NOVEL NEXT chapter 354
354. Bonding (7)
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“What on earth are you doing?!”
Oh, the sensation of his voice shifting to an Elijah tone for the first time.
I’ve managed to endure quite a bit since entering the Void Zone.
“Ugh.”
Even for me, accustomed to enduring considerable pain, the excruciating agony persisted, forcing me to let out a groan.
The magical energy extending from the seal of Tacheon interacts with the remnants of demons around, as if resonating and merging, creating a connection between them and me.
“Just doing something.”
I manage to utter these words with difficulty.
“Erasing your worries.”
“Excuse me…?”
“Thanks for coming in with me. Probably wouldn’t have made it this far alone.”
It’s a funny story.
I was able to come this far thanks to this guy “fighting” alongside me.
Facing life-or-death situations, utilizing my human traits, and sometimes, receiving his overt assistance.
One could say that he pretended to fight while guiding me in this direction.
“Erasing worries, what in the world does that mean…?”
Wasn’t that what he was always concerned about?
The power wielded by demons is immensely formidable, and humans seeking to exploit it will inevitably continue to emerge.
Although the demon worshippers who originally crossed over with this guy were all eradicated, there’s no guarantee that second or third demon worshippers won’t appear in the future.
“…Human greed is harder to kill than demons.”
“…That’s right.”
With a calm acceptance, the figure responds with a bitter smile.
“It’s not like those guys did anything wrong.”
“…”
“The ones at fault are those who try to exploit the fact they were born that way.”
The target of blame is misplaced from the beginning.
To completely give up on changing the bad and instead shift one’s thinking towards erasing the cause is nothing short of escaping.
“-Then, what will you do?”
“It’s simple.”
One more thing to thank this guy for.
The idea for what I’m about to do originally came from him.
I chuckle as I answer.
I’ve mentioned it before.
A while back, I made a promise even to Elnor.
-I chose theology to save you.
Back then, it was just a statement thrown to blur the situation, but coming this far, it doesn’t seem entirely untrue.
“-Mixing half and half makes anything explosive, right?”
With such muttering.
The ‘divine’ flowing into the seal of Tatian begins to spread out explosively as it mixes with magic.
◈
“The people in line, please prepare to enter in order!”
As Vogert spoke, various reactions burst through the communication devices.
[“Wow, is this really a communication device?”]
[So, have you never touched anything like this, just like a barbarian?]
[…Are you done talking, dude?]
[“Don’t come all the way here to fight-!”]
“…”
Seeing the chaos erupt with just a few words, Vogert smirked.
It’s hard to say whether their close relationship led to this chaos or made it worse.
One thing is clear.
Even in a situation where their lives could be at stake, they all seem remarkably relaxed, showing no seriousness whatsoever. Perhaps they each have a clear focus.
“They definitely don’t think they’ll lose.”
Vogert thought to himself, stroking his chin.
There’s no denying the sense of crisis. Considering the hierarchy of the enemies they are facing, it’s impossible not to feel human emotions. Yet, no one seems to entertain the thought of being pushed to the brink.
“…They must all be so strong, that’s why.”
Suddenly, leading these people and effortlessly overcoming such crises made Dawood Campbell even more impressive to Vogert.
“…This might be a bit of a show.”
“…It doesn’t seem like it would be particularly so.”
“Yes?”
“Uniting individuals with such strong colors doesn’t seem like an ordinary ability.”
That’s true.
Anyway, the signal from Dowd Campbell and the individual known as the Pioneer has completely disappeared within the void for a long time.
We need to quickly deploy the demons inside and conduct a thorough search—
“-Hm?”
Viscount Hujak noticed something strange around that time.
Within the virtual battlefield displayed by the tribal alliance’s status board, there was something ‘unseen’ happening in the wide-open void, completely unobservable.
…”
He narrowed his eyes and stared at it silently.
At first, it looked like a dot.
Then a line.
Then a surface.
Then several layers.
Then-
“…?”
A certain ‘aura’ that continued to expand and extend.
-!
-!!!!!!!
[-Error-!!!]
In an instant, a massive ‘pillar’ of light emerged, soaring with a force that could pierce through the heavens.
“-Observation team, what on earth is this?!”
As Lord Vogart’s rigid expression erupted into a shout, the personnel in the command and control room, who had been observing the situation nearby, began frantically checking various metrics as if sparks had ignited in their minds.
The top elites of the Coalition Union were individuals who had faced all kinds of situations befitting their title.
“I… I don’t know.”
-In that sense.
Such a response reveals at once how extraordinary the current situation is.
Even those who have faced various abilities are confronted with an inexplicable energy so overwhelming that it causes them to abandon analysis altogether.
“Magic, might be the most similar hypothesis. But there are too many alien energies mixed in to call it magic.”
“…Alien energies mixed in?”
“…Sacred energies are mixed in as well.”
…”
Upon hearing those words, Lord Vogart couldn’t help but lose his words immediately.
Really.
I’d rather believe that water and oil were originally created as liquids meant to harmoniously mix.
Magic mixed with sacred energies?
“-Immediately locate the origin. Find out what’s happening inside right now-!”
Although Lord Vogart shouted such sentences almost like a scream, the unfolding situation was undoubtedly too urgent to continue such responses.
The pillar of light that rose with turbulence suddenly began to ‘split’ into several strands.
In that way, the energy that twisted in the air began to spread in all directions, as if automatically “tracking” someone.
Just like targeting certain humans nearby.
‘-?’
And Lord Bogart’s eyes instinctively started to chase after that trajectory.
It didn’t take long to realize where the pillars of light that spread were heading.
“-Damn it…!”
While his usual composure was a far cry, it was clear that the situation warranted it.
The humans there, without a doubt, were vessels of the devil.
●
Uriah Grayhound blinked and scanned her surroundings.
“-Huh.”
What just happened?
‘Well…’
She furrowed her brow and began to carefully recall what had just happened.
Suddenly, a huge pillar of light rising up to the sky, and then fragments of light falling from there towards her, flipping them over and immediately losing consciousness…
“…”
She scanned her body slowly.
There seemed to be no visible changes, but her body felt… “light” like never before, as if she had never experienced it in her entire life…
Without getting any special rest. And without any particular reason.
The feeling of overwhelming contentment swept over her, as if a lifelong shackle had just been released.
“Sister, something feels off in my body right now-“
Yuria’s words were abruptly cut off.
She turned to the person who was always by her side, ready to speak.
But it was clear that this was not Lucien’s appearance.
“…Uh…”
She scanned the ‘person’ up and down.
Clearly.
This is…
“…A doppelgänger?”
She uttered the name of a being she had encountered once before.
“…What are you babbling about?”
As soon as she heard the fierce voice, she closed her mouth.
The doppelgänger certainly hadn’t shown such a lively reaction back then…
“…No, it can’t be.”
With a trembling voice, she scrutinized her counterpart who looked ‘completely identical’ to her.
Height, appearance, everything was exactly the same as her.
The only difference perhaps being that they were completely naked, without a single piece of clothing.
“…Completely naked?”
Suddenly, the name of a being with such characteristics, encountered every time, comes to mind.
Unconsciously, I mutter.
“…Demon?”
“Huh?”
…
With a fierce expression that I would never have shown in my usual self, Yuria immediately confirmed.
This is undoubtedly the ‘it’ that was within the disconnector…!
“…Is this a human body?”
As she paled.
The demon inhabiting her body suddenly muttered those words.
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