Chapter 32 – The Culprit (1)

Even with the flying sword, Luzback did not bat an eye. He just looked at it.

At a glance, he looked like an old man frozen in fear. However, Velloc read a single sign in the sinister old man’s eyes.

It was composure.

At the same time Luzback smirked, his lips muttered. In that brief moment, a translucent force field appeared and blocked Velloc’s sword.

No, it only looked like it blocked it. Because the force field that collided with the sword began to scream, emitting a *crackle* sound.

Luzback was flustered.

“What in the world…”

Velloc grinned and added strength to his hand holding the sword. As Butcher trembled, the black force field also shook here and there.

“How do you think I killed your kind?”

“What? In that case, could you be…”

The moment Luzback’s eyes widened.

Shatter!

The force field shattered, and Velloc’s greatsword split Luzback’s body. His white clerical robe was stained with blood, and the hat he was wearing flew into the sky.

It was a pathetic death for the protagonist of the witch hunt that had dyed Hameln in terror.

“Aaaaaargh!”

“First the Lord, and now the priest! Just how far do you intend to commit crimes!”

Whether the soldiers were startled or not, Velloc wiped the blood from his sword and took his stance again. His eyes sank deeply.

Voices were heard from behind as well.

“Breaking a shield spell with just a single sword? And with a piece of iron, not a relic or a sacred object? It’s hard to believe even after seeing it with my own eyes.”

Did she think the situation was over? Cara, who shook her head in wonder, was walking leisurely. However, Adel was different. Observing Velloc’s unusual expression, she recalled the events in the Oker territory.

“Master Velloc. By any chance…”

As Adel trailed off, Velloc nodded readily.

“The experience points didn’t come in.”

At that moment, a bizarre voice like scraping metal was heard.

[Indeed. Is that how you killed Baphomet and Botis as well?]

“S-Shit. What is that? Bishop Luzback?”

The complexions of the soldiers were now beyond pale, turned completely white. Because Luzback, whose body was split in half, moved his severed tongue and teeth to speak.

Common-sensically, it was a nonsensical situation. Leaving aside the severed vocal cords, how could a dead person speak?

The soldiers did not know. That demons could speak directly to the human mind. In other words, the guy was playing a prank right now. Knowing this, Velloc made no reply. Instead, he swung the sword in his hand and finely minced Luzback’s halved corpse. ‘Is he dead?’

However, the voice giggled.

[The body of the high priest was quite a useful vessel. Moreover, the rumor that you broke the witch out was true. All of this was your doing, you wretched knight bastard.]

Black smoke emerged from Luzback’s fragmented body and writhed. Seeing this, Cara shouted.

“My god. That was his main body! It’s a spiritual entity class! Velloc. Fall back for now!”

When it came to mysteries and superstitions, the views of a mage could not be matched.

Hearing Cara’s advice, Velloc backed away at once. Then, the wriggling smoke gradually took shape, soon assuming the form of a giant demon.

Would a genie from a lamp look like that if only its bones remained to show its teeth? Seeing the skeleton emitting red eye-glow from its hollow eyes, Velloc muttered.

“A ghost?”

The soldiers who had been sitting on the spot fled screaming as soon as they saw the speaking corpse and the demon floating in the air.

In the end, in front of the church located on the outskirts of the city, a knight of monstrous strength, a loyal squire, a strange spellcaster, and a formless demon formed a bizarre confrontation.

[The goal was right in front of me. To think I’d face this kind of interference.]

The skeletal demon glared at Velloc’s group in annoyance. Every time it spoke, black smoke erupted from its mouth. It also gently wagged its lower body, of which only a tail remained. Whether the demon spoke to him or not, Velloc asked Cara.

“You said he is a spiritual entity. What do we have to do to catch that?”

Cara’s face was deeply knit. Her face looked worse than when she faced dozens of ghouls earlier.

“Normally, a parasitic demon is finished if you break the vessel it used as a host. But the spiritual entity class is different. You can consider it more tricky.”

“Keep it short.”

Cara sighed.

“At least we need a Paladin who knows how to handle holy relics or the power of light to inflict meaningful damage on him. Although it would be possible with my magic…”

“Although?”

“He is immune to physical attacks. He will likely target me intensively, since I am the one who can inflict damage.”

Cara’s words meant that in dealing with that demon right now, Velloc and Adel were of little help.

The skeletal demon thought the same.

[Starting with the greedy Bishop, I corrupted all the breeds of clergymen in this city. I don’t know what you can do with just two sword-wielders and one spellcaster.]

The skeletal demon laughed viciously. Soon, waving both arms, it let out a bizarre shriek.

[Although the preparations are incomplete… it’s the start of the festival!]

A sinister red light poured from the skeletal demon’s eyes. It was on par with the church’s flames burning nearby. Soon, the demon, blathering its blurry mouth, began to mutter something.

Though the speed was so fast that its meaning could not be known, it exuded a gloomy and strange energy. His ears rang, and his head was about to ache. Cara screamed out,

“It’s a curse spell! Everyone, get next to me!”

As Velloc and Adel closed in next to her, Cara planted her staff on the ground and muttered with her lips as if opposing the demon’s spell. Shortly after, brilliance flashed in her eyes as well, and a translucent force field was created around the group.

*Crackle*

The force field emitting sparks deflected the ominous spell. Only then could the three breathe a sigh of relief. Adel shook her head as if her ears were still ringing.

“Pant, pant. This is…”

“True to a spiritual entity demon, he has no physical abilities until he possesses someone. But he can use spells. Probably, curses or bewitchment are his specialties.”

“Come to think of it, there were many sick people in this city.”

Cara, who understood Velloc’s meaning, nodded with a heavy face. The situation had grown worse.

“Yes, the citizens caught in the curse of ghoulification overflowed. Perhaps that spell is the trigger. Burning people must have been a sacrifice to strengthen the curse’s effect.”

“That means…”

Adel swallowed hard. Cara swept her hair up and grimaced. Saving her life was good, but it felt like they had poked a hornet’s nest. ‘Should I have told them to just run away, leaving the demon alone?’

“It means we must now face the demon employing evil spells and the citizens of Hameln turned into ghouls simultaneously.”

As soon as Cara’s words ended, screams and shrieks began to echo throughout the city. The citizens who had become monsters were running wild everywhere. Floating in the sky, leisurely observing this situation, the skeletal demon raised both arms.

[Rotten ones. Come here. Come and help your master!]

As soon as the demon’s words ended, the ground rumbled. The gasping shrieks also drew closer. Soon, Cara’s and Adel’s faces froze like stone. Beyond the iron bars of the church, ghouls looking to be over a hundred in number swarmed like hungry ghosts. The skeletal demon burst into wild laughter.

[Keh-keh-keh. If I had just a bit more time and sacrifices, I would have turned it into ruins in one go. Well, I can just deal with you bastards first and trample you step by step.]

Velloc called the witch. It was a calm voice.

“Cara.”

“Huh? Are you telling me to run away even now? But… will that guy let us go?”

Cara asked in a lacking confidence tone. However, Velloc shook his head. Not only would they not let them go, but he had no intention of fleeing either.

Piles of experience points were coming on their own. Where would he go? However… the problem was that guy. To think there was a guy whom blades didn’t work on. Velloc gestured at the skeletal demon.

“That smoke-like guy. Can you handle him?”

“No way… do you plan to fight?”

“I asked if you can handle him.”

“…I can hold him down somehow. Even if he is a demon, he is a spellcaster, and I am a mage. However, that alone won’t be a fundamental solution.”

The horde of ghouls pouncing in front of them right now was the problem. Letting alone the spell duel with the demon, she was in a situation where she would be torn to pieces by their claws.

“I see. Then I will clean those up first and return.”

Nodding, Velloc drew his sword. The blood-stained greatsword was now glistening in complete blackness. For some reason, it also seemed to emit a strange energy.

‘What is it? I feel like I can sense something.’

Shaking his head slightly for a moment, Velloc added a word.

“Adel.”

“Yes.”

“Protect Cara.”

“I will follow your command.”

Adel, who had now completely become the witch’s babysitter, held her sword and shield. She couldn’t complain. The situation was that urgent.

Velloc rushed forward. Supported by his explosive leg strength, he leaped over the iron bars and stretched out onto the main road where the ghouls were swarming.

[Are you crazy? Or is it arrogance as a knight?]

The skeletal demon, distorting its mouth, stretched out one hand. It was to use a spell. At that moment.

*Crackle*

[Aaaaaargh! This fucking bitch!]

Cara’s lightning exploded. Having received the impact, the demon’s body dispersed like a cloud and gathered again.

The demon, which shook its body, looked down with its two eyes shining viciously. Then, the witch was also glaring at the demon, her brown eyes flashing.

“Your opponent is me.”

Cara spun her staff. Soon, she quickly began to chant a spell. The demon also spread its arms wide and chanted a spell.

The intangible energy emitted from the two clashed against each other. Magic was originally a force that did not exist in this world.

And mages were people who twisted space and laws to manifest their will into reality.

Cara and the demon entered their own inner worlds and began a tug-of-war of strength. The demon attacked Cara, pouring out all the curses it knew, and Cara also responded with the spells she had.

Whether the witch and the demon sweated coldly or not, the knight Velloc charged bravely. The church burning behind him served as an excellent light source.

“Kieeeek!”

The leading ghoul among the ghouls approaching by stepping hard on the stone floor jumped high. Perhaps it had dined before coming. Its hands and teeth were already stuffed with the flesh and blood of victims.

Velloc had no intention of filling the creature’s belly. He easily swung the sword in his hand and cut the creature in half.

Slash!

The splashed blood dyed his vision red in an instant. It stung and tickled. However, Velloc did not close his eyes.

He just adjusted his stance and swung the greatsword in his hand sideways. The waists of three ghouls pouncing all at once were severed.

Velloc did not rest. Had he done so, he would have been swept away by the surging wave of ghouls. So he moved endlessly, swinging his sword.

Striking down. Horizontal slash. Diagonal slash. Every time the greatsword flashed, three creatures died without fail.

Of course, since their numbers were large, gaps were bound to appear. A few ghouls were already heading toward Cara and Adel, and another few clung to his relatively vulnerable ankles, gnawing at his armor.

*Crunch*

His legs were heavy as if weights were attached, and he felt like foreign substances were crawling on them. However, Velloc did not care.

If bitten, he kicked and trampled them as they bit. The ones struck by the steel greaves had their faces smashed without fail, splattering brain matter.

He also swung his arm like a hammer. When his monstrous arm stretched out, the struck creature vomited and was thrown back as expected.

Hit by the blood and rotten flesh covering his body, Velloc gradually fell into a world of his own. So to speak, it was the heat of battle and his fighting spirit as a knight. His heart throbbed. More and more power began to enter his hand holding the sword.

The monsters’ screams, stench, appearance, tactile sensations touching his body. All senses began to clear. All the more, the ghouls’ movements slowed down, and conversely, his sword sped up. It was the same feeling as when he fought the goat-headed demon.

The ghouls were now being pulverized without even touching Velloc’s body.

“Kieeeek!”

Around the time the corpses piled on the ground formed a mountain, perhaps having felt a sense of crisis, dozens of growling ghouls gestured with their heads. Soon, the creatures having exchanged signals leaped all at once.

In the air, the wave of corpses rushed to cover Velloc. Looking ready to crush him to mush at any moment.

Velloc did not retreat. He just took a deep breath and gripped his greatsword tightly.

He thought about how to swing his sword in this slowed time to wipe out all of them. A very brief moment was enough for that thought.

Boom!

Butcher emitted a roar, and the heads of the ghouls flew into the sky.