Chapter – 66
“Haa… Huu…”
I finally exhaled and looked at the back of my hand. The black mark that indicated prey had already disappeared without a trace.
<Well done, Ailet.>
“It was much weaker than the one on the 298th floor, so it was easy.”
<Even among S-class monsters, there are huge differences. Compatibility matters too.>
“I guess that’s true. It might have ended even faster if I had used divine power.”
At that moment, the message window lit up.
[‘The Word that Builds Worlds’ is shocked after hearing the boss defeat announcement.]
[‘The Scales that Judge Souls’ asks why you are in a dungeon instead of the Tower.]
[‘The Inspector of Heavenly Secrets’ is surprised that no alert sounded even though you left the tutorial area without permission.]
[‘The Cynic who Balances Equilibrium’ shouts that this looks like abuse.]
Abuse? It’s not like that. Ask the Architect.
[‘The Architect of the Tower of Trials’ voluntarily pulls up a written statement form.]
The gods of the Possession Management Bureau went to hold a hearing targeting the Architect.
[‘The Inspector of Heavenly Secrets’ remains behind and watches you closely.]
Except for the Inspector, whose priority was monitoring me.
I approached my party and withdrew the Mercury Barrier.
“Is anyone hurt?”
“……”
Everyone just stared at me blankly instead of answering.
“Um… everyone?”
“……”
“Guys…?”
“……”
I waved my hand in front of their eyes, but there was no response. Only a few muttered absent-mindedly.
“She… defeated it alone…”
“How do you clear an S-class dungeon…”
<Looks like none of them can process what just happened.>
Yeah…
I smiled awkwardly.
✠
<How…?!>
“The truth is, I was the one holding you down.”
<That’s impossible…!>
At the height of Ailet and Obsculia’s battle—
“……”
Ray—more precisely Young Duke Raywin Valenstein, who had a pink-hair allergy—could not believe what he was seeing.
The person he thought was just a healer—the very existence that triggered his “allergy”—was overwhelming an S-class boss with aura.
There were occasionally powerful individuals known as dual ability users, who trained aura together with divine power, or aura together with magic to create synergy.
However, those people usually awakened primarily as aura users, with their divine power or magic barely above beginner level.
But a Sword Master who had also awakened high-level divine power?
For a moment he wondered if she might be one of the Stigmata Maidens raised by the Holy Empire, but her healing ability didn’t match that either.
In this era where divine power was declining, the healing she demonstrated was extraordinary.
To reach that level normally required dedicating one’s entire life solely to divine power and patient care, polishing only healing abilities.
6th rank? No… maybe even 7th rank. But how is this possible…?
He couldn’t even imagine that a dual ability user might be at the level of an 8th-rank Saint.
And the swordsmanship Ailet used revealed the abnormal level of her aura.
The civilian sword style made famous alongside the hero Agnes.
That style was infamous for its insane difficulty—one could only even begin learning it after reaching the Aura Expert level.
And now that he thought about it, the silver fortress-shaped barrier protecting Raywin and the others also looked extraordinary.
It was clearly an ultimate barrier capable of stopping even a meteor.
At this point, it was hard to tell whether her main ability was divine power or aura.
She was truly an unprecedented dual ability user.
My god…
Raywin watched Ailet fight as if witnessing a legend unfold before his eyes.
Just moments ago she had been smiling kindly while walking the corridor.
But now, holding a sword, she was completely different.
Her expression erased, her gaze terrifyingly serious as she faced her enemy.
Even watching from afar made Ray feel slightly short of breath.
BOOM!
The battle was nearing its end.
Ailet pointed her sword toward Obsculia’s mask, which was embedded in the ground.
At that moment, the straight line formed by her extended arm and blade looked elegant and beautiful.
Then—
Crunch!
Obsculia, pierced through, scattered into black dust.
“She defeated an S-class boss alone…”
At this point, he couldn’t help but wonder.
“What kind of family is the Rodelines…?”
Prinz Rodeline, the top graduate of Academy Class 117, was impressive.
But his younger sister was even more so.
No—comparing them was almost disrespectful.
In the face of such overwhelming superiority, personal feelings became meaningless.
Raywin realized that his pink-hair allergy had completely disappeared because of this incident.
Meanwhile, he wasn’t the only one feeling awe.
“Is she even human?”
The voice belonged to Ash.
He couldn’t take his eyes off Ailet. His gaze was almost obsessive.
In a trembling voice he said:
“We absolutely must not make her an enemy. Anyone connected to my sister must never be touched.”
That was a very wise resolution.
✠
News also reached Sanarak, a demonic land of rocky cliffs rising above a lifeless desert.
“My cute pet has died?”
Carpeios—the ruler of this place and the 2nd-ranked Demon King of the demon realm—stroked his chin thoughtfully.
In front of his throne stretched a long, rough stone staircase.
It resembled a pilgrim’s path leading to a sacred mountain summit.
This was Sanarak’s unique audience hall.
Countless demons, like a massive army, were bowing their heads there, watching the Demon King nervously.
Carpeios added:
“Humans call this… crossing the rainbow bridge, don’t they?”
His tone sounded indifferent.
Many weaker demons in the front quietly felt relieved.
But the perceptive few flattened themselves to the ground, trembling.
That was the correct choice.
Crunch! Crack! Crunch!
The moment Carpeios’s red eyes flashed, the heads of several standing demons disappeared.
“Hiiiiiik!”
The surviving demons desperately pressed their foreheads to the stone floor.
A demon’s virtue was desire and obsession.
Carpeios, in particular, was famous for his extreme possessiveness.
“A mere human… livestock dared to harm a pet I treasured.”
Even if he had tossed it aside out of boredom recently, it had once been a favored pet.
It used to squirm like a worm and make strange noises. He had even fed it soft slime baby food while raising it.
“Unforgivable.”
He smiled, baring his teeth.
“Next agenda.”
Changing the subject, Carpeios restrained his killing intent, allowing the demons to breathe again.
“Any news on the Executor of the Severed Evil?”
“We… we apologize.”
“How long has it been since Rodrigo Orshu was destroyed? And you still haven’t found him? If he gets reincarnated after his human lifespan ends, it will be even harder.”
Just as the Demon King’s eyes were about to flash again—
One demon hurriedly spoke up.
“We—we have discovered his last movements before destruction!”
“Oh? Speak.”
“He last spoke through a communication mirror with Marquis Jibrilte.”
“The owner of the dark auction house? About what?”
“They said he had obtained a dark-violet signflower and was asking about its market price.”
“What? A dark-violet signflower?”
Carpeios’s eyes flashed again—this time for a different reason.
The dark-violet signflower was the national flower of the demon realm and the ultimate collectible among high-ranking demons.
If it existed, it obviously belonged in the hands of Demon King Carpeios.
If he obtained it, he intended to cherish it even more than Obsculia.
Of course, since Sanarak was barren, he would raise it carefully in a flowerpot.
For the first time in a while, Carpeios felt his possessiveness burning as he began planning its cultivation.
The report continued:
“Marquis Jibrilte repeatedly questioned whether the flower was real. It seemed genuine. He suggested putting it up for auction, but Orshu said he was debating whether to offer it to Your Majesty and played hard to get.”
“Oh really?”
Carpeios looked pleased.
“How admirable and insolent. He should have offered it first, then died.”
He was just about to reevaluate Rodrigo Orshu as a loyal subordinate when—
The reporting demon hesitated.
“Your Majesty… there is one more thing…”
“What?”
“When asked which Demon King he would present it to… he said he was still deciding…”
“……”
That was truly a life-risking statement.
CRUNCH!
“Hiiiiik!”
The surrounding demons turned pale as the reporting demon turned into a lump of black gore.
Crack.
The sound of grinding teeth echoed.
“That bastard Rodrigo…?”
Daring to test three Demon Kings?
Dark demonic energy began swirling around him.
His golden hair with red tips whipped wildly in the rising aura.
“Hic!”
“Y-Your Majesty, please calm—”
It felt like he might tear apart every demon in the hall if left alone.
Another demon desperately intervened:
“We—we will also locate the dark-violet signflower!”
“Do that.”
Only then did Carpeios calm down and sink back into his natural stone throne.
“I’ll announce one final matter before ending the meeting.”
The demons brightened.
They could finally leave this terrifying place!
Carpeios’s mood suddenly changed.
“A revelation has come. That one will soon arrive.”
“……!”
A wave of shocked murmurs spread down the staircase.
“I-Is it true?!”
“To think they would reincarnate this early!”
“This is highly unusual! Is there a reason?!”
“What does it matter! It is a blessing!”
“Yes. A blessing for the demon realm.”
Carpeios replied.
His expression was completely different now.
The arrogant tyrant from moments ago now looked like a humble priest receiving divine revelation.
“Ah… how long we have waited. Soon. The day this filthy livestock world ends is near.”
He looked up at the sky with ecstasy.
His hands rose reverently, like someone offering a sacrifice at an altar.
“Come… we await you.”
“O newly born Chaotic Evil.”
