I Picked up the Demon King - Chapter 106

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Chapter 106

 

My ears were ringing.

 

For hours now, the eardrum-splitting explosions hadn’t stopped. The cheers from when we first saw the darkness retreat had long since vanished without a trace. The experiences of being startled with hearts dropping or hair standing on end had all passed before we entered.

 

Now the irritation wouldn’t stop. My eardrums felt like they would burst, and I was dizzy.

 

“Damn it. Are we still far?”

 

Beyond the Hero leading the way, nothing was visible. It was pitch-black darkness. It was impossible to even gauge whether we were going in the right direction or how much distance remained to our destination.

 

“We’re far.”

 

Ballong, who was walking beside me, shouted in a hoarse voice. The explosions were so loud that conversation was impossible without shouting.

 

Ballong’s footsteps carried a terrible fatigue. Anyone would be the same. Both body and mind were utterly exhausted.

 

The horrific scenes we had witnessed at the Boundary of Darkness flickered before my eyes. Corpses scattered carelessly on the barren land. Terrible and grotesque forms that seemed to have taken their own lives in fear and despair. Even now, occasionally, corpses with similar appearances could be seen.

 

Therefore, no matter how much the explosions rang in our heads, we could only desperately pray that they wouldn’t stop.

 

The moment they stopped even briefly, we would all end up no different from those corpses. In this hell where we couldn’t see an inch ahead, it was our only lifeline.

 

“How much further do we have to go?”

 

Patience didn’t last very long. When I shouted out, Ballong answered.

 

“They say we need to go for another two or three days!”

 

I could only mutter a curse under my breath.

 

Two or three days. Easy to say, but that meant those explosions wouldn’t stop during that time. Even now it was this difficult – could we endure without sleep due to the noise?

 

What if a soldier who lost his mind attacked a mage?

 

“Are the mages alright?”

 

Mages are a rare breed. In rural territories where mages are hard to see, they’re often considered omnipotent, and in extreme cases, they even create cult orders.

 

But for people from the Holy Nation where hundreds of thousands visit annually, it’s a different story. Mages are by no means unknown beings. Therefore, they knew well that their mana wasn’t infinite either.

 

“If they pour out mana like that, won’t they not last long? Then we’ll all…”

 

There were many mages. They said they had gathered not only from the Three Great Magic Towers but also many who worked as mercenaries.

 

However, pouring out mana like that didn’t seem like they could handle a schedule lasting several days.

 

“Don’t worry about it!”

 

The one who answered was a mage who was moving to the rear.

 

“Over the past few months, the mana concentration across the entire continent has increased several times over. The cause hasn’t been discovered yet! But we can produce greater power with less mana than before, and recovery speed has become incomparably faster! Moreover!”

 

The mage held out a stone he was carrying.

 

“Do you know what this is? It’s a magic stone! We received several cartloads of these expensive stones as support, so if we can’t last a few days, we’d be idiots, not mages!”

 

A priest standing next to the mage sighed and dragged him away.

 

“Ah, why!”

“Let’s go rest quickly! Aren’t you tired?”

 

Leaving behind the bewildered soldiers, they moved to the rear. It was to recover their stamina and mental state in the rear where the noise was least.

 

Again, an explosion echoed. The soldiers’ gazes turned forward. In the brief moment when the darkness was pushed back, for some reason it felt like something was fleeing along with it.

 

“….”

 

The ominous feeling wouldn’t disappear.

 

* * *

 

Shtidy gritted her teeth.

 

The magic casting that had continued for hours couldn’t push her mind to its limits. The precise collision of holy power and mana was as precarious as performing acrobatics, but it couldn’t disturb the concentration that had been strengthened since the Goddess’s descent.

 

She had plenty of magical power too. For the past few months, the continent’s mana concentration had abnormally increased. Now was truly what could be called the golden age of mages.

 

The problem wasn’t with the mages but elsewhere.

 

“Ugh, Goddess. Why…”

“Holy power is insufficient… Are my prayers not reaching?”

 

Groans like moans burst out from the front. The deeper they advanced into the darkness, the more noticeably the priests’ holy power was weakening. It was as if this darkness was severing the connection with the Goddess.

 

They had isolated priests showing signs of anxiety to maintain morale, but… how long could they hold out?

 

At least it was fortunate that Albeng was comforting the priests well.

 

“Are you alright?”

“I can endure. But I don’t know how long I can hold out.”

 

Albeng smiled ambiguously. The divine power he possessed was at an exceptional level compared to other priests, but he couldn’t replace all the priests by himself.

 

“The closer we get to the center, the stronger the influence will become. We don’t have much time left.”

“Even now…”

“Yes. It might be better to turn back and reorganize even now.”

“It’s a monster!”

 

As soon as Albeng finished speaking, commotion erupted from the rear of the formation. Heart-rending screams pierced through the explosive sounds and echoed around. Even the mages and priests who should have been causing explosions turned their heads momentarily at the completely unexpected words.

 

“Let go! Look over there! There’s a monster! Before it kills us all, I’ll…!”

 

One soldier was swinging his sword with his eyes rolled back. Despite all the training he had received, he looked completely reckless. The soldiers around him quickly backed away.

 

“Wait, get a hold of yourself!”

 

Johnny urgently shouted and tried to approach him, but Shtidy blocked his way.

 

“Stop.”

“Shtidy? Don’t block me.”

“What are you going to do if you go there?”

“Well…”

 

Johnny, who was about to answer, was momentarily speechless.

 

“Hero, where is the Hero? Why are you leaving that monster alone? Ah, aah! It’s coming, no…!”

“The monster that soldier is talking about?”

“We’ve checked, but there’s nothing but darkness beyond there. It doesn’t seem like he was hit by a magical attack either. …I think it might be hallucinations caused by fear.”

 

While Shtidy was assessing the situation through a nearby mage, he realized there was nothing he could do. She had blocked him because she knew that too. Don’t waste energy on useless things, just look ahead.

 

What was the reason for gathering hundreds of mages and priests here? Wasn’t it to preserve the Hero’s strength until the very last moment?

 

Albeng led the priests and approached.

 

“Don’t, don’t come!”

 

The soldier, who could no longer recognize even his comrades, pushed away those around him and rushed into the darkness. A little faster than that, Albeng blocked his path.

 

Holy power extending from Albeng’s hand wrapped around the soldier. The soldier struggled painfully, but soon went limp.

 

“Please put him on the cart in the rear. Take turns watching him until he comes to his senses, and report immediately if anything happens.”

“Yes.”

 

Two soldiers dragged the fallen soldier and moved to the rear. The broken formation quickly regained its original shape.

 

“Has the cause been identified?”

“Nothing has changed from before. There was no magical influence at all. This space itself seems to stimulate people’s minds.”

“The space itself…”

 

Albeng didn’t continue speaking, but distorted the smile he usually wore.

 

If that was the cause of the recent phenomenon, the solution was simple. Just wrap holy power around the body. Since it has the effect of stabilizing the mind, it would help overcome fear.

 

But holy power was already insufficient. There was even a plan to gather and use the soldiers’ holy power when the priests got tired. If they started consuming those already, the expedition’s chances of success were low.

 

That wasn’t the only problem.

 

If it really was a problem with the space, the phenomenon would get worse as they moved forward. Right now it was a soldier, but knights, priests, or mages could be affected too.

 

It was a precarious situation that could collapse at any moment.

 

“…”

 

Shtidy pondered. If they were going to turn back, now was the time. If they went deeper, it might be irreversible.

 

But rumors about this expedition had already spread across the entire continent. It was to fill the insufficient number of mages, but there couldn’t have been a worse choice.

 

The Hero’s failure wasn’t just a matter that would end as a political weakness.

 

A Hero must be hope, a symbol of victory that never loses. To maintain even a little of the Hero’s power, which was already incomplete.

 

“We’ll continue moving for now.”

 

Johnny watched the scene with a pained expression.

 

It wasn’t difficult to notice Shtidy’s brief contemplation before making her decision. The helplessness of not being able to do anything, and guilt weighed down on his shoulders.

 

Morale was at rock bottom. In this hell, everyone was slowly crumbling. The repulsion effect of mana and holy power? That was just a temporary measure. If they couldn’t quickly deal with the source of this darkness, no one would be able to get out alive.

 

Johnny, who had been hanging his head in thought, suddenly drew his holy sword.

 

“…!”

“Wait, what are you trying to…”

 

The soldiers murmured. Shtidy approached Johnny but hesitated and stopped.

 

“From now on!”

 

In the darkness that swallowed everything, brilliant light sparkled. That was all. But it was enough to draw everyone’s attention.

 

“Everyone wrap holy power around your bodies. If there are those who can’t use it, help them from the side. Mages too, don’t spare mana and magic stones, cast support magic.”

“Wait, if we do that…”

 

We won’t be able to hold out. In a situation where holy power was already insufficient, they couldn’t waste holy power on useless things. However, Johnny cut off Shtidy’s words and asked again.

 

“Shtidy! What’s the estimated arrival time?”

“Three more days, but.”

“Good!”

 

Johnny shouted loudly again.

 

“The target is tomorrow morning!”

 

But Shtidy and Albeng, who were watching him closely, could notice. Though the hand holding the sword was stretched out straight, his voice was trembling slightly.

 

“We’ll break through at full speed! And escape from this damn darkness! Everyone can handle not sleeping for about a day, right?”

“….”

“Can’t believe it?”

 

When no one answered, he looked around and asked. Then he showed a confident smile.

 

“I am the Hero!”

 

The trembling disappeared from his voice.

 

“As long as I’m here, you all… we will never be defeated!”

 

Strength began to settle in the soldiers’ eyes as well.

 

“Let’s go!”

“Waaah!”

Cheers erupted. Support magic of all kinds activated in succession from everywhere. The soldiers began advancing with renewed vigor.

“You’ve worked hard, hero.”

When Stidi approached from the side and spoke playfully, Johnny’s face turned red.

“That may be true. But even the same words can come across completely differently depending on the situation. It was impressive.”

 

Albeng added while shrugging his shoulders.

 

Johnny, feeling somewhat embarrassed for no reason, quickened his pace.

Johnny quickened his pace, feeling awkward for no reason.

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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