Chapter 76 : To the Demonic Realm (4)

I never expected to encounter a creature other than a demonic beast within the Demonic Realm, so even I couldn't help but be a little taken aback.

What did it mean for a person to appear here, a place that should have originally been teeming only with demonic beasts.

‘A human in the depths of the Demonic Realm……. Is it really a human?’

Could it be that a newly emerged mutant was pulling off some kind of advanced deception tactic?

I had such doubts for a moment, but I soon shook my head.

Although I couldn't see their faces because the distance was considerable, their attire and the level of their equipment, glimpsed through the bushes, seemed quite high.

Meaning, they weren't some riffraff who had gotten lost and accidentally ended up in the Demonic Realm.

‘If so.’

The probability of meeting a human in the Demonic Realm was extremely low, but strictly speaking, there was exactly one group of humans who would come to the Demonic Realm.

Those who would willingly accept most risks to get what they wanted.

Those who not only knew how to use the paths of the boundary within the Demonic Realm but also knew about the existence of safe zones.

Finally, those who possessed the strength to enter and exit the depths of the Demonic Realm as if it were their own living room.

‘Player.’

The unfortunate protagonists who, like me, were suddenly dropped into the World of Justice one day.

Those very people.

‘Of course, I can’t be certain yet if that person is really a Player, but…….’

Nevertheless, it was true that based on the circumstances, the possibility of them being a Player was extremely high.

Because if they weren't a Player, it was hard to find a reason or the ability for them to come to the depths of the Demonic Realm all alone.

‘I should just watch for now.’

I quietly held my breath and watched the battle unfolding before my eyes.

I would be able to tell whether that man was a Player or not by watching the impending battle.

[Kack! Kaak!]

[Krrururu!!]

The demonic beasts' level was roughly between level 4 and level 5.

It was a level not much different from the demonic beasts I had faced so far, but the problem was that their numbers were overwhelmingly large.

‘At least twenty or more.’

Even for a Player, dealing with that many demonic beasts at once was by no means an easy task.

Of course, if it was a Player on the level of the Lightning Emperor I had seen in Bernharck, it wouldn't be a problem, but Players of that level weren't common.

‘Well…… if they’re hunting alone in the Demonic Realm, they might really be at that level.’

My thoughts were not long.

Because the demonic beasts, which had been watching for an opportunity, rushed at him all at once.

[Kroooo!]

[Kaak! Kaaaaak!!!]

The first ones to charge were four level 4 demonic beasts.

Just as I was wondering how he would deal with them, the spear held in the man's hand flashed.

Srrk.

With the flash of the spear, the heads of two level 4 demonic beasts fell off at once.

He had instantly cut through the hide and muscle of a level 4 demonic beast, which bullets couldn't even penetrate, with the spear's blade.

‘Clean.’

Ghostly skill, as if I were watching Edric.

Someone who could handle a spear with that level of skill was rare…… As expected, he had what it took to enter the Demonic Realm alone without fear.

[Krruru!]

When their own kind fell so helplessly, the remaining demonic beasts flinched for a moment and stepped back.

They had instinctively sensed that their opponent was a predator.

However, their fate was also not so different from the demonic beasts before them.

Sg-guk─

With the spear swung once more, the heads of two level 4 demonic beasts were severed, and blood spurted.

He had dealt with four level 4 demonic beasts in the blink of an eye, but the man had no time to catch his breath.

Because the level 5 demonic beasts that had been surrounding him began to move in earnest.

[Grrreuk…….]

[Gruk! Grrreuk!]

Ten level 5 demonic beasts.

Dealing with two or three level 4 demonic beasts and dealing with ten level 5 demonic beasts were two completely different things.

‘This is where it really begins.’

As if to prove that fact, the spear flashed elegantly again and blood spurted, but it couldn't blow away the demonic beasts' heads in one go like before.

The difference between level 4 and level 5.

A level is not just a number. That simple truth clearly applied to the man as well.

The elegantly swung spear spun in a large circle, putting pressure on the demonic beasts, but the level 5 demonic beasts only flinched for a moment before immediately letting out bestial roars and rushing the man.

Chwaak!

The spearhead sliced through the chest of one demonic beast, but it seemed it failed to cut completely through, as the spearhead lodged itself in the chest.

The man tried to pull it out, but the other demonic beasts lunged at him faster.

‘Should I help?’

The moment that thought occurred to me.

Srrk…….

A familiar yet unfamiliar energy began to ooze from the man.

The black energy, squirming with foreboding, suddenly grew and soon began to move like living snakes, biting at the surrounding demonic beasts.

Kwadk!

Kwaddeuk!!

How should I describe that scene?

The black snakes, with a ferocity that left no other words to describe it, literally devoured the surrounding demonic beasts.

[Kroooo!]

[Krak! Krarak!]

The situation changed completely from the moment the black energy was emitted.

The man, whom I thought was in crisis, instead began to hunt the demonic beasts one by one, wielding the black energy.

Level 5 demonic beasts.

The demonic beasts of the Demonic Realm, which could never be considered weak in the World of Justice, couldn't even put up a decent resistance before being torn apart by the black energy and having their hearts pierced by the man's spear.

It was an overwhelming sight that anyone from Winter Castle would find hard to believe if they saw it.

Gigigit……!

Puk! Pupuk!

The number of demonic beasts, which had exceeded twenty, soon dwindled to single digits.

The remaining demonic beasts, perhaps sensing the prestige emitted by the demonic energy, were flinching and gradually increasing their distance.

It was no exaggeration to say that the battle was practically over.

Watching this whole scene, I finally became certain.

‘As expected, I’m sure.’

I know that black energy.

No, it was impossible not to know it.

‘Demonic energy.’

Recalling that beings who could handle Demonic in this world were extremely rare, it wasn't hard to guess the identity of that man.

‘Player.’

That man was definitely a Player, dropped into this world like me.

‘On top of that, the energy is even materialized and attacking on its own…….’

It was a level of demonic energy that couldn't even be compared to the demonic energy I possessed.

To put it another way, it meant that the number of Ascension Stone Fragments this person had absorbed so far was also incomparably greater than mine.

‘It’s not that I thought there wouldn’t be a Player who had absorbed this many Ascension Stone Fragments, but…… to think I’d actually see one.’

The Players I had encountered in this world so far, although they might have had relatively higher levels than me, were not ones who had collected many Ascension Stone Fragments.

Neither Aichuwong nor Anonymous999 had used demonic energy.

But the person who had appeared now was different.

I didn't know how many Ascension Stone Fragments they had gathered, but both the level of demonic energy revealed and the ability to control it were incomparable to mine.

I didn't know for sure, but at that level, hadn't they reached level 4 or level 5 authority?

‘That aside…….’

The fight between the man and the demonic beasts was now drawing to a close.

The demonic beasts had already lost their will to fight, and all that remained was my choice.

‘Should I make contact?’

Thinking rationally, making contact with a Player whose identity was unknown was no different from a suicidal act.

Even more so in a place like the Demonic Realm, where if someone died, not even a corpse would remain.

‘But…….’

For some reason, my instincts were screaming that I shouldn't just pass this man by.

It was probably also because I felt a sense of déjà vu from the man's figure, seen from a distance.

‘He looks familiar somehow…… Is it someone I know?’

Unfortunately, confirming that was not an easy task.

The current distance between me and the man was by no means close.

Therefore, to see more clearly, I had no choice but to close the distance, but doing so might reveal my presence to the man.

‘Hmm.’

At that moment, I couldn't easily make a decision.

[Krruru!]

Feeling a presence from behind, I hurriedly turned my gaze.

【Lv.4】

【Radyun】

It seemed a Radyun, wandering after losing its territory, had run into me.

‘Tsk.’

It seemed I had let my gaze linger for too long without realizing it.

[Kururu!!!]

The Radyun charged.

I didn't have any firearms in my hand right now, but it didn't matter against a single Radyun.

Hwarreuk……!

Blazing fire shimmered from the Fang of Blazing Fire gripped in my left hand.

It wasn't easy to plunge this into the Radyun's vital point with my clumsy movements, but fortunately, I had many things to assist my movements.

[The ‘Orb of Water’ activates its power according to the wearer's will.]

[The ‘Orb of Water’ deploys ‘Raging Waves’.]

The power emanating from the Orb of Water became a wave and crashed over the Radyun.

Kwakwakwa!!!

[Krak!]

The Radyun was sent flying, pushed back by the waves, and a streak of light flashed over it.

[‘Nak's Legacy─Jeon’ activates its power according to the wearer's will.]

[‘Nak's Legacy─Jeon’ deploys ‘Flying Thunder’.]

Pzzjijik!

With the combination of the Orb of Water and Nak's Legacy, the Radyun's body trembled violently, and it was instantly incapacitated.

The Fang of Blazing Fire plunged down towards the unmoving demonic beast's eye, and flames surged.

As always, the flames riding the Fang of Blazing Fire traveled through the eyeball and scorched the brain.

[Krrreuk!]

Unfortunately, I couldn't afford to be complacent.

Perhaps because of the commotion just now, other nearby demonic beasts began to flock this way.

Kung!

Kung! Kung!

The footsteps of the demonic beasts gradually grew closer.

‘It’s not just one or two.’

Feeling a presence at that moment, I immediately twisted my body, avoiding the maw of the demonic beast that was lunging at me.

I almost had my right arm torn off.

[Ssss…….]

It didn't end there.

【Lv.5】

【Mutated Trumpet Vine】

【Lv.5】

【Growing Thorn Vine】

Even plant species, which could be called the guardians of the Demonic Realm, appeared.

Amidst the slowly tightening encirclement, I cautiously caressed the Fang of Blazing Fire.

‘Is there no other way.’

A contract with a demon always exacts a fitting price.

That was why I had avoided contracting with a demon until now, but I couldn't do so any longer.

Chwaak!

As soon as I cut my finger with the Fang of Blazing Fire, blood dripped down.

Haima's Pendant's curse accelerates the bleeding, and the Orb of Water's power controls the flowing blood, drawing the shape of a hexagram.

To be precise, it was about to.

‘Hm?’

At that moment.

Shwaaaaaaak!!!──

With a fierce sound of cutting through the air, a spear that flew from somewhere pierced the head of the demonic beast that was about to attack me.

Thud.

The body of the demonic beast, its head pierced by the spear, collapsed powerlessly.

There was no way I wouldn't know who the owner of this spear was.

‘I was discovered after all.’

As if to prove that fact, I could see the owner of the spear slowly approaching this place.

Now I had to choose.

Should I launch a surprise attack on the man who was clearly a Player?

Or should I try to talk to him first?

‘The opponent is clearly stronger than me. If I get attacked first, it will be dangerous.’

Therefore, thinking rationally, the correct choice was for me to launch a surprise attack first.

As long as I couldn't know the opponent's intentions, eliminating the danger was an extremely natural choice.

However, if there was one problem, it was whether I could actually subdue the opponent with a surprise attack in my current physical condition.

I assessed the situation.

‘Right now, I am in a situation where I cannot summon a firearm. If a sudden battle breaks out, I won’t have the luxury of waiting for the Weapon Summon’s cooldown time.’

‘That means I have to subdue them with a surprise attack without a firearm, and given the opponent’s level, a new contract with the Demon of Blazing Fire is inevitable. And that contract won't be settled with just a summary contract.’

‘The problem is, even if I accept all that, there is a possibility that the surprise attack will fail. I might just end up stirring a hornet's nest.’

In the end, this problem inevitably came down to judging whether the opponent had hostile intent or not.

Because it wasn't a judgment that could be made easily, I paradoxically decided to entrust this judgment entirely to my intuition.

Sometimes, intuition makes a more correct judgment than reason.

A surprise attack, or a conversation.

I faced the approaching man, running through countless scenarios in my head.

But…….

“Are you alright?”

The moment I saw that innocent face, devoid of any malice.

“……Haha.”

I couldn't help but laugh just like that.