Chapter 53 – Symphony of Demise

Even while all the audience members were leaving,

the confrontation between Rashid and Seraphine continued.

Blades clashed and danced, and Seraphine’s sound wave sword qi continued endlessly.

The Sword Gang Rashid materialized with his mana stone sword was blocked by the wave barrier she unfolded, and her Resonance Slash, which was like a Sword Gang, split the air several times.

The fight grew increasingly fierce, and neither side was easily pushed back.

They could not afford to be pushed back.

Since being pushed back meant death.

‘It has become much tougher than before.’

Since Seraphine had even put on magic armor, her power was not just slightly increased, but had doubled.

The violin pouring out blade-like sound waves was a problem, but since her swordsmanship was also at the master level, the synergy with the magic armor was superb.

Seraphine’s swift rapier lightly parried Rashid’s sharply penetrating sword, and the subsequent strike was also blocked by a Resonant Slash that scraped the strings.

‘She is a fairly troublesome opponent.’

Seraphine also had no choice but to re-evaluate him, who was putting forth his full strength unlike before.

Back then, she thought they were evenly matched since she wasn’t wearing magic armor, but once she actually fought him at full strength with magic armor on, there was not much difference from that time.

After exchanging blows several times, they soon stood apart, widening the distance.

A brief catching of breath began.

“If not for you, my performance would have been completed. To stop at mere Part 2…”

“Why didn’t you finish it in Part 1 instead? If you had, you wouldn’t need to regret it like this, right?”

Just as he said,

had she made everyone self-harm in Part 1, there might have been no need to resent him like now.

However, there was a reason she went out of her way to perform Part 1, which was like a celestial sound.

“You might not know, but not everyone immediately reacts to my performance. Occasionally, there are people who are not affected by my play. They must be those who are naturally tone-deaf or have a resistance to my performance.”

Her words continued.

“To clean up even such people, I ultimately needed to open all their emotions, senses, and even nerves through Part 1. Moreover, it was an unavoidable part to make even those who had no interest focus entirely on my performance. That is what Part 1 is about. At any rate, no one should be able to escape my performance.”

“Then why didn’t you wrap it up in Part 2? Was there a need to make excuses and reveal your past?”

Doubt dwelled on her expression hidden behind the visor.

Since he hadn’t even listened to her performance, how did he know that?

She shook her head as if to show him.

“No. That is the talk of someone who doesn’t know art. No matter what you say, my performance had to be completed like that. Only then would my deep-seated resentment be relieved even a little.”

“You are just like the count. Whatever that damn art is.”

“If only you weren’t here… If only His Excellency the Count were alive and well, my performance could have continued to Part 3.”

“Did you plan to finish it in Part 3?”

“Yes, everything ends in Part 3. A world where all people have died is equivalent to world demise. Part 3 was the core of my Sonata of World Demise, and the remaining Part 4 was my funeral dirge dedicated to everyone who departed.”

Rashid laughed lightly.

Not a single thing deviated from what he knew.

“That is indeed unfortunate. Since Part 3 and Part 4, which you desired the most, have been blocked.”

She expressed doubt.

“Why did you stay still during Part 1 and Part 2? Setting aside Part 1, what is the reason you only moved near the end of Part 2?”

“Naturally, to catch the Director of Palace Affairs. Since if nothing happened here, there would be no reason for him to be driven into a corner. I quietly watched until the guy was pushed right into a corner.”

Seraphine knitted her brows.

“Were you targeting the Director of Palace Affairs as well?”

“I intended to send him to the afterlife just like you. Of course, there will be a time difference, but the Director of Palace Affairs will soon follow you.”

Her expression hardened.

“You are truly absurd. To look down on me like that.”

“Did you know? This grandly built Basilica Choral Dome is precisely your grave. Leaving you alone when I targeted the count back then was also entirely to bury you here. And incidentally, to drive Vane into a corner.”

To think he had such a plan.

As if it was laughable, she snorted.

“It is so ridiculous that I don’t even feel the value of replying. To dare harbor such thoughts.”

She placed the rapier on the strings.

“I have changed my mind because of your arrogant attitude. I shall perform Part 3, which could not be played in the end, for you. And I will make Part 4 my funeral dirge dedicated to you, who acted up without knowing your place.”

“I listened quietly, and now you are talking nonsense.”

“Until now, I have never once used my Crescendo to its limit. For one, there was no opponent to do so against. However, if it is you, it seems to be fully worth it. I will tear you apart with my performance.”

Part 3, Symphony of Demise.

The main volume of the Sonata of World Demise that she had planned, and the most majestic and cruel song.

Simultaneously with the performance of that song, Phase 2 with her began.

As if she had no intention of lowering the rapier placed on the strings, she began to pour out Crescendos one after another while performing Part 3.

Sound wave sword qi bit its own tail and rushed in all directions.

Even a boss in a vicious shooting game would not spray attacks to that extent.

Rashid widened the distance, avoiding the incalculable sound wave sword qi.

Rushing blindly like before seemed practically impossible.

‘She is pouring it out like crazy.’

Due to the sound wave sword qi rushing through the entire hall, even those who had been hiding and watching fled out of the Choral Dome in panic.

Rashid dodged here and there across the entire hall, unable to close the distance with her.

‘Is everyone out?’

In fact, having the audience seats completely empty was a good thing for Rashid.

Since he could not overwhelm Seraphine with his current equipment.

‘They have all slipped out.’

Sensing the entire hall with his superhuman senses, there was no other sign of presence left besides himself and Seraphine.

Even those who had been holding out had all fled outside, startled by Seraphine’s Crescendo.

‘In that case,’

his appearance changed in an instant.

He transformed from a knight with taloned hands into a knight harboring golden splendor on a jet-black background.

Unlike before, Rashid’s movements began to leave long afterimages.

Truly the power of an Archdemon.

‘What?’

Dismay fell upon Seraphine’s face.

She tried to focus as much as possible on performing Part 3, but his movements were too dazzling and fast to catch up with at all.

Scraping the strings any faster than this was practically close to impossible.

Since she was already at her limit.

‘How…’

Simultaneously with her rapier, which had been scraping as if to snap the strings, loosening, she saw a knight who was sprinting dazzlingly in the hall.

It was not the guy she had been targeting.

What on earth happened?

Did the opponent suddenly change?

At that moment,

the jet-black knight, seizing an opening, took Seraphine’s back.

Since it happened in such an instant, Seraphine could not respond properly.

The following strike cut her.

She barely endured with the sturdiness of the magic armor, but the sword strike did not end with one.

Consecutive strikes ravaged her, breaking her magic armor like a toy.

Through the gap of her visor, which had broken before long, the mysterious jet-black knight loomed over her.

“Who… are you?”

His visor went up.

It was Rashid.

“Who else? It’s me.”

Her gaze was soaked in bewilderment.

“You… that wasn’t your magic armor?”

“Ah, you mean this?”

Rashid felt his magic armor, which exuded a dark, profound energy.

Was there any need to answer?

Simultaneously with time tearing, Rashid drove his demonic sword through the gap in her broken visor.

“A playe…”

She seemed to realize it late, but that was all.

Looking down at her as she went limp, Rashid returned to the appearance from the moment he first encountered her.

Standing while wearing the Black Claw, he retrieved his demonic sword that he had driven into her face.

“Right. A player. The one who beats down villains like you.”

-You have completed the main chain quest ‘Seraphine Arpeggia’.

-You have completed the main sub-quest ‘Sonata of World Demise’.

-You have obtained ‘All Stats +2’ as a reward.

The quest completion message popped up.

There was no need to check Seraphine’s life or death.

‘Indeed, it grows.’

At this time, Rashid forgot about someone like Seraphine and was paying attention to something else.

‘It is absorbing souls and growing stronger.’

Originally, Lucifer’s performance was All Stats +5 and Mana Amplification 200%.

However, from some point, the mana amplification had changed to 238% instead of 200%.

Particularly when he killed Scarver, there was the largest margin of numerical change.

Since it had increased by a whopping 30%.

What could be anticipated was soul absorption by the Soul Stone.

‘I remember Gauntlet Mephisto having pure mana amplification of 500% without all stats.’

Mephisto was the magic armor he wore when he saw the end of this world.

Because at that time, Lucifer was the exclusive property of Saintess Mariel.

‘I thought Lucifer was just equivalent since it has All Stats, but if the values rise like this, the story changes.’

He laughed lightly, but this was only temporary.

‘It would be really nice if I didn’t have to worry about people’s eyes.’

Even though he possessed two of the Archdemon’s treasures, employing them was quite awkward.

It was especially so because he belonged to the order.

‘It would be been better if I were an inspector or a conquering knight. Although the power of a demon itself is dangerous, that is the person’s own business and there is no reason to make an issue of it.’

Although it was regrettable, it was something he had to take into account to some extent as long as he was in the order.

‘If there is no longer anyone to watch out for, wearing it openly might be possible.’

Currently, his title was Chief Inquisitor.

Even if he called them his superiors, there were only the director and a single person located above him.

‘As long as the two of them don’t make an issue of it, formally there is no one who can say anything to me.’

The only job group in the order where using impure power was not a problem was precisely the inquisitors.

Why? Because the place that made judgments on that suitability was none other than them.

‘In fact, if the director is on my side, it is a done deal.’

* * *

Outside the Choral Dome was a shambles.

Those who had still not recovered from Seraphine’s performance were sprawled here and there in a disgraceful state, and those who managed to gather themselves were busy leaving the Choral Dome in a hurry.

As Rashid showed himself, Carl and several clerics guarding the front of the entrance approached him.

They had been blocking the front of the entrance upon receiving Rashid’s orders.

“Inquisitor, are you okay?”

At Carl’s question, Rashid scanned the chaotic outside and gestured inward with his chin.

“I am fine. Go clear it up.”

“Yes.”

The group of clerics together with Carl entered the Choral Dome all at once.

As Rashid looked to his side, someone familiar in an evening dress approached.

“Did you hold a confidential meeting inside? What was so grand that you even blocked me from entering?”

Suppressed complaints flickered in her eyes.

“Because catching Seraphine was enough with just me. There was no need for you.”

She wore a look of disbelief.

“Wouldn’t it have been better to face her as two rather than one? Or you could have just left it to me. You know I like that kind of thing.”

“In that attire?”

Rashid sneered slightly, scanning her up and down.

“There is nothing I cannot do.”

“Drop it. I cleaned it up anyway.”

Rashid saw the vehicle of the Director of Palace Affairs waiting to depart far away in the chaotic situation.

‘You are next, Vane.’

This matter would be a fatal blow to the point where even he could not predict it.

If he was quick-witted, he might already be feeling it.

‘Because Seraphine released poison before departing. It will be an extremely fatal poison to you.’

The audience members didn’t speak of it, but what they experienced was a terrible story from the past related to the Director of Palace Affairs.

Probably from the next day, rumors would start here and there, and he would naturally be driven into a corner.

If that happened…

‘He won’t be able to escape the demon’s temptation. Since he will have to grab even a rotten rope.’

And that would be a good justification to eliminate him.

“By the way, aren’t you following your brother? It seems he is waiting over there.”

She spoke indifferently, looking at the same vehicle.

“My brother told me clearly. To sever our ties. So I intend to go separately.”

“What?”

Vane, sitting in the back seat of the vehicle, looked through the car window at the man and woman looking down at him far away.

An eyesore of an inquisitor and a younger sister who had now settled her mind.

‘Was that it?’

Vane smiled bitterly.

He was reasonably misunderstanding.

That his sister, dissatisfied with the inheritance distribution, conspired with Rashid.

“Interesting.”

Lucian cast a glance to the side.

“Pardon? What do you mean by that?”

“Get ready slowly.”

As Lucian tilted his head slightly,

his words continued.

“For His Holiness may enter eternal rest soon.”