Chapter 56 – Aesthetics (2)

===================

Translated by Heavenly Cat

Read it only at Novelbyu.com & Utoon.net

===================

[Aesthetic : Low]

Its effect was quite heterogeneous.

Summarized in one sentence, it was this effect.

[Adds an aesthetic sense to everything.]

The opening of the stat.

When information about that permeated my head.

……I wondered what kind of bullshit this was.

But a picture is worth a thousand words.

Only after confirming the effect of [Aesthetics] did I correct that impure thought.

Adds an aesthetic sense to ‘everything’.

Because there was no effect more fitting for me than that.

‘It’s definitely different from other stats.’

Strength, Agility, Magic Power, etc.

There was a limit to each ability.

For example.

Just as the Strength stat cannot directly affect the power of magic.

That was the reason I evaluated Aesthetics as heterogeneous.

‘Magic, swordsmanship, and even black magic…….’

Aesthetics really affected ‘everything’.

What does that statement mean?

Things I have, things I don’t have.

To me, who has no choice but to drag and use everything.

There is no effect more suitable than this……!

Wooooo

I drew up my magic power.

『Magic』 with an aesthetic sense added.

The target of its manifestation was the approaching Demon King’s Army.

‘Let’s check one by one.’

That start familiarly.

Craaaaack!

It’s a stone pillar this time too.

But a stone pillar with an aesthetic sense added was different from before.

The appearance of the stone pillar soaring from the ground was just like.

“……Sir, that is?”

Harkon feigned surprise.

That kind of reaction was understandable.

Because even I who actually manifested it was slightly surprised just now.

“……Halt!!”

What blocked the front of the Demon King’s Army was.

The soldiers.

Right, the soldiers of Frost whom we had recovered until just now.

I had manifested their appearance as statues.

……Holy shit. Wait a minute.

Just how much complicated interference process went into this?

I knew well through experience.

Why, it was like that just when transforming the shape of the silver dagger.

I only twisted its shape a little to increase its lethality but.

The magic power consumed for that was at a level that couldn’t be ignored.

However.

‘……This isn’t twisting the shape a little.’

From ordinary stone into statues.

It was literally a level of creating shapes.

Furthermore, the number of statues manifested like that were over a hundred.

Even assuming my magic power grew and [Natural Enemy] was in an activated state.

I wouldn’t have been able to avoid magic power depletion.

Of course, if it were the past.

I checked the consumed magic power.

‘Not bad.’

It was higher consumption than just manifesting stone pillars but.

Compared to the level of the manifested magic.

This consumption was practically free.

Everything was thanks to Aesthetics.

An aesthetic sense.

It simplified the exceedingly complicated interference process.

‘To put it simply.’

It’s probably something like a hotkey, macro, or the art of copy-pasting.

Naturally, it’s more cumbersome than when not using it.

But just by pressing a button once.

The output borders on several times, no, dozens of times more.

However, that truth was a fact that only I could know.

The Demon King’s Army halting was natural.

“Aren’t those definitely the ones we struck to death……?”

“Don’t tell me, he revived them?”

“No, being merely a human, there’s no way something like that is possible!”

Even the Shadow Mercenaries who were watching as well.

“Old man, try breathing properly at least. What’s there to be so surprised about? It’s just a few pieces of stone jumping out.”

“……Rakheed. I Jealousy that ignorance of yours.”

“What, you punk?! Who are you calling ignorant, this punk!”

Will recover the bodies.

They looked at me as if I was a crazy bastard when I declared that.

Now somehow even that gaze feels strangely entirely different.

Kitch in particular, that’s completely looking at me like I’m a monster, isn’t it.

However.

“Look clearly. Trivial demons.”

I neither had the intention to explain the whole story.

Nor have enough leisure for that.

I continued my words with a cold voice.

“Even death cannot break the pride of humans.”

I definitely said so while recovering the corpses.

-I shall inherit your pride.

Right, I’m already busy enough just keeping the words I spat out……!

Now that the Demon King’s Army is agitated.

I did not hesitate.

Whoooosh!

Soldier statues.

I sent the weapons they were holding flying towards the Demon King’s Army.

Because the weapons are also a part of the statues.

It was natural their shape was exquisite.

Furthermore, it meant my magic power was added on top of that.

It meant that destructive power was overflowing.

Kwakwakwang!

Accurately.

Throws attacking only the Demon King’s Army.

“Uwaaagh!! Fuck!!”

“How can the dead bastards……!”

“Trifling tricks for a mere human!”

Indeed, is it saying it lives up to its level.

[Demon King’s Army Centurion : Lv.420]

A guy who regained his senses shouted to his allies.

“Don’t be fooled. It’s nothing but a simple sleight of hand!”

A simple sleight of hand.

I added one word.

“Indeed, my expectations were far too great.”

“……What?”

“Since it is impossible for dull demons to comprehend pride in the first place.”

The real thing starts now.

I genuinely drew up my magic power.

As I said, Aesthetics affected everything.

‘I need to find out what kind of synergy it can produce with each attribute magic. There’s a need to know.’

Then what I needed was Light, the magic power sphere.

I manifested Light.

There was no need for its size to be huge.

‘Delicacy is demanded over great destructive power.’

The battlefield was a complicated urban area.

Because there was a need to attack while distinguishing between enemy and ally.

‘It’s right to increase its numbers instead of reducing its size.’

As long as Aesthetics exists.

There was no incident of massive magic power being consumed in that interference process either.

And well, it probably isn’t important but…….

Float

“……Pretty.”

“It’s resplendent!”

“Old man. What’s that magic that looks ticklish just from seeing it again?”

Like snowflakes sparkling under the sunlight.

The magic power spheres with an aesthetic sense added were quite beautiful.

Naturally, that beauty wasn’t everything.

Manifestation.

Like snowflakes.

The magic power spheres flying towards the Demon King’s Army began to manifest into each attribute magic.

Since an aesthetic sense was even added to each attribute magic.

Flames soared loftily.

Water vibrated serenely.

And even noisy lightning felt noble, like the judgment of the heavens.

How should I describe that sight.

It was hard for me to express it in words.

Since it was something that couldn’t be helped.

Regardless of how that sight was.

Ultimately, the process of hunting demons.

No matter its method, it is an exceedingly natural thing.

I spoke calmly.

“Step aside.”

Of course, my inner thoughts couldn’t be composed as well.

Everything was because of the messages popping up since a while ago.

[Your level has risen.]

[Your level has risen.]

[Your level has risen.]…….

And the blinking quest window.

──────

─Current Contribution : 23,100p

──────

Pouring experience points and Contribution.

I shamelessly thought.

……This, it might be worth aiming for 1st place in Contribution too?

*

Frost.

Sunlight no longer entered Miya’s house.

Miya looked at the window covered by curtains.

How many days had it been.

Since her father repeatedly requested earnestly and stepped out of the door.

-Miya. You must never open the door.

Miya was not young like her younger brother, Mark.

So she knew.

That demons invaded Frost and her father had left the house to fight against the demons.

And.

-Mark. Listen to your sister well until I come back.

The fact that her father will not be able to return again.

Miya didn’t think she was pitiful.

Because she knew this ordeal wasn’t something that only befell her.

But it was strange.

Ever since she heard the news that another village was occupied by demons.

She definitely had it in mind but.

Why, tears kept coming out.

“……Sniff.”

However, Miya didn’t cry.

No, she couldn’t cry in front of Mark even if she did.

……Mark?

Miya reached out her arms as much as she could and fumbled around.

But no matter how much she reached out her arms, she couldn’t feel Mark’s round back of the head.

Where did this kid go?

Don’t tell me, did he go up to the 2nd floor?

It was when she was thinking that.

A ray of light entered the darkness.

“!”

Mark had drawn the curtains.

Miya was startled out of her wits.

We might get caught by the demons!

She shouted softly as if whispering to Mark.

“Mark……! Close the curtain!”

Mark’s face getting cast by sunlight.

For some reason, the corners of such Mark’s mouth gradually rose.

Mark said brightly.

“Noona, it’s snowing!”

……Snowing?

It hadn’t snowed in Frost for a while.

Her father had said so.

Because the gates of hell opened in the Frost Forest.

The ground got hot, so there wouldn’t be any snow falling anymore.

He definitely said so, so…….

Shake shake

‘Mark saw an illusion.’

That idiot!

Miya quickly ran towards Mark.

The pitch-black interior of the house.

Although it hurt because she bumped into things here and there, she held back her tears.

And quickly tried to close the curtain…….

“……Huh?”

But.

Just like Mark said, snow was really falling.

Float

Miya blankly stared out the window and flinched.

……Wait, isn’t it snow?

Even if she called them large snowflakes, those snowflakes were way too huge.

Even when snow piled up to the roof, she hadn’t seen such snowflakes.

And above all, they were too sparkly.

“……Pretty.”

To the point of feeling that way for the first time while seeing snow.

The dazed Miya came to her senses at Mark’s words.

“Noona, let’s go out and have a snowball fight!”

Although Dad said it’s because Mark is still young.

“……You idiot!”

Miya could be certain.

Mark was definitely an idiot.

Miya came back to her senses.

Whether this is snow or not was not the important thing.

‘Hurry!’

Before getting caught by demons, the curtain……!

While doing so, she naturally saw the sight of the street.

“……Noona? Are you looking by yourself unfairly!”

Although Mark, who was short, couldn’t see.

Miya could see.

“……Did they perhaps come to save us?”

The sight of the knights fighting the demons.

Miya felt like her tears would burst out.

But there was a man in an unfamiliar outfit next to the knights.

“……?”

That outfit was definitely an appearance she had never seen before until now.

However, there were words that brushed past in Miya’s memories.

-When Dad was about our Miya’s age, I think. There were people called adventurers from another world……. Me too, everyone received a lot of help from the adventurers.

Miya could intuite.

‘Adventurer.’

That that man is exactly the adventurer Dad spoke of.

However, at the same time, her father’s earnest request that came to mind.

-Miya. You absolutely must not recklessly trust anyone, no matter who it is.

……Right, Dad said demons deceive people easily.

Miya bit her lower lip.

Right, that might also be a trick.

But it was strange.

“……No.”

Because no matter how she thought about it, that wasn’t something a demon would do.

The man and the knights were recovering corpses.

Among them, there were also faces Miya knew.

“Mister Hanson…….”

It was the guard mister who received her greetings until just a few days ago.

The adventurer who closes the mister’s eyes.

At that sight, Miya’s heart was moved.

“Me too……. Let me see too. Noona!”

Miya spoke to the whining Mark.

“……Mark. Let’s have a snowball fight.”

“……Really?!”

“Really. Promise.”

Miya firmly grabbed Mark’s hand.

*

I realized it anew.

‘The Shadow Mercenaries.’

Their skills.

With Kitch at the lead, there was a ranking among them.

But making that ranking meaningless.

Even the Last Seat, Rakheed, had formidable combat power.

Look at him now too.

“Pounce at me in droves. You bugs-like bastards.”

Every time Rakheed swung his mace, the Demon King’s Army was swept away like autumn leaves.

To slaughter monsters over Level 400 like that.

‘The fact that that isn’t Sword Energy is more surprising.’

The unique light of Sword Energy couldn’t be seen from Rakheed.

It meant he was overwhelming the demons purely with his pure strength.

I felt a sense of my liver popping out of my belly anew.

‘……I treated such Shadow Mercenaries.’

As if I practically dragged them to this place, Frost, half-forcedly after pulling rank on them.

Still, what was fortunate was that regardless of their strength, they were favorable toward me.

“We are also pouring our all. You’re watching, right?”

“I am watching. Though it seems you still have leisure.”

“……L-Leisure?! Uwaa. I will work harder!”

“?”

Although it was merely a praise for her skills.

What’s with that reaction?

Anyway, apart from the gazes looking at me like I’m a monster.

Kitch did her best.

“If it’s alright with you.”

Not only Kitch but also the old man called Akari politely spoke to me.

Even offering me potions at that.

“Potion crafting is my specialty.”

However, for this noble Granfel-nim.

Are you saying he’s a person who relies on potions handed by others.

I naturally responded.

“I appreciate your goodwill but I am fine.”

“Oho……! I unintentionally ended up doubting you, Sir. Please forgive this lowly old man’s unnecessary worry.”

“?”

What is it, this reaction too.

Somehow it seemed like there was a misunderstanding in communication but.

The situation wouldn’t be appropriate to correct it right now.

My magic.

The pincer attack of the Lionheart Knights and the Shadow Mercenaries.

Thanks to that, the Demon King’s Army retreated only after suffering a huge defeat, damage close to annihilation.

There was no need to chase them. As long as subjugating the Demon King is the goal, we’ll end up meeting them again.

And right now, we had things to do.

Harkon shouted.

“We shall recover the bodies!”

Because the corpses were endless wherever we went.

Harkon spoke to me as I closed the eyes of a guard.

“Sir. I firmly believed there would be survivors.”

Tremble

“However……!”

Harkon’s shoulders trembling with anger.

Even if I don’t know about anything else, one thing was certain.

Earning this much grudge from the world-renowned Harkon.

‘I don’t know who you are but Demon Legion Commander, you are seriously screwed.’

It was then.

“……!”

The quest window blinked.

Thanks to it, I had something to tell Harkon.

“Do not blame yourself, Harkon.”

“……?”

[Class Quest : Subjugation of the Demon King(”)]

The King of Demons.

Their evil hands begin to reach out.

The Last Demon Hunter.

Tear down the throne of evil.

─Train your weakened physical body. (Repeat)

─Investigate the northern city, Frost. (Success)

Class Quest.

The new objective added at the end of it.

─Save the survivors. (In Progress)

I calmly said.

“It seems your belief was not wrong after all.”

That moment.

Slid!

The draped curtains opened.

“S-Survivors……!”

However, it was still too early to rejoice.

─Thwart the Demon King summoning ritual. (In Progress)

Because it seemed the Subjugation of the Demon King had only now begun in earnest.