章節 177: Chapter 177
Pentagon, a Blood Lord, was a high-ranking demon of Pandemonium.
Like other denizens of Pandemonium, Pentagon eagerly awaited the day to bring down the celestial realm.
In the past, after the great demon Baal surrendered to the Sky God, demons became inhabitants of hell.
Demons were originally residents of the mortal realm. But they were driven out by the Sky God and forced into labor in the dark underworld.
'Sky God.'
The very one who cast demons into this dreadful underground world.
Whenever Pentagon emerged on the surface, he felt both nostalgia for the mortal realm and hatred for the heavens.
He vowed that someday, he would shatter the sun and bring eternal darkness to this world.
'At least the sun isn't visible now.'
Though Pentagon used to go around with his face hidden, he no longer needed to conceal his identity.
He summoned his demon subordinates and reconstructed his body into its hellish form.
A goat's head with two horns. Reptilian split pupils and a crocodile-like tail.
A hulking demon over 2 meters tall.
Blood Lord Pentagon felt a new sense of gratitude towards the [Golden Rule Society].
In truth, a demon's gratitude differed somewhat from human gratitude.
The Golden Rule Society had summoned Pentagon to borrow his power, but Pentagon felt no need to be loyal to them.
From Pentagon's perspective, he only needed to suck up the abundant life force of the mortal realm.
Since those bastards said they'd eliminate the wizards, he might as well grab some useful slaves along the way.
Pentagon thought... the black wizards of the Golden Rule Society were tremendous suckers.
To the point of wondering if it was really okay to give this much.
So Pentagon was grateful to the black wizards.
Grateful that they were such generous suckers.
It wasn't that Pentagon was vile and wicked, this was just the average personality for a demon.
Having been asked to deal with the wizards, he planned to handle just the wizards and clock out!
Their collaborator Karenne seemed to have been beaten to a pulp somewhere, but that wasn't Pentagon's concern.
No, he was rather pleased about it.
It meant the annoying Golden Rule Society's watchdog had disappeared!
'Time to wrap this up.'
Pentagon obscured the sun with his demonic power and waited for the wizards to arrive.
"L-Lord Pentagon!"
"Yes. Have you captured the wizards?"
Pentagon sat arrogantly with his legs crossed at the tower entrance.
He looked like a gatekeeper of hell.
"No! The sun...!"
"The sun?"
"The wizards have called back the sun!"
"What?"
Pentagon hurried outside the tower.
He was momentarily speechless.
"What the hell is that..."
A sky clearer and purer than May weather.
The dark clouds Pentagon had summoned with his power had vanished without a trace!
"Was there a priest mixed in with the wizards?"
"N-No, Lord Pentagon!"
"Then a cleric? Did a cleric pull some trick?"
"No, Lord Pentagon!"
"Don't just keep saying 'No, Lord Pentagon!' like a parrot! You idiot!"
F*ck, if you have any sense, give me a proper answer!
Pentagon struck the imp's head with his fist.
The imp spat out teeth as it babbled.
"Magi shord (magic sword)..."
"Magic sword?"
"Shky god's magi shord (Sky God's magic sword)..."
Pentagon immediately ran towards the courtyard.
An unexpected carnage was unfolding there.
Imps exposed to the sun fled in terror.
Wizards, knights, and warriors were slaughtering the imps.
'This is absurd.'
Pentagon had never imagined his subordinates would fail.
"Ah...! Lord Pentagon!"
"Lord Pentagon has arrived! Lord Pentagon is here!"
The imps being pummeled cheered at the sight of Pentagon.
The Pit Lord of Hell had appeared to aid the demons!
Ian, who had been beating down demons, stopped and looked at Pentagon.
'What the hell is that?'
The appearance of a demon that seemed far from ordinary.
Anton tilted his head briefly upon seeing Pentagon's changed form.
Pentagon's human form and demon form looked quite different.
But soon, Anton realized this was the demon that had stabbed him in the back.
"Ian. Be careful. That's the demon that was hunting wizards."
Ian frowned.
Just looking at the demon filled him with an unpleasant sensation that pricked his skin.
This was no ordinary demon.
It was on a completely different level from imps.
'Those black wizard bastards... f*ck, what the hell did they summon?'
Ian sensed that the Golden Rule Society had invested considerable resources in this operation.
Their determination to eliminate wizards at any cost was palpable.
Otherwise, they wouldn't have deployed such a formidable-looking demon.
'Persuasion... won't work.'
For a brief moment, Ian considered trying to persuade Pentagon.
But judging from Karenne's battered state earlier, persuasion was clearly futile.
Would a demon allied with black wizards who devour humans be persuaded by Ian's words?
"Ian...!"
Just then, Herta urgently grabbed Ian's shoulder.
"We should retreat for now!"
"What? But Inglan is right there..."
"If I'm right, that's a [Blood Lord]! The [Blood Lord that Devours Magic]!"
"..."
Blood Lord.
A familiar name.
It had been mentioned a few times when Eredith listed the [Dangerous Monsters of the Continent].
'Ian. Blood Lords are natural predators of wizards.'
'Predators?'
'They have the power to dispel mysteries. A kind of magic resistance, you could say.'
'Then master, how do we deal with Blood Lords?'
'It's not that difficult. Just bring lots of priests and knights!'
'Ah!'
At the time, Eredith had briefly mentioned Blood Lords and moved on.
She thought Ian would never have to face a Blood Lord.
Logically, why would a wizard confront a monster that preys on wizards?
It was obvious that knights and priests would swarm in droves to exorcise the demon the moment it appeared.
Ian understood and forgot about the name Blood Lord.
But...
The cunning black wizards had deployed a Blood Lord to complete their trap for eliminating wizards.
'They really go all out, don't they.'
Ian took a deep breath.
Now that he faced a Blood Lord, minor spells wouldn't work.
A properly crafted powerful strike was needed.
And to prepare powerful magic...
Time was necessary, as expected.
"Ian! Let's retreat for now! We'll occupy the hill, set up a magic circle, and use it as a fortress to fight!"
"Understood."
They weren't prepared to fight the Blood Lord right away.
A strategic retreat was necessary.
It was regrettable to leave Inglan, but given the situation, he would understand.
"Let's retreat."
Ian said this while signaling his companions with his eyes.
It would be foolish to act recklessly with a formidable enemy right in front of them.
"Belenka! Jubal! Guard the front!"
While the group prepared to retreat, Herta readied her magic.
"Herta?"
"It's to buy time! I've used the least magic, so I have some leeway!"
'Ah.'
Ian understood Herta's intention.
Retreating in battle is actually difficult.
The moment you turn your back, you'll be pursued.
Herta had volunteered to buy time.
'I should help.'
Ian stood beside Herta.
Herta looked at Ian as if to say 'What are you doing?'
"Ian? Hurry and fall back!"
"No. I'll help too."
Herta couldn't understand Ian's words.
"Help? But Ian, you've used a lot of magic today!"
"It's fine."
"No, it can't be..."
Herta stared at Ian in bewilderment.
Surprisingly, contact with mystery severely strains the brain.
When connecting with mystery, the pineal gland hidden deep in the skull is exposed to excessive stimulation.
Strong contact with mystery causes short-term brain strain, and prolonged exposure induces madness.
In other words, one can go insane if not careful.
Herta thought Ian was pushing himself too hard.
How many times had he already used magic? Was he really okay?
But Herta's worry was unfounded.
Ian's body had been enhanced by the elixir he took during the northern expedition.
Ian could withstand contact with most mysteries.
'Besides, I don't have to stick to just Maronius-style magic.'
Ian knew various ways to wield magic.
He had no intention of holding back.
The Blood Lord that devours magic. A monster like a wizard's natural enemy.
It was a formidable foe.
If he showed any leniency, he would surely be defeated.
Ian was prepared to invest all available means to escape.
"I'm really fine. I have plenty of magic I can use."
"Ian..."
Herta was deeply moved by Ian extending a helping hand until the very end.
Though young in age, what admirable character!
'Wizard Eredith has educated him so well!'
If this situation was resolved safely, Herta vowed to spread good rumors about Ian to other wizards.
"Then!"
Herta stretched her hand towards Pentagon, the Blood Lord, and shouted.
"[O wind!]"
As a fierce gust blew, imps lost their balance and tumbled.
"Kyaaack!"
However, the wind vanished without a trace upon reaching Pentagon.
Formidable magic resistance.
The Blood Lord's innate demonic power.
"Not even ticklish!"
"As expected of Lord Pentagon!"
"Keheheh! Praise the great Pit Lord!"
When Herta's magic disappeared instantly, the imps shouted excitedly.
[I'm sorry! Herta!]
[That fellow emits a strange aura. I simply can't get close!]
The mystery of wind apologized in a whisper.
Herta understood the wind's mystery.
A demon's power that repels magical mystery was not something a wizard could easily overcome.
'As expected of a Blood Lord...'
It was just as Herta knew.
He was not an enemy that could be defeated with ordinary magic.
Retreating to prepare powerful magic was indeed...
"[O flame!]"
Ian also conjured flames with Anor-lsil and hurled them at Pentagon.
It was better than Herta's wind, but disappeared just as quickly.
"It's useless!"
Pentagon shouted roughly.
Whether wind or flame, any phenomenon invoked by mystery's power could be instantly dispelled!
"[O earth!]"
"It's use..."
"[O light of the sun!]"
"It's..."
"[O darkness!]"
"..."
The powers of earth, sun, and darkness swept past Pentagon in succession.
And as it went on, it became increasingly difficult to dispel the mystery!
'What?'
Pentagon stared at Ian in bewilderment.
What kind of wizard spews out magic by the truckload like this?
Doesn't his head hurt?!
"Ugh. As expected of a Blood Lord!"
"..."
Ian frowned, looking troubled.
Pentagon felt an inexplicable sense of relief.
Yes. Now that he realized magic was useless, he should start trembling in fear...
"[O leaping pebbles!]"
"???"
But Ian's magic wasn't finished.
Ian chanted a spell and used a strange magic Pentagon had never seen before.
It was skill card magic.
[Earth Magic: Leaping Pebbles (Lv2)]
[Makes pebbles leap at the enemy. The power isn't much to speak of, but it can startle the enemy.]
Due to low earth magic proficiency, the skill's power wasn't high.
But as described, the pebbles startled Pentagon.
Thwack!
Breaking through Pentagon's magic resistance, it dealt a small amount of damage!
But the damage was so minimal that Ian didn't notice.
"This is useless too!"
'No, it hurts! You bastard!'
"Then how about this!"
Ian, now in serious mode, relentlessly pressed Pentagon.
If he showed even a hint of leniency and got beaten, it would be frustrating!
'Now what is it?!'
Pentagon was curious to the point of fascination when Ian pulled out yet another strange magic.
Why does his magic never end?!
How many spells has this guy learned anyway!
Ian shouted while drawing an Arcana card.
"[O Hrundal!]"
"...!"
The magic Ian unleashed this time was completely different from his previous spells.
Arcana magic.
The magic of the shamans, priests and wizards of the North!
At the same time, Pentagon was aghast.
Arcana magic in the Empire?
Hrundal.
She is the cold ice goddess, the deity of art.
And the warden of hell feared by all demons.
Moreover, isn't she an ally of the detestable Sky God!
To think he'd hear that crazy b*tch's name here!
He could withstand ordinary magic well enough, but...
Magic borrowing Hrundal's power was a different story!
"You...!"
Pentagon shouted at Ian.
"Are you Lemegeton!"
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