Chapter 762: No.99 Demon God Liberation (5)

When we rose high into the sky and looked down over the area—

It’s gotten a lot darker.

Compared to when we first started clearing the dungeon, the number and size of the lights had clearly decreased.

For various reasons, they could no longer maintain their holy magic.

Which also meant the cultists were close to victory.

Only two monasteries left.

And one of them was slowly going dark even now.

It seemed to be right on the verge of falling, so it was probably too late to take only the Demon God fragment from there.

Therefore, we drove the Feathered Serpent toward the final monastery.

I was planning to go there at the end anyway.

That place was at least twice as large as the others, and the holy magic around it looked far thicker as well.

The Order’s remaining forces had likely gathered there too.

And most decisively...

This neighborhood’s Saintess as well.

Considering the standing and disposition Saintesses generally had within the Order, there was no way she would simply toss out an oracle and then wash her hands of the matter.

Especially not when something as tremendous as the Demon God was involved.

She would try to lend her strength somehow, and the place where that Saintess was located was the final monastery.

Soon, we reached the top of the holy barrier, handed [Dusk] to a Gyu shadow undead, and dropped it straight down.

SLASH!

And the instant the barrier was cut, the Feathered Serpent shoved its head into the opening.

As expected, the inside of the monastery was packed with the Order’s forces.

Counting only the paladins and priests, there were easily dozens.

Considering most of them were B or B+ rank, breaking through would not be easy.

However, we did not take a combat stance, because I did not feel even the slightest hostility from the other side.

One of the paladins bowed politely and said,

“The Saintess requests a meeting.”

“Let’s go.”

That was why we had come in the first place.

The Demon God fragment would be there too.

We readily followed him, and after walking for a short while, we entered the chapel.

While the outside was packed with the Order’s forces, there was only one person inside.

A woman in white vestments was praying with her back turned to us.

Then, perhaps sensing our presence, she slowly turned toward us.

The Saintess.

Immediately, Dang Gyu-ri whispered into my ear.

“Hey, hey. She’s seriously pretty. A total beauty.”

“You’re prettier.”

“Pffhfhfh, flattery is just baked into you now.”

“It should come out as a spinal reflex.”

Objectively speaking, our girls were much prettier anyway.

Dang Gyu-ri giggled and was about to hit my shoulder, then remembered this was not the situation for that and managed their expression.

When our gazes met, the Saintess opened her mouth.

“I have received reports about the two of you. I hear my brothers and sisters were discourteous.”

“I wouldn’t call it discourtesy. I’d say it was the natural response.”

I answered as if it were nothing.

We had dropped out of the sky riding a pitch-black serpent, were controlling Gyu shadow undead, and were even carrying a demonic sword.

Wouldn’t it have been stranger if they welcomed us?

However, the Saintess spoke in a calm tone.

“Even so, I would like to apologize for the trouble they caused you.”

“......”

“And I would also like to thank you. Despite their discourtesy, you did not harm anyone.”

We had hammered down every paladin and priest who blocked our path, but at least we had not taken their lives with the demonic sword.

That was both a condition for meeting the Saintess and one of the conditions for obtaining the hidden piece.

RUMBLE......

Just then, a roar sounded from somewhere, and a vibration traveled through the ground.

It seemed the cultists had finally reached this monastery.

The Saintess seemed to notice that as well, because a shadow briefly passed over her face, but she continued in a composed tone.

“We do not have much time. Also, according to the reports, the two of you have nearly annihilated the Demon God.”

“Only nearly. It isn’t an opponent that can be annihilated, is it?”

“Even so, I understand that you have absorbed most of its power.”

“To some extent, that is true.”

I readily nodded.

The second condition for meeting the Saintess.

Liberate the Demon God fragments, but damage them in some way.

Our identity was unclear, but as the saying went, the enemy of my enemy was my ally.

From the Order’s perspective, they must have judged that joining hands with us temporarily was better.

As expected, the Saintess pointed behind her.

“May I ask you to do something similar?”

Naturally, the Demon God fragment was there.

Wrapped tightly in holy chains.

The Saintess’s request was for us to hammer this one down as well and steal its power.

If we weakened it even a little, their odds of victory would rise that much.

I exchanged a brief glance with Dang Gyu-young, then readily said,

“We were going to suggest that ourselves.”

“I am relieved. Once you are ready, I will remove the seal.”

The one [N O V E L I G H T] who had sealed the Demon God fragment was the Saintess, and she could release it at any time.

So, at least here, there was no need to swing [Dusk].

Dang Gyu-ri summoned the shadow bat and stood before it.

SSSSSS......

Soon, the shining chains vanished one by one, and the Demon God’s shape rose from its place.

Then, with anger, regret, sorrow, and other negative emotions in its voice, it spoke to us.

“Children, you have stolen far too much of my time. I do not know how many long years it will take to regain my original power.”

“Since we already stole some, let’s steal a little more.”

Dang Gyu-ri rested the bat on their shoulder.

At that, the Demon God’s tone became urgent.

“Wait. Let us make a deal. I will grant you anything you desire. Anything!”

“Hmm......”

“Do you not harbor romantic feelings for that man?”

“You need to ask one by one to know that?”

Dang Gyu-ri answered curtly, as if saying, Your grade seems to have dropped a little.

I felt as if a vein popped on the forehead of the pitch-black silhouette.

But the Demon God exercised patience and said,

“That is because I can only exert a fragment of my power. In any case, it seems the threads of fate connected to that man are not merely one or two.”

“Oh, now you’re sounding a bit divine.”

“Even I have never seen such a thing before. You must have more than one love rival.”

“Exactly. What is this, some kind of bus?”

When Dang Gyu-ri grumbled, the Demon God seemed to think it had seized an opportunity and pressed even harder.

“I can make that man yours alone. The thing you desire so endlessly—I can make you Number One, the official wife!”

“......”

Dang Gyu-ri looked tempted.

And it seemed they imagined what it would be like if that wish came true.

However, soon they wore a relaxed smile and took a stance to swing the bat.

The Demon God asked as if dumbfounded,

“......You would throw it away? An opportunity that will never come again?”

“I trust him, one way or another. He said he’d do even better from now on too.”

“......!”

“And most importantly, what’s the point of someone else making me the official wife? It only means something if I win it myself.”

“Foolish, foolish beyond measure! You would deliberately walk the difficult path—”

KWAAANG—!

The shadow bat fell with tremendous force.

Looking down at the Demon God, which had been crushed to pieces, Dang Gyu-ri tossed out one line.

“That fool is me.”

SSSSSS......

Soon, the black energy that had scattered into pieces was sucked into Dang Gyu-ri.

Then they winked at me.

The slots increased.

▷Shadow Extraction[5/7]

With the dimensional crow and now the slots, we had achieved most of our objectives in this dungeon.

The reason I used the word “most” was that there was still one more hidden piece to take.

The Saintess clasped both hands tightly as she looked at us.

“You truly did it. I sincerely thank you for your efforts.”

“It was something we naturally had to do.”

“May I ask one final favor?”

“Please speak.”

What the Saintess pointed to next was [Dusk], which the Gyu shadow undead had stuck into one side of the chapel.

“I would like you to hand over the demonic sword.”

“If you want it, we’ll give it to you.”

We answered readily.

It was a replica anyway, and we could not take it outside.

It was also the final condition for obtaining the hidden piece.

However, the Saintess seemed to take it a little differently, because she let out a quiet sound of admiration.

“You possess souls nobler than I thought. I did not expect you to cast off the demonic sword’s temptation so easily.”

“It’s not that impressive.”

“It may be somewhat lacking as repayment, but—”

The Saintess focused with both hands clasped.

Like when Seo Ye-in used a super finisher, bright light gathered across her entire body.

FWAAASH—

Soon, the light concentrated in one place and settled above her hands, and the Saintess held it out to us.

“—please accept this.”

[Guiding Light]

A one-use item with the property of resonating with other holy-type items.

Obviously, hidden pieces were included in that.

So I quickly accepted it.

“I’ll put it to good use.”

“May the light illuminate the path ahead of you both.”

RUMBLE......

Soon, another roar sounded from much closer.

The clashing of weapons, the shouts of many people, and the cries of goats could be faintly heard.

It meant the battle against the cultists had begun in earnest.

RUMBLE......

Also, the sound of something collapsing rang out, and the entire area trembled.

With every Demon God fragment liberated, the dungeon had been cleared and was beginning to collapse.

A short distance away, a teleportation portal had also opened.

However, we did not leave right away and decided to watch the situation for a little while.

RUMBLE!

Another roar sounded, and the chapel doors flew wide open.

Beyond them, goat-men and paladins were locked in a fierce battle.

“BAA—AAAH—AA!”

“Fight back! Do not fear!”

At that, the Saintess wore an expression of firm resolve.

She rummaged through her robes and drew out a dagger.

It was made entirely of platinum, from the hilt to the blade, and the blade was strangely short.

Of course, there was a reason for that.

FWAAASH—

The next moment, platinum light burst out, took form, and shaped itself into a large blade.

The holy sword, [Sunrise].

Then the Saintess walked over to where [Dusk] was embedded, pulled that out as well, and held it in her opposite hand.

Sunset-colored energy immediately rose from it, but unlike before, it could not invade her body.

Because the light emitted by the holy sword blocked it.

The two are actually a set.

They conflicted with each other while simultaneously complementing one another.

That was why she had asked us to hand over [Dusk].

With the demonic sword and holy sword in each hand, the Saintess was about to step outside the chapel.

Just then, perhaps because something occurred to them, Dang Gyu-ri spoke.

“Can I ask one more thing?”

“......?”

“Um, am I really that lewd?”

They added awkwardly that they had heard similar things a few times on the way here.

It seemed they had been a little concerned about it deep down.

The Saintess looked Dang Gyu-ri up and down, then flinched and opened her mouth.

But perhaps because some thought occurred to her, she closed it again and slowly turned away.

“......May the light illuminate the path ahead of you both.”

“No, you should at least answer before you go.”

The Saintess’s steps grew even faster, and she leapt into the battlefield, swinging the two swords.

FWAAASH!

SLAAASH!

At that, I quietly tossed one line to Dang Gyu-ri.

“At this point, isn’t it fair to say the matter is settled?”

“Wh-wh-what? She didn’t say anything.”

“Saintess-certified lewd Gyu-Gyu, then.”

Dang Gyu-ri protested in a tone of disbelief.

“No, I’m not the only one. There’s Soso too.”

“Why drag Soso into this when she isn’t even here?”

“Because she’s worse! If she’d come, she would’ve gotten twice as many prayers!”

“Does that make lewd Gyu-Gyu pure Gyu-Gyu? Let’s acknowledge what needs to be acknowledged.”

Normally, we would have bickered over this topic for a while, but—

RUMBLE......

The dungeon let out a collapse sound as if giving its final warning, so we entered the exit one after another.

*****

The way back was very smooth.

There was nothing especially noteworthy, and no danger of being discovered or caught.

When we climbed up to the surface and looked at the sky, it was still dark, as though it was late at night.

So I made a proposal to Dang Gyu-ri.

“Shall we rest for now and meet in the morning?”

“Yeah, I’ll go wash up—”

But in the middle of answering, Dang Gyu-ri suddenly lifted their eyes, sparkling.

Then they spoke in a very unexpected tone.

“......I got a message?”

“At this hour? From who?”

“The principal.”