Chapter 228
“Kwaaaang—!”
Explosions continued to echo through the deepest part of the underground laboratory beneath Angrelcher Castle.
“We can't get any closer!”
“Where is the mage?!”
Under the endless rain of light pouring down from the ceiling, the Angrelcher Castle security forces were unable to advance.
“What a damn mess……”
The commander clicked his tongue as he watched the unbelievable sight of dozens of soldiers being held back by a single person.
“Of all times, this had to happen while the Legion Commander is away……”
“Sir Veronis. To be honest, I don't think we'll be able to subdue her easily even if the mage arrives.”
His adjutant cautiously approached and spoke.
The commander also nodded.
“I think so too. These people were even able to stand against Lintelrn, the Legion Commander's right-hand man……”
Some distance away from the security forces, they watched the human woman who was raining flashes of light in every direction with gleaming violet eyes.
Just looking at her made cold sweat run down their backs.
“Is there really no way?”
“……I'm thinking about it.”
But nothing came to mind.
The security forces could not even tell what was happening behind the woman.
“For now, maintain the encirclement. If enough time passes, that woman's holy power will eventually run dry. Then……”
“Are you sure about that? I think if we do that, we'll lose both that woman and the human behind her.”
A hand suddenly rested casually on his shoulder.
Commander Veronis frowned.
“How dare you put your hand on whose shoulder……”
The moment he turned his gaze—
Veronis froze.
“?!”
“Ah, sorry. Did I happen to touch the shoulder of someone I shouldn't have?”
The owner of the relaxed voice was smiling shamelessly.
“Kwaaaang—!”
“Kwagang!”
Thunderous explosions came from the front.
It was the sound of Saint Luceria preventing the demon security forces from entering.
Continuously casting the 8th-Star miracle, Light of Judgment, was by no means an easy task.
However, Luceria possessed the greatest amount of holy power in the entire Holy Empire.
That was why she could do it.
“Brother!”
Luceria shouted while holding the front line.
She had only called out to him without saying anything else.
But Glen knew exactly what she wanted.
“Understood.”
The original purpose for which he had come here.
He had not achieved it yet.
Step.
Glen calmly took a step forward.
The demon girl immediately swallowed nervously.
But she soon shook off the fear in her eyes and stood in Glen's way.
“D-Don't come any closer!”
She was trying to protect the boys and girls behind her who were younger than herself.
“What are you doing?! Hurry and run……! Ugh!”
Glen approached the girl and placed a hand on her head.
The demon girl was startled and tried to resist his touch.
But when her eyes met Glen's, she suddenly stopped moving.
“Don't worry. I came to save you.”
“What does that mean……?”
“I was asked to.”
Glen looked at the motionless Experimental Specimen Daddy and the demon girl in turn with bitter eyes.
He did not know what kind of expression he was making.
But the demon girl simply looked up at Glen more calmly than before.
His hand resting on her head gently stroked her hair.
“I'll get you out of here. So wait just a little longer.”
“……”
The girl cautiously nodded.
Glen gave her a faint smile and walked past her.
Step.
He headed toward the end of the laboratory.
It was not far from the children Daddy had hidden.
“Woooooong—”
Hundreds of magic stones filled the wall.
More precisely, they were crystals of Myrmias, which could absorb and store any kind of power.
But right now, they were being used as the laboratory's power source.
Shing.
Destroying only some of them would trigger a chain explosion.
The underground laboratory would disappear along with all the research materials Kacerto had accumulated over hundreds of years.
“Hoo……”
Glen steadied his breathing and adjusted his grip on Einheria.
Honestly, he could not say that he was in good condition.
He had been fighting continuously since entering the laboratory.
On top of that, he had already used both of his Gray Rings.
Fortunately, Luceria's miracle of Egelsis had resurrected him, so he did not suffer the backlash from his skills.
Of course, the penalty from using the Gray Rings had left him unable to use holy power or demonic power.
But Glen did not care.
Thanks to the rings of holiness and demonic power that crossed each other in black and white, he should still be able to produce Holy-Demonic Power.
And even without using Holy-Demonic Power, the Ringless Knight had fully awakened a long time ago.
Breaking some magic stones would not be difficult.
“Kwaaaang! Rumbleee!”
Luceria was still fighting the demon security forces behind him.
There was no chance for anyone to interfere.
So Glen calmly focused his mind.
Then he swung Einheria toward the cluster of magic stones before him.
“Kaang!”
A sound of impact rang out.
But it was not the sound of a magic stone breaking.
“Brother!”
Luceria shouted from behind him.
Glen did not need to ask why she had shouted.
He already knew.
“Whoa. Freeze.”
A sword had collided with Einheria.
A man had rushed past Luceria and blocked Glen's attack.
Just how fast did he have to be to break through the rain of light Luceria was firing and reach this place in an instant?
But the moment Glen saw the man's face, everything became clear.
“……Fuck.”
Curly black hair.
Golden pupils.
A sturdy physique.
Among the high-ranking demons Glen knew, there was only one person with those characteristics.
No.
Why the hell is Rupel here?
Rupellos Van Zausreze.
The apex of the demon race and the leader of the Demon King's Army had appeared before him.
As if to prove that Glen had not mistaken his identity, blue particles gathered in the air and formed a system message.
This was perhaps the worst possible timing imaginable across every scenario.
《Information regarding a new Lunatic element is being unlocked.》
《Demon King — Lunatic》
: Rupellos Van Zausreze, the apex of the demon race and the leader of the Demon King's Army, possesses overwhelming power that places all demons beneath his feet. His stats are adjusted to match this trait.
: Demon King Rupellos is designated as the Avatar of Nox, the God of the Moon and Darkness, gaining additional stats and skills.
I'm screwed.
Judging from Rowen's level, Glen had expected Rupellos to be stronger than he was in the original story.
But he had never imagined that Rupellos would become Nox's Avatar.
An Avatar.
It was a final awakening event granted only to certain playable characters during the later stages of the scenario, when the heavens began to interfere.
It went beyond receiving the favor of a god.
The chosen one gained a tiny portion of the god's tremendous power.
And now, that awakening meant for playable characters had been granted to Rupellos, the Demon King.
How could Glen not be shocked?
No… Forget that.
Why the hell is this bastard even here?
Feeling cold sweat running down the back of his neck, Glen slowly clenched his molars.
The Demon King had gone to the western edge of the continent to find Glen's enemy, the Undertaker.
So why had he suddenly appeared beneath Angrelcher Castle?
According to Glen's plans, Rupellos should still have been at the western edge of the continent.
There could have been an error of a day or two.
But the fact that he had returned to Angrelcher instead of the Demon King's Castle made absolutely no sense.
However, none of that mattered to Glen right now.
What mattered was that the Demon King Rupellos, now the Avatar of Nox and having surpassed the limits of the Nine Rings, was standing right in front of him.
“Hmm? You. Judging by your expression, you know who I am? There can't be many humans who know me.”
“……”
“Hey. Cat got your tongue? Isn't it polite to answer when someone asks you a question?”
Beyond the swords locked against each other, the Demon King's relaxed smile looked extremely threatening.
And Glen knew it was not merely an illusion.
The overwhelming density of demonic power surrounding Rupellos made that obvious.
“……Would someone who knows there is a place like this beneath Angrelcher not know the Demon King's name and appearance?”
Glen gave a cynical smile.
“Ah… That's a fair point. Then I suppose I should change my question.”
The Demon King bared his teeth in a grin.
“You. How did you find this place?”
The underground laboratory beneath Angrelcher Castle.
Even most high-ranking demons did not know it existed.
Yet somehow, a human had found it and confidently infiltrated the place.
“I happen to know quite a lot.”
There was no reason to mention the original game, Gray Eden, or the veteran player Seong Yoohwan.
And Glen wondered whether it was even worth telling this bastard.
“Oh-ho. Really? Then I don't know what's inside your head, so I suppose I can't just let you go, can I?”
“What the hell are you talking about? Why are you even here, when you rarely come to this place?”
Glen did not expect him to answer.
But he genuinely could not understand it.
According to Glen's plans, Rupellos should still be at the western edge of the continent.
“……But I've been disliking the way you've been talking for a while now. Don't you understand the position you're in?”
The sharp golden pupils became icy.
Just the change in his playful atmosphere sent chills throughout Glen's body.
Cold sweat poured down his back.
Yet even under such pressure, Glen did not lose his composure.
What should I do……?
He accelerated his thoughts and began searching for the best way to overcome the current situation.
First of all, the moment Rupellos appeared, the entire plan had gone out the window.
Even if Glen had fought him in perfect condition, it would have been difficult.
But now Glen had already used both Gray Rings and was far from his full strength.
Luceria was also occupied with the security forces attacking from the front.
She could not spare any attention for him.
Therefore, the best move Glen could make right now was to somehow shake off the Demon King and escape.
It's a shame that I can't destroy the remaining research materials.
But after defeating Daddy, I have no choice but to be satisfied.
For the operation to end successfully, Glen and Luceria had to survive.
Even if they destroyed Kacerto's laboratory, what would be the point if they lost their lives in the process?
The problem was how to escape from the Demon King.
The Magic Scroll won't work.
Rupellos was not an ordinary demon.
He had been designated as the Avatar of the higher god Nox.
Glen could not strengthen his body with holy power or demonic power.
There was no way Rupellos would have trouble stopping him from tearing a scroll.
If he notices me trying something, he'll cut off my arm without hesitation.
Then should I use the Holy-Demonic Power and at least try to disable him once……?
Honestly, even that had an uncertain chance of success.
Glen needed time to generate Holy-Demonic Power without using the Gray Rings.
It only took a few seconds.
But as mentioned earlier, if the Demon King reacted during those few seconds, there would be no way to recover.
In the end, the moment Demon King Rupellos crossed swords with Glen, the match had already been decided.
It was a checkmate situation.
A position in chess where there was no move that could avoid defeat.
“Hey. I'm asking you. Don't you get it?”
Under the pressure crushing down on his head, Glen swallowed his breath as calmly as possible.
He was facing a Demon King who had become even stronger than in the original story.
There was no move he could make.
So there was only one thing Glen could hope for.
Something other than Glen and Rupellos had to interfere and completely overturn the chessboard itself.
But how?
As mentioned earlier, Luceria was holding back the demon security forces.
There was no external factor anywhere that could turn this situation around.
Think.
Think!
Glen bit his lower lip and pushed himself to find a solution.
That was when—
“Kieeeeeeeeeek!”
A shrill, tearing scream rang out.
The sound was completely unexpected.
Glen and Rupellos simultaneously turned their heads.
“Hmm?”
“……!”
The thing they had thought was dead had suddenly risen.
“What the hell is that now……?”
Demon King Rupellos frowned in disgust.
But Glen was only briefly surprised.
Then he smiled cynically.
There.
The hero who would overturn the chessboard for him had appeared.
