What surprised me the most was the fact that there was a demon right in front of me. However, that didn’t mean I was fixated on it the entire time.
Recently, I had developed a habit of immediately activating the 'Player's Eye' whenever I met a stranger. It was essential for determining whether the person was an otherworlder or not.
Naturally, this time was no exception, and thanks to that, I was able to confirm something just as shocking as that bizarre demon.
[Wow, it’s Yor] [Yo yo yo] [Why is that guy coming out of that pit?] [No way, run away! There’s a demon here!] [Yeobyeob, you bastard, if you let that guy die, I’ll seriously get you banned from streaming] [N] Banned by the manager.]
It was live streaming. One of the people behind Dantalion was an otherworlder who was broadcasting. Honestly, even that wouldn’t have been too surprising.
The problem was that there was a demon right in front of me, and I had no idea what might happen.
“Hm, since it seems you already know me, I’ll skip the introduction. It looks like you live here, don’t you?”
As I was lost in thought, the demon Dantalion spoke up. The way his head twisted and changed shape was quite fascinating.
I had heard about it from Chae-rin, but seeing it in person was astonishing.
‘How does he eat?’
That ridiculous thought crossed my mind for a moment before I quickly dismissed it.
“... Well.”
“Hmm, judging by your reaction, it seems to be true.”
Unfortunately, my attempt to deflect was caught almost immediately.
‘Huh...’
I sighed internally and asked, “So, what brings you here?”
I was a bit nervous, but demons were generally communicable beings. Although they were prone to madness and tended to kill people indiscriminately, they still had some rationality.
If I played my cards right, I might be able to get through this unscathed.
As I was pondering this, Dantalion spoke again.
“Oh, it’s nothing much; I’m just looking for something.”
“What is it?”
“I’m sorry. It’s something I can’t easily discuss with outsiders.”
As he said that, he glanced at the otherworlder who was streaming. Their nickname was... Yeobyeob, if I remembered correctly. It seemed they were being cautious about speaking due to the broadcast. But if that were the case, why not just turn off the stream?
I felt a little unjust, but there was nothing I could do about it.
“By the way, you’re quite interesting. Usually, when people see me, they get scared and run away. It seems you’ve met others besides me.”
“.........”
“Well, it’s fine. I just need to check something at your home for a moment. Could you step aside?”
“If I show you my home... will you just leave afterward?”
“Of course! We are beings that can communicate reasonably, as you think.”
I hesitated for a moment. Various thoughts filled my head.
What could be the reason they suddenly came to this forest?
And what were they trying to investigate in my cave?
For a brief moment, my eyes caught a glimpse of one of Dantalion’s arms hanging at his waist. It was severely corroded, with only a few scraps of flesh clinging to the bone.
Strangely enough, it didn’t smell rotten; instead, it exuded a thick magical energy.
And that arm was pointing directly toward my cave.
‘Is that the reason he wants to go in?’
That was about all I could infer with my limited understanding.
“Yes, that’s probably what you’re thinking. So please come out for a moment.”
As if reading my thoughts, he responded politely.
I contemplated for a while. Should I stop him from entering? Or should I just let him in without resistance?
‘It’s reckless to let a stranger in...’
There were still some bloodstains from my previous fights deep inside my cave.
It was a bit troublesome, but I didn’t have many options.
I certainly didn’t want to fight a demon while a broadcast was running.
R𝑒ad lat𝒆st chapt𝒆rs at free𝑤ebnovel.com Only.
If he accepted the condition of not allowing the streamer in, I could let him in.
With that, I hoped to wrap up the situation smoothly.
“Um, Dantalion, is it alright if I say something presumptuous?”
If one of the Lemegeton guys hadn’t spoken up in between, that would have been great.
“That person is a talent the Lemegeton is looking for.”
“Oh? Really? Why is that?”
“Well, the reason is that I’m not quite sure... but I heard that the leaders gathered to have a meeting about this person. It was just something I overheard.”
I slapped my forehead. So, since they couldn’t get a human, they were trying to recruit me through a demon now.
“Did you hear that? The plan has changed. Please come over to our side.”
“Why are you, a demon, listening to those guys?”
“Haha, it’s because I need a large force to survive for a long time. The world is originally about helping one another, isn’t it?”
That was true, but hearing it from a demon felt odd.
I momentarily glanced at the Yeobyeob broadcast chat.
[WTF, do those cultists know Yor?]
[Don’t go over there!]
[Clearly, some users told them; those bastards!]
[But is it enough to be called a talent just for that?]
[If you see his face, he might be worth the title lol.]
Fortunately, while some doubts were expressed, there was no deep curiosity about the details.
Of course, I had my answer ready. I looked at him and firmly rejected the offer.
“Sorry, but I’m not interested.”
Strangely enough, my refusal didn’t seem to upset him. Instead, his smile grew wider.
It was a rather peculiar reaction. After a moment, his face changed again, and he asked the former cultist.
“Is it necessary to bring a talent by peaceful means?”
“Yes? That’s hard to say... Each leader has their own thoughts, so I’m not sure.”
“I see!”
Dantalion nodded vigorously.
And that was when it happened.
A strange foreboding captured my senses. Suddenly, an alarm rang in my head.
At the edge of my hearing, I caught a faint anomaly.
I immediately rolled my body to the side.
Whoosh-!
And not long after, a spear was shot into the spot where I had been standing. It was a solid and sharp spear made of refined mana. If I had remained there, it would have pierced right through my shoulder.
I grimaced.
“What the hell is this?”
“Wow, I was thinking of inflicting some injury, but your reflexes are quite impressive.”
“I asked what you’re doing.”
“What do you mean? I’m trying to recruit you.”
I grabbed the spear.
“Do you think I’d just walk in because of this? This is only fueling my resentment.”
“Haha, you can only know for sure after trying. Besides, it’s not just about recruitment. I’m just curious about you.”
“Damn.”
I couldn’t help but curse.
Why do demons keep taking an interest in me? Do I somehow emit pheromones that attract demons?
“Oh? Have you met other demons before?”
Even while I was thinking that, his attacks continued.
Whoosh!
Another spear flew toward me. A pitch-black spear that resembled his dark heart.
Its power and speed were extraordinary.
Thus, I had to make exaggerated movements just to avoid the attack. I didn’t mind brushing past it, but the broadcast was currently active.
[Whoa, can you see that?]
[Don’t die! You can’t die!]
[How are you dodging that?]
Once the fight started, there was no option but to fight.
I charged at him while rolling my body. The sharp spear tip closed in rapidly.
Even though it was a pretty swift strike, there was no change in his expression.
In fact, as if he expected it, a barrier appeared to block the spear’s trajectory.
Clang!
With a clear sound, I saw his eyes filled with even more intrigue.
“Indeed, you weren’t scared to see me because you’re confident in your skills.”
“.........”
“But that alone doesn’t clear my doubts. You seem to be worried about something else. Rather than fearing for your life when facing a demon, you seem more concerned about your location being exposed. As if you have something to hide. Am I right?”
I kept my mouth shut. This guy’s guesses were strangely sharp.
The question about whether I had met a demon before and his earlier statements were insightful.
It was as if he could read my thoughts.
“Do you think I can read your thoughts?”
...Yeah, just like now.
Wait a minute, can this guy really read minds?
“Ha, do you really think I could? I’m just making trivial guesses.”
His tone sounded dismissive, but I could vaguely sense the mischief in his voice.
So that statement was a lie. He was lying through his teeth.
“You’re smarter than I expected. Well, it doesn’t matter. Let’s assume that I can read your thoughts and keep talking. You seem to be concerned about something being exposed, but I have no idea what you’re worried about. Tell me, what are you worried about?”
I held back my words and kept my thoughts to myself.
Of course, thoughts aren’t something you can control at will.
But I could guide him elsewhere so he wouldn’t dwell on other things.
Thus, I swung my spear.
I gathered it for a moment and then swung it toward his right side.
“Right side.”
Unfortunately, it was blocked. But I had anticipated that much.
I immediately followed up with my next attack.
Clang!
Using the rebound from the barrier, I turned my body. This time I aimed sharply at his left temple.
“Left. How predictable.”
The fight continued in that manner for a while.
To minimize distractions, I aggressively pressed the attack. However, there was not a single time my attacks connected.
He must have been reading my thoughts.
Each time I attacked, a barrier appeared just in time to block my strike. While it was somewhat intriguing that he didn’t evade, it didn’t matter.
At this point, I couldn’t help but notice.
‘The level is different.’
He was at least one notch above any demon I had encountered so far.
Even when I attacked, he didn’t even flinch, which only fueled my frustration.
What was more troublesome was that he wasn’t just on the defensive.
Whenever he had a moment of leisure, he would send an attack my way as well.
Even though I could sense anomalies with my hearing, there was a limit to dodging all magic flying toward me with a shadow spear.
Then, an accident occurred.
Psssh-
While I was diligently trying to dodge, I eventually got injured.
It was a mistake, and also an inevitability. My concentration and stamina were not limitless.
The wound was trivial. Just a scratch, really.
But the fact that I was injured was the problem.
Ssssh-
The wound healed at a rapid pace. Naturally, he wouldn’t miss that scene.
His eyes lit up with more excitement than ever before. A chilling smile spread across his face.
“Aha.”
Then he said in a loud voice, clearly delighted.
“Indeed, you are a Manifestation Bearer.”
The broadcast was still running.