“I’d like to formally say hello. I’m Thesilid Argent, a paladin from the Inquisition Office, Heretic Judgment Bureau. I look forward to your kind cooperation.”

“…I’m Eleon O’Drek. I look forward to your kind cooperation.”

Looking at the hand asking for a handshake, Eleon had to pay all his attention to managing his facial expression. 

He was uncomfortable with Thesilid.

He wields the sword with as much skill as himself and is a young man as handsome as himself. The only thing he lacks is that he was a kid younger than him.

Eleon felt an instinctive fear that he might lose his place.

Meanwhile, Thesilid’s eyes dimmed as the handshake took longer than necessary.

“……”

Eleon was concentrating on his expression, so he didn’t seem to know that he was putting strength in his hand.

“Then, I’ll see you later.”

“Yes.”

The dreary face-to-face was over. The two immediately turned their backs and left the conference hall.

Thesilid walked alone down the corridor and looked down at the hand that he held out for the handshake.

‘This mission……’

He didn’t have a good feeling. Thinking about it, he soon laughed at himself.

In the first place, has he ever felt good, had good results, or felt welcomed?

It would be just a chronic ominous feeling that doesn’t mean anything. Thesilid decided to believe so.



As expected, the ominous foreboding was of no use to anything. 

If he wanted to get a hint at any meaningful information for the future, he should have felt a disaster rather than an ominous hunch.

Everything was definitely going smoothly up to some point.

There was no problem in wiping out the army of Spirit Knights protecting the sword of the Celestial Demon and guiding the victims caught in the dungeon sink to the gate to escape.

However, when there was no one on the hill of the Holy Sword as the rescue operation was in full swing, Eleon, enthralled by greed, climbed the hill as if possessed. The moment he grabbed the handle of the sword, the catastrophe began.

“This…It’s my sword!”

The clear blue jewel embedded in the hilt flashed light and was transformed into a blood marble.

The sword, having found a host full of evil, took root in Eleon’s right arm, blackening the flesh.

“I…!”

His proud blonde turned black and the inside of his eyes was stained red.

<I am the hero!>

A voice that was no longer human shook the hill.

Eleon, who became the host of the Demon Sword, scattered demonic energy and cut people down indiscriminately.

There was no way to prevent a sudden tragedy.

The civilians who could not escape, the three orders of knights who boasted the highest power in the denomination, and the precious healers were wiped out in an instant.

This was because the man, whose nickname was the First Sword of the Kingdom of God got a demonic sword, and there was no tanker who could withstand him properly.

Eleon, who even the whites of his eyes ripped open, ran towards the last remaining prey.

Unlike the bugs that have helplessly died so far, he didn’t like how this one resisted his attacks.

Eleon willingly sacrificed his life to the Demon Sword, amplifying his body’s abilities, Aura, and his demonic energy.

“Kuh! Sir Eleon!”

Eleon, who succeeded in pushing his opponent, laughed madly with flashing blood-red eyes.

<Ha ha ha! Look! I’m much stronger than a green-eyed kid!>

“……!”

<I am the first sword of The Vatican, the master of the holy sword, and the hero of this era! Thesilid Argent! You can never take my place!>

Eleon, who let out his ugly desires and insidious nature, pushed Thesilid back and forth as if playing with a toy.

Thesilid clenched his teeth and struggled to survive each strike at a time.

After six hours of a non-stop fierce and devastating battle. Thesilid’s body was driven to the limit.

His heart was pounding as if bursting from his ribs and the taste of blood-like iron rushed up his throat with a heavy breath. The muscles all over his body felt like they were about to burst, and his hand holding the sword trembled.

His vision was also intermittently blurred and shaky, as if he had shed too much blood.

Not only it was against a demonic sword, but he was also fighting a battle that ate up his vitality. He knew very well that in fact, it was no use holding on.

News may have been heard outside, but reinforcements are not coming. No, they cannot come. 

It wasn’t just because of the time it took to assemble a rescue army.

When the boss battle starts, the gate closes. The 2nd subjugation squad can enter the dungeon only after the battle is over after Thesilid is dead.

The moment the gate is closed, hope is also lost.

Thesilid thought with his slightly dazed head.

Would this be enough? He endured this far with a weary body full of wounds. Isn’t this the right time to face a gruesome death and a peaceful rest?

“……”

He lifted his blurred eyes and looked straight ahead. Eleon, standing tall on the opposite hill, could be seen overlapping a black aura over the demonic sword.

Yes, it seems to be an inevitable end now.

He did not expect salvation or miracles. ‘Strict order and Goodwill’ was not a god who would give such things.

At the moment he was about to close his eyes as he was kneeling with his sword plunged on the floor.

“Huh……”

The presence of a third party pierced his ear like a lightning bolt.

‘There are still survivors…?’

His life was again shackled. What he saw when he turned his head with all his might.

“Thesilid?”

It was a pink-haired woman who knew his name. A name immediately came to mind.

“E…Ellet…?”

Silence replaced affirmation.

His sea-blue eyes shook in confusion.

‘Why? No, how?’

How can she be inside a dungeon where the gate is closed? 

No time was given to answer the question, as Eleon’s eyes lit up when he saw Eyelet.

<You just happened to show up at a great time, lady! Watch this duel and tell the world of Eleon O’Drek’s achievements!>

At the appearance of a woman, Eleon displayed a shallow degree of chivalry. And that’s how bad it got for Thesilid.

<Thesilid Argent! In front of this lady, I’ll will end your unsightly being!>

Kwagwang! 

The moment Eleon hit the ground, there was a roar.

“……!”

Explosive speed as fast as it sounds. Thesilid, who was soon to give up, had an intuition.

‘I can’t avoid it.’

At that moment.

Kaaaang! 

The sound of metal clashing shook the air, and Thesilid’s eyes widened to the limit.

‘……!’

Before he knew it, long pink hair and a straight back occupied his view.

<La-Lady?>

The resonance of the swords stopped. A relaxed voice rang in the place where a long cry of steel had passed.

“What if you try to kill a kid who can’t return yet?”

“……”

What does this mean?

Seeing that it was difficult to understand the meaning of such simple words, it seems that he was very tired and confused right now.

Still, one thing was certain.

A miracle happened.



“Hey! What if you try to kill a kid who can’t return yet!”

I was so flustered that I shouted out loud.

[‘The Spoiler Inspector’ jumps up and down giving strong warnings.]

Oh, sorry.

I glanced at Thesilid while confronting the host of the sword.

He had barely escaped collapsing while relying upon his sword. The whole body was in tatters and the injuries to the right arm and sides seemed particularly severe.

The paladin uniform, which should be as white and clean as snow, was dyed red.

It was a total wreck. 

“Terry.”

I suppressed the desire to heal right away and focused on the enemy in front of me.

Human swordsman-like bosses were more demanding than monster types. I had to deal with it with my full attention.

I left only one word towards Thesilid behind my back.

“Take a break for a while.”

At the end of the request, I put strength in Serpens.

Chae-Ae-Aehh!

The moment when Serpence collided with the demon sword and rang out cries of bumping metal.

[<System> The chance of inflicting a fatal wound on the enemy increases due to the passive skill ‘Reversal of Predation’.]

The system defined the demon sword, which lusts for human blood, as a terrible predator.

Whoohs!

I smashed the demonic sword with the greatest force I could put out. I kicked off the ground and caught up faster than the host could back off.

And swung the sword again.

<Kuh!>

The host’s body continued to be pushed back. I didn’t stop and kept pushing with my strength, speed, and aura.

I pushed him to the rear, back, and then a little further!

<This is okay. This is far enough.> (Agnes)

This succeeded in keeping the enemy away from the immobile Thesilid.

The host was astonished.

<You weren’t a lady!>

“You are the lady here, jerk.”

I was taught to do the same to those who made fun of their mouths during the battle. I provoked him by exchanging sword strikes.

“Why do you have someone else’s sword? That’s Thesilid’s.”

<What are you talking about! This is my sword! Look carefully! I became the master of the Holy Sword!>

“No, you are not the master of the holy sword.”

We distanced ourselves from each other for a while and prepared for the next charge of attacks.

“You are the host of the demon sword.”