In the dreamlike Great Forest, swarming with demons.
Psycheless climbed to a height where no ordinary tree could reach and briefly gazed down at the ground.
As expected of the Demon World, the forest was bizarre and ominous.
Perhaps because it was a monster’s dream, it twisted even more than reality, and dark energies were rising from various spots.
It wouldn’t be an exaggeration to consider this a world of nightmares. It was that grotesque.
However.
Even in this distorted dream, Psycheless felt a sense of comfort akin to being in his own room.
It was probably because he served Lady Lilith, the dream demon.
“It’s time to stretch my muscles again.”
The demons charging in were minions, but they were not to be underestimated.
Subordinates of the Great Demon.
These were minions granted direct power from that formidable being.
Though their strength was pathetic compared to the Great Demon, they shouldn’t be taken lightly.
If one rashly tried to confront them alone, they could end up in serious trouble.
That would have been the case if this were reality.
“How dare they ambush me in a dream?”
The Great Demon was clever in his own right.
His speculation that they would move through dreams was accurate, and he had decent countermeasures in place.
Moreover, the might of his army could make even a demon expedition composed of elite returnees feel threatened.
But the Great Demon overlooked one thing.
That Psycheless, who possessed the ability to manipulate dreams and sleep, was here.
It was a critical mistake simply because he failed to consider that one fact.
And now, he was determined to prove it thoroughly.
“Charge!”
The moment he softly murmured while extending his hand upward.
Boom!
A loud and rough thunderclap echoed through the mana-laden sky, as if the dream world itself was fracturing.
Following that, dazzling lightning began to pour down like a heavy rain, incessantly.
– It’s a lightning storm!
The demons pouring through the Great Forest could be heard screaming in panic. The screams of those already struck by the lightning being roasted alive echoed too.
But it wasn’t long before all sounds were drowned out by the deafening roar of the relentless lightning.
Boom! Boom!
Lightning and thunder continuously erupted, upending the entire Great Forest.
Looking down at the spectacle from above, Psycheless displayed a slight pout.
“I wish the Lightwatchers had sent me off this way.”
The Lightwatchers, who had enslaved him and brainwashed him.
He should have delivered to them a much more gruesome end, but he couldn’t manage it.
The resistance was formidable, and he was too focused on just defeating them.
In the end, after a long battle, he had vanquished them, but the memories from that time still lingered.
He had been saved by meeting Lady Lilith.
Even though quite a bit of time had passed since then.
A heavy yoke still weighed on his heart.
Would there ever come a day he could break free from this twisted and bitter feeling?
If he spent time with the order, would the brainwashing placed on Cubica eventually lift?
Though he couldn’t be certain yet, he strangely felt optimistic.
It was thanks to something the Pope had once said.
“Our Goddess believes that no matter their background, the noble should be respected.”
Psycheless thought he was far from noble. After all, what kind of grandeur could someone so worn out discuss?
But Lilith was different.
Born as a bewitching dream demon and saving the life of a certain girl with whom he had no connection.
Lilith was a demon more noble than anyone else. At least that’s what Psycheless and Cubica believed.
Thus.
He wanted to see Lilith proudly being recognized as a member of the order.
For that, they first needed to successfully complete the demon expedition.
“You will die this time, Great Demon.”
With his thoughts resolved, Psycheless concentrated once more and unleashed a massive bolt of power.
– Gaaah!
– Ugh…
– It’s so hot!
The delighted screams from below brought him joy.
It felt like a celebratory song blessing the future of Lilith, Cubica, and Psycheless.
*
“Pope.”
Yao, who had been filming with my smartphone, suddenly called out to me.
I snapped out of my daze, gazing at the lightning storm unleashed by Psycheless, and opened my mouth.
“What’s up?”
“I’ve got this footage, but I don’t think I can use it. It’s just too flashy and loud.”
“Indeed.”
I had hoped to capture video for Hainha to use, but things weren’t going as planned.
It was bound to happen; I never expected such a colossal display of dream manipulation.
“In dreams, he’s almost a demigod.”
Even though Psycheless had superhuman levels of power in reality, here, he felt like he had stepped up a level.
Could he have a good fight with Liam at this rate?
Thanks to Psycheless’s enormous performance, we barely had any tasks left.
Only a handful of demons that survived the bombardment of lightning reached us.
“Quake the earth, devour them.”
At Wip’s command, a wolf with six legs rushed joyfully, clawing and tearing demons apart.
It was an unilaterally slaughtering hunt where the fight wasn’t even established.
The demons confronting us were the few who bravely survived the lightning, yet their weakened state made them no match for the Void Monster.
“Grr…!”
Crunch, crunch.
The last resisting demon finally became prey for the Void Monster. Not a particularly pitiful fate.
– Roar!
Meanwhile, the White Tiger, under Wip’s care, approached the remains of the demon that had become meat.
Sniffing, perhaps the smell was not bad, it started to tear into the flesh.
“My cute White Tiger is eating the demon’s raw meat…”
Yao, still harboring feelings for the White Tiger, murmured softly.
I turned my attention to our little Void Monster lost in its meal.
“Yao, Tigers are carnivores by nature.”
“Even so, eating sentient demons is a bit much.”
“I’m sorry, but it’s my pet, so please don’t concern yourself with it.”
“I was supposed to raise it!”
“Was that so?”
To be honest, I didn’t remember well. It was trivial to recall.
“Anyway, it’s already mine, so please don’t interfere with how I raise it.”
“The Pope is truly a villain…”
“Thank you.”
Just as I was chatting cheerfully with Yao.
“Those brutes—!”
A booming voice echoed from beyond the forest.
Upon hearing it, I instinctively recognized it.
A formidable foe.
It was the strongest demon among the minions sent by the Great Demon.
“This sounds bothersome. Hey, Taegukgi! There’s still a strong one left!”
At that moment, Yao looked skyward and summoned ‘Taegukgi Nanjang,’ Korea’s greatest hero.
“Hold on.”
Lilith suddenly approached and tried to hug me again.
I quickly shoved Yao forward to take my place.
“Eek?”
“Oh, this one has nice soft flesh!”
“Let go of me!”
While Lilith caressed Yao’s struggling cheeks, she spoke to me.
“Our cute Pope. Psycheless grows stronger in dreams, but he’s not omnipotent. There are limits.”
It was an obvious statement.
No matter how much the dream was his main stage, he couldn’t be omniscient and omnipotent. A being that lacked divinity could not unleash divine power.
“So what’s the problem?”
“There are still many minions left. Psycheless is too busy dealing with them, so can you handle that one?”
It wasn’t exactly an unreasonable or difficult request, so I quickly nodded.
“Alright.”
Just after accepting, heavy footfalls echoed from beyond the forest.
I could sense a weighty presence. An intense aura approached.
The level seemed… perhaps one step below Wip?
This demon did not seem to be one to underestimate.
“Everyone, prepare yourselves.”
As I drew forth my Sacred Power and started to gather everyone’s strength, a bulky demon emerged from between the trees.
However.
It wasn’t the typical appearance one thinks of when describing demons.
A man with large horns protruding from his forehead and covered in pure white fur.
But his lower half was that of a horse.
He resembled the mythological race known as ‘Centaur.’
“I’ll end this!”
The demon shouted loudly before charging straight at me, bypassing Wip who was nearby, targeting me, the one the farthest away.
‘…What’s going on?’
Confused, I decided to respond.
“Ilju, Seongju.”
Calling out their names softly, two swords that usually concealed themselves in another dimension emerged in the air.
“Please subdue that beast.”
– Sure thing.
– Yes, sir!
The two swords rushed towards the Centaur, each displaying their distinct characters.
Ilju aimed for the head, while Seongju targeted the hind legs.
They both swung sharply at different parts.
Kaaang!
But it didn’t work.
The sound was as if they had struck steel, and the two swords bounced off.
The demon showed no sign of pain and instead picked up speed with fierce determination.
A body that legendary swords of the swordsmanship world couldn’t cut—just how solid was it?
“Die, you!”
As the demon approached and attempted to punch me, Reeve and Yao leaped out from either side simultaneously.
Reeve deflected the punch with a wide shield, while Yao stabbed the demon in the chest with a spear glowing in a blue hue.
A seamless defense and counterattack, a true display of the saint and the top holy knight.
As I prepared to gather my energy and unleash a Sacred Spell in support, the demon suddenly said in a calm and dignified voice.
“Hmm, you two are virgin warriors. Accepted.”
…What nonsense is this?
Moments later, the demon pointed at me and shouted.
“But you, you don’t pass! For the sake of the Great Demon, I shall surely eliminate you!”
“……”
From those words, I gathered what type of ideology this demon had.
I glanced between the stiff Yao and the heavily frowning Reeve, then whispered.
“I’ll leave that demon to the two ‘virgins.’”
There was not a hint of malice in my words.
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