The Demon King Who Draws

Chapter 95

Mislante.

An artifact deeply intertwined with the history of the frozen land, especially the land of witches.

Along with the Blue Thunder Cannon Albinas, the cursed sword Mislante was the reason the witches survived in the frozen land.

Patzuzuzuzut…

The sword that had awakened once more was wrapped in all kinds of cursed inscriptions, coiling around it like living snakes.

“This is a cursed sword….”

It was the sword that played a decisive role in sealing Eckelart, so he couldn’t be unaware of it.

“What’s with that mask? Are you mocking me?”

“It’s a serious ritual, wearing this.”

“Hmph. Enough.”

Huuuuuuung…

A blue aura gathered in Eckelart’s hands.

‘Can I win?’

The demons had all fulfilled their roles. Now, the only important thing was himself.

Having lived through it, he realized that important matters always come at unexpected times.

A special stage, a crucial confession. Or perhaps, a competition that might be the last.

Opportunities aren’t always granted, and they suddenly appear, only to vanish like mist.

Of course, even if you don’t win… even if you don’t seize the opportunity, life doesn’t end. It continues, breeding regret.

That regret can drastically change the direction of one’s life.

“Huuu…”

He exhaled the boiling energy within him.

“The guy who swung that sword exploded and died in one blow. I’m curious how you’ll die.”

“Even if you’re not curious, you’ll soon find out with your own eyes.”

The power of the sword was important, but even more crucial was his ability to wield it. He had to exert his utmost concentration.

“Hmmm…”

Paaaaaaang-!

Faust could see it.

The enormous mass of magical energy filling his view.

The transcendent Eckelart was, quite literally, like the source of all energy.

‘Are all transcendents like this?’

He didn’t think so.

The transcendents in the original story were those who transcended the limitations of their species, displaying power at a higher level.

Eckelart was probably an exception.

Kaaaaaaaang-!

The creature’s fist struck the blade of Mislante. At the moment when the wave of curses embedded in the blade trembled,

Huuuuung-!

A more threatening strike broke through his defense.

Paaaaaat-!

He barely managed to evade it, but the speed was considerably overwhelming. He had known that the creature was a shaman before being sealed and had reached the transcendental level of martial arts.

Naturally, it would be fast.

The problem was that it was faster than he had anticipated and prepared for.

Kaaaaaaaang-!

…Kaaaaaang!

“You’re blocking quite well.”

The fact that it could continue its assault while still speaking with such ease…

‘All I can do is barely bring the sword to meet it.’

At this point, his best option was to instinctively thrust the sword in the direction where he sensed its lethal intent.

It was like a batter who couldn’t see the fastball, instinctively trying to bunt by placing the bat in its path.

Whirrk-!

Kuwoooong-!

An ice pillar surged up from beneath his feet. The opponent had gradually begun to apply sorcery to the battle.

A strong foe.

The one standing before him now was undoubtedly a formidable enemy.

He had once crossed swords with Neil, a disciple of Scala, but this felt different.

Eckelart felt like pure magical power incarnate… far stronger than Neil could ever be.

‘I must land at least one strike.’

Kwaaaang-!

“Ugh…”

No matter how fast and solid this opponent was, he had to find a way to strike him.

It all started from there.

“Haaaaahp!”

Whoooong-!

Light gathered in Eckelart’s fist.

Kwaaaaaaang-!

It struck the ground.

Crack-crack-crack-crack-crack…

The entire ground split like a spiderweb. The dungeon core was responsible for maintaining the structural integrity of the boss room’s floor, so it probably wouldn’t collapse.

Bwooooong-!

For the first time, he properly swung his sword.

“It’s clumsy.”

That was expected.

Kaang-!

Naturally, it was blocked.

And then came the counterattack.

Toooong-!

He deflected the ice spear launched from the opponent’s hand at an angle, and this time, the opponent exhaled.

‘I have to dodge!’

Crack-crack-crack-crack!

The breath rapidly froze a certain range in front of him.

Fwoosh-!

Having dodged, he pressed forward.

“Continuing such pointless efforts…”

Kaang-!

Kaang!

Kaang!

“What…?”

What was this feeling?

It seemed like the moment had come to confirm something he had been curious about for a long time.

In this game, the protagonist Faust was set to have absurd combat abilities, as befitting a test subject of the artificial Demon King experiment.

He possessed eyes that could immediately understand any movement he saw once and could even predict the next moves after observing his opponent a few times.

He was flexible and strong.

Every ability, except for endurance, was so exceptional that it wouldn’t be an exaggeration to call him a genius.

‘You all said so!’

Kagagagagak-!

“Ugh…”

Was what the developers said really true?

At this point, he thought it was worth finding out.

Whoooong-!

Eckelart’s attack.

‘He’s hiding a dagger in his fist.’

Was he planning to twist the attack path in the middle?

Piiiiiik-!

‘…As expected.’

Fwaash-!

He tilted his body to the side to avoid it, and now it was his turn.

‘Where should I attack?’

There were no openings anywhere.

Even so, he didn’t stop moving.

Strike.

Now?

It’s too late. But still, strike.

Sweeeesh-!

Daaaaang-!

A different sound of collision than before.

He could see Eckelart’s eyes widen in surprise.

The opponent had reacted instinctively. The sword had come from an unexpected direction and at an unexpected speed, so even deflecting it hadn’t been smooth.

That’s why the collision sound was different.

“What is this…?”

The opponent’s energy slightly recoiled. Even a transcendent being wasn’t exempt from fearing what they couldn’t understand.

Dang-!

Daaaaang-!

He had caught the rhythm.

He felt like he knew at what speed and how he had to swing his sword to make Eckelart flustered.

The familiars of Lemegeton had their ranks clearly defined. Their strength was determined by their innate level, ranging from 4-star to 6-star, and this inherent rank had a significant influence on their subsequent growth.

The method by which each familiar grew stronger also differed depending on their innate rank. However, the transcendence achieved by the 5-star rankers, who were in the middle tier, was often used as a standard unit of strength.

Transcendence, the prowess of the transcendent—

It was, in a sense, a kind of boundary.

All familiars lingered at this boundary.

Is one strong if they transcend? They aren’t much before transcendence.

Keep up with the transcendent, and it’s the same even after transcendence.

Only Faust, the protagonist, was not swayed by such standards.

Why? Because until the original work was discontinued, Faust had never encountered a wall.

Even by the time the server was about to shut down, Faust had already defeated several transcendents.

So, just how powerful is this cursed being, Faust?

Kaang-!

Kaaang-!

Now, there’s no holding back.

After exchanging a few blows, he realized it.

The settings the developers had given Faust were all true.

‘I can see it… and move. What a monstrous body….’

The swordsmanship that had been slightly fast now held its breath, and the previously lagging feet gained momentum. Simply by becoming accustomed to combat, he could fight on par with a transcendent.

Paaang-!

‘Now….’

I can cut you down.

Kaaang-!

Eckelart turned one hand into a shield and deflected the sword.

‘As I thought… you’re a coward.’

In the previous battle, Eckelart had also clung to defense at critical moments. Unless he was in a position of absolute superiority, he never attacked with all his might.

That’s why… he was cut by me.

Puhwaaaak-!

Mislante grazed Eckelart’s chest shallowly. A weak strike that didn’t even cut through all the flesh.

However, in the previous era, this strike had sealed Eckelart, and the puppet that wielded Mislante had died as its body burst apart.

Whooosh-!

Mislante began to burn dark red.

Because it had tasted blood.

Me?

“You….”

“How do I look to you?”

Of course, perfectly fine.

Faust had awakened the power of Greed. This blood… allowed him to wield every weapon in this world.

“You don’t look like you’re about to burst just yet.”

“This bastard….”

The one whose body will burst is you, Eckelart.

“You should worry about your own body.”

Huuuuung…

The ritual that Faust infused into Mislante.

[Mislante has tasted the blood of its bearer.]

[Using the Sword’s Curse.]

[Mislante resonates with the target.]

Ziiiiing—

Mislante resonated, ringing like a bell.

[Mislante will continuously curse the target until the blood-bearer dies or Mislante is destroyed.]

[The curse stacks and a new curse is cast every 30 seconds.]

With only this one ability, this sword remained a legend of the frozen lands.

It was the rage of witches who wandered without a homeland, and the grudge unleashed upon a mighty adversary. One could guess how many had died to forge this sword just from the vibrations it emitted.

“Do you really think that such a petty curse can stop me now?”

“We’ll see….”

Ziiiing-

[Mislante casts the Curse of the Flood on the blood servant.]

[Maximum mana continues to increase, but at the same time, maximum health decreases.]

A rather effective curse had appeared from the start. What use would more mana be to Eckelart, who already possessed an overflowing amount?

Paaaaang-!

Perhaps understanding that he would surely lose if this fight dragged on, Eckelart launched an immediate attack.

Now, the spear and shield were reversed.

“That wretched sword! All I have to do is break it!”

Kwaaang-!

Two spirit wolves of the snowy plains sprang out and charged alongside Eckelart.

The movement of beasts is simple.

Especially for beasts whose only strength lies in biting.

Just think of it as having a few more hands to deal with.

Kaaang-!

Above… no, below.

Whoooong-!

Kwaaack-!

With a slight leap and a rotating slash, Mislante’s sword snapped the wolf spirit’s neck.

Screeech…

Pssss…

Taang!

A decisive punch!

‘As expected.’

Taang-!

Mislante’s sword intercepted the blow, using its force to propel his body even further away.

“Don’t run away!”

Ziiiing-

[Mislante casts the Curse of the Drowned on the blood servant.]

[Strength doubles while stationary, but movement speed continuously decreases while in motion.]

A deadly curse.

With just two curses, Eckelart’s close combat was rendered ineffective.

Whoooong-!

Eckelart changed tactics and summoned a multitude of large ice spears.

“Do you think I’ll just stand here and take it?”

“You won’t have a choice.”

Whooooosh…

As Eckelart brought his palms together, a wave of ice walls spread out in a circular pattern with him at the center.

Kwa-ga-ga-gak!

Kwa-ga-ga-ga-gak!

Slowly, he reduced the space I could move, aiming to limit my mobility.

Kwa-ga-ga-ga-ga-gak!

Kwa-ga-ga-ga-ga-ga-ga-gak!

Indeed, he had enough immense mana to cover this entire battlefield with ice walls.

By the time the next set of ice walls formed, he would probably unleash the ice spears he had prepared.

‘I won’t be able to block them all….’

Ziiiing-

[Mislante casts the Curse of the Paper Doll on the blood servant.]

[Negates the blood servant’s elemental resistance.]

“…Eckelart.”

“The time… is near.”

“It’s over.”

Clank…

What I pulled out from my pocket was a small mechanical hand entrusted to me by Amon.

Dagra-rara-rara-rak…

The mechanical hand covered my left hand.

“I’ll grope Eckelart plenty, so when the time comes, don’t hesitate. This is a one-shot deal. The trigger word is….”

“…N-ooooooom!”

Eckelart hurriedly switched to a defensive spell. He must have instinctively sensed what kind of sorcery this mechanical hand would unleash.

I mimicked the shape of a gun with my fingers and pointed at him.

“Bang.”

[Blue Thunder Cannon Albinas activates.]

[Seven targets detected.]

[Lightning strikes are guided.]

From the wide-open sky, seven bolts of lightning crashed down.

Kwaaaaaaaaaaang!