Chapter 760: No.99 Demon God Liberation (3)

While we flew toward the next destination, I lowered my gaze.

The first things I saw were the monasteries scattered here and there.

Thanks to holy magic, they gave off a faint glow even in the darkness.

Which makes them easy targets too.

After all, being protected meant a Demon God was sealed there.

Maybe that was why battles were in full swing nearby.

BOOM BOOM BOOM!

FLASH!

Black and white explosions erupted one after another, blending together, and sword-light ✧ NоvеIight ✧ (Original source) flashed without pause.

Similar battles were happening at every monastery.

Dang Gyu-ri let out an impressed sound.

“They’re almost all-in, aren’t they?”

“Their god is captured.”

The being they worshiped had been split into pieces and sealed?

Of course they would rush in without worrying about what came before or after.

Even the late cultist leader had tossed around the word martyrdom as if it were nothing, so they must have invested an enormous force as well.

Dang Gyu-ri seemed to be thinking something similar, because they gave a small nod.

“Honestly, you can’t stop this. Even with an oracle.”

“Knowing is different from stopping it.”

For example, even if Shin Byeongcheol learned a precognition skill one day, that would not mean he could stop Dang Gyu-young from beating him with a club.

Likewise, this neighborhood’s Saintess seemed to have some skill of her own.

But that did not mean soldiers capable of fighting an all-out war against the cultists would suddenly fall from the sky.

“So story-wise, they got completely swept?”

“Story-wise, yes.”

As if to prove it, the light was slowly fading on several battlefields.

That meant the cultists had taken down most of the paladins.

And there was no need to say what their next target would be: the monastery nearby, and the Demon God fragment sealed inside.

Since we knew that too, we had been steering the Feathered Serpent in that direction from the start.

“We have to eat it first.”

“We do.”

If the cultists liberated the Demon God first, obtaining the hidden piece would become extremely difficult.

Not only would the number of obstacles increase dramatically, but the Demon God could also flee while we were beating them down.

Getting there first and dealing with it was the best option.

Soon, the Feathered Serpent reached the space above the monastery.

Dang Gyu-ri gestured toward the Gyu shadow undead behind us.

They had still been juggling the demonic sword until then, and it seemed to be Blood Sword Commander’s turn next.

Clutching [Dusk], it jumped down, then swung wide just before colliding with the barrier.

SLICE—!

The Feathered Serpent slipped through the gap that opened and landed safely inside the monastery.

Dang Gyu-ri turned back toward me and smiled triumphantly.

“See? We made it here without falling.”

“It is definitely safe. Though there’s plenty of ulterior motive mixed in.”

“Hehe, if not at a time like this, when would I fill it up? Let’s get down.”

They tapped the arms wrapped around their waist.

But I did not loosen my arms. Instead, I tightened them further.

“Should we stay like this a little longer?”

“What’s gotten into you this time?”

“I suddenly felt like being contrary.”

“Mm. A properly functioning contrarian, then. I like it.”

Dang Gyu-ri giggled and asked if we should just stay like this all night.

They reached a hand over their shoulder, stroked my hair, and lightly tickled my chin.

But the Ho-Gyu contrarian moment did not last long.

“You wicked heathens!”

“How dare you come here!”

Because paladins and priests were rushing in from every direction.

Well, of course.

The barrier had suddenly been sliced in half, and some black snake had fallen from the sky. There was no way a commotion would not break out.

In the end, I released my arms, and Dang Gyu-ri also dismissed the Feathered Serpent and landed on the ground.

Then, with a heavy sigh, they said,

“……These Byeongcheol-like fools. Honestly, no tact. No tact at all.”

“They always barge in at important moments.”

“I’m going to line them up and beat them today.”

Dang Gyu-ri drew out the shadow bat.

They looked around at the paladins and continued,

“Stretch out in a line over there. I’ll hit you all once in order.”

“What nonsense are you spouting?”

“I’m going easy on you. I’m in a good mood right now. Otherwise, I would have brought the demonic sword over and sliced you up.”

“As expected of a heathen. You must have lost your—”

THWACK!

The paladin who had stepped forward as representative was struck in the skull and collapsed.

The others belatedly joined the battle, but the result was the same.

THWACK! THWACK!

Before long, all the paladins were sprawled across the floor.

After faithfully carrying out their declaration to line them up and beat them, Dang Gyu-ri turned toward the remaining priests.

They seemed to be debating whether to hit them or not.

Apparently sensing that sign, one priest clasped both hands tightly and said,

“Sister, for your sake—”

THWACK THWACK THWACK!

And after each of them took one bat strike, they sprawled amicably beside the paladins.

At that sight, I could not help saying one thing.

“Now you just hit them if they put their hands together.”

“No. That was a posture for ‘prayer.’”

“They could have been praying for something. Like our safe return.”

“That is unnecessary for me. So I hit them.”

“Not because you predicted what they were going to say next?”

But lewd Gyu-Gyu did not answer. Instead, they turned their head and looked toward the chapel.

“I sense very holy-holy divine power from over there.”

“Then, sister, I shall pray.”

“There must be a hidden piece too, right? Let’s hurry!”

“May lewd Gyu-Gyu become moderately lewd.”

We moved while each saying only what we wanted to say, and entered the chapel.

Like before, a pitch-black human figure was wrapped tight in chains of light.

Our response was the same as before as well.

The Gyu shadow undead took turns swinging [Dusk].

CLANG! CLANG—!

When the seal was released, the Demon God slowly raised itself from where it stood.

Then it sighed as it looked at us.

“Children, you have committed a truly rash deed.”

It seemed to share experiences with the fragment we had beaten down first.

I slowly nodded.

“We are a bit reckless.”

“It is not too late. If you repent even now and help liberate me, I shall generously overlook this.”

“What a broad mind you have! Then of course we should liberate all of you.”

KWAAANG—!

The next instant, Dang Gyu-ri’s shadow bat crushed the Demon God fragment.

Black particles scattered in every direction, and a faint human silhouette slipped out.

I added one comment toward it.

“But we’ll be eating this.”

……!

“We said we would liberate you, didn’t we? We don’t lie.”

……!

The Demon God’s form stomped its feet in fury.

Not that there was anything it could do.

Soon, even the faint shape flew far away, and black energy was absorbed into Dang Gyu-ri.

SSSSSS……

Dang Gyu-ri seemed to accept it while breathing deeply for a while, then their eyes sparkled open.

“……Oh! It increased.”

“The slot?”

“Yeah, yeah.”

▷Shadow Extraction[5/6]

I slowly nodded.

“Very good.”

“You said it can increase by up to two slots, right?”

“Yes, if we keep catching them.”

“Let’s go right away.”

Dang Gyu-ri excitedly summoned the Feathered Serpent.

*****

A similar process repeated for a while.

We moved to the next monastery and beat down the waiting paladins and priests.

Then we released the seal with the demonic sword and beat up the Demon God fragment too.

SSSSSS……

Dang Gyu-ri absorbed the black energy for the fourth time.

Soon, they smacked their lips as if disappointed.

“It’s just a little short. Just a tiny bit. This much.”

“The effect decreases the more you absorb.”

“Similar to elixirs, then.”

“Similar. Still, one more should do it.”

“Right? But……”

They seemed to calculate something in their head, then asked back,

“……Isn’t it about time to go? To see the crow.”

The main reason we entered this dungeon was to meet the dimensional crow.

If anything, the hidden piece was a side dish.

We had only been working so hard because we had spare time.

But it should appear soon.

There could be a slight margin of error, so it was best to go there in advance and wait.

So we took to the air on the Feathered Serpent again.

Dang Gyu-ri adjusted our direction and confirmed,

“This way?”

“That’s right.”

Unlike before, when we had followed the light of holy magic, we headed into the pitch-black darkness.

The place we arrived at was in front of a shabby temple and a statue of a goddess.

Moss and weeds grew thickly, as if it had been abandoned long ago.

From the perspective of someone simply clearing the dungeon, it was a place they would likely pass by without a second thought, but we knew.

This is the meeting place.

Sure enough, after we waited for only a short while, the air began to ripple like waves.

Then a pitch-black shape burst out of it.

“CAW—!”

The Great Sage of the Crows circled once through the air, then landed atop the goddess statue.

A staff followed, floating over and settling into its hand, and a large pointed hat descended onto its head.

After adjusting it, the crow looked at me.

“CAW— Young sovereign, you surprise me every time we meet.”

“Do I?”

“Your standing has become similar to ours. You are no longer young!”

It seemed to be reacting like that because [Sovereign] had risen to S-rank.

The dragons, the Chairman, the Blood Demon, and the Chief Protector had all reacted the same way.

As always when dealing with crows, I pushed forward with the arrogant-sovereign concept.

“How can you be surprised by something like this? There is still much more to come.”

“CAW, then I will keep being surprised! That child’s shadow has also grown much deeper.”

At those words, Dang Gyu-ri’s eyebrows rose with a sparkle.

Until now, they had effectively been treated like background scenery, but this was the first time the crow had shown interest.

They pointed at themself and asked,

“Me—no, I mean, me?”

“Yes. Less than the sovereign, but your standing is rising just as quickly. It is time to acknowledge you.”

Well, their growth speed had been considerable, and it had been quite some time since they crossed the A-rank wall.

A satisfied smile appeared on Dang Gyu-ri’s lips.

Then, as if remembering something, they asked carefully,

“Then can I trade too?”

“CAW, if you pay a suitable price.”

Dang Gyu-ri immediately whispered quickly into my ear.

“It likes shiny things and works of art, right?”

“That’s right.”

“Let me think for a bit. You go first.”

“Let’s do that.”

The Great Sage looked at me next.

“Sovereign, what do you wish to trade for today?”

“I came because of this today.”

With that answer, I held up [Deep-Rooted Crow Tree].

The crow flapped its wings, pretending to be delighted.

“CAW, it is as vivid as yesterday! The memory of giving you that branch.”

“I’ve been using it well thanks to you. But it’s about time for its final upgrade.”

“For an ordinary human, that object alone would be more than they deserve. But for you, I suppose it would not be enough!”

“It’s nice that you understand. I’m thinking of using this as the material.”

The next thing I took out was [Thousand-Year Evergreen].

The Great Sage of the Crows looked at it with interest.

“CAW, you brought a very fine tree! What do you wish me to do with it?”

“I want to request [Consecration]. If you make it space-type, the wavelength should match the staff.”

“I can do it, but the fee will be substantial!”

The base material alone was S+ rank, and on top of that, this was [Consecration] from a space-type mage.

One or two gems or statues would not even come close.

If I emptied everything I had received from Kang Byeol, I could probably make it work somehow.

But I had a better idea.

Maintaining the arrogant-sovereign concept, I asked back,

“What about knowledge?”