The Regressed Sword Demon Is a Catastrophe-Class Inquisitor - Chapter 57

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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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Chapter 57. How Delicious.

Nemesio, the Grand Inquisitor of the Theocracy, stared at the communication artifact that would not ring.

– Ah, and….

Kael’s final words.
I should have continued the conversation to learn more about him, but the connection was severed at that point. It wasn’t a communication issue.

‘The signal isn’t reaching at all.’

He had destroyed the communication artifact itself on his end. Deliberately, as if to scratch my nerves.

‘How dare he….’

My teeth grind together.
It has been a long time since I’ve been swept up in another’s atmosphere like this, since my emotions have flared so intensely.
I thought I had encountered every manner of human, but Kael was a madman unlike any I had seen before.

‘If that were all, there would be no problem.’

Kael somehow knew the Grand Inquisitor’s name.
It was strange—only the Apostles and a few others within the Evil Book Society, let alone the Theocracy, should have known it.

‘Did the Apostle captured by him truly reveal it?’

No, that seemed unlikely.
They were devout in their faith toward the Demon God, as befitted priests. Such beings would never take actions that hindered the Demon God.

‘He discovered it himself. But how?’

I cannot fathom by what means he obtained this knowledge.
And what is most astonishing is not merely that.

‘Why was he there? They surely confirmed he was absent from the Territory before launching their assault.’

Had they not appeared as if they knew the mansion would be attacked?
Suddenly, a passage from the “Primordial Evil Book” surfaces in my mind.

「Do not be arrogant and look up at the heavens. There you will find the two eyes of Luminara’s descendants. You must act with the awareness that you exist within an invisible grasp.」

I was never arrogant.
The Scalen Apostle who tried to devour the Luminara Family was caught by the heel, I heard news that Envy of the Seven Deadly Sins had been dealt with, and the Bloom Apostle who attempted to exploit the plague was burned to nothing.
To lower one’s guard against someone who demonstrated such prowess would be foolish.

‘That’s why this time, I tried to seize his family in his absence to deal with him decisively….’

Yet even that was thwarted as if it were inevitable. This was the first time I had deployed Apostle forces and achieved no results whatsoever.

‘Why on earth….’

In truth, I understood the reason to some extent. I was not arrogant, but I had not looked upward.
I had merely observed with the same eye level as I did with others, cautiously.

‘Could it be that his eyes truly existed?’

Nemesio looked up at the ceiling. It was certainly an empty ceiling, and I had never met Kael face to face.
Yet why did I feel someone’s gaze upon me now?

– Do as you wish. Just as before, I will be waiting one step ahead of you.

Chills ran down my spine for no reason.
The only thing the Evil Book Society could look up to was the Demon God.
That is why, even if it were the Demon God’s teachings, I deliberately did not place him on the same heavens as the Demon God.
This was a matter concerning the faith that formed the foundation of the Evil Book Society.

‘This is… dangerous.’

Nemesio swallowed hard.

– Grand Inquisitor.

At that moment, a voice leaked from another communication artifact.

“Speak.”
– Currently, Kyodo’s disciples are tracking the location and blooming season of the Luminous Herb. It appears we’ll be able to harvest and present it to the Demon God in the near future.

Mystical herbs and spirit pills were always presented to the Demon God by the Grand Inquisitor.
In return, the Demon God would bestow blessings in various ways—infusing a touch of demonic energy as praise, or enhancing their efficacy.
Such consecrated items were then used for the Evil Book Society, whether by the Grand Inquisitor or the Apostles.
Nemesio smiled, the lingering unease from moments before dissipating at this welcome news.

“That’s fortunate indeed. Please, spare no effort. The Demon God will surely be pleased.”
– Yes. Once Kyodo’s disciples obtain the Luminous Herb, I’ll contact you again.

The connection ended there.
Nemesio leaned back in his chair, his mind settling into ease.

‘Kael Inquisitor, I acknowledge you are no ordinary being. But we shall not fall so easily either.’

* * *

It took us four days from the mansion to reach the vicinity of Grak Mountain, and one day later, we began our ascent.
This place was treacherous in terrain and teeming with magical beasts—a location people typically avoided.
There was only one reason I had sought out such a place.

‘The Luminous Herb grows here.’

I stood midway up the mountain, gazing toward the summit where the sunset painted the sky.
Rather than tall, the slope was steep—so much so that the peak remained obscured from this vantage point.

“Hnngh!”

Bella was struggling to climb over a high ledge.
As a Mage, her physical abilities were lacking. Even with some magical enhancement, she barely exceeded ordinary human capability.
As a result, I was carrying her large shell on my back.

‘A reckless rabbit turned into a turtle.’

A rabbit helping an impossibly slow turtle, of all things.
I extended my hand toward her.

“Ah, thank you!”

Bella grasped my hand and pulled herself up to where I stood. She exhaled the breath she’d been holding and brushed the dust from her trousers.

“You can go ahead, Interrogator. I’ll catch up as fast as I can.”

That was one approach. If I brought Bella along, our arrival would be delayed somewhat.
But there was a chance I might need her assistance. Magic could easily solve problems that proved difficult with a blade alone.
And more than anything….

“I don’t know the exact location of the Luminous Herb either. So I’ll have to follow them at their pace anyway.”

I knew the Luminous Herb was somewhere near the Gorge, but I couldn’t recall the precise location.
Back then, I’d had to focus entirely on following them without being detected.

‘But things are different now.’

I could simply follow at my leisure, deal with them all, and then claim the Luminous Herb.
If I wandered around trying to find it before they did, I might lose track of them entirely.

“Are they nearby? I don’t see them.”
“I don’t see them either. I can only sense them.”

Through Fair Wind, I continued to track their location. They were distant, but close enough that I could reach them at any moment.

Boom, boom….

A faint rumbling echoed across the distance. The ground trembled ever so slightly.

“They’re still fighting monsters. It seems to be taking longer than expected.”
“I see!”

Thanks to them, the only monsters we’d encountered so far were unremarkable specimens.

“Let’s eat while we wait for their battle to finish.”
“Yes!”

Bella retrieved a mat from my pack and spread it on the ground, then pulled out a well-wrapped basket of food.
We sat on the mat together and peacefully bit into our sandwiches.

Boom, boom….

Even as the ground trembled one last time, a crimson sunset shattered softly across the horizon ahead.
For a treacherous mountain infested with demons, it was a beautiful sight.

“Delicious.”
“How pretty!”

You endure the hardship; we reap the sweet rewards….

* * *

The vanguard’s battle continued until the sun completely set.

“Damn it! Where are they all coming from?!”
“Because people are scarce here! There’s a reason luminous grass thrives in such places!”
“Stay focused until the end! We’ve nearly finished them all!”

Demons of all sizes rushed at them from every direction.
They were slashed and burned by the assault, their flesh and blood scattering across the ground.

‘Stronger than I anticipated.’

These warriors were formidable in their own right, yet the sheer number and strength of the demons—mingled together—proved overwhelming.
Years without subjugation had allowed them to absorb the natural mana of this place.

Thud! Thud!

The earth shook violently. A massive creature darted through the dark forest like a flying squirrel, zigzagging wildly.
Those who had already dispatched the other demons fixed their gaze on it, grinding their teeth.

“Here it comes again….”

Much of their struggle against the demons stemmed from this creature.
With a body like a massive boulder yet possessing such agility, it was inevitably dangerous. Two of them had already fallen to it.

Boom!

With a thunderous stomp against the ground, a massive form loomed before them.
Two horns curved like a crescent moon. White fur bristling like whiskers. A demon that resembled a goat.

Crash!

“Gack!”

The goat charged forward and sent a male figure flying. He crashed into a tree, coughing blood before going limp.
Another tried to rush from behind, but the goat kicked up dirt with its hind legs, blocking the advance.
Its black pupils fixed upon them. They each took defensive stances and swallowed hard.

Slice!

A flash of light erupted from somewhere, and a crimson line appeared across the goat’s neck.
The goat’s head fell like water flowing, even as its eyes remained fixed upon them.

Thud—

The massive head and body sprawled across the ground. Beside them stood a man gripping a sword wreathed in azure mana.

“Marik, sir!”

It was Marik, who led the group.

“Tsk, can’t even use it for medicine.”

Marik sheathed his sword and surveyed the others. Only ten remained, including himself.

“Move quickly. The scent of blood will draw other beasts before long.”
“Yes, sir!”

They pressed forward without sparing a glance at the three corpses. Those fools were simply weaker than the beasts—that was all.
One of the men spoke to Marik.

“It would have been easier if the Apostles were here.”
“The Apostles have more pressing matters. Besides, two of them are heading to Luminara Territory this time.”
“True enough.”

The man nodded.

“That Kael is as good as dead now. With his family held hostage, he’ll have no choice but to bend to our will.”
“Indeed.”

It’s not Kael, and capturing the servants of the Luminara Family, who possess no great power, is something Kyodo alone could accomplish.
But since two Apostles had been dispatched, there was no way the plan could fail.

“A lone Heresy Inquisitor with no backing whatsoever has been far too reckless. This is the price for that.”
“Humans truly are fragile beings. Even one who defeated Apostles falls so pathetically.”
“That’s why we worship the Demon God. Only through his teachings can we truly become strong.”

Marik spoke.

“Regardless, we focus on the mission. If this operation succeeds, I too could become an Apostle.”

Marik already possessed most of the qualifications to become an Apostle. Now, with the Grand Inquisitor’s permission, he need only receive the blood of a Demon to become even stronger.

“Yes.”

They quickened their pace.
As they pushed through dense trees and treacherous terrain, a light appeared in the distance.
Near a dizzying cliff, a small flower scattered a soft luminescence—the Sunlight Grass, a plant that bloomed by absorbing sunlight and magical energy.
Marik smiled.

“Found it.”
“It really exists!”
“All our hardship has been worth it!”

How much suffering had they endured just to obtain this single flower?
Not only the fierce battle with the monster today, but they had spent over half a year gathering information about the Sunlight Grass.
And they weren’t even taking it for themselves—it was to be offered to the Demon God.

“Then quickly—!”
“Wait.”

As they moved forward in their joy, Marik extended his hand to stop them.

“Is there some problem?”
“There are rumors that the Sunlight Grass is not a plant but a monster. It never hurts to be cautious.”

Marik picked up a stone from the ground and threw it toward the Sunlight Grass.
The stone traced an arc through the air and tumbled near the Sunlight Grass.
A moment of silence passed…

Boom!

A thick stem struck the approaching stone, shattering the ground beneath it like a spider’s web.
The small flower that had emitted a soft glow moments before was gone. In its place stood only a massive, ferocious creature, its petals blazing with intense light.

Screeeech!

A piercing roar that cut through the air. Marik smirked.

“So it really was a monster.”

Kyodo swallowed hard and asked.

“What should we do, Marik?”
“Cut only the stem near the body, being careful not to damage the petals. It has a similar ferocity to the goat demon, but since it’s fixed in one place, this should be easier.”
“Understood.”
“However, we’re near the cliff, so be careful the flower doesn’t fall into the gorge below. If it does, everything will be for nothing.”

The Luminous Flower was only about five meters from the gorge. One wrong move during battle could send it plummeting into the abyss.

“Yes!”

They each drew their weapons and fixed their eyes on the Luminous Flower.
They had to be careful—not just the flower, but they themselves could fall.
Yet unlike his tense companions, Marik was brimming with anticipation. If I obtain this, I could even become an Apostle.
I would handle this carefully. I had finally found what I’d been searching for so long—now only collection and reward remained.

Whoosh—

Then, from somewhere, flames erupted. A brightness far more intense than the light the Luminous Flower emitted.

“…!”

At the ominous presence, they turned their heads. They wondered if they were being attacked, but the flames were directed at the Luminous Flower.
What happened next unfolded in an instant.

Whoosh!

A spark ignites at a single point, accelerating into a crimson streak that cuts through the darkness.
The flame pierces the mountain’s shadow, hurtling toward the Luminescent Plant. The creature lashes down with its elongated stem to intercept the approaching inferno.
Yet that red line never falters. It simply charges forward, targeting the creature’s body relentlessly.

Slash!

The flame severs the whipping stem, and without pause, it cleaves through the Luminescent Plant’s body.

Shriek!

The creature’s wail pierces the night sky. Once again reduced to the size of a fist, the Luminescent Plant flutters downward through the air.

Catch.

A man snatches it from the air.
He wore a large pack across his back and wielded the flame’s sword, a sight both absurd and beautiful—like a painting brought to life.

“….”

They stared at the Unknown Man, blinking in disbelief.
Had he just severed the Luminescent Plant in a single strike? Even accounting for the flame’s power, the creature was comparable to the goat they’d faced moments before.
But why was this man here? Had he been following them?
For what purpose? Could he be trying to steal the Luminescent Plant?
What madman would attempt such a thing against the Evil Book Society? And how did he even know about this?
As silence fell over the group, drowning in countless questions, he spoke first.

“You’ve all worked hard.”

A faint moonlight catches the corner of his mouth.

“Let’s head down the mountain.”

(To be continued in the next chapter)

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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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