Is It Bad That the Main Character’s a Roleplayer?
Chapter 211: Life is Cruel (6)

Chapter 211 Life is Cruel (6)

Surging Azure Lake’s escort, who had been running toward the Magic Tower, noticed a white signal rising into the sky.

It was an evacuation order issued for the entire city used in the event of an emergency.

And the searchlights at the west and south gates had been turned on, aimed toward the sky.

“Looks like they finally received reports of the appearance of Demons…”

The searchlights indicated which direction the citizens should evacuate, so the fact that only the searchlights at the south and west gates were lit meant they shouldn’t go through the north gate.

After all, the thing they’d been fighting earlier was in the warehouse district near the northern gate. In the end, those searchlights were intended to warn those evacuating so they wouldn’t get caught up in that fight.

The fact that there was an unusually high number of lit searchlights in the south indicated that it would be safer to evacuate to the south.

“…Just how serious is the situation?”

But… yeah. The more detailed the instructions became, the more uneasy the escort grew. It wasn’t just that the authorities had already gathered so much information about this Demon, but also that they issued the whole city’s evacuation.

In the entire history of Bemurchen, comprehensive evacuation orders had only ever been issued twice, both in the city’s early days. This was the first time they’d done it since the walls were built.

“Get up, now!”

“Get up! Stand up!”

“We have to evacuate!”

“Pack your bags! Only the essentials!”

Perhaps because of the civilian militia previously formed in case the military was fighting, the people hadn’t fallen into complete chaos. It was fortunate the people were following their instructions well instead of running around like headless chickens…

“Just what is going on?”

“An evacuation order has been issued! Head to the south or west!”

“What about north?”

“Do not go north! I repeat! Do not go north!!”

As the escort watched the people gradually begin evacuating, he adjusted his grip on Surging Azure Lake, whom he was still holding.

He understood the situation was dangerous enough to warrant an evacuation order, but he sincerely hoped no major incidents would occur before everyone had made it out safe.

It was an extremely desperate but modest wish.

* * *

> [I am Pandemonium, the Great Demon of Greed or Avarice. And yet you dare to declare your goal is to buy time against me? How ridiculous. Let’s see you try.]

She raised an eyebrow at Pandemonium’s words before kicking off the stone ground, dodging the crimson liquid rushing toward her.

It surged forth like waves, flooding the place she had been before. Its speed was so fast that she would have been caught by it had she been even slightly slower.

It seemed it would spread over ten meters in a single second.

However, despite its incredible speed, it hadn’t caught her off guard.

She’d seen something similar beyond the border, in the frozen lands where even warriors dared not go, although what she’d seen back then moved very slowly and didn’t flow so menacingly.

If the people of her homeland had seen Pandemonium’s crimson liquid, they would have never called it “Flowing Fire.”

“Two kinds, huh…”

Anyway, it appeared that Pandemonium could use two different kinds of liquids: one was heavy and slow-moving, and the other flowed lightly and quickly, almost like water.

Moreover, the former could take on specific forms to attack her, while the latter, though formless, rushed at her at high speeds.

Judging the latter as the one she needed to be more wary of, she swung her wooden stick.

The resulting wind pressure, just strong enough not to break the staff, pushed away the molten lava. Since the fast kind seemed fairly light, she tried to take care of it like this, and it actually worked.

Based on what she found out, she continued to strike at the crimson liquid.

Swoosh!

The staff scraped along the ground, pushing back the Flowing Fire and sending it flying toward Pandemonium.

She did that to test whether Pandemonium could be harmed by its own power, but unfortunately, the crimson liquid simply merged with the hem of its clothes. It didn’t seem to have any effect.

Fwoosh!

On top of that, the wooden staff caught fire. While it wasn’t capable of melting stone, it was very much able to set wood ablaze.

This was similar to what she’d seen in her homeland. The Flowing Fire there couldn’t melt rocks, but it could easily burn down trees.

Even the weapons she’d once tried to dip into this liquid reacted similarly. Those made of iron merely grew very hot, while those made of wood were reduced to ash.

“I should’ve brought a proper weapon.”

If that were the case, this stuff probably couldn’t melt iron either. As another wave of crimson liquid rushed toward her, she briefly recalled the black halberd that had broken in her fight with the Demon Knight, feeling a slight twinge of regret.

“Doesn’t matter.”

She only felt a twinge, nothing more.

The halberd that once belonged to her master had been her partner for over twenty years since she killed them… but that was all.

Whenever she recalled the blood spilled on that day, she knew this weapon would break someday.

Her foot kicked away a loose stone as she climbed up a building, grabbing hold of a wooden beam that formed part of the roof’s frame.

As her muscles swelled from exertion, she finally wrenched that huge beam free.

Whoosh.

She threw it at the Demon without a hint of hesitation. The faceless Demon twitched its ears slightly at the beam rushing toward it. Somehow, it seemed as if it was smirking.

> [Can you do nothing but throw things around, mortal?]

Pandemonium summoned a mass of dark crimson liquid and grabbed the wooden pillar with it. Though its movements were slow, the viscous liquid easily blocked the beam.

Whoosh!

But why would she just stop at one? She absolutely wouldn’t.

She tore out another beam, pulled out stones, and threw them at it.

She would get burned if she got too close to the crimson liquid, so she had no choice but to do this. Until she figured out a weakness, she could only probe them like this.

Thud, thud, thud

Most of what she threw was blocked by the crimson liquid, and the thinner, faster liquid began to flood the alleyway. If not for the drainage system, it would have long done so already.

She watched as the crimson liquid summoned by the Demon pooled into the drainage channels, and then she looked again at the Demon, who had yet to move a single step.

Was it simply confidence, or was there a reason that Demon couldn’t move?

The way it was dealing with her now was also strange. If it had summoned that colossal giant from back then, it might not have been able to kill her outright, but it certainly could have applied a lot more pressure on her than this.

And yet, that thing showed no sign that it would use its full strength. Why?

“You have no intention of fighting me seriously, huh?”

> [You’re not the vessel of Wrath, so you’re hardly worth my full effort.]

The patience of the strong always signified something. Whether it was their benevolence…

> [Why don’t you just leave while you still have the chance? I like you, at least a little. It’s been a while since I’ve seen such pure and clear desire.]

Or a hidden agenda.

She stood on the roof, her golden eyes scanning the ground below like a hawk searching for prey. She didn’t believe a word that left Pandemonium’s mouth.

She’d rather believe the Demon Knight’s foul temper was nothing but an act than trust a Demon’s mercy.

“Ah. Right.”

She had to look at what was before her.

“The ritual is still in progress, huh?”

Beneath the Demon’s words of chances and whatnot lay traps filled with malice. That much was obvious, right?

> [Who knows?]

All the crimson liquid that had attacked her so far had seeped from Pandemonium. The way it was scattered around them only fortified that conclusion.

For a moment, she’d thought it was already too late to stop the ritual… but no. The ritual was still ongoing inside the building from which the Demon had emerged.

The crimson liquid she initially thought was coming from Pandemonium was actually mixed with the substance flowing out of the building.

> [Do you think knowing that will let you stop it?]

The ritual was taking place over there.

“Worth a try, don’t you think?”

She glanced at the burning building covered in crimson liquid.

It was certainly difficult for her to deal with that since she was neither a wizard nor capable of cutting through large areas like the Demon Knight.

Her opponent was also much stronger than her, so it was true that she normally wouldn’t have any way to deal with this.

However…

“Still hesitating?”

> […?]

“I’m ready.”

If the Demon had no intention of fighting her properly, then perhaps the complete version of “herself” could find a way. She knew this and kept urging.

“…Fine.”

No response came. That stubborn resolve she’d carried within her for decades was simply too strong to be shaken so easily.

“Then I have no other choice.”

However, she couldn’t abandon this fight. She pulled another beam free and threw it with great force.

She didn’t aim for the Demon’s main body this time, so the crimson liquid didn’t stop its flight.

> […?]

Several beams were embedded upright amid the Flowing Fire and began to burn. Pandemonium, seemingly unaware of her intentions, just stood there without reacting.

It was strong, as expected of a Great Demon, but it was seemingly highly inexperienced with this kind of battle.

But the less it understood, the better it was for her.

She leaped toward the stakes she had driven into the ground. Though they were already starting to collapse under the intense heat, they could still serve as a temporary foothold.

> [You!]

Judging by how quickly it managed to grasp her intentions, it wasn’t completely stupid.

Kicking off one of the stakes, she landed on the crumbling wall of the building. The inside was filled with burning crates, but there was no reason for her not to step on them.

She entered the building, acrid smoke stinging her nostrils as soon as she did.

“…!”

As she stepped onto piles of crates beyond the wall, the intense heat caused the clothes wrapped around her body to shrink and stick to her skin. It was only natural that the pile of crates beneath her were burning so fiercely.

Still, she couldn’t afford to pay any attention to that. What lay before her was far from what she had expected.

“This is…”

Hundreds of crates piled up within the building were burning, constantly leaking molten metal. And that molten metal endlessly flowed toward Pandemonium.

Wherever the crates burned away, something else appeared in their place.

The black stone walls, the burgundy carpet over the floor, the golden candlesticks sparsely decorating the walls, and the elegant statues and paintings scattered here and there.

It all reminded her of the interior of a grand, ancient mansion.

However, the majestic atmosphere was utterly distorted by the oppressive and malevolent aura caused by the overwhelming amount of Demonic Energy emanating from within.

Even someone as ignorant as her could recognize this was “a world that should not exist.”

* * *

> [Do you really think you can ruin this?]

It seemed she was momentarily flustered by this unimaginable sight before her. She blinked once to erase her shock and sprang to action.

A warrior unable to control their emotions was not worthy of being a warrior.

Having noticed the ritual altar further inside the world of this twisted mansion, she jumped onto the main beam supporting the structure.

As if confirming her suspicion that the inner area was its weak point, Pandemonium finally started to move, pursuing her directly.

Creak!

The beam, which was barely holding on, creaked precariously as the flames ate away at it.

Nevertheless, she sprinted along the beam. The Demon followed closely after her. No, they were faster.

Three pairs of outstretched hands lunged toward her, leaving behind burn marks.

Whoosh! Crimson liquid rose up from the floor, blocking her vision. It clearly wouldn’t let her breach this line, no matter what.

> [The game is over.]

Didn’t they know such obstacles only made her more determined to cross? She smiled, keeping her composure.

Swoosh!

However, the Demon’s attack was quite intense now that it had stopped underestimating her.

Several tendrils—formed of deformed crimson liquid—shot toward her, but she swiftly dodged them.

However, Pandemonium’s assault didn’t end there. While some tendrils aimed for her directly, others targeted the beam beneath her, slicing through it, while several more struck the support pillars below.

> [Die.]

Even Pandemonium itself joined the fight. Its sharp claws tore through her shoulder and chest, piercing her side.

Thanks to her decision to counterattack while twisting her body, she avoided having her bones broken or her heart crushed, but her muscles were scorched, and her skin was in tatters.

Her arm would be useless now.

Hissss.

The hand she’d used to attack was in a similar state.

Though she managed to push away Pandemonium by striking its abdomen, the price for that was a burn deeply engraved on her palm.

Creak.

At that moment, the collapsing beams, cut by the tendrils, continued to tilt.

Realizing the gap between herself and her opponent, she decided to abandon her secondary goal of disrupting the ritual.

Now that her foe had stopped underestimating her, continuing to aim for that would be nothing short of arrogance.

Swoosh! A tendril grazed her leg as she was trying to retreat, instantly burning her clothes and skin.

Thud, crash!

The same went for Pandemonium itself. The fact that her opponent’s outer skin was composed entirely of molten yellow metal was almost maddening.

Whether she attacked or defended, she alone would suffer damage. She kicked the pillar falling toward her, sending it flying toward Pandemonium, and then leaped to her next position.

Ruuuuumble.

And right then, the crimson giant began to rise from the floor of the building.

The giant, forged from dense flame and stone, lifted a beam and rested its head against the roof of the building. The highest beam she’d just landed on was rapidly burning to a crisp, its center already crumbling to ash.

Bam!

So she broke through the ceiling and escaped outside. Crackle, crackle. The burning debris from the ceiling continued to torment her. Pandemonium’s last attack had pierced her calves.

If only she had a weapon! She sighed without realizing it.

Neeeigh!

At that moment, she could hear the distant neigh of a horse, followed by the approach of a familiar presence. Strong Arcane Power and steady, controlled breathing. It was someone she knew well.

“Demon Knight!”

Her face twisted slightly. She felt humiliated by how she’d been so completely overwhelmed the moment her opponent decided to get serious but, at the same time, relieved she’d achieved her goal.

Still, she felt angry. Intense frustration over being so helplessly outmatched filled her.

So… could she just stop being so stubborn now? Please?

“There’s a ritual altar inside! They seem to be summoning something. We have to stop that!”

She jumped from the roof, thinking she still had to do what she could despite her anger at her helplessness.

For some reason, Pandemonium showed no intention of attacking further, and no more obstacles flew at her as she fell.

Her body floating midair, she reached out her hand to the approaching figure.

“Confirmed.”

Their hands clasped together tightly, pulling each other as they exchanged places.

“Head to the wall with the horse.”

“I’m sorry I wasn’t much of a help.”

Her body was thrown toward a part of the ground still untouched by the Flowing Fire, while the Demon Knight’s body was hurled deeper into the building. Jet-black Arcane Power began to surge like a raging storm.

* * *

Slash!

A black [Slash] tore through the giant.

Boom!

Dark Arcane Power spiraled outward in a violent storm of energy. I’d thought the technique would be useless when developing it, but it was surprisingly useful now.

After clearing the foothold by slicing through the scattered lava around me, I started to assess the situation.

> [So you’ve finally come.]

But what use was having a place to stand if I couldn’t even cut through the thing I wanted to properly?

I instinctively realized that the lava giant had blocked my [Slash].

Though it might appear like I cut through it, it simply reformed thanks to its liquid properties. It just couldn’t be cut like that. That was all.

My right arm, which had been itching like crazy for some time, was now throbbing. The ash-filled air stung my lungs.

> [Wrath.]

Boom!

The giant’s hand crashed down on the spot where I had been standing.

I quickly pulled back. It was quite a difficult endeavor since there was nothing but lava around, but the fact the building had collapsed was a blessing in disguise.

I stepped onto the pile of accumulated debris to retreat. The gaps through which flames were escaping were quite hot, but my feet didn’t even feel like they were burning.

Berserk… No, Weapon Master? It had been a long time since I last saw her, and now it seemed she’d managed to evacuate with Frederick, her presence getting farther away.

I’d been a little worried she might insist on fighting with me, but it appeared she knew how hard that would be in her current state. Good.

> [I specially created this stage for you. Do you like it?]

Now, there was only one thing left to figure out.

How could I destroy the ritual altar over there? Should I pour more Arcane Power into my blade and slice through it? But that faceless Demon wouldn’t just stand by and watch, either. Since that giant seemed kind of sluggish, maybe it would be better to cycle around and strike from behind. Or should I force my way through using that spiral skill again?

> [Hah, oh well. You aren’t really Wrath, so it doesn’t matter anyway.]

Turning my gaze away from the lava giant, I focused on the Demon cloaked in lava. Its triangular ears, which I initially thought were horns, spread out like wings.

> [Get ready! I’ve prepared a jewel capable of embedding your soul!]

As soon as the lava giant began to move, a meteor shower rained down from above.

Of course, it might look like that at first glance, but if you looked more closely, it seemed closer to volcanic bombs. Those things had lava inside them.

‘That cheapskate bastard, always relying on nothing but money…’

I slashed through two of the projectiles, but after finding that even the remaining chunks were still dangerous as they hit the ground, I decided to focus entirely on evading.

The lava giant’s movements also presented a problem.

It was slow because it was made of viscous lava, perhaps to preserve its form… but one hit from that thing would be devastating.

To make matters worse, because it was made entirely of lava, it was impossible to step on.

Boom, crash, boom!!

In the end, I jumped back to avoid the meteors, dodging sideways to evade the lava giant’s fist, and continued retreating to avoid the lava that came rushing in.

If I retreated too far, it would be difficult to maintain the proper distance, so I tried circling around by climbing over the remaining buildings, but every time I found a viable path, a volcanic bomb landed precisely where I wanted to go.

And they weren’t just hitting the area; a second later, they would explode, spewing lava everywhere.

It was truly devilishly evil to leave this persistent, hazardous terrain at every turn I made.

Slash!

> [Sorry, but your attacks are just too predictable.]

Even the occasional [Slash] I sent at the Demon didn’t work. I was standing amid a sea of lava, watching the Demon I was completely unable to hit, trying to calm down the boiling anger within me.

My Arcane Power was also harder to control today, so I was getting rather antsy.

> [If I had known it would be like this, perhaps I should have held back on the preparations.]

Ah, please. At this point, could I at least get some footholds? Even that damn Moby Tiger gave me some random platforms here and there! Even during the aerial combat, the Inquisitor was there to make some footholds!

But what the hell was this? Just because there were buildings, they completely skipped creating platforms?! The lava giant was wrecking all the buildings and flooding them with lava!

I clenched my teeth, breathing in the hot air. If I had known it would come to this, I would’ve just accepted the support of the Magic Tower. Seriously, life’s just so fucking… I mean, so cruel.

> [What’s wrong?]

I noticed I’d been cursing a lot more these days, so I self-censored myself and exhaled heavily.

> [You look as if you don’t even have the confidence to follow through.]

Ah, I sure could use a cigarette right now!

‘…Kill that damn bastard!’

At that moment, Arcane Power started to surge and ripple across the surface of my body.

____