Chapter 248
While Seere was waging war, Nahun was at the Demon King Castle. He wanted to help with the war as well, but he also had his own tasks. To properly activate the business entrusted to him by Phynox, he needed a logistics hub to procure items from the human realm and deliver them to the Demon World.
He was staying in place to prepare for that, but feeling worried, Nahun ordered Behemoth, who was beside him.
“Guard Seere if there’s danger.”
“Mooong.”
This time he did not send Leviathan along, considering that the 23rd floor was a vast plain, he sent Behemoth instead. Behemoth moved at Nahun’s command, sensing the aura of an angel and headed that way, ultimately encountering Zeruel.
The reason Behemoth had let Zeruel go was this: since his master was here, he deemed there would be no problem and followed his own path.
And that judgment was extremely accurate and correct. Nahun, who was contemplating Zeruel from his office, let out a deep sigh and jumped out the window.
Unlike Nahun, who found it bothersome, Zeruel was extremely flustered.
‘…I didn’t expect there to be an owner of such a massu.’
Generally, the stronger the massu, the less likely it is that it would be subservient to someone else. Because of its strength and sense of self, the idea of serving someone else becomes impossible.
However, that was a blind spot that led Zeruel to a misunderstanding. Someone was able to make even such a strong massu serve them.
“The Demon World is not the Heavens; what is an angel doing wandering around here on its own?”
Zeruel’s whole body was on high alert. Even he, called the Angel of Strength, felt a warning from his instincts—a warning of death.
While looking into those brilliant golden eyes, Zeruel felt certain that he had become the prey. He spoke to Nahun, who was glaring at him.
“…Are you the master of the 25th floor?”
What he felt from Nahun was far too different from the aura of a Demon King, yet since he was the one who possessed the strongest aura among those felt in the Demon King Castle, he asked. Nahun shrugged his head for a moment and then seemed to catch on to Zeruel’s thoughts, smiling slightly.
“Do I seem like the master of this place?”
“If that’s the case… does that mean you’re not?”
Nahun didn’t feel the need to answer, but Zeruel could sense his vague suspicion. It was clear that what he felt from Nahun was not the power of a Demon King.
Zeruel pointed his spear directly at Nahun.
“Have you been involved from hell?”
“You’ve been thinking all along that I’m not a Demon King.”
Zeruel felt enlightened. It was as if the scattered puzzle pieces in his mind had finally clicked together.
The individuals who passed through the 72nd floor to the human realm were likely also part of hell’s measures, including the interest.
“Are you planning to wrap up what you couldn’t finish in the last Heavenly War by starting to interfere in the human realm?”
“…What?”
However, Zeruel was mistaken about one thing. While he was right about Nahun being involved from hell and not being a Demon King, he was completely off regarding his purpose. Nahun spoke to Zeruel, who was grasping at straws.
“What kind of interest would I have in a war that’s already over?”
“Then why have you started crossing over to the human realm again?”
Nahun was slightly flustered by Zeruel’s question.
‘Was he checking on that too?’
Nahun finally felt he found the answer to why this angel had come to the Demon World and reached the 25th floor. To pass from the Demon World to the human realm, one must go through the 72nd floor, and if the owner of the 72nd floor was indeed the owner of the 25th floor, it was only natural for him to appear here.
“It seems that some bothersome tasks were set in the portal.”
Nahun thought he should check the portal next time. And reasoning that Zeruel came to the 25th floor after crossing 72nd, he said:
“There must have been some guarding the portal on the 72nd floor, but seeing you here….”
Just a moment ago, the questioning demeanor with which Nahun had appeared had dramatically shifted. Zeruel was startled by the sudden change in atmosphere, as a menacing aura began to seep out.
“They’ve surely harmed the soldiers. You must have confirmed their identities and tracked them down to this place.”
With Nahun’s transformed demeanor, Zeruel quickly assessed the situation. He was clearly in a position where he intended to kill him. In that case…
Flap!
Wings flapped overhead. At that moment, Zeruel soared into the sky.
‘I must report to Lord Camiel.’
His role was simply to determine ‘who crossed over from the Demon World to the human realm.’ If he could inform that hell had intervened in this matter, the Heavens could officially protest against it.
Thus, he decided it was best to avoid a fight and escape directly to report this news to Camiel. It was the right judgment, as Zeruel had no reason to gamble his life on a fight.
However, there was a serious misunderstanding on his part.
“Gize.”
It was the illusion that he could simply escape.
Overhead where Zeruel soared, thick black fog had covered the sky. Zeruel raised his head slightly at the powerful and ominous energy and spotted glowing red eyes through the fog.
“…A massu?”
─────────────!!
At the sound of a powerful roar, Zeruel’s body momentarily stiffened. As soon as the roar was released, a huge massu with a gigantic beak emerged from the black fog and instantly clamped its jaws around Zeruel, slamming him to the ground.
Kwahhh!!!
The size of Gize was so immense that just grabbing and slamming down was enough to push him far from the Demon King Castle. Nahun judged that at that distance, the Demon King Castle would not be implicated and flapped his own wings to head toward that place.
“Ugh!”
Zeruel thrust his spear into Gize’s body as it continued to sink its teeth into him. However, just as he was unable to penetrate Behemoth’s hide, he found his spear stuck in Gize’s tough skin and the thick feathers covering it.
“You’re disgustingly… tough!”
When facing Behemoth, he could not use his existence because he considered that others might notice. But now, Zeruel concluded that he had no choice but to slightly raise his spear.
Thud!!
He forcefully slammed the back end of the spear into the ground. At that moment, an astonishing event occurred.
Zeruel’s spear began to glow brightly with divine energy. Gize seemed greatly displeased by this and further tightened its grip on Zeruel with an angry expression.
With a crack, Zeruel’s bones broke from the pressure, but he didn’t flinch. As the spear continued to glow brightly, it absorbed the light and changed its form.
The spear, which had been elongating and shortening like a folded piece of paper, transformed into a sharp and slender spear, adorned with golden patterns.
“Bazra.”
Zeruel declared.
“Cry out.”
In that moment, something crackling appeared above Gize’s head. As Gize felt something strange and slightly raised its gaze, at that moment…
Kwahhhh!!! Booooom!!
A lightning bolt struck down. Simultaneously thunder roared, and a storm surged, enveloping Gize.
“Peeeeeek!”
Gize writhed in agony and let go of Zeruel, who took the chance to heal the broken ribs from Gize’s force and pulled back.
“Another one was present….”
Zeruel pondered who could control such powerful massus. It was someone from hell who commanded strong massus. While mulling this over, Zeruel was soon able to arrive at an answer.
“…….”
Zeruel’s eyes widened in disbelief.
“Could it be….”
“What an impressive spear.”
“!?”
Zeruel hurriedly turned around, but it was already too late. Nahun’s hand had already grabbed one of Zeruel’s wings.
“The price for tormenting my massu is this.”
Crack! Crunch!!!
Zeruel’s wing was torn off by bare hands.
Boom!
Zeruel fell to the ground, feeling intense pain. Although the pain from the removed wing was severe, he had no time to concern himself with it as his thoughts were elsewhere.
Who was the person before him?
“…This is… absurd…”
“Since you’ve rashly set foot into the Demon World, you might as well give up on the thought of returning.”
He had involuntarily realized.
“■■■….”
Zeruel was shocked. When he mouthed the identity he had recalled, his voice came out distorted, as Nahun was nodding at him.
“Given your very strong spear, I had a feeling, but clearly, you’re not an Archangel. Is it Uriel you are referring to?”
Nahun landed and casually tossed aside Zeruel’s wing that he had just torn off. At that moment, Zeruel’s eyes widened as he questioned.
“How do you know Uriel?”
He was surprised by Nahun’s earlier offhand comment. If Nahun referred to ‘Uriel-like,’ that meant he was aware of Uriel’s power. According to Zeruel, Uriel had never faced him.
“…Ah, didn’t you know?”
Zeruel was in confusion as Nahun gave him a sly smile.
“I was the one who faced Uriel during the Heavenly War.”
“!!!”
Zeruel could hardly contain his shock. If that was the case, it meant that Nahun was the one who had slaughtered Uriel and his subordinates in the Piast Kingdom.
“Hell… has been intervening from the very beginning.”
“Since you all have intervened, there doesn’t seem to be an issue. During the Heavenly War, didn’t Mikael cross into the Demon World?”
Zeruel realized once again upon hearing this.
‘The defeat of Lord Mikael….’
How did the formidable Mikael end up losing his life in the Demon World? It was a question that Zeruel and other angels had all been curious about.
All those doubts had now been resolved. If the battlefield was in the Demon World, where angels’ powers were weakened, against an absolute powerhouse from Hell…
“By the way, because you crossed the portal just once, you’re directly dispatching an angel like you… don’t the angels consider that the frequency with which you come to the Demon World is more than our visits to the human realm?”
Nahun was referring to the angels invading through the portal opened on the 50th floor before the Heavenly War during the eight years he was absent.
“You have no conscience. You are just as bad as the pigeons.”
Nahun began to distort space with his magic, and from the cracks in the void, he drew out his sword. It emanated an ominous energy. Seeing the darkened blade, Zeruel overcome his pain and rose to his feet.
“…I should consider myself fortunate; it seems you don’t know how to wield it properly.”
“Don’t say anything obvious.”
Zeruel had intended to provoke Nahun psychologically before the battle, but Nahun responded as if it were a matter of course.
“How can I use it if I don’t remember?”
“…Then it’s not hopeless.”
Zeruel slammed his spear down as he spoke.
“Cry out, Bazra.”
The powerful lightning that could not withstand Gize’s toughness was about to strike once more. As Nahun observed, he stated:
“The power from a moment ago… it’s not a imitation made by Metatron; it’s the ‘genuine article,’ isn’t it?”
Nahun raised his sword. Gathering all his magic at once, the external magic permeating the Demon World responded to his power and instantly amassed an enormous amount.
Zzziiiiiiik!!! Boom!!
However, the lightning fell much faster. With the thunder roaring swept over Nahun, Zeruel clearly saw the lightning strike him directly.
But soon, Zeruel’s eyes turned to a state of shock.
“He was hit by that and… is perfectly fine?”
Even after being struck by divine lightning, Nahun nonchalantly moved his neck as if merely stiff, walking out unscathed.
“Whether it’s the genuine article or not… for now, it’s just being wielded by a mere angel.”
Nahun’s magic, infused within the sword, remained almost unchanged. He took Zeruel’s lightning with minimal magical power and resilience.
With a firm grip on the sword’s handle, Nahun declared,
“This is the end of your show. I can’t afford to play around any longer.”
“Bazra! Cry out!!”
Zeruel attempted to unleash the lightning once more, but this time, those who were prepared took the advantage. Nahun swiftly swung his sword while softly chanting an incantation.
“Sword of Destruction.”
『 Ruína Ensis 』
The dark sword, engulfed in power, shone with a malignant crimson light. That radiant magic transformed into a strike powerful enough to shake the entire layer.
Aaaaaaaah───────────────!!
Immediately thereafter, lightning struck down from the heavens. However, the intense, crimson power had already shredded Zeruel’s body to pieces. As Zeruel’s body was torn apart into particles of light, only the lightning spear, Bazra, remained.
“This is….”
Nahun observed the spear for a moment before simply grabbing hold of it. A jolt of electricity flowed through its handle, causing a fierce rejection reflex, but that passed quickly and settled down.
“Where should I use this?”
Since it was strongly imbued with divinity, he felt he couldn’t give it to Seere. Nahun pondered briefly and decided to think it over later, placing it into his pocket dimension storage.
Gently patting Gize, who was still caught up in its writhing, Nahun encouraged it for its hard work. Gize finally rose up and shrank, disappearing into the black fog.
Feeling that matters were ultimately coming to a close, Nahun let out a light sigh. He then murmured to himself while loosening his still stiff body.
“I wonder how Seere is doing.”
