Chapter 1481

<Episode 1481> 1481. Paladin: The Journey of Evil’s Demise

Inside an abandoned church in the Valentinier region, four demons gathered for a rare summit.

Demons rarely convened like this. They were prideful and unpredictable creatures who didn’t play well with others. When they *did* gather, it was either because they’d submitted to a more powerful demon—or because an enemy too dangerous to face alone had appeared. This meeting clearly fell into the latter category.

The four demons positioned themselves uniquely within the church. The first to speak was Parason, the crow-like demon perched atop a broken crucifix, his green eyes gleaming. Parason enjoyed decorating himself with human corpses.

“This paladin chosen by the goddess for Valentinier isn’t ordinary. Compared to other region paladins, he’s slaughtering us at an unprecedented pace. It’s as if he hunts us predators like prey.”

Responding to Parason was Goth, a fur-covered demon adorned with human eyeballs, tongues, and intestines. Flies buzzed around his decaying trophies.

“Ugh, humans are so annoying! A week ago, my buddy got killed by that paladin. Let’s just go kill him already!”

Parason shook his crow-like head.

“Just the four of us storming the cathedral? That’s practically suicide. The goddess’s power is strongest there, and her faithful minions swarm like ants. We can’t take down the Valentinier cathedral with our current strength… but I agree we need to eliminate this paladin as soon as possible.”

Paladins grow stronger over time, and this one from Valentinier was progressing at a legendary rate. Not only that, but it seemed like he harbored some deep grudge against demons, hunting them down relentlessly every single day. If things continued like this, the Valentinier paladin might become the worst nightmare for all demons.

“I concur. The paladin must die. If we don’t act, we’ll be the ones dying.”

Boned, the hulking demon with three pig heads, chimed in. His triple voices sounded like a chorus of wild beasts howling.

Goth turned his gaze toward the fourth demon present.

“Count Hailguide, what do you think? Your presence here means you also agree we need to stop this paladin quickly, right?”

Slouched casually in a rickety chair with his legs crossed, Count Hailguide looked far more human than the others—though his corpse-pale skin betrayed his true nature. Once a human noble ruling a small fiefdom, he was now a vampire who fed on humans. He preferred calling himself a “trueblood.”

Hailguide spoke calmly.

“That paladin… he’s insane.”

But his tone wasn’t calm at all. It couldn’t be.

“Yesterday, one of the villages in my territory was completely wiped out by him.”

“…Is that really relevant? Can the paladin even distinguish between—”


“Impossible… They wiped out the entire village? And a Paladin did it?”

Boned asked, his voice laced with disbelief.

“A Paladin’s holy senses aren’t omniscient. While they can differentiate between demons and fallen ones, our human collaborators are indistinguishable to them.”

Collaborators.

Humans were truly amusing creatures. Even without falling, they’d readily team up with demons if it benefited them. Though, in most cases, within ten years, they’d inevitably fall. But demons saw no reason to care about that. They simply used them as convenient tools.

Elsewhere, a Great Demon was mass-producing human collaborators on a large scale. Though intrigued by their methods, that wasn’t what concerned Hellguide Viscount right now.

“There was a human collaborator living as a merchant in that village.”

Boned seemed to grasp the situation and spoke.

“The village with the collaborator got executed en masse, huh.”

“To be more precise, they were executed because the collaborator was supposedly hiding there. The Paladin lacked detailed information or evidence. Just assumptions. A whole village wiped out based solely on suspicion. Then, using their authority, they suppressed the priests and paladins who resisted and began inciting propaganda. It was so effective… I couldn’t help but admire it when I heard the report.”

“…So this Paladin is merciless, alright. Viscount, what exactly are you trying to say?”

“The nature and actions of this Paladin align closely with ours. Perhaps we could corrupt the Paladin. By stoking their desires—twisting their zeal for killing demons into a lust for power—it’s not impossible.”

“No. The Paladin must die.”

“I agree with Goth.”

“Viscount, there’s no guarantee your plan will succeed. We need to kill the Paladin before they grow stronger.”

The other demons all protested. Yet, Hellguide Viscount remained calm and composed.

“I’ll personally oversee this plan. We’ll corrupt the Paladin. Cases like this are rare throughout history, which makes it all the more entertaining. Don’t you want to see a corrupted Paladin?”

“…”

Everyone fell silent. The implication was obvious.

At their core, demons were beings driven by desire. With no fixed lifespan, they could live for hundreds or even thousands of years. Always seeking thrilling stimulation.

“If the Viscount himself will take charge… perhaps observing for a while isn’t such a bad idea.”

“We can’t wait too long.”

“I’m curious how a corrupted Paladin would taste.”

“It’s decided then. Still, just in case, summon other demons. If the plan fails, we’ll eliminate the Paladin immediately.”

Right at that moment—

The dilapidated church entrance burst open, and something flew through the air, landing among the demons.

It was a demon—or rather, what remained of one. Only the upper body was left. Hellguide Viscount stared blankly at the corpse and muttered calmly.

“My child.”

The child born 15 years ago, tearing through its mother’s womb at birth, had been brutally murdered.

BOOM BOOM BOOM!

Heavy footsteps echoed. The demons looked toward the source and froze in shock. The massive greatsword, the heavy full-body armor, the oppressive aura emanating from every pore—there was no mistaking who it was.

“The Paladin…!”

“How did they find out we’re here?!”

“Hmph, you’ve come to die.”

“They found us through my child, didn’t they….”

CLANK CLANK.

The Paladin advanced.


The demons were on edge. The paladin standing before them was far more intense than they had anticipated.

“Disgusting demon bastards. Were you all gathered here just to jerk off together or something?”

“Huh, hahaha, you fool! You came here to die!”

Goth, the demon covered in fur, laughed as he leaped toward the paladin. Rising into the air, his fur hardened like steel. He looked like a porcupine with its quills raised.

“You’re the fool.”

The church windows, barely holding their shape, shattered. Crossbow bolts specially treated from the pulpit rained down from all directions. The bolts fell not only on the demons but also on the paladin. However, the crossbow bolts couldn’t pierce the paladin’s armor.

“KAAAAAAAAA!”

Goth, with arrows piercing his entire body, collapsed and thrashed on the ground. The holy poison coated on the arrowheads gnawed at his body. While a single arrow wouldn’t have fazed him, easily over thirty arrows were embedded in his body.

The paladin gripped his sword with both hands in reverse and struck downward at Goth.

BOOM!

Goth’s head was severed.

“This is the chance to kill four demons at once. You didn’t come alone, did you? The area around this church is surrounded by righteous knights and heretic investigators. You have no chance to escape.”

“Pal… ADIN!!”

Goth, with only his head remaining, called out to the paladin with hatred. Immediately after, his hairs shot up and aimed for the paladin’s head.

As if expecting it, the paladin tilted his head slightly and dodged the final attack. Finishing Goth off by slicing through what remained of his head and body, the paladin strode forward confidently. His entire body was glowing with holy aura, and his sword was wrapped in divine energy.

“Parason, Boned. Are you alright?”

“I’ve got a few arrows stuck in me… but aside from feeling lousy, I’m fine.”

“……Grrr. There are quite a number of human fools outside the church.”

“That paladin made an arrogant choice. Trying to face us alone, huh? Let’s ignore the ones outside for now and kill the paladin in front of us first. Boned, engage the paladin from the front. Parason, take his back. I’ll provide magical cover.”

Boned stretched out his hands. The centers of his palms wriggled, and sharp bones protruded. Gripping them like swords, he charged at the paladin. At the same time, Parason unfurled his wings and circled behind the paladin through the air.

Lord Hailguide used magic. Following his gestures, blood surged forth. It flowed along the floor, approaching the paladin.

The paladin’s movements quickened. Even to the demons’ eyes, he moved too fast to track properly, closing in on Boned and plunging his sword into his chest. Boned, exhaling powerful snorts from three pig-like heads, swung his bone swords wildly.

CLANG! CLANG! CLANG!

Boned’s bone swords failed to cut through the paladin’s sturdy armor entirely; they only managed to strike parts of it.

“To get such armor! What a cowardly bastard! Parason! Lord! What are you doing?! Kill the bastard quickly!”

Parason closed in from behind, and the lord’s magic swirled around.

“You’re making a racket.”

ZAP! ZZZZT!

Golden lightning erupted from the paladin’s entire body. Parason jumped back in surprise, and the lord’s magic evaporated. Most of the golden lightning coursed into Boned’s body, causing him to lose strength from the electric shock.

The paladin didn’t miss this opportunity. Swinging his sword, he chopped Boned into pieces. Boned’s corpse fell to the ground.

WRIGGLE.

From the chopped-up remains of Boned, a fourth head smaller than a palm popped out. Moving tiny rodent-like legs attached to the head, it tried to flee. The paladin wasn’t fazed. Calmly, he hurled his greatsword.

The greatsword pierced straight through the fleeing demon’s skull with perfect accuracy.