It was satisfying to finally hit back at Marquis Riverback.
〚You little punk!〛
In reality, not much has really changed. I am still being pursued by Marquis Riverback, and there isn't much of a way to deal significant damage to him.
The absolute advantage I gained is great, but it is limited to erasing the opponent's 'unique' ability.
Of course, considering that most of the unique abilities are incredibly powerful, negating them is a powerful effect of its own. However, it's still difficult to overcome the current situation.
Thanks to the activation of King of Pandemonium, I erased the unique skill 'Purification', but I can't erase the devastating difference in stats between me and him.
"Uh, crazy fck."
As I throw myself to the side, a sculpture next to me shatters into pieces from a black beam that flies past.
Fortunately, there is no collateral casualties from all the attacks coming at me.
It's probably because the students and faculty evacuated to the deepest part of the academy, following the emergency guidelines, with regards to the chaos in the city.
I can thank Marquis Riverback for doing such a thing.
'That's a problem…!'
Turning my head, I saw a veil of darkness spreading around Marquis Riverback's body. It was the same thing that struck me earlier and sent me flying hundreds of meters.
The skill description was:
[ Skill: Black Mist ] [ Class: A ]
[ Demonic remnant from the Devil's Essence. It can corrode nearby targets with demonic energy. Various applications are possible depending on the user's abilities. ]
It's a skill that demonized bosses who have consumed the Devil's Essence commonly possess. It allows for versatile offensive and defensive applications using demonic energy.
Its offensive capability inflicts painful damage on anything that approaches within a certain range, and a defensive power that repels most attacks.
This alone is dizzying, but there are additional headaches.
[ Skill: Blessing of the Dark Soul ] [ Class: A ]
[ All physical abilities are strengthened by the Devil's Essence rooted in the body. Adds regenerative abilities. Gives strong immunity to all physical damage. ]
In addition to basic stat enhancements and regeneration, this was this absurd effect because of the overflowing energy.
There's a reason why Elnore, who displays near-masterful skills in close combat struggled against this guy.
〚Why, why can an insect like you negate God's grace-!〛
I heard this distorted scream from the back. It's probably because he still couldn't catch me, much less maul me.
Fortunately, this guy is finally enraged for real now, not like before.
He's been like that ever since he noticed that his Purification Skill was erased by the effect of my King of Pandemonium.
'Well, this is it.'
Let's try changing perspectives for a moment.
Considering the background of this guy, he's a shady merchant who started from the bottom and happened to get involved with the devil worshippers. After going through a teeth-gritting process, he finally gained recognition.
Given the circumstances, there's a high chance he views the Devil's Essence, bestowed upon him by the Prophet, as the culmination of all his efforts so far. Thanks to that, he revels in that power and bask in a feeling of omnipotence.
Even Elnore and I, who shattered the tower he had built over the years with ease, got defeated using his newfound ability without even exerting much effort.
But then...
The guy he thought he had killed suddenly resurrected, and in the blink of an eye, he's using a skill that surpasses his own.
His several years' worth of achievements was once again reduced into nothing.
"…"
Thinking this way, it's understandable that he would feel unjust.
Imagine having all the achievements you've built over a lifetime completely stripped away by the same person in less than a day.
If it were to happen to me, I would also be furious.
Well, considering they are villains, it doesn't really justify nor matter if they feel that way.
If anything...
"Is this ability good? I can't tell."
I can use this to easily provoke his temper.
Even while running away, I was smiling and threw such a sentence at Marquis Riverback.
〚…〛
"Hmm, I'm not sure if this ability is anything good, really. I just happen to get it. I briefly crossed paths with someone, and they told me to take it. But after using it, it feels a bit cheesy."
〚...You, you...〛
"Wait, Marquis Riverback, is the ability you worked your ass off for years to obtain worse than this? Surely that can't be…"
〚Shut up!〛
Hmm, that's right.
Indeed, there's nothing quite as effective in provocation as using polite language.
I continue to taunt and run while chuckling at the chasing, fuming Marquis Riverback.
With his vanity and conceited character, it's close to impossible for him to maintain a rational judgment when provoked.
Even though he could effectively pressure me by exploiting the difference in our stats, he is only chasing after me and launching attacks impulsively like some child throwing a fit.
With this, I could manage to get away just by using the un-nerfed Desperation.
Of course, I was not just running away blindly without reason.
'Not much time left.'
Checking my watch, the 'promise time' is due soon.
In that case, I need to temporarily get rid of this guy.
"…Eum."
I confirm my current position and intentionally slowed down my fleeing speed.
〚Die!〛
Naturally, Marquis Riverback's attacks came at me like missiles.
[ Soul Linker Activated. ]
[ Magic Power Received. ]
[ Skill 'Guardian Shield' has been used. ]
The translucent shield generated by infusing magic into the Ultima shattered upon impact with Marquis Riverback's magic.
Since I didn't stack it with 'Penance', my durability stat was garbage. It's basically impossible to endure such an attack.
Still, since it's divine power, it was able to block it once. This was the inherent advantage against demons.
It is also largely thanks to this why I was able to escape this far relatively easily.
'…Come to think about it, it makes no sense.'
The 'King of Pandemonium' that could negate a demon's unique ability and having divine power-imbued skills...
It's an incredibly powerful combination against demonic enemies.
Even at this current stage, where my growth is practically non-existent, I can still make ample use of it.
As the shield shattered, Marquis Riverback's magic scatters in the surroundings. Witnessing this, he snickered.
〚Ha! Big words for someone who only knows how to run and hide...〛
However, he suddenly stopped mid sentence and shut up.
It's because the magic that bounced off after breaking my shield destroyed part of the 'Cathedral' nearby.
The holy relics were exposed.
I purposely set up the shield angled, so that it would hit there.
Fragments of stained glass rain down along with pieces of holy relics.
Since this was a cathedral built inside Elfante 'Imperial Academy', it was naturally built using only the highest quality materials.
The dispersal of holy power within would be akin to a grenade explosion, scattering its influence in the surroundings.
Radiant white light began to flash in every direction, which is all divine power.
"Try taking a look at what's around you?"
I turned around with a grin.
From behind, I hear Marquis Riverback's howl as his entire body burns brightly, fully exposed to the divine power.
'Good.'
This should stall that guy for a while.
It should be enough time for me to go to the rendezvous point and collect the item.
Tallion is sharp and reliable. If I specified the time accurately, he will undoubtedly perform the task accordingly.
In fact, by the time I arrive at the rendezvous point, the alarm also started beeping...
'Alright.'
I then caught Tallion rushing towards me at full speed, holding the 'requested item,' in my field of vision.
Seeing that, I smiled and reset my watch.
Everything is in place.
All that's left is to wrap things up.
●
Marquis River back's head was boiling to the point where it couldn't get any hotter.
"I'll skin you alive, you fcking bastard brat, I'll chew your guts in front of you!"
He's never felt such rage in his entire life. It felt like his blood vessels were about to burst.
In all his years, he's never encountered someone who humiliated and insulted him to this extent!
Wiping off the lingering burn from the contact with divine power just now, he scanned his surroundings with gleaming eyes.
During the brief moment he lost focus from being struck, that damned Dowd had already vanished somewhere.
Of course, this wasn't an obstacle at all as he had consumed the Devil's Essence.
It wouldn't be a difficult task to track down the opponent's whereabouts, it doesn't matter where they are hiding.
"…"
He began to trace the faint lingering scent of human presence, which mingled with the swirling smoke.
Coincidentally, there were no other humans around. Following those traces was even easier.
And before long, Marquis Riverback, having found the location, let out a snicker.
'Gregory Hall?'
The spire. It is one of the tallest buildings in Elfante.
As he ran with his tail, Marquis Riverback wondered where he was possibly going. Turns out, it's here, of all places.
Due to the nature of tall buildings, this is a dead-end with no place to escape or hide. And to make matters worse, the man was currently at the very top of this place.
〚Idotic fool!〛
If it were the usual Marquis Riverback, he might have at least pondered why this man went to such a place.
However, anger had consumed his entire mind, deteriorating his judgment.
In that sense, he immediately started flying towards Gregory Hall without any hesitation.
〚Heup!〛
With his body accelerating in an instant, he reached the top of Gregory Hall in no time. He ferociously scanned the surroundings immediately.
It didn't take long for him to find Dowd Campbell, who had boldly revealed himself in the open.
There was something on Dowd's waist that he didn't see before.
'…What is that?'
It was a cylinder the length of a human arm. It was something golden but showed no apparent features.
It was suspicious, that much was certain.
〚…〛
However, Marquis Riverback decided not to pay it any heed.
Even though Dowd has been resurrected from the dead and received an unknown power, he was still a bug that he could chase and eventually crush. At best, it would just be some crude trick.
He'll finish this now, once and for all.
〚I'll make you feel pain, I'll make you experience hell! I will make you beg to kill you instead!〛
He shouted and accelerated forward. Black haze spread around him, as he raised his speed to the limit.
This slick rat was always running, and it infuriates him to the core. This time, he won't let that happen again.
However, Dowd Campbell didn't even budge.
He had defended the attack with the divine power shield a few times before, but he did not show any signs of running away now.
〚…?〛
At this point, despite being consumed by anger, Marquis Riverback felt that something was off.
What the hell is he doing?
'…If I kill him here, it will be over!'
He had repeatedly drawn magic from the amulet he wore on his wrist, before injecting it to the incense burner in his arms.
However, looking at the amulet now, it seems to have been exhausted all of its magic power. The last time was probably its limit.
Now, this guy doesn't even have the means to defend himself!
With that thought in mind, he raised his hand with a vicious smile and started gathering demonic energy. The distance between them was close. He had no defense, and considering the difference in strength, dodging is even more impossible.
He couldn't stop his relishing expression from coming out as he imagined this guy being torn to pieces.
"I've told you before. Try taking a look at what's around you."
However, at the same time as those sentences were uttered.
Marquis Riverback's body suddenly froze.
No, he was 'fixed on to' to be exact.
On a disk lying on the floor.
'…A disk?'
Why would this kind of thing be here? He blinked his eyes in bewilderment.
With a squeaking sound, the pole connected to the disk dug to the floor.
"Eum."
Dowd said with a smirk.
He was also on top of the disk.
"Good thing I didn't return it."
With such a sentence.
The bodies of the two men were launched into the air with terrifying force.