My Demons

Chapter 135

My Villains Chapter 135

35. The Legendary Bloodline (3)

“Hah, huh.”

Ellen, who was standing next to Phoenix, staggered greatly, and Cole, who was drawing his bow nearby, shouted in surprise.

“Lady Ellen! Are you alright?”

“I’m fine, ah.”

Ellen, whose face had turned pale, took out a glass bottle from her sling bag.

Phoenix and Ellen had obtained five bottles of potion from the underground relic room in South Harbor. Through research, they were able to confirm that two of those bottles had the effect of magic recovery.

The potion Ellen was drinking now was that very magic recovery potion.

‘Magic addiction…’

Power that exceeds one’s limits becomes a disaster. Due to using too much magic in a short time, Ellen was suffering from magic addiction.

Although she knew all too well that she needed to rest right now, Ellen couldn’t stop.

Ellen looked around.

The ocean had shrunk to the size of a lake as the water of the surface had shot up into the sky like rain. The horizon that had stretched far away was already swallowed up by the wall of darkness.

When the water at their feet completely dries up, the blue world will be dyed in darkness. Ellen was desperately trying to control the speed of collapse, but even that had reached its limit now.

Complete collapse was imminent.

“Lady Ellen! Here, a bit-”

At Amias’s urgent cry, Ellen immediately chanted a spell. Following that came a discharge and explosion. The undead engulfed in flames screamed emotionlessly.

“Grr, woooah-!”

Turning her head, she saw Utequais letting out a fierce roar as he faced a high-level water elemental. The great warrior of the plains struck down both the water spear that had pierced his stomach and the spear holder at once.

Slonhe’s Maul glowed pale green. It was that very light that neutralized elementals.

Bang!

Along with the cheerful sound of hitting water, water spray burst. The elemental that had been in the form of a young man shrank to half its size.

“Huh, whew.”

Utequais took deep breaths while clutching the wound on his stomach. He couldn’t let go of his hand because red lumps would pop out every time his abdominal pressure increased.

“Damn it, *huff* damn it all.”

Simos, who had lost her left eye, caught her breath and gripped her sword tighter. She glared at the water elemental while igniting the last spark from her longsword.

As if mocking that burning single eye, the water elemental started spinning in place. The water droplets filling the surroundings began to stick back to it…

Witnessing this scene, Ellen drew up her magic power.

“Hnngh.”

It was that very magic power that made the Grandmasters of the La-Palais Palace call her ‘the genius of the century’.

Guuuuu-

With a heavy resonance, the space around the high-level elemental stopped. Ellen’s control had prevented the elemental’s recovery.

That wasn’t the end. Ellen quickly moved her blue-dried lips.

“Ostende te, quod papillon (Manifest, become a butterfly).”

With the spell, the tip of Ellen’s wand glowed white. A frost butterfly that raised its head from that light flapped its wings vigorously.

The frost butterfly quickly attached itself to the water elemental. The shrunken water elemental froze without being able to resist properly.

“That’s it, die-!”

Simos, whose hair had turned blue, swung her electrified longsword.

Kagagak!

With the sound of thin ice breaking, the water elemental that had lost both legs was thrown to the ground.

Krung!

The gray wolf that had been lowering its body pounced on the elemental. Just before its sharp teeth could bite the nape, the elemental slammed its frozen arm on the ground.

Kang!

As the elemental’s hand shattered, the broken part emitted a cool light. The hand tip, which had become as sharp as a spear blade, deeply penetrated the gray wolf’s chest.

Puk.

As the wolf fell back with a yelp, Siren screamed in surprise.

“Zhanabas!”

The water elemental, its broken arm stained with Zhanabas’s blood, persistently crawled towards the wolf. Utequais’s stone hammer ended the tenacious killing intent befitting a corrupted elemental.

Bang!

By the time the water elemental completely disappeared, the gray wolf was turning back into a human.

“Ugh, huh.”

“Zhanabas, Zhanabas!”

Siren, who had rushed over hurriedly, knelt beside the fallen Zhanabas.

“Huh, keh-”

“You, how could this…”

Siren’s hands trembled. Zhanabas looked up at her and made a frustrated sound but couldn’t say anything.

Simos, who approached staggering, examined Zhanabas. Blood was trickling down from his thigh, and there was a large hole in his chest where the water elemental had struck.

“…Bad luck. His lung is torn.”

“Simos, please, Zhanabas-”

Simos’s expression darkened at Siren’s plea.

“No potions left?”

“Uh, no. Already all…”

“Damn it, damn it.”

Ethan, who had arrived late, grimaced.

‘If only I hadn’t been caught by the witch.’

Guilt, resentment, and anger appeared in the eyes of the boy who was trembling his fists.

At that moment, something hard touched the back of Ethan’s head.

“Ugh, this damn—”

The boy’s eyes blazed for a moment.

Realizing that what he had collided with was Utequais’s elbow, Ethan closed his mouth while still fuming.

Utequais, who approached Zhanabas while clutching his stomach, snorted in derision.

“Urti nots’ tesnel, himar dirldi (Look at yourself, foolish druid).”

Zhanabas could only look up at Utequais while coughing, unable to say anything. Blood mixed with his dry cough.

Utequais, putting down his stone mace, continued speaking while rummaging through his waist.

“You made a cowardly choice, valuing your own life. Can you still speak of cause and justice after that?”

Since it was still in the language of the plains, Siren and Simos couldn’t understand Utequais words. However, they could easily notice the mockery contained in his tone.

Simos quietly gritted her teeth, and Siren swallowed her tears and got angry.

“That’s enough, Mr. Hatanka. Are you a warrior who mocks those who die fighting?”

Utequais pressed his stomach with a groan. The intestines trying to push out through his skin were pushed back in.

“I’m not mocking death. I’m mocking his life.”

“You!”

Anger filled her large eyes, but Utequais didn’t even give Siren a glance. He uncorked a glass bottle he had taken from his waist with his thumb.

“That’s…”

“Urne tasard’daya (You are young).”

Utequais, kneeling on one knee, carefully tilted the glass bottle. The potion that Ellen had made in Master Caslight’s laboratory seeped into Zhanabas’ wound.

The language of the plains continued.

“I hope you’ve learned something. Wandering druid.”

Zhanabas’ coughing subsided.

Zzzzzzt!

A terrible roar of space being torn apart rang out. The collapse of the rift had reached its peak.

The blue world was now stretched into an oval shape.

Ellen was supporting the eastern exit and its surroundings. The rest of the space was dominated by the gap of the underworld located in the west.

Naturally, the amount of magic power flowing from the gap of the underworld was truly enormous. So the gap of the underworld would close only after the rest of the rift space had completely collapsed.

If that happened, Phoenix, who was bound, would either be caught in the collapse of the rift or meet death at the hands of the beings from the underworld.

‘Absolutely not.’ Naturally, Ellen didn’t want that. She drew up the last of her magic power to finish her plan.

What was binding Phoenix was Akanku’s thought and the power that had flowed in from the gap of the underworld. So when the gap of the underworld closed, Phoenix would be liberated.

Ellen intended to collapse the gap of the underworld first by controlling the range and speed of the rift’s collapse. Of course, this required an enormous amount of magic power.

“Huu…”

Ellen drank the glass bottle with trembling hands. It was the last remaining magic recovery potion.

“Huuuuu-”

Blue magic overflowed from her eyes and mouth.

Magic addiction was no longer of any concern. Only the will to save Phoenix dominated Ellen’s mind.

Gooo-

Magic power equivalent to more than a dozen ordinary Mages spread around. The control stemming from magic power was shot towards the gap of the underworld.

Rumble.

The blue world narrowed even further.

Ellen had given up the rest of the space, leaving only a narrow passage leading to the exit.

As much as the space had narrowed, there was leeway in magic power. Ellen squeezed out even that magic power and shot it towards the gap of the underworld.

Unlike Ellen’s magic power with a clear purpose, the magic power flowing from the underworld was spreading randomly. Moreover, most of the magic power was being wasted trying to prevent the increasingly rapid collapse.

Ellen concentrated her magic power and pierced through the underworld’s magic power in one go.

Kigigijik.

A sound like metal plates twisting came from the gap of the underworld. As the underworld’s magic power showed signs of gathering, Ellen shouted with determination.

“Collapse—!”

A strange roar followed. It was as if the gap of the underworld was screaming.

Unable to respond properly to the sudden attack, the gap of the underworld spat out the last undead as if in resentment.

A huge shadow rose, spewing black smoke. The one that appeared was an undead that simultaneously possessed a powerful body and a terrible vengeful spirit.

Keeeyaaaaaaak-!

With that terrible cry, the gap of the underworld closed completely.

“Ugh, kah!”

Ellen, who was staggering, vomited blood.

“Huu… Phoenix…”

Blood splattered on the scale membrane surrounding Phoenix. Ellen tried to wipe it off with her fumbling hands, but the blood had already seeped into the scale membrane.

“Now, I have to, go.”

Ellen’s eyes lost focus and her small body collapsed.

I, swallowed by the snake, became an egg.

Milk flowed in.

It had sufficient nutrients and was so fragrant that it made me dizzy. The dying flesh revived, and the dormant vitality awakened.

It was a taste I would never get tired of, but the milk soon dried up. Tears trickled down in disappointment.

Soon new milk poured in.

I was quite generous when it came to taste. Thanks to that, I was confident I could accept most smells as flavor.

But the smell flowing in now was not just ‘most’. It was mixed with all kinds of disgusting smells and wasn’t very fresh either.

Ah, damn it. I feel like throwing up.

If it’s a reptile, it’s a reptile, if it’s a mammal, it’s a mammal. Why are you feeding milk to an egg, for fuck’s sake.

Moreover, this milk flowing in was full of a dog-like energy. It was an unpleasant energy that touched instincts and desires.

Regardless of my impression, Phoenix’s body was getting ready.

No, not Phoenix’s body. It’s Kim Seung-soo and Phoenix’s body.

If I had to mention just one name, it would be appropriate to call it ‘Kim Phoenix’s body’ or ‘Seung-soo of Zahakar’s body’.

…Zahakahr? What’s Zahakahr?

Ah. Phoenix of the Zahakahr royal family. My other name…

While ruminating on the vague memories as Phoenix, the preparations were completed. It was preparation for hatching or molting.

But unlike the body’s preparation being complete, my mind was still in a hazy state. I was smacking my lips, savoring the fullness with the lingering metallic taste on the tip of my tongue.

To break the egg, effort must be made from both inside and outside the shell. The chick pecking at the shell from the inside was called ‘jul’, and the mother pecking from the outside was called ‘tak’.

I had neither jul nor tak now. So there was no way the egg would break.

At that moment, someone shouted.

A muffled voice. It was like hearing an outside sound from underwater.

The meaning wasn’t conveyed, but the emotion was. It was a fierce, urgent, and desperate voice.

They say a fetus uncannily senses its parents’ marital quarrels. It was because they instinctively feel the tone becoming rough and the voice rising. My current situation was no different from a fetus.

As I blinked my eyes in a hazy state, something ‘plop’ fell in front of my eyes.

The opaque shell or amnion greedily sucked up that ink-like substance. I, too, could savor its taste.

It was a fresh and sweet flavor mixed with a refreshing lime scent. It was the very milk that had made me cry with regret!

Burning with desire, I stretched out both hands.

A string without impurity destroyed my world.