Chapter 80

EP.80 Chicken Game (2)

During the first semester of the second year in <Merhen's Magic Knight>.

Suddenly, a man named Malok appeared, securing the position of the Red Elephant, one of the Four Constellations, and the leader of the Red Elephant.

He showed a confrontational stance against Ian Fairytail. If you were playing the game for the first time, you probably would have thought of Malok as just a 'bad-tempered villain senior'.

Meanwhile, you would have been puzzled by the sight of the Red Elephant members turning into emotionless dolls. I was puzzled too. It was because of Malok's illusion magic.

In the end, Malok revealed his true identity by using [Mad Feast].

And Ian invaded the space Malok created, engaging in a life-or-death battle with him. This place, filled with black mazes on the ceiling and walls, was Malok's space.

By the way, entering Malok's space is easy. It's like entering the [Fictitious Hell] of the illusionary Rifa; you can enter at will, but not leave.

Moreover, the holy power of light has the property of dispelling darkness, so Ian's sword energy revealed Malok's true form.

Malok, driven by jealousy, could transform into a human form but could never become a complete human.

After all, his true form was that of a demon. Occasionally, when he relaxed his guard, his human transformation would unintentionally be undone.

Malok's desire was to become a complete human. He wanted to blend into human society and exchange all kinds of emotions with others.

Because he was lonely. Even forming a bond with the illusionary Rifa was due to this reason.

He believed that a life of playing with humans, occasionally enjoying murder and cannibalism, would finally alleviate his empty and lonely existence.

If I had the Kerubim necklace, his human transformation would be nearly perfect. There would be no more accidental transformations.

Then, he would be no different from a human.

"......"

Malok's eyes revealed a cold, murderous intent.

Around him, stone fragments began to float.

Malok's magic power, like a gust of wind, pressed against my skin. It was terrifying.

A drop of cold sweat trickled down my cheek.

I had tried to maintain the atmosphere and intimidate him, but in reality, I was desperately trying to stay alive.

Currently, Malok is classified as a human. Yet, his level is 155.

I couldn't meet the activation conditions for [Evil Slayer].

If Ian's light attribute attack, which dispels darkness, could reach him, Malok's true identity would be forcibly revealed. Unfortunately, Ian was still trapped in the illusion.

Thus, I tried to take away what Malok wanted to stand on equal footing with him.

If the situation went even slightly wrong, I would lose my life.

My heart was pounding wildly, but thanks to the effect of the passive skill [Ice Emperor], I quickly regained my composure.

"Even if I don't know how you escaped my magic... Give it to me. It's mine."

Malok extended his hand.

It was a command, his voice filled with malice like thorns.

Judging from the blood flowing from his right eye, his illusion magic had been deflected by my [Frost Overlord's Aura], damaging the mana circuits that allowed him to cast it.

Therefore, he could no longer cast new illusions.

"Sorry, but that's impossible."

I continued the psychological battle without backing down.

"How can you defy me with such a meager amount of magic power?"

"I can easily break a necklace with this much magic power."

"Pitiful."

Malok let out a sigh mixed with a monologue.

Whirring──

Above Malok's head, a light gray magic circle containing blackness was engraved.

Stones also began to float above his outstretched hand.

Malok's magic power, like a gust of wind, pressed against my skin. It was terrifying.

A drop of cold sweat trickled down my cheek.

I had tried to maintain the atmosphere and intimidate him, but in reality, I was desperately trying to stay alive.

Currently, Malok is classified as a human. Yet, his level is 155.

I couldn't meet the activation conditions for [Evil Slayer].

If Ian's light attribute attack, which dispels darkness, could reach him, Malok's true identity would be forcibly revealed. Unfortunately, Ian was still trapped in the illusion.

Thus, I tried to take away what Malok wanted to stand on equal footing with him.

If the situation went even slightly wrong, I would lose my life.

My heart was pounding wildly, but thanks to the effect of the passive skill [Ice Emperor], I quickly regained my composure.

"Why are you smiling...?"

──────── [Mad Feast (Light Attribute, ★5)]

Whoosh─────────!!!

At that moment, a pure white sword energy cut through the air.

Malok, sensing the sword energy coming from the side, tried to dodge with a startled look on his face.

Clang────!!

The sword energy sliced through Malok's leg, revealing a prismatic light.

Malok's expression twisted. Light attribute attacks are a weakness for demons, and this one would be extremely fatal to him.

With one leg missing, Malok fell to the ground, sitting on his buttocks.

He turned his head in shock to look at the black-haired man who had launched the light attribute sword energy.

"Ian Fairytail, the protagonist of <Merhen's Magic Knight>."

He was holding a sword wrapped in light mana, glaring at Malok. However, his eyes showed no signs of life.

After all, he was still trapped in the illusion. But he had managed to track Malok's form within the illusion.

"How could you...? Huh?"

Malok's mouth gaped open. The necklace jingling around Ian's neck, the Child of Light, had caught his eye.

It was the Kerubim necklace, glowing with a sacred white light as if it had found its true master.

Malok, who had fainted during [Mad Feast], had been awakened by the Kerubim necklace amplifying his holy power.

During the second year, first semester part of <Merhen's Magic Knight>, the battle against Jealous Malok.

Malok could cast illusions at will. And Ian fought and defeated him.

How was this possible? Thanks to the light attribute ability, holy power, which dispels darkness.

Ian would have been helpless against Malok's dark attribute illusion magic, [Mad Feast], on his own.

But at the time, Ian was wearing the Kerubim necklace.

Thanks to the amplified holy power, he could resist the dark illusion world and discern the shape of the spellcaster beyond the blurred illusion.

Thus, Ian could move his arms and legs and face Jealous Malok at the boundary between the illusion world and reality.

"I'm sorry, I had to draw attention to show you this."

The Kerubim necklace buff is real. My heart swelled with pride.

By the way, how did the Kerubim necklace end up around Ian's neck? Fortunately, my plan succeeded.

I am currently in a dimly lit area where the glowing lamp is not shining. I even deliberately extended the arm holding the necklace backward.

To prevent Malok from discovering my plan.

In conclusion, the necklace I was holding was not the Kerubim necklace.

It was just a fake I had prepared in advance.

'Fortunately, it went well...'

I lightly held the fake necklace in my hand and shrugged.

A few days before the church event.

I found Eva Hailover, who had sold me out, and interrogated her.

With [Psychological Insight], I could easily see through Eva's thoughts and pressure her.

Moreover, Eva was terrified of the backlash from selling me out to the Red Elephant. It would be easy to keep her quiet.

Eva, a minor character in <Merhen's Magic Knight>’s “Act 5, Chapter 3: Blue Wave vs. Red Elephant” part, uses the [Stealth] magic.

[Stealth] minimizes the amount of magic power emitted, making it difficult to detect her without high mana sensing ability.

'Especially, Eva is a character who integrates her identity with [Stealth].'

No one in Merhen Academy can match her in hiding their presence.

In <Merhen's Magic Knight>, she was just a minor character who could be easily caught with area-of-effect skills, but she was very useful for my plan.

I had instructed Eva to go to the hallway when the Atlahol party started and wait for the instructions from Ice Snow Dragon-Hild.

In the hallway, Ice Snow Dragon would have intimidated her according to the script I had prepared.

She would have been persuaded that entering Malok's space was safe.

Ultimately, Eva entered Malok's space, secretly approached the unconscious me, and waited quietly.

As soon as I escaped Malok's illusion, I took out the fake necklace.

With Eden's help, I took the Kerubim necklace and quietly handed it to Eva, who was standing behind me.

Eva's [Stealth] makes objects touching her body invisible. Even her glasses and clothes become transparent.

There is a limitation that objects touching other living beings cannot be hidden, but it didn't matter.

The Kerubim necklace Eva received immediately turned transparent.

She quietly approached Ian Fairytail and, as I had instructed, put the Kerubim necklace around his neck.

As a result, Ian could resist Malok's illusion magic.

On the stage, under the bright lights.

Malok, looking bewildered and confused.

"What's going on...? Ugh, ugh...!"

Holy power has the ability to illuminate darkness with light, forcing Malok to reveal his true form.

Malok's eyes turned blood red. Black wings sprouted from his head.

His head rapidly swelled. His muscular body was also swallowed by his head, resembling a bizarre rock.

The stage host and the ordinary male student who had pulled the cart were pushed out and fell off the stage.

Then, dozens of human heads burst through his skin, gnashing their teeth.

[Grinding, grinding──.]

His eyelids tore open.

His blood-red eyes grew to about 3 meters in diameter.

The black wings, which seemed incapable of their role, made pitiful flaps above his hair.

His even teeth, extending to his jaw, were exposed due to his mouth being torn open. He gnashed his teeth roughly and continuously.

Grinding, grinding, a terrifying sound. The demon, 'Jealous Malok', gnashing his teeth out of inferiority and jealousy.

Malok revealed his true form.

[Jealous Malok]

Lv: 160

Race: Demon

Attribute: Darkness, Rock

Danger Level: Highest

Psychology: [I want to kill youI want to kill youI want to kill youI want to kill youI want to kill youI want to kill youI want to kill youI want to kill youI want to kill youI want to kill you]

[You weaklingYou weak insectYou have made me angry.]

Grinding. Grinding.

[I will kill youI will make you suffer more than anyone else.]

Grinding. Grinding.

[I will pierce your mouth with a skewer and grind your limbs with rocks until you shiver with regret and suffer the most.]

Grinding. Grinding.

Jealous Malok, deploying a large magic circle.

It's the first time I've seen a demon's monstrous form and felt glad...

"Hic!"

Eva, in [Stealth] mode, hiccuped in surprise. She was hiding in a corner.

Anyway, it seems Jealous Malok was displeased that a weakling like me had defied him.

[Demon detected.]

[Unique trait [Evil Slayer] activated!]

[Level and stats temporarily greatly increased!]

[Skill tree temporarily +10!]

'Alright.'

Now, I just need to show him the difference in power.

I slowly approached Malok, letting ice mana and rock mana flow from me.