Chapter 29 Part 1: Desperate Straits 

“Hah… Hah…” Kim Ki-taek’s heavy breathing echoed through the tent. Jeon Chung-Woon straightened his sword and ignited the fire once again. A pale blue flame enveloped the hilt of his sword. Jeon Chung-Woon’s figure blurred for a moment. The next moment, he was swinging his sword at Beelzebub. My eyes couldn’t keep up with their speed. Beelzebub stopped feeding his blood into me and raised his own sword to face Jeon Chung-Woon.

‘That’s right, Jeon Chung-Woon is also one of the strongest in the Red Flames Guild.’

I hadn’t realized it because there hadn’t been any circumstances for him to show his true strength, but now I know. He can stand sword-to-sword with that Beelzebub, and their swords quickly exchange blows. It was hard to count how many times they have entangled each other.

‘There’s a gap! Then…’

While Jeon Chung-Woon was distracted, this was my chance. I rolled my immobile body and fell off the bed. I grabbed the Divine Sword lying next to me and quickly stood up on wobbly legs. Without any time to hesitate. I swung the Divine Sword at Beelzebub. With a loud thud, Kim Ki-Taek fell to the floor of the bar, stunned. “You should have stayed down.”

The Divine Sword pierced Beelzebub’s hand. The Divine Sword had damaged it earlier, but this time it was able to pierce through. Beelzebub’s blood flowed along the blade.

Jurluk. After a brief glance in my direction, Jeon Chung-Woon leaned down and swung his sword at his leg. The cut was not deep, but it was enough to leak blood through the armor. Jeon Chung-Woon and I simultaneously stepped back to gain some distance. Beelzebub’s injuries were on one hand and his thigh, while Kim Ki-taek was already incapacitated. Our losses were greater, but there were still three more on our side. The Divine Sword was also in my hand.

The Holy Grail’s special effect,

‘…This unknown buff has a more powerful effect when used by a specific person.’

I’ve never been convinced… but perhaps that ‘specific person’ is me. The Holy Grail absorbed Dahlia’s soul, and I’m the only one who’s ever been associated with her, and the Holy Grail never had that special effect in the past. That was a change caused by my intervention, so even though my sword swing was so clumsy, it will have a greater effect if I can hit the target. I exchanged glances with Jeon Chung-Woon. He didn’t speak, but an experienced hunter knows how to act in times like this.

We have Teamwork, and cooperation! Our only strength is our numbers. So if Sun Ha-Rang and Jeon Chung-Woon are blocked, the best tactic is for me to thrust my Divine Sword in.

“I’ll back you up!”

Sun Ha-Rang squeezed her staff, and the magic stone that resonated with the mage powers began to emit a brilliant light. The light glitters within the magic stones spun slowly at first, then furiously as time went on. It showed that the magic was slowly activating.

“Let’s go!”

As soon as he exchanged swords with Beelzebub, I, who was behind him, swung my Divine Sword. The sword sliced through the air. Beelzebub dodged. But neither Jeon Chung-Woon nor I let go of our swords. As we swung our swords, Sun Ha-Rang assisted us with appropriate magic. “Ugh….” One after another. Wounds began to accumulate on my body.

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Beelzebub’s stamina was wearing thin, but ours was draining faster. He had both hands pierced by the Divine sword, but he still held his sword intact. Are you saying that this level of pain doesn’t even matter?

“Heh…heh…heh..”

Jeon Chung-Woon’s breathing was becoming ragged. He’d been locking swords with Beelzebub for over an hour now, so it was no wonder.

‘If we go into a protracted battle like this, we’ll lose.’

I had to come up with a new plan.

‘It’s hard to pierce him with the Divine Sword. Even if the three of us attacked in unison, we wouldn’t be able to critically wound him. One move came to mind, but it was too risky a gamble. Will he be able to predict my intentions and respond accordingly?’

Will he, the great Beelzebub? I couldn’t tell. But he had already fallen for my tricks before. His presence here is proof of that. With the holy Grail with us, he must have known that I would not die easily if I was left unattended. He came here in person because…. Of a whim, or because he wanted to give me a taste of my own medicine.

‘Besides, he’s simply a projection now, so his death inside the gate doesn’t mean much.’

So there was something to be said if they take another chance. Even if the risk was too great…

“Beelzebub.”

When the three of us and Beelzebub were facing off, I called out to him.

“If we lose you here, there’s no telling when this gate will be cleared, and in the meantime, I’ll be your plaything and suffer all sorts of hardships.”

“So?”

He asked in a so-what tone.

‘Exactly. We’re weaker than him.’ So if he declared his own will, we can’t rebel. This whole thing is his game, and even if he didn’t move, he’d be able to kill enough monsters under his command just by scratching and clawing them, but he doesn’t.

“What if I told you that I’d rather die than be subjected to that?”

“Hmmm…. That’s not a funny threat.”

He smirked. “No other race has such a strong desire to live as humans. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve seen them try to survive at the expense of their friends or their beliefs.”

His voice was a mixture of interest and disgust.

“How about a wager, then?”

“A wager?”

“Because I think you’re under a very big illusion. You think you know everything about humans.”

Human beings are unpredictable. Beelzebub had a very arrogant illusion.

“Humans have a strong desire to live, so it’s impossible for me to die… That’s only your idea.”

I gripped the Divine Sword backwards. Beelzebub’s normally stoic face showed a small flush of embarrassment.

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