continent.

About the story the demons are babbling about?

-“Have you ever heard of it, Vice Commander?”

However, the problem was the Shadow Mercenaries.

That even they themselves didn’t know about Claudi.

It wasn’t just a few common demons.

It’s the word spat out by no less than tens of thousands of the Demon King’s Army.

Even the Shadow Mercenaries do not know a word with that much influence?

‘I did think it was strange.’

Claudi.

He thought it was impossible unless they were purposely hiding it.

And denying it.

However, he finally began to understand.

Seven Deadly Sins, Envy.

The Great Evil faces the General Commander and opens its mouth.

Then speaks clearly.

“You are……. Claudi.”

A possibility suddenly flashing by.

“……!”

Wolf felt like his heart plummeted.

It couldn’t be, it shouldn’t be.

He thought as he looked at Ho-yeol.

Because he thought he would definitely deny it.

However.

“Do not dare utter that name.”

What Ho-yeol spat out was an answer no different from an affirmation.

“Seriously…….”

Wolf bit his lip tightly.

‘……Do you know, Commander? I was thinking of not forgiving you.’

Kitch.

Even if she had some unspeakable circumstances, he was intending not to listen. Because no reason whatsoever could be an excuse for throwing away the commander position and concealing her traces.

But goddamn it.

The story was starting to fit together in his head.

The Great Evil’s request entrusted to the Shadow Mercenaries.

The fact that the request succeeded.

Kitch, who declared she would take all responsibility after realizing it and then concealed her traces. And even the Great Evil staring in disbelief at the General Commander called Claudi.

The series of events were speaking for themselves.

“Even I would have run away, Commander.”

The Great Evil’s request.

That it was an request directly related to Claudi.

To the General Commander.

Wolf forced his dropped head up.

‘……Just how much does the General Commander know?’

He didn’t need to hear the answer to his question.

“If you have spat it out, take responsibility for it.”

Ssssh─

The massive aura spewing out from Ho-yeol’s physical body.

That was no common magic power.

Suitable magic power, black and dark enough to swallow everything.

“Huu.”

Merely looking at it makes one out of breath.

To the point of having the illusion that the General Commander’s emotions were being transmitted.

Thanks to that, he could realize.

‘No, there’s no way he wouldn’t know what I’ve realized.’

Above all, because the General Commander was the person concerned.

Wolf, suddenly, looked at the members.

They seemingly were surprised as well.

“Then does it mean the General Commander is related to Akshan?”

“……It doesn’t seem to match somehow.”

“More importantly, what’s that magic, old man.”

“……Black magic. Black magic to an indescribable extent.”

“Black magic?”

Even if it wasn’t necessarily Claudi.

There were overflowing elements on the battlefield to be surprised about.

Wolf smiled bitterly.

‘Was this the weight of the Commander, Kitch.’

It means the field of vision differs depending on the position.

In that sense, Wolf had no choice but to look at Ho-yeol once again.

A position as high as the weight he shouldered.

The vision looking down from a high place.

And.

‘Why show mercy to us once again……?’

Even the vessel whose limits couldn’t be fathomed.

However, Wolf’s sigh didn’t last long.

Because soon, the Seven Deadly Sins Envy burst into mad laughter.

“Hahahahahahahaha.”

Because I dared to spit it out.

“In the end, you too were nothing but a pitiful human.”

*

Great Evil.

Compared to themselves, humans are boundlessly weak.

Compared to themselves who live eternally, that life is merely a day’s life, and.

Because the majority were those who meaninglessly wasted even such a short life.

“I shall praise you.”

Compared to that, Akshan.

The Demon Hunters were decent.

Because they didn’t pursue meaningless original sins.

Craaaack─

The changing exterior of Envy.

The physical body that was shattered by the Meteor Strike fell off as if shedding a chrysalis. From within, a new physical body sprouted like a sprout.

“And.”

Such Envy’s gaze shifted over.

From the Demon Hunters to Ho-yeol.

The fluttering silver hair.

“I truly admire you, Claudi.”

It wasn’t sarcasm.

At this moment, Envy was more sincere than ever.

It continues speaking seriously.

“To be able to look down on the boundlessly hideous Arcana continent, and humans. I sincerely respect you. You are better than non-existent gods or goddesses or such.”

However, it couldn’t suppress the bursting laughter.

“But how was the end of such Claudi? The Arcana continent you cherished so much! The boundlessly trivial humans! In the end, they plunged a dagger into the great you all.”

Envy looked at Ho-yeol.

It seems he is still listening for now.

However, how long can he remain upright?

The cruel history of the Claudi family hasn’t even begun yet.

Envy thought.

‘I truly respect you.’

That’s why didn’t I personally even set up a scheme.

Akshan.

And Claudi.

Even one alone was tricky enough.

The guy was shouldering two backgrounds.

However, Akshan and Claudi.

Those backgrounds are all merely specters of the past.

‘You have no choice but to be shaken.’

Envy had a belief.

The Claudi family and Akshan.

In order to knock down the two forces.

It knew their past of reaching out to lowly humans.

Because they endured the humiliation of holding hands with such humans.

Because they believed such humiliation wasn’t in vain.

It could sympathize with him wholeheartedly.

“Yes, now that I know everything.”

It became able to transcend itself.

“I can no longer feel envy from you.”

Molting.

A new form even it itself didn’t know.

The words ‘transcended limits’ couldn’t fit better than this.

Literally Envy.

Overcoming its own original sin.

Did it not spread such radiant wings.

Fwip!

They are not the frail wings of a bat.

Wings made of black and abundant feathers.

It was an appearance that would invoke despair in humans just by looking at it.

“?”

But it was a strange thing.

For some reason, from the pitiful survivor of Claudi.

Not even a sliver of agitation was felt.

“The screams of your kin are still vivid in my ears.”

Even if it desecrated the family.

“Akshan’s end was boundlessly trivial.”

Even if it insulted Akshan.

The upright posture didn’t collapse in the slightest.

He was merely looking as if observing itself.

.

.

.

……Just what is it babbling about right now?

‘I know well that Akshan was backstabbed.’

Due to the demons’ trickery, Akshan was isolated ahead of the holy war.

I don’t know the specific story but.

Because they were exterminated without a trace just like that.

But.

‘The Claudi family was also abandoned by the continent?’

The setting of the Claudi family.

I don’t know from where to where it was realized.

That’s because I’ve only just discovered the ruins of the Claudi mansion.

And just started the restoration.

Metaphorically speaking, it means I’ve only just taken the first step.

However, I can guess.

‘Yunakersus.’

Yunakersus and the other dragons to the point of following me, saying they couldn’t repay the debt owed to Claudi. Perhaps the setting of the Claudi family might be inflated beyond what I remember.

But do not be mistaken, demon.

“What is so pleasing.”

I, Lee Ho-yeol, do not make mistakes.

The cruel history of the Claudi family?

Yes, even that would only be a part of the setting I must have jotted down back in those days. Acknowledging the Claudi family and taking responsibility for it does not mean I will be buried in that dark history.

Haven’t I said it time and time again?

To have chunni-byo relapse again now.

I have aged far too much.

And I have tasted too much of the bitter reality of society.

Dark histories aren’t meant to be immersed in, they’re meant to be overcome.

That’s right.

In the end, as long as I myself stand firm, it’s fine.

No matter how extensively it mentions the cruel history of the Claudi family. If it’s words popping out from a demon’s mouth, Granfel’s attitude will be consistent.

I continued speaking to Envy.

“There is not a single thing that has changed.”

But if it’s such a complicated past.

It’s a rule to make use of it at the same time.

At this moment, what covered the area wasn’t Peace manifested by Envy.

Suitable magic power.

It is Suitable magic power drawn from Claudi’s past, which deserves to be called a cruel history just as you said. The black magic 『Black Crown』 manifested with such suitable magic power is sufficient to dominate, going beyond snatching the five senses.

“You are unable to escape from merely illusory delusions.”

That’s right.

From my perspective, there was nothing different about the guy.

Hit by Meteor Strike.

Envy was forcefully wriggling around with a ruined physical body.

Shivering─

Was it that it wanted to run away from before the [Natural Enemy Relationship] that couldn’t be overcome even as a Great Evil. It was spitting out arrogant words. It was glibly babbling for being such a thing.

“Everyone on the continent turned their backs on you.”

Well, yeah.

If you add Akshan’s end to the Claudi family’s cruel history…….

Perhaps those words might not be an exaggeration.

“Do you not know better than anyone else? The race called humans does not change. That they are existences helpful to no one. Why are you denying the ‘True Truth’?”

True Truth.

That’s also a word I haven’t heard in a while.

The Fire Dragon, Karimzeba, who was an elder mage and a demon worshiper.

Wasn’t that the very word he babbled at the end, probably?

I don’t know what that meant back then or now.

“It is not too late even now. Join us.”

No, I misspoke.

It’s not that I don’t know.

I don’t even have the thought of wanting to know.

Because the words spat out by demons are all bullshit anyway, aren’t they?

There’s no need to provide specific evidence.

Because it was like that just now.

“Do you truly think ‘everyone’ abandoned me?”

“……What are you talking about?”

The feeling of not being able to understand is distinctly felt from Envy’s voice.

Then it changes the topic.

Without a doubt, I knew it would head in that direction.

“You guys, taking the Shadow Mercenaries alone, is it not the same?”

Even looking like this, my tact is quick, you see.

If I didn’t even have tact, it would be a situation where I should’ve sunk to the netherworld from running my mouth once or twice. So I roughly guessed it. That what Kitch called the Great Evil’s request was.

‘That it was related to the extermination of the Claudi family.’

It probably brought it up aiming for that.

It probably wants me to be shaken.

But it’s a boundless misjudgment.

“You are neither humongous nor great, inferior ones.”

Have you still not realized it?

“Unlike demons, humans can change.”

“……What did you say?”

“Even if they might have made a wrong choice.”

“What kind of nonsense……!!”

“If they realize it, they can make it right.”

Isn’t the living proof right here?

A puberty that almost went astray.

I, Lee Ho-yeol, who correctly overcame the dark history.

Of course, I’m not generalizing my sole case.

Swoooosh─!

Eventually, the sound of the wind splitting piercing the ears.

There is no need to check the true identity of the sound.

The nine weapons shining reflecting the light of Dawn.

[You have obtained the command over the Shadow Mercenaries.]

[Shadow Mercenary Commander, 8 members under Wolf Saccharin]

[Current Status: Struggle prepared for death]

Thwack!

Wolf, who lodged a crossbow bolt into the nape of Envy’s neck, says.

“I will take responsibility for the fault.”

[A ‘Critical Hit’ occurs on the Great Evil, Seven Deadly Sins Envy.]

[‘Bleeding’ occurs on the Great Evil, Seven Deadly Sins Envy.]

[‘Stun’ occurs on the Great Evil, Seven Deadly Sins Envy.]…….

I continued speaking toward Envy.

“Did I not tell you.”

“……Keugh?”

“Do not underestimate the pride of humans.”

“……!!!”

[‘Fear’ occurs on the Great Evil, Seven Deadly Sins Envy.]