All-Master Player Of The Academy [EN]: Chapter 129

◈ Chapter 129

65. He Has Arrived – 1

Arriving at the orchard, they saw people working.

Gust, having identified the center of the ley line, looked around and said,

“Let’s hide and conceal ourselves first. Demons are sensitive, so be careful.”

As the remaining Guardians moved, Gust looked at Ian.

“You said your name was Mya-ne? Demons are sensitive to light. They might notice a materialized spirit of light.”

Moreover, Mya-ne has become quite strong, so the level used in the Academy won’t work.

But even so, there was nothing to worry about.

The Illusion Array of the Illusion Gate of the Mu Continent is activated.

At that moment, Ian and Mya-ne disappeared.

Gust, surprised by this, deactivated the illusion array.

“Amazing.”

She put the ring she was about to take out back into her pocket.

She was considering distributing artifacts given to the Guardians, just in case.

But to think that his confidence from before was genuine.

“But why are you fighting demons?”

“There are three reasons. First, I don’t like that they’re trying to destroy the world. Second, I don’t like one of the Seven Deadly Sins: Sloth. Third.”

This was the most important.

“They’re annoying.”

“Should I call that arrogance…?”

“It’s far from arrogance.”

From his perspective, it was obvious.

Gust, who had somewhat sensed Ian’s power, shrugged.

Then, hesitating, she asked.

“By the way… is Rakid doing well?”

“Why don’t you go see him if you’re curious?”

“I heard he abandoned his sword and became a priest. He’d feel burdened if I went.”

“Really?”

“And he doesn’t know I’m a Guardian. If he finds out, he’ll be even more devastated. So, don’t tell him.”

The duty of a Guardian is to fight demons and protect the world.

How devastated would he be if he knew he was once charmed by a demon, the enemy of his master?

He yearns for nobility and peace, so it would be even more so.

As Ian agreed, she calmly said,

“I’ll make the offer again. How about joining the Guardians?”

“Before that, let me ask. I told Baba about the Pele County matter last time. How is that going?”

“We’re currently investigating. There have been many unusual occurrences. Why? Are you interested? I’ll give you the information as soon as the investigation is complete.”

“The Guardians have quite a bit of influence, don’t they? They can even investigate that?”

“We have our hands in most of the continent. There are more participants in the Guardians than you think.”

If so, it means that if he joins the Guardians, he might be able to obtain information that even Kirke can’t confirm.

Ian looked at Gust and nodded.

“I’ll think about it positively.”

“Good.”

Having heard the answer, she infused aura into the ring.

At that moment, her body disappeared.

Noticing it was quite a high-level magic, Ian stepped back and deployed an illusion array in a suitable spot.

Like that.

They hid themselves, and time passed.

* * *

Night fell.

Long after the workers had returned, dark clouds began to gather in the sky.

Those dark clouds contained considerable malice.

Demons that had already manifested were gathering.

No, it wasn’t just them.

Demon Contractors are approaching.

Mercenaries in armor.

Scholars in comfortable clothes.

Among them were even knights from this territory, wearing the armor of the Beridan County knights.

‘They’ve been hiding well.’

Demon Verification isn’t usually performed unless there’s a specific problem, due to its nature.

Demon Verification is a ritual that consumes a significant amount of priests’ stamina.

So, it’s not performed unless there’s solid evidence or a report.

Besides, wasn’t it confirmed with Rakid’s case?

If a demon stays quiet, they can avoid even the simplified rituals.

“And there are more methods.”

Are you saying there might be demons within the Solar Order [a religious organization]?

“It’s not like priests haven’t been charmed by demons before, right?”

Similar incidents have occurred in the Tolkatsu Kingdom.

But that world didn’t have a power similar to holy power.

There was a medieval-based fantasy world called Tolkatsu.

It had magic, aura, and a certain romantic fantasy feel, but it lacked one thing.

That was holy power.

There, religion was merely a place for people to find solace.

Therefore, the demons there didn’t hesitate to use priests who followed gods.

“There are plenty of ways to avoid the eyes of the clergy. Go investigate.”

Understood.

“Anyway, it seems like almost all the ones coming have arrived.”

“Shaaa…!”

As he spoke, Mya-ne growled softly in response.

Hunching over and bristling her fur.

Mya-ne, clearly expressing her displeasure, hissed as the demons stopped in front of a large tree.

That place was the center of this ley line.

The ritual to open the Gate of Hell will now begin.

As they watched, Gust moved.

“Who’s there!!”

As soon as her stealth was broken, the demons noticed the anomaly around them.

The demons, with various forms, roared and unleashed their malice as she drew her sword and shouted.

“Guardians! Assemble!!”

The Guardians, hearing Gust’s cry, released their stealth.

The demons, seeing this, gnashed their teeth.

“Guardians!!”

“Was it a trap?!”

“Proceed with the ritual! Quickly!”

The demons moved busily.

The Guardians tried to stop them.

The demons tried to start the ritual, overcoming their interference.

As the two groups with opposing goals began to fight, Ian released the illusion array.

“Ian!! We must stop that ritual!”

“We can’t let the Seven Deadly Sins appear in the world!!”

Ian nodded and raised his sword, causing the demons to panic.

“Catch him!!”

The manifested demons rushed towards him.

As five demons, transformed into giant monsters, attempted to attack him.

Ian moved his internal energy.

Demonic Divine Art, Chapter of the Moon.

Icy White Moonlight.

The energy of the moon gathered on the sword emitted a subtle light.

The light, cutting through the darkness and spreading out, touched the demons, and their bodies began to freeze.

“W-What is this…?”

That was the end.

They were demons who had manifested and gained immense power, but they couldn’t withstand the Demonic Divine Art.

Seeing the demons who tried to stop him freeze, shatter, and become incapacitated, they gnashed their teeth.

“Hurry! Hurry!”

A being with immense power was trying to interfere with the ritual.

To stop him, the contractors and demons rushed in like moths to a flame once again.

Demonic Divine Art, Chapter of the Sun.

One Yang Surge.

Red flames soared from Ian’s body.

The flames, erupting from his body and dividing into dozens of strands, burned those who charged at him to a crisp.

“What is this…?”

The demons were horrified by the sheer power.

“Damn it!!”

There was no way to stop him.

Faced with the approach of irresistible power, the demons gnashed their teeth and shouted.

“Now!!”

One of the demons shouted.

The dark clouds in the sky seemed to pause.

As Ian raised his sword towards it, the dark clouds finally moved.

-Fwoosh!!

Before he could swing his sword.

The dark clouds disappeared, and the demonic energy scattered.

The high-ranking demons had sacrificed themselves.

And a rift remained in that place.

“Damn it! The Gate of Hell is opening!”

Gust, having blown away the head of one demon, was horrified.

The immense malice flowing from the rift in the sky fell to the ground.

Centered on it, the surroundings began to change.

It was a terrible smell.

A pungent odor, so strong that one wanted to cover their nose, spread out, and the demons rejoiced.

“Come forth!! Seven Deadly Sins! We have prepared your place!!”

One demon rejoiced and raised his hand.

In his hand was a stone emitting a subtle light.

The moment that demon tried to throw it to the ground.

Demonic Divine Art, Chapter of the Moon.

Moon Shadow Step.

“Huh?”

Ian snatched the falling stone.

“Well done!!”

Gust rejoiced.

Ian, who had suddenly disappeared like a phantom, appeared among the demons and stopped the ritual.

It was over now.

All that remained was to defeat those demons and purify this land.

As Gust and the other Guardians rejoiced.

Ian examined the Star of Talent in his hand.

It resembles a Soul Construct.

‘Indeed. It’s also similar to the Philosopher’s Stone of the Trond Continent.’

The stone contained immense power and potential.

As Ian examined the stone, Kirke calmly said,

Consuming it will allow the restoration of the possessed body.

As she said, if he consumed this, even this talentless, filthy body would be reborn into a body with abundant talent.

But instead of consuming it, he grinned.

And.

“Huh?”

“Eh?”

Everyone in this place was taken aback.

The Guardians who were happy that the ritual had been stopped.

The demons who were despairing over the failure of the ritual.

Both groups couldn’t help but be bewildered by Ian’s actions.

Because he had casually thrown the Star of Talent in his hand onto the ground tainted with malice.

“You crazy bastard!!”

“What are you doing!!”

Gust and the Guardians screamed.

And the demons, while bewildered, cheered.

“Ha, hahaha!! They’re coming!! They’re finally coming!!”

A large egg began to appear where the Star of Talent had fallen.

Seeing it about to break out of its shell, the demons rejoiced.

A malice even stronger than what had been present so far began to emanate.

Gust, seeing it, despaired.

They had tried so hard to stop it.

In the end, the Seven Deadly Sins were appearing.

“Ian!! You!! Were you on the side of the demons!!”

She roared in anger, but Ian ignored her.

He was just watching the egg.

-Crackle!!

“They’re coming! They’re coming!”

“Sloth the Slut is coming!!”

The Seven Deadly Sins, Sloth the Slut, a hostile entity, is manifesting.

The egg shattered.

An arm emerged from the cracked egg.

That arm broke the rest of the egg, and another arm came out.

And another.

Finally, one more.

When four arms came out and completely shattered the egg.

A demon with four horns, revealing immense power, appeared.

The Seven Deadly Sins.

Seven demons with strength among the best of the Great Demons.

As one of them revealed themselves, Ian raised his sword.

The Sword of the World is activated.

“Hehehe… I liked this from the start. Dimensional rampage and all that. It’s easier to just kill everything, isn’t it?”

As Sloth leisurely spoke, emitting malice, Ian agreed.

“Ah. I admit that. It’s easier to just kill everything.”

-Slash!!

And he slashed.

Sloth the Slut, who had just emerged from hell, was struck by the Sword of the World and disappeared.

Everyone who saw that scene fell silent once again, and Ian twisted his lips into a smile and said.

“Now five.”

“……What?”

“Seven Deadly Sins. Now there are five left. And what we have to do here is…….”

Purify this land tainted with malice.

And erase the demons who are staring at him blankly.

That’s why Ian spoke to the Guardians who were staring at him blankly.

“Aren’t you going to work?”

The moment they heard those words, the demons and Guardians, who had been frozen, came to their senses and rushed towards each other.