Something Keeps Appearing in My Subspace - Chapter 250
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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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250. Abyss Valley (2)
-Rescue the Unnamed Demon. Time remaining: 71 hours 59 minutes.
Even though the situation appeared urgent, I had to assess it first. I’d been given three days. Besides, the Gate wouldn’t be designed to fail the moment I entered.
Even if he was bleeding profusely, he’d once been a Grand Duke of the Demon Realm. He wouldn’t die immediately.
“Exhale.”
Once I activated mind control, the situation became clearer. The mission itself was simpler than I’d anticipated.
The pursuing demons were likely subordinates of the current Grand Duke.
All I had to do was rescue the Unnamed Demon here. Of course, the situation didn’t look easy.
There weren’t many demons chasing us, but that meant they were skilled enough to compensate.
“Mister, you look like you’ll run out of spear energy.”
“Heh heh. Seems like it’ll be rough. Those bastards are a problem too.”line>
I also had to account for the black beasts approaching Nereion at tremendous speed.
We also need to keep in mind the black monsters rapidly approaching Nereion.
They resembled the earth dragons I’d seen before, but their entire bodies were stained black with demonic energy. They’d be far stronger than those.
“The rear guard will move along this ridge.”
“Yes!”
“Have Han Chul protect them as much as possible, and Mister, help if enemies target this area.”
“Got it. I’ll fly over on Yong-yong in no time.”
Fortunately, the starting point was at the top of the valley where there was a ridge. The rear guard should be able to move along here.
“Mister and I will separate those bastards first. That way we can heal properly.”
“Let’s go.”
Mister took flight on Yong-yong while I leaped forward. Min-jae’s lips moved.
“Strike down!”
-Crackle!
Thunder erupted from the tip of Min-jae’s staff. It was the lightning magic he’d used before, but…
The destructive power was different. Chun-bae’s reinforcement effect was working properly.
‘That explains it. He said he wanted to come here.’
Min-jae probably wanted to test his strength in a more powerful Gate.
The lightning struck down at the demons on the ground. Simultaneously, Yong-yong cried out from the sky.
“Krrr-waaah!”
Those pursuing Nereion turned their attention toward us. It was as good as buying us a moment’s breathing room.
Of course, those nearby were still rushing toward Nereion.
-Whoosh!
Using consecutive leaps, I managed to stand beside Nereion. The timing was quite perfect.
Diluvian, who’d been fleeing, set Nereion down and gripped an enormous spear, preparing for battle.
Hmm.
Now that I thought about it, he used a spear too, didn’t he? If time remained in this Gate, I should have him spar with Mister.
“Y-you…!”
Diluvian’s eyes widened as he saw me.
“Surprised? I came to rescue you.”
“…How did you find this place?”
“There’s always a way.”
I held Essirel firmly while assessing the positions of the approaching enemies.
“Is Nereion going to be alright?”
“For now. But we need to treat him quickly. His wounds are severe.”
“Then let’s deal with these bastards first, whether we talk or heal afterward.”
Diluvian, a giant towering over two meters, had tears glistening in his eyes at my words. Hmm. That’s a bit unsettling.
It seemed we’d arrived at a truly desperate moment. Diluvian smiled with those moist eyes.
“…Very well.”
“You must be exhausted. Just guard Nereion.”
I gave the order unilaterally and dashed forward. The mission given at the Gate was to rescue the Unnamed Demon.
Even if Diluvian died, the mission wouldn’t end, but if Nereion died, it would be over.
In a numerically disadvantageous situation, I couldn’t leave Nereion alone and rampage freely, so I’d entrust him to Diluvian.
And besides, I wasn’t fighting alone.
-Boom!
-Crash!
Min-jae’s magic struck the enemies’ rear flank. Beside it, Mister’s dragon-scale piercing spear drove through.
The enemies were quite disoriented by our surprise attack.
I dashed forward, leaving Diluvian behind. I gripped Essirel firmly and focused on my surroundings.
It was time to use my first domain manifestation in actual combat. My heart raced.
“Ryouiki Tenkai….”
I’d been excited since yesterday about saying this while using it.
“Spatial Dominion…!”
Hmm. This feels a bit off. It seemed fine when I thought about it while resting, but actually saying it out loud feels awkward somehow.
I’d need to think about this later. For now, I needed to focus on the enemies.
* * *
“Huh…?”
The domain manifested. As a Level 1 skill, it didn’t have particularly grand effects yet. It was also difficult to use in complex ways.
What I used right now was in terms of speed. I elevated my own speed by one tier as I swung my blade.
-Whoosh!
What if I added a leap on top of that?
-Crack!
The head of the demon at the very front flew skyward. They reacted, but certainly too late.
Were these demons from a Level 60 Gate after all?
The moment I severed one demon’s head, they rushed at me from all directions. I rolled across the ground to evade.
I turned and thrust, but the enemy twisted his body. They weren’t easy opponents.
“What human is…!”
Only now confirming I was human, they widened their eyes and charged straight at me. I read their movements and altered the domain’s power.
Slow the enemies’ movements as much as possible. Make my own speed considerably faster.
“What?”
I could feel my mana consumption skyrocketing, but the domain’s broken nature revealed itself here.
If I strike during the middle of their action, right before the attack lands… their center of gravity collapses entirely.
-Screech!
The charging demon’s balance shatters. At our level, this exposes a fatal opening.
I sever the arm and slip past to the side, my blade continuing through to the neck. A technique from Creshan’s swift sword style.
I evade the pursuing attack with a leap. Within this fifty-meter space, I’ve grown far stronger than before.
To be honest, the difference in effectiveness compared to when I first obtained an A-rank Segment is staggering.
“Terni!”
Sensing something amiss, the demons began coordinating their attacks more properly. But now, I had another advantage.
I restore their speed to normal. The coordination of their combined assault falls apart in an instant.
-Whoosh!
Still, having witnessed the previous outcome, they sensed the anomaly and immediately retreated backward.
-Boom!
“Kraaagh!”
Min-jae’s magic and Yong-yong’s breath, along with the Dragon Scale Piercing Spear, rained down from above the valley and the sky.
The demons exchanged glances and nodded, then began running backward without a word.
“Huh?”
I was bewildered. Was it really over? It had been resolved far too easily.
“Nereion! Are you alright!”
“Ugh….”
Diluvian, who had been behind us, urgently checked on Nereion’s condition. He was unconscious, groaning softly.
The bleeding was severe. Despite the brief combat, blood had pooled on the dirt ground.
“Mister! Lee Shin-hee first!”
“Understood!”
Chul-gi quickly brought Lee Shin-hee over and began chanting healing spells urgently, stabilizing the situation somewhat.
I hadn’t known healing spells would work on demons. Was it possible because they weren’t holy magic?
“Phew….”
Only after Nereion’s expression eased did Diluvian exhale a deep breath.
Despite having dealt with only a few beasts that targeted Nereion while avoiding me, he looked quite exhausted.
Given Nereion’s condition, they must have endured quite a grueling pursuit. Fatigue was written all over his face.
He peered into the distant darkness and muttered.
“The scouts have withdrawn for now. Though not far from here.”
Scouts.
I had suspected it was strange for things to end so easily. The enemy wasn’t nearly as formidable as I’d braced myself for before descending.
“How many enemies are there?”
“I’m not sure. I couldn’t tell.”
Diluvian shrugged and rose to his feet, bowing his head to me.
“Thank you. Without you all, Nereion and I would have died here.”
“But it’s not over yet, is it?”
“…We would have died a moment ago.”
“That’s disappointing. I thought you meant we’d arrived and everything was completely fine.”
Diluvian chuckled softly at my joke.
“I wish that were the case.”
It suddenly occurred to me that I’ve gained quite a bit of composure. It seems I couldn’t have joked around like this back when I was first entering the Gate.
“So what happened? When we parted ways back then, I thought you’d made it out alive without any issues.”
Diluvian exhaled a heavy sigh, his expression grave.
“…I was betrayed.”
* * *
Diluvian’s story was straightforward. When the Unnamed Demon was a Grand Duke, he had a loyal retainer.
He managed to establish contact with that retainer and arranged a meeting, but it turned out to be a trap.
“Has Nereion grown so weak that he’d fall to a mere retainer?”
“He hasn’t fully recovered his strength yet, but… his carelessness was also a significant factor. It was someone who would never betray him, or so he thought.”
I frowned slightly.
No matter how much affection lingered from the past, surely one should harbor suspicion in such circumstances.
But I didn’t voice it aloud. Nereion must have had his own reasons. It was a relationship I didn’t understand.
Diluvian sighed again.
“Three Demon Realm Counts attacked. He managed to kill two of them, but… suffered grave wounds in the process. It’s a miracle he even made it here.”
For what it’s worth, I despise traitors. This stemmed from my experiences as a Gate orphan.
Just thinking about Jong-gil, that bastard, running off with money and emergency rations still infuriates me.
-Can’t I really eat these?
-These have a long shelf life. You should only eat them when you’re truly starving, on the verge of death.
That was my last conversation with Jong-gil, and I hadn’t eaten for two days at that point.
In any case, my anger toward whoever betrayed the Unnamed Demon stemmed entirely from Jong-gil.
“The one you killed was the traitor, right?”
“No.”
A sigh escaped me involuntarily.
“You should have killed the traitor.”
“I wanted to, but….”
Diluvian shook his head and glanced at Nereion. Could it be that he couldn’t kill because of this man?
“Toljet once saved Lord Nereion’s life in the past.”
“Don’t tell me he received those wounds at that time too?”
“….”
“No matter how much of a debt of gratitude exists… ”
I trailed off because I wondered if I could do any better. On the surface, it’s an incredibly frustrating situation, but….
If Mister had betrayed me, I doubt I’d have been able to respond properly either.
“Well, there’s nothing to be done about it now. What’s done is done.”
I peered into the darkness. My eyes couldn’t discern anything particular. The enemies were beyond 50 meters away.
“In any case, if those guys earlier were scouts, it means the main force is coming, right?”
“That’s correct.”
“Just asking on the off chance—after we deal with them, could I spar with that old man over there?”
“?”
At my words, Diluvian tilted his head in confusion.
“You’ve taken quite an interest in spear techniques lately.”
“Well, is there anything I can’t teach you?”
The giant, towering over two meters tall, let out a soft chuckle.
“…!”
The amusement vanished in an instant. Diluvian’s gaze pierced into the distant darkness.
“They’re already here.”
At those words, we all rose from our positions. Neither I nor the Guild members would expend significant stamina.
Diluvian and Nereion were the concern.
“It’s Toljet.”
“That traitor?”
“Yes.”
Well then, that kindled a bit more enthusiasm in me.
And soon, a figure emerged from the darkness. A rather imposing demon—though I couldn’t say I cared for his appearance, which resembled some parasitic creature.
Behind him, demons lined up in formation. Their numbers were considerable. This promised to be no easy fight.
Toljet regarded us with eyes that seemed to look down upon us.
“Nereion and you—know your shame. Receiving aid from mere humans.”
“How dare you! How dare you speak! You committed betrayal….”
“Betrayal? I’ve served the Creshan Grand Duke for over two hundred years. It should be called deception for my liege’s sake.”
“…At the very least, you should not have done so.”
As Diluvian spoke coldly, Toljet’s expression twisted with displeasure.
“Pointless conversation ends here.”
He glanced around once.
“I find such complications tiresome, so I shall grant you the grace of a duel.”
And with that, he drew his blade.
“Rise, Diluvian. Before my dying unnamed demon, I shall demonstrate that your past choice was folly.”
“Folly? Judging by today alone, it’s clear that Lord Nereion’s choice of me was wise.”
Hmm. There’s something between those two. Nereion chose Diluvian, and this count has been seething over it.
A vindictive bastard. Harboring that grudge all this time before committing betrayal?
I glanced subtly at Diluvian. Even with some rest, his body wasn’t in normal condition.
Besides, the Gate wasn’t designed to make Diluvian fight in the first place.
“What’s a duel?”
Still, I needed confirmation. There might be other rules involved.
“A one-on-one confrontation to settle matters. No one else may interfere during or after the duel.”
It’s so simple, right? I grabbed Esirel and stood up.
It’s quite simple, isn’t it? I grabbed Essirel and stood up.
“I’ll handle that instead.”
The count, who bore a resemblance to a parasitic wasp, let out a soft chuckle.
“You?”
“Yes.”
“Diluvian. Will you make this one your champion?”
My eyes met Diluvian’s. His pupils wavered slightly. It seemed he couldn’t fully trust me.
Seeing someone in such poor condition react that way drew a hollow laugh from me.
“Trust me. Didn’t you say earlier that once we arrived, there were no more problems?”
Of course, that had never happened, but Diluvian let out a soft laugh.
“Yes. That human will stand as my champion.”
“Ha, I never thought you’d fall this far. Dull fights hold no interest for me whatsoever.”
Though he was called a Demon Realm count, considering his level, he was a reasonably matched opponent for me.
It would be even better if I didn’t rely on the Guild’s assistance.
I hadn’t gained any insights into swordsmanship advancement recently anyway, so it might be worth challenging him.
I could even test my domain manifestation against someone stronger.
“You won’t know if it’s dull until you try.”
And that sword of his—it looked quite valuable. Essirel’s craftsmanship breakthrough happened just days ago, but durability issues still remained. There was nothing wrong with obtaining a better blade.
There was nothing to lose by getting a superior weapon.
“Let me warn you in advance—I absolutely despise traitors.”
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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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