Demon-Hunting Genius Mage

[Translator - Prøks]

[Proofreader - Prøks]

Chapter 51

Even though I didn't know the identity of that suspicious passerby, the demonic power I felt before entering this place was definitely not weak.

Even I felt it would be difficult to handle if I wasn't careful.

However, the scene unfolding before my eyes clearly showed Kayla overwhelmingly overpowering the passerby.

I was dumbfounded by this unexpected development.

"I thought it was dangerous... but it was the opposite?"

It seemed Thompson felt the same way.

He, too, was staring at Kayla with a bewildered expression.

"Kayla, what in the world happened?"

"Ah, well, about that..."

Kayla started to explain the situation, scratching her head at my question.

From the sudden surge of mana while we were waiting for her at the temporary lodging to the passerby's surprise attack.

Up to this point, it was something I could have easily predicted even without her explanation...

"So, we ended up fighting all of a sudden, and that guy totally underestimated me. And this is the result."

Kayla added that it helped a lot that she hadn't revealed her true abilities until now.

Certainly, it wasn't an impossible story.

We had intentionally concealed our strength in front of the passerby.

'...There's nothing more foolish than letting your guard down in front of a mage.'

If that tactic had caused the passerby to lower his guard even a little, it made sense that the battle ended so easily.

However.

'...This is strange.'

What was this unknown, unsettling feeling?

Could things really go this smoothly just because of that?

No matter how off guard he was... was the passerby really that weak?

With such doubts in mind, I approached Kayla.

"This is torn."

I pointed to the back of her robe.

That area was spotless, without a single scratch.

However, it was a cunning location that couldn't be checked without taking off the robe.

"How about changing it this time? You didn't like that robe because the color stands out too much, right?"

"Ah... right?"

She replied with a somewhat awkward expression, and I pressed further.

"How about the one we saw recently? The robe with the purple and checkered pattern."

"Oh, um... that's a good idea."

"Right?"

The more she answered, the more my suspicion turned into certainty.

I asked her the final question.

"Did the artifact you bought last time activate?"

"...Artifact?"

"You know, the disposable artifact you bought because you were low on mana."

"Ah, that?"

After a moment of contemplation, she opened her mouth with a look of understanding.

"Of course it activated. It might have been quite dangerous without it."

Shameless, without a single change in her expression.

It was beyond absurd; it was disgusting.

"Aha, is that so?"

However, I didn't show it and responded with a smile.

Srrrng-

In my right hand, I grasped the 'Sword of Light' that I had been concealing until now.

The sharp blade, formed from magic, threatened to slice her neck at any moment.

"But what am I going to do? It seems like things have already become dangerous."

"What is this...!?"

"M-Mr. First Place!"

Just as Thompson, who hadn't yet grasped the situation, urgently tried to grab me,

I said with a hardened expression,

"What did you do to Kayla, you son of a bitch?"

It seemed Kayla had been kidnapped.

***

"..."

A suffocating silence followed.

It was Thompson who broke the silence first.

"Mr. First Place, what are you talking about...?"

Maintaining eye contact with the sword I held to her neck, I replied,

"This isn't Kayla. It's that suspicious passerby."

"What?"

I already had sufficient evidence.

The fact that she agreed when I said she didn't like the robe, even though it perfectly matched her taste.

The fact that she didn't object when I recommended a purple robe, a color she detests.

The fact that she said she used the mana artifact effectively, even though it had never been mentioned before.

Everything was a lie.

Thump!

My heart pounded, confirming that I was right.

In other words, the woman in front of me wasn't Kayla.

"How long are you going to keep this up? I'm getting bored."

As I said that and pressed the sword closer,

"Kuh... Kukukuhahaha!"

The distorted figure let out a grotesque laugh.

Simultaneously,

Goooooooooo-

The eerie demonic power I had felt before entering the building emanated from him.

He was finally revealing his true nature.

"It seems it was poorly done because it was so hastily put together?"

He said nonchalantly, his eyes widening.

It was at that moment that his eyes flashed.

Crack!

With a chilling killing intent, one of his ribs pierced through his flesh and extended outward, sharp and menacing.

Having anticipated this to some extent, I immediately swung my sword.

Slice-

The rib that was flying towards my neck was cut down effortlessly.

However, as if he hadn't intended to land a decisive blow in the first place, he immediately created distance.

And the truly bizarre scene began from that point on.

Crack, crack, crack!

The figure's body, having gained distance, swelled and contorted.

As if bones within his body were restructuring his form.

Clank, clank!

Wrists, ankles, thighs, collarbone…

From everywhere, stark white bones erupted through the flesh.

I had witnessed a similar sight once before, but it was truly nauseating to see it again.

Especially with that thing using Kayla's face.

"...What the hell is that?"

Thompson, who had unknowingly moved right beside me and assumed a fighting stance, asked.

It seemed like this was the first time he'd seen such a sight.

Keeping my eyes fixed on him, I said,

"It's a demon's subordinate."

More precisely, a subordinate of Valefor, the first demon I encountered after entering this world.

There were two reasons why I thought so.

'They are skilled at disguise.'

Valefor's subordinates possess two exceptional abilities.

One is their tenacious survivability, capable of resurrecting as long as Valefor exists, even with a pierced heart and severed neck.

And the other is the ability to freely manipulate their bodies, allowing them to disguise themselves as anyone.

Of course, the ability to shapeshift was only possible for subordinates with a certain level of power.

Simply put, the creature in front of me was far stronger than the red-haired one I had encountered before.

Therefore...

'I'll strike first!'

Deciding to take the initiative, I kicked off the ground.

Waiting patiently for it to transform was something you only see in comics.

I wasn't a fool.

Thump! Thump! Thump!

Bzzt! Crackle!

My legs, enveloped in electricity, propelled me forward with explosive speed.

In an instant, I reached right in front of it and immediately lowered my stance, swinging my sword.

- 300% proficiency boost for all bladed weapons.

My body moved as smoothly as someone who had practiced swordsmanship for decades.

Of course, I had no intention of killing it with this strike.

If I did, I might never learn Kayla's whereabouts.

For now, it was enough to just cut off its legs.

Shwing!

However,

Clang!

Even that wasn't easy against this opponent.

I retrieved my deflected sword and looked at its legs.

From the ankles, to the calves, to the thighs.

The bones that had been protruding sharply had now completely encased both of its legs.

As if its own bones had become armor.

Clang!

Its durability seemed to be immense, as Thompson's attack, which had started a bit later than mine, was also ruthlessly repelled.

Thompson, retracting his fist, quickly moved to my side and said,

"Damn it... What the hell kind of monster is that?"

It was no wonder he was surprised.

When it came to a single blow, Thompson packed a much heavier punch than me.

However, seeing as Thompson's attacks weren't having any effect, it seemed this guy, contrary to his appearance, relied on sturdy defenses.

'Well, of course.'

It was a common trait seen in Valefor's subordinates who specialized in physical abilities.

Fortunately, it wasn't that there was no way around it.

"There must be a weakness somewhere."

This was also one of the characteristics of Valefor's subordinates.

No matter how solid their bodies seemed, they each had a weakness.

This was a trait that even the demon army commander Valefor himself possessed, so this guy wouldn't be an exception.

The problem was...

"A weakness? Where is it?"

...how to find it.

Of course, there was no need to worry about that.

"It'll show itself if we beat him to death, right?"

There was no other way to find the weakness.

If I had to be specific, the only method was to keep attacking until you found it.

"I'll go first."

Even simple-minded Thompson would have understood the gist of it by now.

Whoosh!

Without further explanation, I kicked off the ground once more.

From here on, it was a battle of stamina.

Either we would run out of strength first,

Or, his weakness would be revealed first.

The outcome would depend on which happened first.

***

Meanwhile, in a place shrouded in darkness where one couldn't see an inch ahead,

"Damn it..."

"Sob, sob, sob..."

Angry curses and sobbing cries filled the air.

The sobbing belonged to the survivor lady,

"Oh, goddammit!"

And the curses belonged to Kayla.

Bang!

Kayla slammed her fist against the wall beside her in frustration.

However, the wall remained firmly in place, unmoving.

Finally, her patience wore thin, and she shouted with all her might.

"Where the hell are we?!"

At this point, a thought crossed her mind.

Was she destined to a life of perpetual imprisonment?

"Why do I always end up locked up like this?"

What made it even more infuriating was that, while she at least knew where she was being held captive last time, this time she had absolutely no clue.

Surrounded by pitch-black walls, this place felt like another dimension altogether.

"Sob, sob... K-Kayla... Are we going to make it out alive?"

"Oh, come on! Be quiet for a moment, will you? It's complicated enough as it is!"

After snapping at the older woman, Kayla took a deep breath.

"Haa..."

Although the situation was dire, she was a mage, wasn't she?

She knew that panicking in times like these was far less efficient than calmly thinking of a way to escape.

She even had experience escaping from prison using that very method.

Of course, it was Yuhan who did the thinking back then, but that wasn't important now.

She could do that much on her own now.

'Think. Think...'

Closing her eyes tightly, she recalled the events.

How she ended up in this place, and by what means.

Her mind, honed through months of desperate effort and now fully integrated with her magical abilities, organized the situation.

As a result, Kayla came to a single conclusion.

'A pocket dimension.'

This wasn't a place that originally existed; it was a space newly created by some kind of power.

Spatial magic, for example.

In that case...

'I can get out.'

Escaping this place might not be as difficult as she initially thought.

After all, unless one was an extremely skilled individual, they couldn't casually handle powers related to space.

In short, this space was likely a pocket dimension that was just a clever imitation, far more shoddy than it appeared.

That meant...

All she had to do was disrupt the balance of this space.

"I'll break it right now."

Fwoosh!

With firm resolve, she began to release her mana in all directions.

The passerby who, instead of fighting, had confined her to this strange place.

It was time to make him pay dearly.

[Translator - Prøks]

[Proofreader - Prøks]