RD | Chapter 37

The demons shrieked as they took flight. Their shadows shrank and turned into bats, melting into the shadows. However, the arrows bent like they were alive, striking them.

Papa-pak!

The Western Grand Duke immediately grabbed one of the bats, setting it before himself. The bat’s body turned into a living target, riddled with arrows.

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

From the demon transformed into a bat, instead of blood, thick black smoke billowed out. The demonic energy obscured the light of the World Tree, weakening the power of purification.

“You’ve prepared well, like a rat.”

Visit Lily on the Valley to read full chapter without gibberish

The Western Grand Duke praised in a tone of admiration before spreading his cloak. The black cloak transformed into dozens of bats, dispersing into the air as smoke.

The subordinate demons fell into combat incapacity. But such creatures were never considered real threats to begin with.

Visit Lily on the Valley to read full chapter without gibberish

Because the Demon Duke was a complete entity on his own.

The smoke spreading from the demons and the smoke from the Western Grand Duke became indistinguishable. The people coughed and shed tears in the acrid smoke, unsure of what to shoot at.

Visit Lily on the Valley to read full chapter without gibberish

“Lord Ian! What should we do…?”

The man who was asking froze. His eyes widened, his skin turned as white as paper.

Visit Lily on the Valley to read full chapter without gibberish

The shadow that had enveloped him from behind transformed into dozens of bats, then quickly turned into the figure of a gentleman wearing a black cloak—the Western Demon Duke, Belial.

He sucked the man’s blood dry, turning the man into a mummy without any blood left in his body. Even in that state, the man didn’t die, murmuring “Ah… ah…” Ian got goosebumps.

Read the complete chapter at Lily on the Valley without random text

Flutter!

The Western Grand Duke’s form vanished again. Now, the cave was shrouded in darkness, with only the faint light from the World Tree. Only screams, the sound of people having their blood sucked, and the noise of bodies turning into mummies echoed through the smoke.

For the best reading experience, visit lilyonthevalley.com

“Aaaaaah!”

A soldier, driven mad by fear, shot arrows wildly into the air.

For the best reading experience, visit lilyonthevalley.com

“Stop it! Don’t do it!”

“Don’t aim here!”

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

“You madman!”

Louise shot an arrow at his hand, making him drop his bow. The next moment, the man who had lost his bow turned into a mummy.

For the best reading experience, visit lilyonthevalley.com

Thud!

But it didn’t stop there. The mummies started to twitch and rise. Sema, who was beside one of the mummies, was the first to notice.

Support us by visiting our official site at lilyonthevalley.com

He screamed in shock.

“The mummy’s moving!”

Read the complete chapter at Lily on the Valley without random text

“…?!”

People liked Sema, but they didn’t fully trust his words. They turned to look at Sema, wondering what was happening.

Support us by visiting our official site at lilyonthevalley.com

Sema screamed.

“<Water Ball>!”

Support us by visiting our official site at lilyonthevalley.com

Even after being hit by the water magic, the mummy didn’t stop crawling towards Sema.

“Aaah, aaah! Help me! What is this!”

Support us by visiting our official site at lilyonthevalley.com

One by one, the soldiers who had turned into mummies rose with their emaciated bodies, staggering towards the people around them.

Fear settled in everyone’s hearts. And this was the environment demons loved most.

Support us by visiting our official site at lilyonthevalley.com

“Uah, aah…!”

“I want to go! I want to escape!”

For the best reading experience, visit lilyonthevalley.com

Ding!
[James has fallen into the status effect ‘Despair’.]

Ding!
[Joseph has fallen into the status effect ‘Despair’.]

For the best reading experience, visit lilyonthevalley.com

Those with lower loyalty began to lose their minds. They flailed about, screaming to escape the cave.

“Lord Ian!”

Support us by visiting our official site at lilyonthevalley.com

Only those with high loyalty remained, waiting for commands. Ian knew what they were asking.

‘Isn’t it time yet?’

Visit Lily on the Valley to read full chapter without gibberish

Just one chance.

Ian told the soldiers they had to create that one opportunity.

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

Keith, with his HP nearly depleted, couldn’t fight for long. They had to provide him with a critical strike, a chance to deal a fatal blow to the demon.

Ian and the soldiers.

Support us by visiting our official site at lilyonthevalley.com

Grrrrr!

Contacca, transformed into a wolf, swung his claws at the smoke. His claws, filled with wild energy, pierced through the wavering forms of the bats.

For the best reading experience, visit lilyonthevalley.com

“This!”

While Contacca bought time, the others reorganized their lines. Momisia had brought a special cart she made with her skillful hands, filled with arrows enchanted with the <Amplification> skill. If Ian cast <Purification> on the arrows, their effect would be maximized. Her hands were blistered, and her forehead was drenched in sweat from making these.

Visit Lily on the Valley to read full chapter without gibberish

They had endured to create this opportunity.

Rattle!

For the best reading experience, visit lilyonthevalley.com

“Lord Ian!”

She shouted.

Support us by visiting our official site at lilyonthevalley.com

“Well done!”

Ian took the cart, which was as tall as her, and imbued the arrows inside with <Purification>.

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

Whoosh-!

A warm breeze seemed to touch their heads as it passed. With the silence of sunlight descending, light filled the pile of arrows.

Visit Lily on the Valley to read full chapter without gibberish

“Here!”

Louise kept shooting arrows to aid Contacca’s distraction until his nails broke. Ian threw the pile of arrows to him first, then shouted to the people.

Read the complete chapter at Lily on the Valley without random text

“Shoot the smoke! That’s not just smoke! It’s demonic energy!”

By dispersing the demonic energy with purification arrows, they could weaken the demon’s power. This effect would be even better against lesser demons, potentially stopping the mummies’ movements.

For the best reading experience, visit lilyonthevalley.com

People aimed their arrows and shot them all at once. As the smoke dispersed, the mummies attempting to bite their neighbors hesitated. The swarm of bats couldn’t maintain their shadowy forms and revealed themselves.

Each bat was part of the Demon Duke’s body. The soldiers, not yet skilled enough, couldn’t hit them, but it was enough to make it troublesome for the Demon Duke to deal with the werewolf.

Read the complete chapter at Lily on the Valley without random text

“These pests!”

The Demon Duke focused on the human giving orders to these pests.

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

The human who had escaped with Keith, hiding him somewhere.

Hadn’t he been conspicuous from the start?

For the best reading experience, visit lilyonthevalley.com

The Demon Duke decided to deal with this troublesome human first.

And that was exactly what Ian had hoped for.

Read the complete chapter at Lily on the Valley without random text

‘How do I catch that guy?’

Belial’s abilities were teleportation and vampirism.

Support us by visiting our official site at lilyonthevalley.com

Teleportation was the ability to transform into a bat and move short distances instantaneously, and vampirism was exactly what it sounded like. It sucked out all the life force from an opponent to replenish his own.

Simply put, it was the ability to turn enemies into living potions. As a Demon Duke among vampires, Belial’s skills were special; his vampirism skill had an additional option. It could revive those whose life he had drained and make them his slaves.

Read the complete chapter at Lily on the Valley without random text

‘There was also some other weird ability that was useless in combat…’

Ian didn’t remember it. Memorizing such trivial skills was just a waste of brain space.

For the best reading experience, visit lilyonthevalley.com

Anyway, all these abilities were troublesome, but teleportation was the most problematic. To cause any damage, he needed to pinpoint his location, but his movement ability was unmatched, leaving no room for attack opportunities.

Above all, Ian lacked the ability to deal a fatal blow to him. Catch him multiple times and beat him up?

For the best reading experience, visit lilyonthevalley.com

Ian couldn’t do that.

The Demon Duke was not an opponent they could currently defeat. Ian’s forces were no match for him in terms of attack power, stamina, or items.

Support us by visiting our official site at lilyonthevalley.com

‘Attack opportunity and attack power.’

At least, they needed both to kill the Demon Duke.

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

But Ian wasn’t worried about the latter. They had Keith for that.

The same applied to the attack opportunity.

For the best reading experience, visit lilyonthevalley.com

‘One critical strike is enough.’

Keith’s class was Holy Knight. He had an extreme advantage over all demons.

Read the complete chapter at Lily on the Valley without random text

Just one chance.

If they could seize that one opportunity, Keith would do his part. Because he was that kind of hero.

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

So, they just needed to create that attack opportunity.

Ian had been moving conspicuously from the beginning, to make Belial find him annoying enough to deal with.

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

No one else would do. Ian had to be the bait.

Because he was the only one who could purify himself after being hit by Belial’s skill and not turn into a mummy.

Visit Lily on the Valley to read full chapter without gibberish

This was a strategy born from watching Keith’s self-healing.

Belial transformed into a bat and turned into smoke. Ian was caught off guard from behind.

For the best reading experience, visit lilyonthevalley.com

The moment Belial’s fangs plunged into his neck, Ian thought:

‘Got him.’

Visit Lily on the Valley to read full chapter without gibberish

“Now!”

A golden knight descended from the World Tree. His movements were faster and quieter than arrows. His white armor reflected the light of the World Tree, dazzlingly bright.

Visit Lily on the Valley to read full chapter without gibberish

He had waited for so long. Every scream tore at his heart. He was there to protect people, never watching them be sacrificed for his own safety.

But Ian had commanded him.

Visit Lily on the Valley to read full chapter without gibberish

To hide here and wait for an opportunity.

He had to obey the command.

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

He was always a knight who followed orders. He didn’t judge for himself. Because he was an unreliable being.

The only being he trusted was God. He believed that what the Pope commanded was what God wanted, so he had followed without any resistance, even at the cost of exhausting himself.

For the best reading experience, visit lilyonthevalley.com

But this command was more painful than any he had received. His heart ached.

Yet, he thought he must obey this person’s command. It was the first time someone like Ian had commanded him.

Read the complete chapter at Lily on the Valley without random text

And the opportunity came. From above the World Tree, a path of light was drawn downward.

The knight with the holy sword pierced the Demon Duke’s heart.

For the best reading experience, visit lilyonthevalley.com

Thunk!