From Trash to Demon Lord: I Can Turn Heroines Into Villainesses

Chapter 82: The Saints’ Chamber...

The enormous doors remained shut.

Thick black chains wrapped around them completely, crossing over one another as though they had spent centuries preventing anyone from entering.

Standing before them, Nox remained motionless.

A single message floated before his eyes.

[Enter.]

"..."

The demon frowned.

It wasn’t an order.

Nor was it a quest.

It was simply one word.

"Nox?"

Dawn’s voice pulled him from his thoughts.

Without answering, he began walking toward the doors.

One step.

Another.

And another.

Until he stood directly before the chains.

He didn’t know why.

He simply...

Felt like his body needed to do it.

Slowly, he raised one hand.

Then placed his palm against the wood.

Dawn raised an eyebrow.

"...I don’t think that’s going to work."

Then it happened.

One of the links trembled.

Then another.

And another.

The chains slowly began to loosen.

Link by link.

As though some invisible force were releasing them.

Every chain fell to the floor.

Covered in a faint dark aura.

Nox’s eyes widened slightly.

"..."

He crouched down for a few seconds.

Examining the chains.

They were almost identical to the Forgotten King’s Chains.

"...They’re just like mine."

No one answered.

The enormous doors slowly began to open.

CRRRRR...

The sound echoed throughout the corridor.

Dawn stared at Nox in complete disbelief.

"...What did you just do?"

The demon slowly shook his head.

"I have no idea."

And that was the truth.

He hadn’t used any skill.

He hadn’t broken anything.

The chains had simply...

Allowed him to pass.

’Why...?’

The message.

The chains.

The door.

Everything seemed to have been prepared for him.

’Does someone want me to move forward?’

A chill ran down his spine.

’Is this a trap...?’

Another possibility immediately crossed his mind.

’...Or is it that damned goddess again?’

He remembered the day he died.

He remembered waking up as a demon.

He remembered that smile.

He clenched both fists tightly.

’You wouldn’t even let me die in peace...’

A hand gently grasped his.

Nox looked up.

Audrey.

The huntress didn’t say a single word.

She simply held his hand for a few seconds.

As though she understood exactly what he was feeling.

Nox took a deep breath.

"...Thank you."

Audrey gave him a faint smile.

"Let’s go."

◇◆◇

The group slowly walked through the massive gateway.

The chamber was enormous.

As large as the church’s entire main prayer hall.

Its ceiling disappeared into the shadows above.

Massive columns lined both sides of the room.

At the center...

Stood a huge white stone altar.

And much farther back...

A gigantic circular structure covered in golden symbols.

It looked like some kind of portal.

Or ritual.

Misty looked around.

"...Now what?"

Her voice echoed throughout the chamber.

"How exactly are we supposed to talk to the gods?"

She looked toward the altar.

"They didn’t leave us an instruction manual."

Nox was about to answer.

But another message appeared before his eyes.

[Approach the Altar.]

"..."

Another command.

Again.

A faint sense of unease settled over him.

’Who the hell is guiding me?’

Then...

A voice echoed from behind a heavy curtain beside the altar.

A voice every one of them recognized.

"I knew it wouldn’t take you long to get here."

The man slowly pulled the curtain aside.

Then calmly walked into view.

His hands clasped behind his back.

A confident smile on his face.

"The stupid princess."

He looked at Dawn.

"The traitorous inquisitor."

Then at Tessa.

"The demon from the mountains."

Finally, his smile widened even further.

"...and his pathetic little group."

Gabriel.

The Saint.

He had been waiting for them.

Tessa reacted immediately.

Her golden spear appeared in a burst of flames.

Fire completely engulfed its tip.

At the same time...

The floor around Dawn began to freeze.

The princess placed one hand on the hilt of her katana.

Ice slowly spread from the weapon.

Gabriel looked at them and burst into laughter.

"What a troublesome little group."

He slowly shook his head.

"After all these years occupying this position..."

An almost childlike smile appeared on his face.

"...I’m finally going to enjoy these damned powers."

Behind his back...

Flames began gathering.

They swirled around themselves.

Compressed.

Until they formed the exact same spear once wielded by the Phoenix Inquisitor.

Tessa’s eyes widened slightly.

"..."

It was identical.

Gabriel held it effortlessly in one hand.

Still smiling...

He threw it.

The spear tore across the chamber wrapped in a sea of flames.

Too fast.

Too powerful.

But before it could reach the group...

Black chains erupted from the floor.

They crossed over one another, forming a massive wall.

The spear slammed into them, and the flames exploded outward.

Heat swept across the entire chamber.

But not a single flame reached the group.

The chains remained standing.

Only covered by a few tiny cracks.

Gabriel raised an eyebrow.

"...Interesting."

Nox stepped forward.

He placed one hand on Dawn’s shoulder.

And the other on Tessa’s.

Both women turned toward him.

The demon smiled.

"I trust you."

He looked at Dawn first.

"I need you to buy me some time."

Then he turned to Tessa.

"Enough for me to reach the altar."

The redhead nodded immediately.

"I won’t let him get past."

Dawn did exactly the same.

"Go."

Nox turned his head.

His eyes found Catherine.

The cat girl was still staring at Gabriel with clenched fists.

Felix circled nervously around her.

Nox smiled.

"Catherine."

The girl looked up.

"Yes?"

"I give you permission."

Golden energy slowly began flowing through her body.

"Unleash all your fury."

Felix let out a low growl.

Nox continued.

"And show me everything you learned while training with the princess."

Bone claws began growing from her hands.

Spiritual energy completely enveloped Catherine.

The girl took a deep breath.

Then nodded.

"I will."

Nox slowly raised one hand.

The Marauder’s Mask appeared over his face.

Shadows began wrapping around his body.

Gabriel watched him carefully.

"Running away?"

Nox didn’t answer.

He simply...

Disappeared.

As though he had never been there.

The shadows completely swallowed him.

Silence.

Gabriel slowly turned his head toward the women still standing before him.

He smiled.

Electricity began coursing through his arms.

Tiny bolts danced between his fingers.

Exactly like Olive, the Lightning Inquisitor.

The Saint slowly clenched both fists.

The chamber filled with the roar of thunder.

His smile grew even wider.

"First..."

He fixed his gaze on Dawn.

"...I’ll get rid of these idiots."

Lightning spread across his entire body.

Then...

He slowly shifted his gaze toward the darkness where Nox had vanished.

"...and then I’ll deal with you, demon."

Dawn stepped forward.

Ice completely covered the floor.

Tessa spun her spear through the flames.

Audrey slowly drew her dagger, coated in dark energy.

Misty bent her knees.

Catherine allowed Felix to completely merge with her body.

Five women.

One Saint.

And one demon...

Racing toward an altar that might hold the answer to everything.