Episode(49): Light of Judgement, A banquet of Flesh and blood, Impending death?
SOVEREIGN OF DEATH~(49)
Upon facing Sullivan, an extremely powerful demon for the first time Renji had only considered this to be an inciting event.
One that would finally begin his journey in this new world and establish himself as the main protagonist of this world.
Even though he could tell that the other party was an extremely strong opponent, he had envisioned himself coming out victorious just like other fantasy protagonist.
Yes, there was no way the plot would have him die!
He expected a power boost. He would overturn the situation somewhere in the middle and use this guy as a stepping stone!
Definitely!
But-
He was wrong, so incredibly wrong at that!
This wasn't a game or some novel plot he could exploit to suddenly awaken a burst of energy on the verge of death.
Death in this world was a one and done deal and he had greatly overestimated his significance.
In all actuality, the only special thing about him was the holy sword.
Without his holy sword, forget becoming hero even a mob lifestyle would have been difficult for him to live.
So for him to think he could face off against Sullivan when he didn't even train his skills, what a joke.
It was like he was begging the guy to kill him.
At some point Renji was even unable to keep up with the other parties movements and this caused and indescribable fear to well up in his heart.
His heart thumped wildly as he felt like death was approaching and a feeling he had never once felt appeared in his heart.
Fear!
Renji was startled and held his head in shock.
He was afraid?
He?
The hero and protagonist?
The proud son of heaven?
How could he, Renji Aikawa that was gifted with all the blessings of heaven fear a single person?
Never!
Renji gritted his teeth.
Indignation and anger surged with a wild momentum through his heart and it quickly covered up his fear of the opponent.
Whether he had overcome that fear or was simply fooling himself, only he himself knew the answer.
Nonetheless he refused to believe that the plot wouldn't favor him in any way.
There was no way, it couldn't be!
The story was his and he wouldn't, no he couldn't be defeated at all!
Sullivan saw Renji's expression and smirked slightly.
He could tell that Renji was reluctant to accept the situation.
He who had trampled and flattened many kingdoms, invaded empires and slaughtered heroes knew how Renji was feeling inside.
Right, Renji was unable to accept that reality didn't favor him in the slightest.
Rather he was just a lucky fool and his luck had most likely ended the moment he appeared on the scene.
Hahaha!
Such an insignificant frog at the bottom of a well!
Renji saw Sullivan disdain and felt the anger within him burning more furiously than before.
Soon even his expression twisted his handsome face almost ugly.
Who the hell was this demon to disdain him?
To show him such contempt?
In his eyes this trash demons should just obediently be a stepping stone and offer its neck.
Soon all he wanted was to kill the demon and he rushed in without any thought madly slashing his sword about.
His technique was already very amateur to begin with, but with this it became even more laughable and chaotic. So much so that even a child might laugh at how crude his attacks were.
Clang!* Clang!*
Clang!* Clang! Clang!*
Miss after miss and parry after parry, sparks fluttered like metal colliding against metal fluttering like leaves through the autumn wind.
No attack landed and it was either knocked away or evaded with ease.
[You bastard!! Stand still already]
Renji twisted his body ferociously and brought his sword along with his twist.
The sword sliced through the air intending to cut Sullivan in half but at the moment it cut towards him Sullivan waved his hand.
Immediately the trajectory of the sword was changed and this caused Renji to nearly lose his balance.
Luckily Renji was still at level 30 and thus his reaction speed was quite high.
He stomped down with a leg stabilizing himself while at the same time he spun with great momentum slashing his sword up through the air with all the force he could muster.
Smiling at the attack, Sullivan just slightly leaned back as the sword tip was nearly inches away from cutting him open.
This scene replayed in the eyes of all those that were still waiting for a hopeful result.
Renji would dish out a series attack but all the while those attacks never landed in the slightest.
They all felt despair.
Who wouldn't.
If Renji lost, even if the demon was most likely higher than himself in level that would still caused the morale of the human race to fall by a great amount.
It would be like saving up a million dollars only to know that tax stole a huge portion away.
But Renji who was the target of all hopes suddenly grinned.
It wasn't a grin to display that he had gone mad but one that was filled with the certainty of victory.
That was right, Renji now had the finish line completely in sight.
It was hard to imagine that after being supressed he still had such thoughts but Renji had finally finished preparing his trump card.
He had been going all out but after noticing that he would most likely lose he began to use less and less power so he could accumulate strength for his hero class divine skill.
Only by using his skill was he sure of his victory.
Sullivan had also noticed this but he had allowed Renji to continue simply because he was curious what cards he had left to play in his hands.
What could a salted fish do aside from providing entertainment?
Hahaha!
Show me hero, what amusing things do you have in store!?
All of a sudden, Renji slashed his sword at Sullivan and when he noticed Sullivan avoid the attack he jumped away retreating some distance.
He stood in place and glanced at his enemy coldly.
At the same time divine power coursed through his veins and an explosive aura shook the air making the ground around him tremble slightly.
Suddenly, his holy sword lit up bathing the surroundings in a brilliant light.
There was difference from before however as the light was like a furiously burning divine flame extending to the sky and bathing the entire capital in the radiant glow that was like a morning sun.
This was his skill, 'Light of Judgement'.
Light of judgement was a wide range AOE attack that summon a field about 50 meters wide.
Inside all targets seen as an enemy will have their abilities lowered 30% and damage will increase by the same.
It didn't matter what level the opponent was, the effects couldn't be deflected so long as they were demons.
In fact, if the opponent was a demon the effects would even be multiplied.
That was why he was sure that with this attack this demon had no means of escaping.
Holding the sword of light, Renji's hands trembled and the sword threatened to fall from his grasp.
It was obvious just how powerful this attack was going to be and blood even oozed from the corner of his mouth and out from his ears.
Renji didn't want to resort to this move.
He still remembered the last time he tried showing off and he ended up half dead.
He had to lie in bed for a whole week before he could bring women to the 'battlefield' again.
It was too agonizing for a prodigal like himself not to sleep with a woman for an entire week.
Even though he leveled up he was sure this time was no difference.
Divine power wasn't for humans to wield and he could even feel the torrents of energy barraging his insides even now.
Yet even as he was dying, he couldn't help but smirk.
He must look so cool to the women right now.
Just how many brownie points had he gained with this single move of his.
Slaying demons and gaining the admiration of women, hahaha!
He was indeed killing two birds with one stone.
Amazing!
Renji didn't take Sullivan into account anymore and thought victory was assured.
He didn't bother holding unto the attack anymore.
Anymore than this and he might be the one dying.
He stomped forward.
That single step caused the ground at his feet to crack apart and with it came the cry of the sword in his hands.
It blazed an enormous pillar of white divine flames as he brought it down and the pillar of flames fell down from the sky.
It was really like divine judgement.
Looking up at the attack that was falling down towards himself, Sullivan smiled slightly.
The smile stretched eerily across his face, but standing there with a hand on his side Sullivan merely let the attack fall.
It seemed he was so afraid that he didn't even move.
Renji sneered and exerted more strength.
Boom!
The entire banquet hall shook and the sword light swallowed everything in its path.
Sullivan was no exception as his figure vanished in the brilliant light.
Soon, the attack had ended and even though nothing but dust clouds remained, the energy of the attack had yet to dissipate completely.
Renji saw this and secretly smiled a complacent smile.
Although he really felt like coughing up a mouthful of blood, he stood straight like a boss and spoke arrogantly.
[Tch! all that talk about how inferior we humans are but you ended up dying in a single attack, rubbish! Trash will always be trash mobs no matter what they do and I'm the Protagonist!]
Ah heavens, look at your blessed son!
Pfft!
A spurt of blood stealthily left his throat and Renji cursed inside.
F*ck!
Heavens!
I'm trying to act cool, did you have to slap my face so hard?
Luckily, the dust and smoke from his attack had hid him from the crowd and no one saw him spurt blood.
He let out a sigh of relief before once again assuming a posture filled with arrogance and smiled recklessly.
Everyone who saw the hero's figure standing so tall after the devastating battle were stunned.
Even the dukes that were prepared to fight stood rooted in place with disbelief.
Those who had begun to evacuate paused for a moment in shock before immediately erupting in cheers.
The cheers were loud and shook the sky filled with genuine awe and gratitude towards Renji.
Girls even squealed in delight hoping to get noticed by the hero and most of them even felt their lower abdomens heat up already.
At this point, Renji who had secured another story to brag about in the future had his chin raised so high it seemed like he was about to fly the very next moment.
Hahaha!
This was it!
Praise praise and praise me more you stupid people!
What rubbish demon? Want to steal my thunder, go try in a next life stupid!
But, the dukes that were stunned immediately came to their senses.
Unlike the happy cheering crowd their expression revealed deep worry and concern.
They knew a demon as strong as Sullivan definitely wouldn't have died in that attack.
If they were lucky enough and the demon got seriously injured that would be great.
But, on the off side that it survived-
Their hearts clenched just thinking about it.
If the demon could even survive such an attack then was there even a point in fighting?
Within the screams of the crowd, all the sensible people prepared their weapons while anxiously gazing at the clearing dust and smoke.
One second.
Two seconds.
Three seconds.
Nothing happened.
Suddenly the dukes were filled with relieve.
Thank goodness nothing happened.
They all had complicated expressions but it was thanks to Renji that they could go home to live another day and be with their families.
But before they could properly rejoice-
Boom!
An overwhelming and terrifying aura instantly swept over the place silencing the previously cheering crowd.
That aura was so incredibly dense and oppressive that even the previous light of judgment fell far in comparison.
This aura, it was the aura of a being far stronger in realm than any they had ever felt before.
Instantly, the dust and smoke that was blocking the view cleared and a figure was seen walking out of the ravine that was created.
The figure patted the dust off his clothing and cocked his head to the side with a smile.
[Light of judgement was it? So this is the heroes ultimate attack, a bit weaker than I expected it to be]
It was Sullivan.
He was completely unscathed as he stood before everyone's eyes as if he hadn't even been hit by the attack that Renji had just dished out.
He chuckled as he gazed at everyone's dumbfounded expression and spoke.
[To call such a gentle breeze an ultimate attack, others might think your strength is only so-so. Ah, but I guess it truly is only so-so]
Sullivan smiled complacently and this smile caused everyone who felt joy moments ago to once again feel despair.
The heroes attack just now was enough to critically wound a high rank monster, and yet the demon before them didn't even suffer a single scratch!
Who wouldn't despair after realizing this fact.
[T-Thats impossible! That was my strongest attack you know!?]
Renji was incredulous.
He trembled and nearly fell over.
Light of judgement was no simple attack and even if a level 70 monster were to stand before him they would have to suffer damages even if it wasn't great or severe.
What was more, this move unlike the other completely drained him of all his reserves and even mana replenishment wouldn't help him regain his strength until a day had fully passed.
And the injuries he suffered wouldn't recover until a weak or even longer.
Fear surged through his heart for the first time and Renji began to tremble as he realized he had no power to resist the abomination before him.
Wasn't he the protagonist?
What was happening then?!
[Fuu...really?]
Sullivan had already scouted out the opponent and knew his strength.
He was honestly disappointed.
This hero wouldn't even bring them an ounce of joy or entertainment.
[Well..]
He lightly stretched his body as a smile crept on his handsome face.
[Now that I have faced against the hero and suffered not a single scratch….]
He looked coldly at the crowd and the smile on his face gave them an instinctive terror.
[I assume you all have no qualms with dying by my hands, right?]
No one could speak and it was as if they could already see their deaths.
Sullivan smiled.
[Then, Lets begin the Banquet of flesh and blood shall we?]
The next instant, Sullivan's body vanished and in the next moment more than five people had lost their heads.
A fountain of blood spurted like crazy dyeing the scene in a bloody hue.
At the side, Sullivan could be seen walking and throwing a bloody head to the floor like trash.
[Kukkuku, you humans truly die in the most amusing ways. Just look at the fear on their faces even after having their heads removed]
What other expressions would they show him?
Indeed, torturing humans to their deaths and delivering despair was the absolute best feeling ever!
Sullivan then raised his hands towards another direction and an invisible fluctuation exploded.
All those targeted by the invisible wave of energy exploded in a puff of blood scattering across the venue.
Even those far away had blood covering their faces.
The sight was truly a gruesome carnage.
Sullivan laughed wildly with outstretched arms then looked at Renji.
He didn't forget to mock the stupid brat as he got closer.
[Trash, you don't even deserve the honor of death by the hands of her majesty the demon king]
To him, Renji was too unworthy of such an honor.
Magic power that he had not used until now shrouded his body as he spoke.
A terrifying wave of pressure exploded off his body nearly suffocating everyone in the place.
Sullivan glance coldly at Renji.
Although he would be punished by attacking the still weak hero he didn't care.
[An insignificant thing like you isn't even worthy of being in her presence...I'll end you now human trash!]
In his hands, if he dared to allow this waste of a hero to grow up and stand before the demon king he could expect a slap that would send him to the afterlife.
So even with the prospect of being punished by the heavens, he raised his hands.
Mana gathered and the next moment, a black spear manifested in mid-air and floated around him.
The spear had an ominous aura and Renji was sure that if it hit he would surely die.
Sullivan chuckled after seeing the trembling Renji.
He never once thought he was see a hero trembling him fear but it wasn't a bad sight at all.
[Now die and regret ever being summoned as the hero!!]