Chapter 96 – Corruption (3)

The witches were not fools. They had set up protective barriers to prepare for the paladin’s holy spells, the enemy mage’s spells, and projectiles like arrows. However, Belloc’s thrown spear easily leaped over their common sense. It arrived right in front of them with a speed that defied perception and terrifying power. The target, of course, was Harmoa. Because one must always handle the leader first. No, because she was the most annoying bastard.

Before Harmoa could even react. In that split second, the wavy-patterned spear flew in. The purple curtain shattered with a crash. At this rate, her head also seemed like it would fly off. At that moment, along with a massive roar, bright red sparks flew. It was due to a blade that intervened in between.

Was it because its speed had decreased as it shattered the witch’s barrier? Or was it thanks to the physical strength and skill of the one receiving the spearhead? In conclusion, Belloc’s spear failed to achieve its target and ended up embedded in the ground.

“…”

Harmoa blinked her eyes at the situation that unfolded in an instant. The owner of the sharp blade lowered her arm. Soon, she grabbed her right hand, which was bent at a strange angle, and twisted it back. The sound of cracking bones echoed briefly. Before long, Isabel’s damaged right hand was cleanly regenerated. Isabel spoke while clenching and opening her hand.

“Hmm. It looks like a weapon I’ve never seen before… What a tremendous power. I clearly deflected it, but for it to break so easily.”

Seeing as she spoke rationally, she seemed to be conscious. It appeared she had to protect her master no matter what. Belloc stared at his former companion who had become a devil for a moment. As if focusing on fashion rather than practicality, her tattooed skin glistened beneath the tight black leather armor that exposed bare flesh. At her waist, in addition to the sword she was holding, another sword hung. Judging by the strange patterns engraved on it, it was a rune sword. It looked like a set, too.

Dual wielding. When did she learn that? No, more than that, with this level of regeneration and physical body, she would be safe even if she got swept up in this. He spoke.

“You’ve grown stronger, Isabel.”

His tone was as always. Dry and cold… that of a knight who did not shy away from battle. ‘Yes, you were that kind of person.’ Isabel smirked. It was the same bitter smile she had shown earlier. Before she could open her mouth, Harmoa, who had regained her senses, pointed a finger at Belloc.

“Aha. You hid such a cute trick? But what to do? Isabel is different from ordinary devils. The amount of devil’s blood injected into her alone is dozens of jars. And the flesh and souls of humans she consumed exceed twice that amount. Do you understand? Born with the blood of her own kin and the flesh of the living as sacrifices, she is already a monster close to an Archdevil!”

“You disgusting bastards fed Isabel that kind of stuff?!”

While Adele raged, Belloc analyzed the situation calmly. ‘I see. Using her to tie my feet, they will perform a combined attack with hundreds of demons and over ten mages. Is this it?’

Kweeeeeek!

As if confirming his thoughts, the demons behind the mountain of corpses moved. Each revealing sharp poison fangs and talons, they kicked off the ground or flew into the air. The witches also fluttered their robes, emitting sinister light from their eyes. In the battle of hundreds against three that broke out in an instant, the two tensed their bodies.

Cara was chanting a barrier spell, and Adele was also calling upon her deity, creating a shield of holy power. But Belloc alone was different. His expression was indifferent. His sunken dark eyes looked somewhat relaxed at a glance.

Now? No, should I wait a little longer? Without even drawing his sword, he tightly clenched his fist that crackled with sparks and swept his gaze over the surroundings. A giant scorpion that looked capable of easily devouring a human. A compound-eyed insect with a thorny carapace, clicking its pincers. From the human-faced monstrous birds seen before, to a four-legged beast with a cat’s head on a human torso—various monsters were rushing toward them. Leaving behind the pouring dust and vibration, Harmoa flashed a smirk. She pointed a finger at Belloc.

“That armor you’re wearing. It’s armor that blocks spells, right? I know because I heard it from Isabel. You seem to be relying on that. I’d like to tell you that thought is a miscalculation. Because we are basically necromancers. Summoning and crafting are our specialties. Go ahead and fight the endlessly reviving corpses, the demons, and your friend who has become a devil. Let’s see how long you guys can hold out.”

Harmoa burst into her trademark mad laugh and pushed Isabel’s back. It meant to go and kill. Isabel stepped a few paces forward but stopped her feet, biting her lip. She seemed to hesitate. Harmoa’s mouth twisted. She raised her staff and muttered.

“Isabel. My lovely child. It seems your education is incomplete. I look forward to it. Once this is over, I will train you well again. Don’t expect to come out of the laboratory for months.”

Along with the chilling voice, a sinister light emitted from Harmoa’s staff. The Slave’s Imprint engraved on Isabel’s body flashed.

“Argh!”

Isabel clutched her body, groaning in agony, before finally letting out a shriek-like roar and charging. Her speed was extremely fast. It was to the extent that she quickly blended into the midst of the monsters surrounding the group with bared claws. Harmoa spread her arms and shouted.

“Now! Go on and beat and kill each other, you old friends! It will be a highly enjoyable sight to watch! Ha-hahahaha!”

Thankfully, they are gathering nicely on their own. Looking at those monsters tangled up like twisted bread, there seemed to be no better opportunity than now. Belloc also raised one hand. It was, of course, not a gesture for reconciliation. Rather, it was close to a death sentence. He muttered.

“It will sting a little, Isabel.”

The moment he drew upon his inner power, the Dragonslayer’s lightning answered its master’s call. Soon, an intense wave of power spread out centering around him. Shortly, this wave rumbled through the sky, turning into dozens of lightning bolts that crashed down in all directions.

In an instant, the world brightened. Along with the sound of exploding bombs, a continuous ringing sound invaded their ears. The noise was so loud that it easily swallowed up the screams of the surrounding demons and witches.

“Kyaaaak!”

“Ugh!”

Dust soared with a bang, and masterless flesh scattered in all directions. At that terrifying power, Cara and Adele slumped to the ground. Soon, they covered their ears and huddled. ‘Shit. We’re going to die at this rate.’ Belloc, who had summoned this disaster, was also not in good condition. Due to the force he had forcibly drawn, his insides boiled. The headache piercing his head had also grown large enough to blur his vision. Yet, he did not stop.

Until the witches, who had noticed the anomaly and quickly raised barriers, fell dead. Until the demons, who were holding onto life thanks to their sturdy carapaces and tough vitality, were torn to pieces. He continued to summon lightning. How much time had passed? Belloc, who was drawing up power while emitting sparks, suddenly vomited blood and slumped to the ground. It was his limit. Even with his will, he could not hold out any longer. What happened to them?

Leaving behind the gradually vanishing lightning and the white afterimages, he forced his shaking vision to steady. Soon, he scanned the surroundings. Far away, and nearby. He saw piles of ashes that easily exceeded dozens and could number in the hundreds. Seeing only fragmented pincers, scorpion tails, and monstrous bird feathers fluttering in between, the demons were all dead.

He turned his gaze. This was to inspect beyond the oasis where the witches had been, behind the mountain of corpses. Although the distance was a bit far, the situation over there was the same. Between the collapsed house ruins, charred arms and legs protruded like cones. Though they had preserved their shapes somewhat by blocking with barrier spells, they apparently could not hold out in the end.

Roughly counting, they all seemed dead. Vomiting blood a few more times with a gag, he stood up. He was going to look for Isabel. ‘She is alive, right? She must be.’ At that moment, Cara and Adele, who had regained their senses, approached his side.

“Belloc. I knew you would do this… but I’ve told you repeatedly. You have to adjust your strength! You’re really going to get into big trouble at this rate! You might die… No, no. Let’s talk… let’s talk about it later.”

Cara, with glaring eyes, was about to rebuke him, but soon recalled the surrounding situation and quickly shut her mouth.

“Lord Belloc! Blood, the blood! P-Please wait a moment!”

Adele fidgeted anxiously, then placed her hand on Belloc’s chest and quickly chanted a prayer of healing. The holy power of the Goddess wrapping his entire body calmed his shaken insides. However, the feeling of emptiness inside and the throbbing headache remained. Was even a deity’s power not almighty? It seemed he wouldn’t be able to use this power for the time being.

Wiping his face with a troubled expression, he turned his eyes. This was because a nearby pile of ashes suddenly bulged and an arm popped out. Soon, the owner of the arm let out a rough groan and pulled her body out. It was Isabel. Whether her clothes had all burned because of the lightning, she was revealing her naked body without filter under the white moonlight.

“Belloc, you… grow stronger every time I see you. Is it lightning this time? A swordsman using lightning. Isn’t this a bit of a cheat…?”

Isabel, without even thinking of covering her body, looked around and muttered blankly. The witches who had tortured her all this time had died in an instant at a single gesture from the knight. Because it was such an unrealistic sight, she couldn’t even feel a sense of liberation.

Well, your body is also cheat-level. In whatever sense. Even at this very moment, her skin was repeating regeneration while discharging pus and blisters. A moment later, her pale skin, like a corpse’s, glistened again, and the dark tattoos engraved on it revealed themselves. Cara opened her eyes wide. She had recognized the evil spells engraved on her body. She spoke.

“Slave’s Imprint… and even Soul Bind… They implanted such things? Terrible. Truly… a dirty and wicked act! How much it must have hurt. How much you must have suffered. Isabel… don’t worry. It’s all over now. You can rest easy now.”

Tears welling in her eyes, Cara approached Isabel, who was sitting blankly. She intended to embrace and comfort her. Adele blocked her path.

“Adele? Why…?”

Cara patted Adele’s back a few times, but Adele did not budge. Pointing her axe, she spoke.

“Isabel. If you are not our enemy. If you still consider us companions, prove yourself.”

Adele, who was speaking, was also suffering, as her voice was trembling. Isabel laughed. It was the laugh of a demon whose mouth tore all the way to its ears. She clutched her stomach and cackled for a long time before snapping her head up. Soon, glaring, she spoke.

“How? What, and how can I prove it? I am a devil. A monster of the underworld that people whisper about! Can you believe my words literally? Can you trust me? Even now, the black blood flowing in my body is telling me to tear you to pieces and kill you! I…”

Isabel trailed off and covered her face with both hands. Between her slender fingers, transparent lines streamed down. She sobbed softly and mumbled.

“What on earth should I do?”

“If we find a way somehow…”

While Adele shut her mouth tight and Cara bowed her head, Belloc spoke.

“Do what? We just travel together like we always have.”

At his seemingly indifferent yet firm tone, Isabel opened her eyes wide. Wiping her tears with her clawed hand, she spoke.

“Really? Are you going to take me? What if I go mad and stab you guys? What if I launch a surprise attack in the middle of the night?”

Isabel’s turbid eyes shook here and there. While they were filled with intense anxiety, a ray of hope could also be glimpsed. Belloc did not want to betray this. He did not want to abandon the woman who had become miserable because of him either. He spoke. It was an even softer tone.

“If there’s any sign of you doing something strange, I can just stop you. And as for a surprise attack… that also won’t be a problem. I can just sharpen my senses and sleep. Of course, you would have to share a room with me, but…”

“S-Share a room?!”

“Wait! That is a bit… I’ll find a way! That spell engraved on Isabel’s body, there must be a way to dispel it! In this book… in the secret art left by the Archmage, there is bound to be a way!”

As he eyed them and trailed off, Adele and Cara were startled. In the two of them, the anxiety about adding a devil as a companion had long since vanished. ‘Well, you guys can worry about that on your own.’ Belloc smirked and spoke.

“The night air is cold. Let’s bring something to wear before you catch a cold.”

“…”

Why would a devil catch a cold? Were you such a kind man? Are those words real? She wanted to ask that, but her mouth only sputtered; proper words did not come out. She felt like an idiot. However, one thing was certain. After being captured by the witches and modified into this body, the murderous intent and hatred that always filled her head subsided like a lie at this very moment.

Instead, something tickling began to creep in and fill that space. Isabel pulled her legs together and buried her head. Soon, after sobbing for a long time, she raised her head. Just as she was about to say something with a bright smile.

[You shitty bastards. You’re acting so ridiculous! Do you think I’ll let you do that—aaaaah!]

In response, the imprint engraved on Isabel’s body also began to heat up like fire.