I Picked up the Demon King - Chapter 107

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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 107

 

The marching speed had increased to an incomparable degree from before.

 

Morale rose with the Hero’s shouts, and holy magic and support magic filled them with strength. The expedition joined forces to pierce through the darkness and rapidly advance forward.

 

However.

 

“Water, some water…”

“The corpse is moving! Undead! It’s a Dark Mage!”

“Get a grip! There’s nothing there!”

 

It wasn’t just the movement speed that had increased. The mental pressure bearing down on the expedition was also rapidly intensifying.

 

Auditory and visual hallucinations were commonplace, and there were quite a few who showed direct physical effects. When the Priests poured out their holy power, things improved slightly, but even that didn’t last very long.

 

Moreover, it wasn’t just the common soldiers who were affected.

 

The Knights commanding the soldiers, and the Mages and Priests protecting them were also gradually having their minds eaten away. A precarious situation.

 

Eventually, a mistake erupted.

 

“Damn it…!”

 

The footsteps of those moving in the front ranks suddenly stopped. Since they had been moving quickly, curses flew as people bumped into those behind them.

 

“What’s the situation?”

 

Shtidy wiped his face with his hand and answered.

 

“Accumulated fatigue. The current method of clearing the path requires considerable concentration. They missed the timing due to insufficient rest.”

 

And he extended his hand. When Albeng, who had been waiting nearby, joined in pouring out holy power, the darkness lifted with an explosion.

 

“I’m sorry.”

“No. We’re almost there, so let’s push on just a little more.”

 

He waved off the apology from the Mage who had been on duty. But the same situation kept repeating.

 

Though there were over a hundred Mages, the current pace was too much to handle. Without Albeng and Shtidy, the expedition would have long since been devoured by the darkness. Anxiety bloomed on Johnny’s face.

 

But he didn’t stop, and silently looked only ahead.

 

Though his heart was full of desire to encourage the soldiers once more, he had no choice but to endure it. The Hero’s shouts had certainly given them strength, but if repeated, they would gradually lose their meaning. Later, they would be felt as nothing more than noise, no different from those explosions.

 

He had to step forward only at crucial moments. That’s what Dahan had taught him. For now, he could only hope that each commander would fulfill their role.

 

They continued moving for more than half a day. They didn’t stop even during meal times. Like the continuous march that never ceased, their sweat never dried either, so it was fortunate they could save time for relieving themselves.

 

The expedition continued its precarious march. In the endless darkness where they couldn’t even tell how much time had passed. They moved their feet mechanically.

 

Then at some moment. When someone stopped their feet again.

 

When those who had been walking without strength to lift their heads cursed and looked ahead.

 

“We’ve, arrived.”

 

In everyone’s eyes, the Holy Nation Capital came into view.

 

“Everyone get your wits about you! This isn’t over yet!”

 

The Knights’ shouts echoed from all directions. Soldiers who were about to collapse forced themselves to stand up.

 

The Priests squeezed out their last strength to heal the soldiers’ bodies. However, they couldn’t heal their exhausted minds as well.

 

“This is, supposed to be the capital?”

 

A dumbfounded voice burst out from somewhere. Even those who had been forcing jokes fell silent.

 

The majority of soldiers participating in the expedition were those born and raised in the Holy Nation Capital. To them, who had volunteered with the goal of reclaiming their homeland, the scene before their eyes could only be quite shocking.

 

Buildings turned black, and corpses scattered throughout the streets. Everything was black as if light had been stolen away. At the sight where no trace of life could be found, someone muttered that it looked like a painting.

 

It really did look like a painting. An old black and white painting that would get you dragged away by an Inquisitor just for looking at it.

 

But that painting was soon torn and damaged. Mages and Priests squeezed out their strength to illuminate the surroundings. Shtidy and Albeng, the Hero’s companions, also actively joined in.

 

Beyond the darkness scattering in all directions, the half-destroyed Papal Palace came into view.

 

No one expressed joy at reaching their destination. Everyone felt overwhelming despair. Though they had passed through several villages so far, the capital held different meaning.

 

“Everyone maintain formation and enter! This is where the Great Demon is, so nothing that happens should be strange! Don’t let your guard down!”

 

When the commanders’ shouts echoed once more, the soldiers began moving mechanically.

 

The closer they got to the Papal Palace, the more buildings caught up in explosions there were. Someone sobbed. It was because they had discovered relatives who couldn’t escape in time and died trapped in the darkness.

 

“Damn. What a terrible smell.”

 

One soldier grumbled while covering his nose. The sobbing soldier began glaring at him. The grumbling soldier, unaware of this, continued speaking.

 

“Look at that. There are valuable items scattered everywhere. Well, it was such a chaotic situation. Should I take some?”

“Watch your mouth.”

 

A passing commander warned coldly. But the soldier didn’t shut his mouth, and instead protested as if he couldn’t understand.

 

“No, think about it, sir. They’re ownerless items anyway. There are quite a few sacred relics in that Papal Palace too, kugh…!”

 

The commander slapped his cheek. The soldier, unable to withstand the Knight’s strength, rolled on the ground, but no one helped him up.

 

“The Goddess is watching. I will not punish you separately for what you just said, but if you repeat such words or actions again, I will execute you.”

 

And he left, leading the soldiers.

 

The soldier who staggered to his feet spat out curses but followed along to avoid the darkness gathering around him.

 

Unfortunately for that soldier, it wasn’t a situation where he could take the Papal Court’s sacred relics. To clear a path, explosions had to be created.

 

The density of darkness had thickened, so now explosions had to follow faster and more powerfully. The Papal Court building that had been briefly visible was long since swallowed by darkness again.

 

Of course, since the direction had already been identified, there was no major problem.

 

“Is the Great Demon still there?”

 

When Johnny cautiously brought it up, Albeng smiled with difficulty and shrugged his shoulders.

 

“Well. There’s not no possibility it moved elsewhere, but… we don’t have the luxury to check the surroundings first.”

“….”

 

At the entrance leading underground, everyone stopped walking.

 

The memory of that day surfaced in Johnny’s mind. When the Goddess descended, the Demon Lord appeared, and the Great Demon attacked.

 

Their successful escape from the deepest place was close to a miracle.

 

Even among those who had been in the Grand Prayer Hall, not few failed to escape. Johnny and his companions, unable to withstand the Great Demon’s darkness, had to turn away from them and flee.

 

Entering this place meant having to face the memories of that time.

 

Suddenly Johnny felt a nauseating emotion.

 

‘That day, after running away so miserably, abandoning others.’

 

Could he really say he was qualified as a Hero?

 

Even when the Pope’s neck was broken, even when the Demon Lord disappeared before his eyes, he couldn’t do anything. The words he had shouted to the expedition party were not just shameful but disgusting. He couldn’t forgive himself.

 

“Johnny.”

 

At the warmth felt on his shoulder, Johnny came to his senses. Albeng was shaking his head while channeling holy power.

 

“Thank you.”

“Not at all.”

 

Johnny placed his hand on the Holy Sword. Clear energy spread out, awakening his spirit.

 

The gloomy malice contained in the darkness had become too thick. There wasn’t much time left. They had to deal with the Great Demon quickly.

 

“Let’s go in.”

 

* * *

 

The underground chamber. That enormous space that had accommodated tens of thousands had become a mass grave reeking of decay. With every step, corpses were trampled. The squishy sensation was nauseating.

 

Memories of the Grand Prayer came to mind. People’s cheers, and the holy power that had filled the space. The Goddess’s voice. All of those things felt like distant past.

 

The escape process didn’t remain much in memory. But some of these people certainly died by the hand of the Demon Lord who had possessed my body. In the first place, most of these people died because I had released the Great Demon’s seal.

 

-Is this the time to indulge in sentimentality?

 

The Demon Lord’s mockery echoed in my ears.

 

I exhaled deeply and moved forward. Right. There was no need to fall into sentimentality now.

 

-Do you want to atone?

“I wonder.”

 

Even if I atoned, the fact that I was the cause of the disaster wouldn’t change. Since I started it, I just needed to end it with my own hands.

 

Together with Remal, I pushed through the pile of corpses and headed to the deepest part underground. There were several hidden passages, but there was no way I’d forget the path now.

 

The staircase was almost collapsing. It must be the effect of mana and holy power exploding.

 

I suddenly wondered how the expedition party had come down here.

 

It was narrow and long. There was also the danger of collapse. For hundreds of expedition members to come down would be no small burden…

 

Suddenly something caught on my foot. I thought it was a corpse, but it wasn’t.

 

With my heightened senses, I caught a faint breathing sound. It was a living person.

 

Crouching down to examine the face of the fallen person, I couldn’t help but be surprised.

 

“…Shtidy?”

 

Even while calling her name, I couldn’t believe it.

 

Since entering the capital, the risk of being discovered had increased, so we had kept our distance. But it was only a few minutes. Only a few minutes had passed since the expedition party went through this path.

 

In that time, for Shtidy of all people to be collapsed like this.

 

As the Hero’s companion, she was one of the most important figures in the expedition party. Even if she had been attacked by enemies, she wasn’t someone who could be abandoned.

 

“What on earth…”

 

I checked her pulse and breathing, and examined her injuries. There were no visible external wounds, but her breathing was thin. It seemed like it would stop at any moment.

 

“Lord Jude?”

 

I heard someone calling my name but ignored it.

 

I poured mana into her and shook Shtidy’s body. However, she never regained consciousness. Instead, her pulse grew slower and slower.

 

-Get a grip.

 

After hearing the Demon Lord’s voice, my head cleared with a sharp sensation. The World Tree’s roots that had extended down through the cracked wall were touching me.

 

“…Huh?”

 

What had collapsed on the floor wasn’t Shtidy. It was the corpse of a Paladin who had died long ago. When I turned my head, I saw Remal looking at me with a worried expression.

 

“Are you alright?”

“I’m, uh. I’m fine. But…”

 

I looked back and forth between the Paladin’s corpse and Remal.

 

-Is that your fear?

 

The Demon Lord asked.

 

Only then could I understand the situation. The Great Demon’s darkness didn’t simply end with taking away one’s senses.

 

-I thought you were holding out quite well, but it seems even you can’t help it.

“…Shut up.”

-If you’re not careful enough, you’ll experience the same thing as just now again.

 

I sighed and drew mana to circulate through my body.

 

“You’re full of motivation.”

 

It was a very unpleasant experience. I felt like I had to properly land a blow on that Great Demon’s pale white face for making me see such things.

 

For some reason, it seemed like the amount of mana I could handle had increased a little more than before.

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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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