Novel Will Be Taken Down on 17 May or Earlier Chapter 19 - It's getting worse (3)

– Invite the demon to the ritual. It has two meanings.

 

The demon hunter of Akshan said.

 

– The first is consciousness. An action that proceeds to destroy the demon according to established rules. The second one needs an explanation. Then, where exactly is the demon invited to in the ritual?

 

Tuk tuk–

 

He touched his temples.

 

-Yes. They’re invited to the demon hunter’s ‘consciousness’.

 

.

 

.

 

.

 

I deliberately provoked Count Ascura.

 

“Why is the ugly vampire still calling himself a noble?”

 

At my question, Count Ascura turned ferocious.

 

At that figure, I wondered if I had to add the last words, but…

 

Water was already spilled.

 

Besides, it was what I was hoping for.

 

‘It’s not good to drag it out.’

 

Count Ascura’s level was 430.

 

Not only that, he had recovered all the powers he had shared.

 

It would be correct to say his actual strength was stronger than his level.

 

Me, who is only at level 100, dealing with such a monster?

 

Even if I had [Natural Enemy Relationship] and 『magic』.

 

There was no guarantee that I could cause significant damage.

 

However, with [Exorcism], it was a different story.

 

‘Invite the demon to the ritual.’

 

Simply put, I was bringing the demon into my head.

 

In the past, when Arcana was just a game.

 

I carried out exorcism several times.

 

Thinking about it again, I thought I was really fearless back then.

 

A horror game-like production that was essential to experience during the exorcism ceremony. I watched it without blinking.

 

Because of that experience.

 

I was able to step up like I did now.

 

‘The leading of the consciousness depends on the mental strength.’

 

It was a mental battle.

 

I didn’t know about anything else, but I was confident in this one thing.

 

『No demon’s temptation, deceit, or trial can damage Grandfel’s lofty pride.』

 

So it wasn’t groundless confidence.

 

It was an action I did because I had something to believe in.

 

[Invite the vampire, Count Ascura, to the ‘ritual’.]

 

Count Ascura was, invited to the consciousness of Grandfel.

 

I looked at him.

 

At this moment, how am I reflected in those red eyes?

 

.

 

.

 

.

 

“!”

 

Ascura doubted his eyes.

 

What happened?

 

Obviously, he was the one standing on the stairs…?

 

‘What is this? Why?’

 

Their positions had gotten reversed.

 

The man was looking down at him from the top of the stairs.

 

‘How…!!’

 

How the hell can the man get that high?

 

No matter how much he tilted his head back,

 

He couldn’t see the man properly!

 

Ascura shouted.

 

“You used a despicable trick. Human!!!”

 

Then he could hear a relaxed voice.

 

“Despicable. What is despicable, Ascura?”

 

An arrogant attitude without the slightest sense of tension.

 

Ascura felt out of place.

 

‘It’s impossible…!’

 

He clearly radiated malice.

 

An insignificant human being would have no choice but to be terrified.

 

Somehow, the man was still fine.

 

Ascura opened his mouth.

 

“…Yes, it’s a trick. Otherwise, this wouldn’t have happened. The fact that the positions of you and I got reversed. No matter how much I raise my head, I can’t look at you. Everything is nothing but a trivial trick!”

 

Tap tap–

 

The sound of heels rang in his ears.

 

It was followed by an arrogant voice.

 

“Is that so? That must be what it looks like to you.”

 

“…?!”

 

…W-What?

 

What does that mean?

 

Ascura shouted to himself.

 

‘No, I’m sure. It’s just a trick!’

 

His eyes couldn’t be wrong.

 

It was just a change of seat.

 

Taking advantage of the gap when he briefly looked…

 

“!”

 

…No, he hadn’t looked away.

 

He hadn’t even lowered his guard.

 

He clearly moved with the intention of tearing up the person who was uttering unknown words.

 

But at some point, the man was able to cheat enough to change their location.

 

In his castle, at that

 

“Then look. Ascura.”

 

“…?”

 

“What does this look like to you?”

 

At the same time as the man asked.

 

Something blocked his view.

 

It was an immeasurable rock.

 

“…Don’t you dare try to deceive me!!”

 

Thump–!

 

To be exact, it was a sarcophagus.

 

The huge rock coffin hit him.

 

Ascura raised his mana.

 

‘It’s dangerous.’

 

Even if it had the shape of a coffin, it wouldn’t have much effect.

 

The problem was its size.

 

Even if it was just an ordinary stone.

 

It was dangerous at that size.

 

“Disappear!”

 

Shot–!

 

He shot magic at the sarcophagus.

 

But for some reason.

 

The sarcophagus wasn’t even scratched.

 

Ascura was stunned.

 

‘What the hell is this…?’

 

He had used more than half his mana.

 

But for some reason, he couldn’t even scratch it.

 

He was stunned for a second.

 

He could hear the man’s voice.

 

“You seem to be in a grave situation. Ascura.”

 

…Unforgivable

 

In an instant, Ascura’s form disappeared into thin air.

 

To be exact, his form scattered into hundreds of bats.

 

“Damn it!”

 

From bat to vampire.

 

Ascura returned to his form and let out a quick breath.

 

Because he couldn’t avoid the sarcophagus.

 

He used the one-time escape method that he should have saved until the end.

 

“I also don’t feel any sense of dignity from the sound of your rough breathing.”

 

“…Shut up!”

 

“But this made it clear.”

 

Tap tap–

 

The sound of footsteps came back.

 

The man was coming down the stairs.

 

Ascura smiled inwardly.

 

‘You’re stupid, human.’

 

It was an opportunity that came rolling into his feet.

 

What trick did the man use?

 

He was frustrated because he couldn’t even see it.

 

‘There’s nothing strange in him coming down the stairs.’

 

Ascura caught his breath.

 

To not miss the opportunity he had seized.

 

He sharpened his fangs.

 

Tap tap–

 

When the sound of shoes in his ears stopped.

 

Ascura raised his head.

 

And he was astonished.

 

“…H-How?”

 

He was certain the man had come down the stairs.

 

They were standing on the same ground.

 

But why…

 

Is he still looking up at the man?

 

“How about a new perspective, Ascura? No, you ugly vampire.”

 

It was impossible.

 

This was his castle.

 

Using such a trick on him was impossible.

 

Perhaps reading his mind.

 

The man said.

 

“No way, do you still think this is your castle?”

 

“What do you….?!”

 

“Look carefully, vampire.”

 

“…?”

 

At the man’s words, Ascura looked around.

 

“T-That’s ridiculous. Why do the portraits…?”

 

Why do they have the man’s face?

 

All of his portraits that were hung everywhere had turned into portraits of the man.

 

Something was wrong.

 

Ascura began to break out in a cold sweat.

 

A relaxed voice rang in his ears.

 

“All of these are your fears.”

 

*

Swoosh–!

 

The wind came rushing in.

 

Jessie Heinness grabbed her pointed hat and said.

 

“W-What am I looking at…!”

 

Tighten–

 

To the point that her staff became a disappointment.

 

Nothing happened to Jessie.

 

Level 397.

 

4th in player rankings.

 

In terms of offensive power, she surpassed Rox, who ranked 2nd in the rankings.

 

She was considered comparable to Skal, 1st in player rankings.

 

That great mage, Jessie Heinness?

 

No.

 

Never before.

 

The opponent was a 430-level named monster.

 

He was also a demon.

 

In other words, he was a powerful enemy that made even Jessie nervous just by appearing

 

Yeah, nothing happened to Jessie.

 

It was all thanks to ‘Mr. Very Strange Magic’!

 

“What’s with that? That overreaction!”

 

It was a very strange magic.

 

Yes, Hoyeol just built a stone pillar.

 

Like when he had dealt with the knights of Count Ascura.

 

But Count Ascura’s response was too much.

 

‘There was no need to do that with that size!’

 

Excessive concentration of mana.

 

It was strange that he tried to strike down the stone pillar…

 

He even missed it.

 

Crash–!

 

Because of that, the castle collapsed and the sky was exposed.

 

Not only that, he suddenly turned into a bat and ran away to avoid the stone pillars that were falling apart.

 

“And where has he been looking at?!”

 

His gaze was also unstable.

 

Count Ascura had been looking at the ceiling for some time.

 

He breathed heavily and even shouted into the air.

 

Later, he even freaked out when he saw a portrait with his face on it.

 

“…I think I’ve seen it somewhere.”

 

For some reason.

 

Jessie was no stranger to the sight of that Count.

 

After thinking about it, she finally figured it out.

 

“That’s right! No matter how you look at it, it’s a status abnormality, it’s fear!”

 

.

 

.

 

.

 

I checked the message that appeared.

 

[‘Fear’ occurs to the vampire, Count Ascura.]

 

…That was close.

 

I clearly felt the level gap between us.

 

What I realized most of all was Count Ascura’s magical power.

 

‘This. Even if it just brushed me, I would be dead.’

 

Demon hunter, if I had believed only in this class and attacked.

 

I would have crossed the afterlife by now.

 

However, close combat was not possible.

 

Count Ascura only waved his hand in the air.

 

In the aftermath, the objects around him were smashed.

 

In that sense, wearing a long coat and a suit was not the problem.

 

If I had brushed against something like that, It would have been one shot even if I had armor on.

 

But that was my circumstance.

 

The was no way for Count Ascura to know my inner circumstances.

 

The evidence emerged as messages one after another.

 

– Hunt the vampires. (In progress) ▲

 

• Let them know that the hunt has begun. (Successful)

 

• Let them feel the fear of being hunted. (Successful)

 

• Hunt the vampire. (In progress)

 

All that’s left was hunting the terrified Count Ascura.

 

“…Y-You are my fear? T-That’s impossible.”

 

A vampire who had lost his will to fight.

 

He might look like easy prey, but he wasn’t for me.

 

Above all, I didn’t have the confidence to finish off Count Ascura with a single blow.

 

Because I didn’t have magic or physical abilities that had that much power.

 

‘It probably won’t be enough.’

 

Of course, I’d been in touch with the players and I imitated their skills by looking at them.

 

But my stats and equipment were the problems.

 

No matter how strong my silver weapon was against the demon.

 

My absolute offensive power was terrible.

 

‘I resent my weakness.’

 

It’s an opportunity to monopolize experience…!

 

But I had to judge it coldly.

 

I pulled out a silver dagger.

 

Then, I interfered with its form and changed its shape.

 

A silver dagger that was divided into 4 pieces.

 

Its shape was similar to a stake.

 

Without delay.

 

Sksksk–!!

 

Count Ascura, who had lost his will to fight.

 

I thrust the silver stake at him.

 

Sputter–!!

 

My silver dagger, which was already short, was divided into four parts.

 

So the size of the stake was bound to be smaller than that.

 

“N-Noooo!”

 

However, the terrified Count Ascura seemed to feel differently.

 

Really, like being nailed to a huge stake.

 

Count Ascura began to have a seizure.

 

‘But fear alone cannot bring down the enemy.’

 

I didn’t know how long that status abnormality would last.

 

So I said.

 

“I’ll let you take care of the aftermath.”

 

It was the best I could do.

 

The pointed hat rattled at my request.

 

“Yes? You leave it all behind! Once you’re done! To me!”

 

How should I answer?

 

Honestly.

 

I’m not strong enough.

 

There was no way I could answer like that.

 

Due to Grandfel’s noble personality.

 

If I got killed by Count Ascura, I would be dead.

 

There was no way I could confess my lack of ability.

 

But fortunately.

 

“Oh! I’m sorry! I need to be polite! Please forget the retort I just made!”

 

Having said that, the pointed hat immediately chanted a skill.

 

I watched her figure.

 

Raargh–!

 

Mana that condensed at the tip of the staff.

 

Fluttering blond hair.

 

Bluish glow in her pupils.

 

The surrounding air changing.

 

The scenery of the sky that fluctuated in an instant.

 

“Divine punishment.”

 

At that moment.

 

Fizzle–!

 

A violent thunderbolt struck from the sky.

 

The whole area trembled due to its power.

 

Boom–!!

 

Thunder belatedly roared.

 

Its roar made my eardrums tingle.

 

‘Is this the skill of top players?’

 

It was a level of destructive power that I couldn’t surpass right now.

 

Not only Count Ascura, players too.

 

Why do I feel like I often feel the gap today?

 

But I wasn’t discouraged.

 

No matter how powerful her skill was, even if she cut off Count Ascura’s life. My contribution to bringing Count Ascura to this point was definitely greater.

 

A message came up as if to support me.

 

[Your contribution to the disposal of Count Ascura is recognized.]

 

[Your level has gone up]

 

[Your level has gone up]

 

[Your level has gone up]…

 

[With your high disposal contribution, you automatically acquire the loot.]

 

Because all of this was perfectly natural.

 

I had no reason to be surprised.

 

Then I checked the inventory and was startled.

 

…Wait, even so, it’s right to be surprised here, right?