Chapter 490: Conversation with a Demon

490. Conversation with a Demon (3)

“What will you do after burning everything down?”

Oliver asked what would happen after burning down the City.

A thin silence spread for a moment, bringing a brief quiet.

Oliver spoke again.

“I once met the son of an angel.”

It seemed that this was a good start, as The Burned One and the frightened Joanna both reacted.

“I ended up fighting him. A winged man who lit up the night sky.”

Oliver recalled meeting him in Wineham. Was his name Boniface?

“He had wings made of light. He was strong, and a bit… well, problematic.”

[Why is that?]

“He was overly confident. And, he stabbed someone dear to me with a sword.”

[Someone dear?]

“Maybe… She was the second person who helped me after my master.”

Oliver remembered the first time he met Marie in the Joseph family. She had just joined the family and helped him when he was being bullied by the overseer.

It was the first time anyone had helped him unconditionally. So, Oliver asked Marie to teach him reading and numbers.

[What did you do then?]

“Honestly, I don’t recall well. I just beat him up. I wanted to hit him, so I did. I hit him a lot.”

Oliver answered while recalling that time. It was…

“…It felt good. Hitting someone you find annoying, doing whatever you like. It was something I never want to do again.”

[You said it felt good though?]

“Someone once said that anger, hatred, and revenge are addictive. I think I understood after trying it.”

[It’s addictive because it’s enjoyable.]

“But that person didn’t want me to be like that.”

[You refrain from it because someone else doesn’t want you to? How pathetic.]

“You’re right. I never fully understood why I shouldn’t do it. But now, by my own will, I don’t want to. It’s… shameful.”

Oliver remembered when he was beating a defeated Boniface and encountered a poor family.

An old mother and father, and children.

They were cowering in a corner, terrified.

They were scared of him, just like Joanna now.

And rightfully so. He had beaten and destroyed things for no reason, simply on a whim.

It was only natural they were afraid of him, dressed in ragged and ill-fitting clothes. Yet, they tried to protect their family to the end.

“…It was very shameful.”

Oliver muttered as though realizing something. But inside, he felt only bitterness.

Because even after that, with the Flesh Cook and the Druid of Enjoyment, he had several more bouts of anger. He felt like he was being too self-indulgent.

[So, you’re trying to say revenge is futile, violence is wrong, and nothing is left in the end? Hoping I’ll stop?]

Oliver affirmed in silence. No matter how grand the words were, that’s exactly what his message amounted to.

Even Oliver found his own words unconvincing, but that was all he could say now.

[That’s quite a cruel thing to say. Do you think the ones who suffered can just forget because it’s in the past? Do you think they called me with a light heart?]

The demon pushed back the darkness, pointing to the Red Ones warlocks who had become mountains of corpses.

The Red Ones warlocks who set themselves on fire while chanting twisted prayers.

[Or, is it because they are distant, isolated people who have nothing to do with you? Is that why you speak so lightly?]

Oliver silently observed the Red Ones warlocks, who had been used as sacrifices to summon the demon.

“…That’s correct.”

Oliver replied, not with a question as usual, but with a clear sentence. Asking in questions would be rude here.

“My first friend was a back-alley fixer. He brought suffering and sorrow to many people during the redevelopment boom. In the end, he lost everything, including his family and a leg, because of his work and became a beggar.”

The demon remained silent.

“Now, my master has performed countless human experiments on the Red Ones in the past. So much so that he’s hesitant to even speak of them.”

The demon remained silent.

“My first friend, later aided by an unnamed priest, repented for his sins and now helps beggars and the poor. I have also received his help… my master also regrets his past actions and is now helping the Red Ones who have become his disciples. He has helped me as well.”

[Are you telling me to overlook these sinners because they repented and are now doing good deeds? Even though plenty of people suffered because of them, and if not for them, there wouldn’t have been any victims at all?]

“That’s not what I meant.”

[Then what do you mean by it?]

“I don’t know!”

Oliver shouted, barely managing to stand with the support of his Quarterstaff as his body was in shambles, ready to collapse.

Seeing this, Joanna was greatly surprised. Has Oliver ever shouted before?

“…I’m sorry. I’m dull and selfish, so I don’t know about such things just yet.”

Oliver recalled when he thought he knew himself, only to feel sorrow when he couldn’t empathize with Nora’s grief.

He was foolish and selfish, even up to this very moment.

“…What I do know is that your actions will burn everything down, leaving nothing but ash and dust. And I find that a bit… unsettling.”

[How shameless. Even though you don’t know, you still try to stop me?]

“Yes, I’m shameless. But I also think it’s not right to remain silent out of fear of being wrong.”

[…].

“So I will continue to search. To see if I’m right or wrong.”

[You’re shameless with your words. Interesting, but amusing.]

“I learned it from an orphanage director. I think it’s a good saying.”

As Oliver answered, he subconsciously looked at Joanna, making eye contact with her.

[What if your words are wrong? What then?]

“Well… I’ll just have to try to correct it.”

[You shouldn’t say things you can’t handle. I will remember your words.]

“That’s good to hear.”

Oliver answered without hesitation. The demon fell silent, and Oliver felt a bit of satisfaction.

It wasn’t that he was happy to have silenced the demon, but because he had spoken his thoughts to the end.

Although everything was still vague and unclear, he was proud that he hadn’t backed down and had seen it through.

Leaving the mine, learning black magic, and leaving the family to see the world had not been in vain.

The demon stared at him with burning, lightning-like eyes.

[It was an interesting conversation. But in the end, you blocked me just for the sake of those close to you, ignoring the crimes being committed before your eyes.]

Oliver looked at Joanna. Their eyes met for the second time.

“I won’t deny it. Miss Joanna is someone who has also helped me.”

Oliver answered while recalling the first conversation he had with Joanna.

She had told him to learn how to live among people and said she would gladly help him.

“And, the sandwiches were good too.”

Recalling the sandwiches he received when he left Arque Orphanage, Oliver said. The demon seemed to understand what he meant. It was strange.

‘How does it know?’

With that thought, Oliver squeezed out all the emotions, life force, and mana he had saved in the test tubes to create an artificial soul.

It was an unusually large scale. The strength of the resistance in his hand confirmed it.

Normally, he wouldn’t dare attempt it. But Oliver controlled it, creating an enormous artificial soul.

Although its scale sacrificed some delicacy, the sheer size made up for it.

Without hesitation, Oliver used the artificial soul to create a Black Suit that completely covered his body.

And that wasn’t the end. He added a loud cape that was visible from afar, transforming his legs to resemble those of a horse. Most importantly, he combined the Quarterstaff and the Blood-Stained Dagger using black magic to create a spear.

A spear with a blade dyed in Oliver’s blood.

It looked much better than he had imagined. Very satisfactory.

[Do you think you can face me with just that?]

“We won’t know until we try.”

Oliver replied. There was no other choice. He still had one Filgarett left, but he knew after earlier that it wouldn’t work. The odds were low, so he had to find a new way.

He couldn’t go down a path that was obvious to fail, even if the chances were small.

Oliver lowered his body, while The Burned One remained standing.

Paang!

Just before Oliver pushed himself off the ground to charge, he detonated the Black Suit wrapped around his body, emitting a blinding light.

The explosion from the artificial soul engulfed the demon’s light for just a moment. Oliver didn’t miss the timing, leaning his body forward to the extreme and rushing ahead.

With his first step, the scenery around him shook. By the second step, everything stretched horizontally. By the third step, everything became as thin as thread. As he pushed further with his foot, everything disappeared.

He could only sense the presence of The Burned One ahead.

Oliver thrust the blood-stained spear with all his might toward that spot. Moving at overwhelming speed.

Swoosh—!

He was pierced.

A long-grown arm of the demon had penetrated Oliver’s chest.

The demon’s charred black arm cracked as it extended, becoming longer than the spear and thrusting into Oliver’s chest a split second faster.

Oliver remained silent. As he looked at Oliver, The Burned One spoke. He seemed to be smiling.

[Did you plan this from the start?]

As he spoke, The Burned One’s arm was wrapped in hundreds of tentacles, transforming from the shadows that had filled Oliver’s Black Suit, covering The Burned One’s entire body.

It was the Druid’s skill, “Hooked Beast.”

Swoosh.

From behind The Burned One, who was bound by the shadows, something pierced through.

Oliver had emerged from the shadows, stabbing The Burned One from behind with his right hand.

Smoke and a terrible burning smell rose from the right hand that had pierced through The Burned One’s back, and an unbearable pain washed over him like a wave.

“Ghhh…”

It felt as if his hand was thrust into the fires of hell.

In an indescribable pain, Oliver barely maintained his consciousness and answered.

“That’s not the case…”

Oliver concentrated his life force through Extract into his burning right hand while simultaneously extracting The Burned One’s emotions, life force, or something beyond description.

It felt like grabbing molten lava with bare hands. It was so hot and intense that words couldn’t describe it.

The only fortunate thing was that The Burned One, who was now restrained by the shadows, remained still. Oliver was briefly curious.

Was it The Burned One being unable to move due to the Hooked Beast’s power, or was The Burned One simply being considerate towards Oliver?

But Oliver couldn’t dwell on this question for long.

The massive energy in his hand and the burning pain demanded his full attention, and The Burned One spoke to him.

Not in his usual echoing voice, but in a physical voice.

It was a sweet yet painful sound.

“Noble one. Your effort is admirable, though in the end, you fail to stop me because you do not understand the suffering of the Red Ones. It is ignorance.”

“I understand.”

Oliver responded, holding onto his sanity amidst searing pain. Blood poured from his seven orifices and his organs, including his brain, trembled.

Even so, Oliver continued to Extract.

“No, you do not understand. But one day, you will. As if engraving it into your very bones.”

“Is that a prophecy?”

Oliver continued to Extract.

“Indeed. I wonder if you will bear it.”

“My master… once said that knowing and learning is more terrifying than one might think.”

Oliver felt the sensation of his flesh burning away and his bones being scorched. But it still wasn’t enough.

“A wise teaching indeed. Knowledge brings pain.”

“But still, I will continue to search… So, please give me more time. Then I will find a better answer.”

“Can you promise me that?”

“I promise.”

The demon asked, and Oliver answered without hesitation. The demon seemed to smile.

“Very well. I will wait. To see what choice you make. To see if you become someone I can acknowledge.”

It wasn’t an idle threat but genuine. At that moment, the power in Oliver’s hand reached its limit. Only then did Oliver think of the natural question he should have asked earlier.

“Why do you take such an interest in me?”

Grinning, The Burned One easily brushed off the shadow that held his head and turned it 180 degrees. Yes, he had been holding back.

“You will learn. Whether you want to or not, you will find out, noble one.”

An ominous, cryptic answer. Oliver responded.

“Burn.”

At Oliver’s command, the massive flames erupted from his right hand inside The Burned One’s body.

A towering pillar of fire rose skyward, bleaching the world white.

It was a catastrophe that would erase the City and evaporate any onlookers into salt pillars.

***

White flames exploded from within The Burned One, spewing from cracks that formed across his body.

The white flames reignited the already charred body of The Burned One, causing cracks and shattering the outer shell with tremendous force.

The demon’s flesh gradually crumbled.

Eventually, the wooden-like body cracked open, and white flames burst forth, rising into the sky like a gigantic pillar of fire.

The flames scorched the darkness and bleached the world to its own color.

A world turned white.

The flames, which left behind no ash, were as brief as an instant yet as endless as eternity. But as with all things, there must be an end.

The white flames gradually subsided, and the world, bleached white, slowly returned to its original colors.

The flames that seemed to leave nothing behind disappeared like a lie, and within them, Oliver struggled to stand.

Surviving within what had seemed like certain catastrophic flames. Surprisingly, his right hair was bleached, and he had only suffered minor burns on parts of his body.

Although his right arm, which had burned first, remained charred, anyone who had witnessed the pillar of fire would have called it a miracle. Oliver felt the same.

But Oliver neither recognized nor rejoiced at the miracle.

Because The Burned One still stood, with smoke rising from his mouth and the wounds covering his body.

He spoke through a mouth likened to a crack in a rock.

“It hurt a little.”

“…Oh, my God.”

With those final words, Oliver lost consciousness.