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Chapter 396: Lucifer
Chapter 396: Lucifer
Chapter 396: Lucifer
The moment Gaspard revealed himself, the Hell Emperor moved again — the Dragon is probably angry at the stranger touching its abdomen.
But then, with just one glare from Gaspard, it immediately stopped… as if time had frozen for the Hell Emperor alone.
Before long, the look in its eyes turned fearful like a little critter looking at a hulking human, and its body began to tremble… and not even subtly. Gaspard proceeded to gently pat the Dragon.
“No matter. You have my forgiveness.”
With Gaspard saying just that, the fearful look in the Dragon’s eyes turned into relief.
Still, why is Gaspard here? What is he thinking? Are there other Devils coming as well?
Judging from Pochi’s reaction, we’ll probably be able to manage… but that doesn’t mean we’d be fighting at a significant advantage.
“Hah… hah… hah…!”
Haruhana’s breathing is turning heavy, and Bruce is visibly sweating profusely.
Even the Hell Emperor of the Blazing Dragons can’t stand its ground against Gaspard. It’s not surprising that these two are this nervous.
“Last time, I doubted your abilities, but it seems that you are indeed capable of standing before me…”
Right, only two among us aren’t trembling right now — Pochi and me.
It’s strange, though. Has Gaspard always spoken this… slowly?
What he just putting up an act last time? No, that can’t be — he’s clearly changed.
This much change in his aura can’t be achieved just by slightly changing his speech pattern.
The property of his arcane energy must have changed, too. Pochi can probably sense that better than me right now.
“W-what are you doing here…!?”
“Why do you ask? This place is not so far from the Capital. Does that not make you an intruder of my territory? Oh, perhaps you did not realize that… Yes, you are foolish enough to be so ignorant.”
“Shut up! What are you going to do with the Dragon!?”
“The Hell Emperor? Well… its cycle of resurrection just so happens to somewhat overlap with the Devil King’s. And you see…”
I see. So that’s why the Hell Emperor was going to hatch at that time in the past, too.
“…You and your companions have bested me last time, so I thought I would find myself a powerful pawn to work with this time around.”
“Last time!? What are you–“
“–Do you really not know who I actually am?”
I don’t understand what he means. Not from what he just said, anyway — but it’s enough of a trigger for the eventual realization.
His eyes, hair, and muscles… his true identity is that of someone else.
From the look in Pochi’s eyes, she seems to have realized that, too… as much as both of us wouldn’t want to admit it.
We don’t want to admit that HE is here, whether it be due to his survival… or even resurrection.
“…Hmph, as much as your mind does not want to understand, your body seems honest enough.”
“Ngh…!”
Before I knew it, I was shaking like mad.
“H-hey, Asley!”
“Shit…! Stop stop stop stop…!”
“Pochi!”
“Whew…! Whew…!”
Pochi is as well — In fact, the shaking is most noticeable in her and me, because we have fought Gaspard directly before.
Pochi’s baring her fangs… at not only her enemy, but also a great source of fear.
“KAHHHHHHHHH!!”
She proceeded to attack Gaspard without waiting for my instructions — not that anyone can blame her for that.
The Zenith Breath blast flew at Gaspard, who simply, effortlessly caught it with one hand.
“Hehehe. How so pleasant. Now… Shiro, sit.”
“ARF–!?”
In an instant, Pochi was pinned to the ground.
“What the–!? What did you just do!?”
“Nothing complicated. I applied arcane energy above Shiro and performed a downward push…”
“…Is that supposed to even be possible?”
Yes, Haruhana, it’s theoretically possible.
In the past, when I was up against Shi’shichou, he also used arcane energy pressure to render his opponents unconscious and pushed them in specific directions.
And Gaspard just now… he used that as a down-pushing force. That’s it, really.
The ability to do that, and the way he refers to Pochi using her past name, suggest that Gaspard is actually…
“GRR…”
“You will wait over there.”
While continuing to pin Pochi down, Gaspard ordered the Hell Emperor to not get involved.
Wait, he just ORDERED it…!? Could it be that he’s…!?
“Get out of my way.”
“GWOH–!?”
“KYAH–!?”
In an instant, Gaspard appeared in front of us and released his pressure again to blow Bruce and Haruhana away.
I can’t even force myself to say something to them. His aura is just that intimidating.
As I lowered my stance and braced myself, Gaspard stared me down with his pale blue eyes.
“Must you be so frightened?”
“S-shut up!”
“Oh-ho? You don’t possess any arcane energy. Now this is unexpected. To think your arcane energy is sealed at such a crucial time…”
He identified my condition in no time at all!
I’m probably having a hard time even standing up under this pressure.
Like Pochi just now, I ended up attacking him, swinging my Drynium Rod without so much as a plan.
“GWOH–!?”
Gaspard’s fist, like a hammer from the sky, landed square on my cheek — and before I knew it, I was slammed down onto the ground.
“Gah…!?”
“You fool. I have no intention of fighting you.”
“Ngh… W-what…?”
“Did I damage your hearing? I will repeat: I have no intention of fighting you.”
“T-then what are you here for…!?”
With some struggle, I stood up and supported myself with my staff.
“Hmph, make no mistake — it does concern you. Surely you already have an idea why I am here… do you not?”
He really sees through everything…
That’s right. His reason for coming here… it’s about Goku’ryu, the Dragon that he just defended as it was about to be hit by Pochi’s potentially fatal attack.
Once I shifted my attention to the Hell Emperor, Gaspard smirked.
“Humanity is not the only kind to employ Familiars. Remember, the contract between man and monsters was originally a magecraft granted to them by the Devilkin — It really is that simple.”
“Why… why don’t you kill me here…?”
“My goal is not to kill you.”
I did not understand what he meant to say.
But the next moment, his smirk sent shivers down my spine.
“Listen well, Asley… It is my utmost desire for you to experience a living Hell. Warriors, mages, philosophers, Holy Warriors, Heavenly Beasts — All of them will pit their everything against my army… and be annihilated. That is what I want to show you, Asley! Hehe… HAHAHAHAHAHA!!”
Laughter echoed around all the land from the summit of this mountain.
All I could do was stare in astonishment.
“Now, say my name…! Do it! No one can stop me anymore! Not even you, Asley! Not even you! Now! Say my name! And curse your own powerlessness!”
Gaspard grabbed my collar and lifted me up, but I had no strength in my body and hands to fight back.
Before long, he threw me aside and turned away.
“…This bores me. How utterly weak for you to lose your fighting spirit merely out of fear.”
Gaspard jumped onto the Hell Emperor and continued to say,
“In a matter of days, this world will turn into Hell. Resist all you want. Despair all your want. But remember that, in the end… you will be torn to pieces, Asley, and I will send you off with my mocking laughter. Soon enough, the Devilkin will be the ones who rule the human world. Surely the humans will all pray to their God… but it is already too late. My power has surpassed Him — faith will do nothing to increase God’s power… This is it, Asley… The beginning of your despair…!!”
Gaspard’s laughter echoed once more.
Bruce, Haruhana, and Pochi are unconscious.
He’s here for his revenge on me, and he’ll do it thoroughly himself…
The whole world will be involved — in a hopeless war between humanity and the Devilkin.
“…!!”
I slammed my fists onto the ground and shook off the fear that paralyzed my body.
Then I stood up and stared at the sky… at the spot where he disappeared.
“I… I will never give up! I will never — NEVER acknowledge your power!!”
Staring at the sky where he laughed and disappeared, I make up my mind.
“I won’t… WE won’t lose to you! LUCIFER!!!!”