The Regressed Sword Demon Is a Catastrophe-Class Inquisitor - Chapter 66

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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 66. A Demon in the Heart….

On the way to the mountain where the highest-grade magic stone slumbered, I posed a question.

“What does your leader do?”
“Ah, I’m terribly sorry, but I don’t know much about that either….”
“Should I make you know? Spill whatever you can, no matter how trivial.”
“I, I’m truly telling the truth! I’m just a low-ranking member—I’ve never even been near the leader….”

A low-ranking member might genuinely not know. In my past life, there was little information about the leader anyway.
However, this man had come to assist Haulk, the Bandit Hideout’s second-in-command. Such important tasks were rarely entrusted to ordinary low-ranking members.

‘Should I break a few fingers?’

The thought crossed my mind briefly, but I decided against it.
If I used this man as a guide, I could infiltrate the mountain easily. It meant the enemies couldn’t use the mountain as a fortress.

‘There’s no major problem even without resorting to such methods….’

There might still be things I didn’t know.
Unlike my past life, hadn’t they discovered the existence of the highest-grade magic stone this time?
There had to be a reason they suddenly discovered the highest-grade magic stone’s existence on a mountain where they’d dwelled for years.

“I see. If you wish to escape, feel free to do so. I’m confident in my tag-chasing skills.”
“Haha…. Since I’ve always been caught by ‘it’ since childhood, I’ll behave myself.”
“A shame.”

After four days of travel, we arrived at the mountain as darkness fell. I had deliberately timed our arrival for sunset.
Mabu drove the carriage with practiced ease despite the deep darkness.
The mountain path was less treacherous than I’d expected. The bandits had carved it over years of passage.

‘The workers would find it convenient to come and go. No need to spend time creating a new path.’

Midway through, I sensed presences, and the carriage halted briefly. They examined the carriage and Mabu’s face, then stepped aside to let us pass.
The carriage had only one small window between the driver’s seat and the passenger compartment. Because of this, they couldn’t see our faces from outside.

‘They wouldn’t even suspect we were riding inside.’

Still, I remained vigilant.
Mabu knew that no matter what choice he made, he would be caught. That meant his only option was to take me to the Bandit Hideout and kill me there.
The rattling interior of the carriage grew quieter. The slope beneath us had become gentler, suggesting we had entered a flat expanse atop the mountain.

“…We’ve arrived at the leader’s location.”

I opened my eyes at the sound of Mabu’s voice. His pupils trembled faintly as he gazed at me.

“I see.”

Without hesitation, I drew my blade and thrust it straight through. The sword pierced the carriage’s interior and reached Mabu’s heart.
Blood gushed from his mouth.

“Why….”
“If you truly wanted to live, you should have told me the truth.”

Before we departed, he had claimed he couldn’t even approach the leader’s vicinity.
Yet he had arrived at the leader’s location without any apparent danger. It would be strange even if a lieutenant were in the carriage.
A leader who wouldn’t grant access even to his own bandits would have sent only the lieutenant.

‘He must have thought that if he could just get here, everything would work out somehow.’

I withdrew my blade and descended from the carriage, with Bella following behind me.
Shanties and torches were scattered throughout the surroundings. It resembled a small village.

‘I won’t destroy this place. It can serve as lodging for the workers.’

They provided mountain paths and built shelters—were these bandits actually volunteers?
Grateful for their generosity, flames naturally ignited along my blade.

“…A Heresy Inquisitor?”

Someone who had seen my attire spoke. Bandits who had gathered at the commotion surrounded the area.
I didn’t respond and surveyed them instead.

“Who is your leader?”
“That would be me.”

A hoarse voice came from ahead. A large man emerged from a solitary shanty standing apart from the others.

“What happened to the original carriage owner?”

The question came from a large man wearing a beast-hide vest.
I narrowed my eyes and countered.

“You’re the leader of these people?”
“Just answer my question….”

His words never finished. I had already swept forward like a gale, my blade slashing through the air.
His pupils dilated as he witnessed the sight—but that was all.

Schwick!

His head fell cleanly from his shoulders. I gazed down at the corpse sprawled across the ground with indifference.

“Far too weak to be called a leader.”

At best, he matched the level of the three men and women who once served Haulk.
Bandits are crude gatherings of ruffians. Without sufficient strength, one could never become a leader.
Of course, rare exceptions existed, but these were bandits who had lingered in this place for years.

“Who is the real leader? Will they emerge if I send everyone here to the heavens?”

Then, from somewhere, a woman’s laughter seeped through the night air like mist. It came from a woman in robes standing among the bandits.

“So you are the eldest son of the Luminara Family. You certainly live up to your reputation—quite direct.”

She stepped forward from among the bandits.

“A pleasure to meet you. I am Noxia, the leader of these people.”
“Hmm….”

I let out a small hum. The bandit leader was originally male.
But since I hadn’t witnessed it directly, I couldn’t be certain. Perhaps in my previous life, they had also presented a false leader.
So this time, I decided to verify it myself.

“My, what a wolfish temperament you have.”

Noxia’s gaze fixed upon me as I materialized before her.
My blade of flame descended, and she extended a hand. She wasn’t foolish enough to attempt blocking my attack bare-handed.

Clang!

As expected, a translucent barrier materialized to intercept my strike.
Noxia, maintaining her stance, extended her other hand and unleashed a torrent of flames. She was a Mage capable of dual casting.
As I retreated swiftly, Noxia spoke.

“Well? Does this convince you that I’m their leader?”

If she truly was their leader, it made sense that she had been guarding this mountain for years.

“How arrogant of you, coming alone to drive us out. Ah, but I suppose that small Family of yours could spare no one else, could it?”
“….”

I remained silent, my focus unwavering on Noxia. A profound inconsistency still nagged at me.
The bandit leader is a Mage. And on the mountain where these bandits dwell rests a supreme-grade Magic Stone.

‘How could a Mage of her caliber have failed to notice it for years?’

No. That was impossible.
Mages are typically more sensitive to magical energy than Knights. There was no way she could have remained ignorant of a supreme-grade Magic Stone’s presence for years.
In fact, she had learned of the supreme-grade Magic Stone’s existence and sought us out with a plausible proposal.

‘But why did she only move recently, after remaining dormant all this time? If she had acted first, none of this would have been necessary.’

As I pieced together my deductions, I finally spoke.

“You’re not actually the leader of this place.”

Noxia let out a scoff.

“I am their leader. If you harbor prejudice simply because I’m a woman….”
“Perhaps now. But not before.”
“What do you….”
“Did you kill the previous leader? To claim the supreme-grade Magic Stone for yourself?”

My reasoning is as follows.
Noxia was not originally their leader, but she discovered by chance that a supreme-grade mana stone was buried in this place, and killed their former leader.
Faced with her overwhelming power, the other bandits naturally pledged their loyalty to her.
For bandits, it all comes down to raw strength in the end—subduing them would have been simple.

‘Most importantly, the traces of battle still remain nearby.’

Burned trees and scorched grass. Makeshift shelters that had collapsed and been hastily repaired.
These were likely the remnants from when Noxia fought the former leader.
Noxia fixed her gaze upon me in silence, then covered her mouth as laughter began to spill out.
She, who had been laughing like a madwoman, concealed her remaining smile as she spoke.

“Did they confess everything?”
“If they had, I wouldn’t have needed to kill Mabu or search for the leader.”
“Indeed… you’re truly worthy of being a Heresy Inquisitor. Knowing that a supreme-grade mana stone is buried here, and discerning that I’m the new leader….”

Noxia regarded me with cold, piercing eyes.

“But your heart has outpaced your deductive reasoning. What you call courage is usually termed recklessness.”

Noxia released her aura, and the bandits drew their weapons, pointing them at me.
There were roughly forty bandits. Fewer than I had anticipated.
It must have been because Noxia had killed many of them before.

“Recklessness, you say….”

I let out a soft chuckle and lifted my gaze. The clouds obscuring the moon slowly parted, and gentle moonlight poured down upon us.
I gazed upon it and murmured quietly.

“The moon’s shadow is not dark.”

Suddenly, silence descended. Not a soul made a sound.
Noxia’s eyes widened. What I had just spoken was the secret code of the Wol Young Order.

“…What?”

The moment her mana wavered, a line of flame was swiftly drawn through the air.
Noxia, gasping and regaining her senses, quickly deployed a barrier. With a thunderous crash, my blade collided with her shield.
I smirked as I watched her break into a cold sweat beyond the barrier.

“So it was the Wol Young Order after all.”

The Wol Young Order possessed the capability to craft magical artifacts themselves. They had likely planned to manufacture magical artifacts using the highest-grade mana stones mined through the bandits.
I simply arrived before that could happen.

“Just what is your true identity…!”
“Ask your friends who went ahead.”

I tightened my grip and infused holy power into the blade. As the flames burned more intensely, cracks began to spider across the barrier.
It was a hastily constructed defensive spell, after all.

Crash!

The flaming sword pierced through the scattering fragments of the shattered barrier and surged toward Noxia.
Noxia desperately twisted her body away, but my blade still grazed her chest.

Slash!

Blood sprayed in an arc. Noxia let out a low groan and detonated the mana she had condensed in one hand directly at me.
I created distance, and the explosive mana obliterated the space where I had stood.
Noxia, pressing her bleeding chest with one hand, issued a command.

“Kill him!!”

In that instant, the bandits rushed toward me. Bella, unwilling to let that happen, unleashed flames to block their path to me.

“Bella. Don’t destroy the Shanty Town.”
“Yes, understood!”

Bella took care of the rabble, and I faced Noxia alone.
After exchanging glares for a moment, Noxia ground her teeth and turned to flee.
A rational decision—even in a fair fight, victory was uncertain, and now she bore a mortal wound.
I lowered my stance to pursue her. But there were others who blocked her path before I could.

“Where do you think you’re going?”

The bandits. Noxia glared sharply at the bandits blocking her way.

“Move aside! Go stop that bastard!”
“Why should we throw our lives away for you?”
“Because I’m your leader!”

At that, one of the bandits let out a derisive snort.

“A true leader doesn’t abandon their men to save their own skin. They don’t flee unless there’s a common purpose binding them together.”

For bandits, raw power was the hierarchy, yet a foolish sense of loyalty also existed among them.
Noxia had slain the previous leader through sheer strength, but her current actions held no sway over these men.
Perhaps they harbored resentment toward her for killing their former chief.
They had simply obeyed because she was stronger—nothing more.

“Then die by my hand!!”

Noxia extended her hand, scattering flames in all directions. Some were caught in the inferno; others widened their distance and evaded.
As Noxia’s hostility became unmistakable, the bandits drew their weapons and rushed toward her.
The moment a barrier materialized to meet their charge, I surged forward from behind.

“…!”

Noxia detonated the mana woven into her barrier, hurling them backward, then conjured a new shield directly in my path of assault.

Clang!

The barrier was far more resilient than before, refusing to yield easily.
As a Mage capable of double casting, she could respond without panic—such was her skill.
But there was one thing she had overlooked.

Squelch!

A blade pierced through Noxia’s chest and erupted from the other side. Blood sprayed in torrents as she spun to face her attacker.
The charred bandit—the one she thought had perished in her flames—had driven his sword through her.

“Die, you wench….”

The bandit spoke only those words before collapsing sideways. Having expended his final strength, the light faded from his eyes.
As the barrier that had blocked my blade dissipated, Noxia crumpled to her knees.

“These beasts….”

Noxia’s pupils grew dim as her body tilted sideways. Her blood began to spread slowly across the floor.
Only then did I survey the surrounding situation.
The bandits who had been holding back Noxia now turned their gaze toward me, while Bella remained locked in combat with the others.
I drew in a deep breath and released it.

“Stop!!! Drop your weapons and kneel if you wish to live!!!”

My thunderous cry sent birds scattering into the sky, and the bandits’ movements froze. They exchanged glances before, one by one, dropping their weapons and falling to their knees.
They had judged that they could not defeat us.
Twenty survivors remained. As I pondered what to do with them, I smirked and opened my mouth.

“From now on, I am your leader.”
“…?”
“If anyone has objections, step forward. I will settle the matter of leadership here and now.”

The bandits wore bewildered expressions, but none came forward.
I nodded.

“Then I take it you all agree.”

At that, the male bandit who had first confronted Noxia raised his hand.

“Does this mean you will not kill us?”
“I am a person before I am a Heresy Inquisitor. Taking someone’s life does not sit well with me. Ah, who understands this heart of mine?”
“….”
“Of course, in exchange for sparing your lives, there is a condition.”

I asked him.

“How many years have you remained on this mountain?”
“We each have different lengths of time, but I have been here the longest at three years.”
“Then work as laborers here for ten years—three times that duration. As you know, this place contains the highest-grade magical stones.”
“What of our compensation?”

I turned to look at the fool who had asked such a foolish question.

“My sparing your lives is the price. Were you sleeping until just now?”
“That… isn’t that just slavery, sir?”
“Better than becoming a slave of Hell. Should I send you there now?”

I narrowed my eyes.
At that, a male struck the fool on the back of his head. It was the male who had blocked Noxia. He spoke.

“We shall do as you say. Thank you for sparing us.”

I observed him briefly before asking.

“What is your name?”
“Mold, sir.”
“From now on, you are the lieutenant. If the others stray from the path, handle it at your discretion.”
“Understood.”

I turned to regard the others and continued.

“Your work ahead will resemble your past lives. Eating and sleeping here… The difference is that instead of stealing others’ wealth, you’ll be mining mana stones. If you labor diligently, I’ll ensure you’re fed on time.”

The bandits murmured amongst themselves.
Upon reflection, there truly wasn’t much difference, they thought. Or rather, there was no risk of being captured…
Mold raised his hand and asked.

“What becomes of us after we’ve worked under the leader for ten years?”
“I’ll release you freely beyond the mountain. Of course, it won’t be easy for those of you who’ve spent years killing and robbing to endure it…”

At my piercing gaze, they swallowed hard.

“From now on, do not threaten others. Do not bare your fangs recklessly. Should you do so, I’ll extract every tooth and cast you into Hell.”
“…I shall manage them well as lieutenant.”
“Good.”

Truthfully, I don’t expect all of them to remain. Perhaps only Mold at most.
But before that, I’ll extract every ounce of use from them. Their sins are far too grave to simply let them die so easily.

‘Well… but I must admit, I’ve never found laborers quite like them.’

They know the mountain’s geography intimately and possess physical capabilities superior to ordinary folk. Moreover, they cost nothing—a profitable arrangement in every regard.

“Then, as a sign of repentance for all, I shall conduct a simple ceremony.”

I pressed my palms together, and the bandits, who had been exchanging nervous glances, followed suit.
Only then did I close my eyes and pray.

“Goddess, grant these fools the patience to endure ten long years. And bestow upon me the tremendous mental fortitude to suppress the urge to crack open their skulls….”
“….”
“A mountain is a mountain, and bandits are laborers. Until the day their patience reaches the heavens….”

As I finished my prayer and opened my eyes, silence settled over us. The bandits gradually opened theirs as well.
I nodded and spoke.

“Finally, we shall have a hymn sung by Deacon Bella. Listen with reverent hearts, all of you.”
“Ahem!”

Bella stepped forward with a barely concealed smile, clearing her throat once.
The bandits, still on their knees, gazed up at her with eager anticipation.
She was no ordinary Deacon—she was the Deacon of a Heresy Inquisitor. Surely her singing voice would be exceptional.

“….”

I watched Bella close her eyes and quietly covered my own ears.
Before long, the grass began to tremble, and the bandits started wailing in agony.
Of course, I heard nothing at all. Only peace of mind reached me.
So I laughed as I watched them.
Demons of the heart….
Begone!

(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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