TYND 99

Theon expanded his aura sensing. Jay flinched at the Aura Master’s sudden aura emission.

“Aura… Master, what’s wrong?”

“There’s a demon. Rothy and I will handle it. You evacuate the people.”

Theon, who had detected demonic energy, placed his hand on his sword hilt and stood up.

“Sit down! You’re so big!”

“We can’t see over there!”

A demon suddenly? Evacuate people?

Though it was out of nowhere, Chungnip and Jay faithfully carried out Theon’s orders. Jay took a deep breath and shouted,

“It’s a demooooon! A demon has appeared!”

The aura knight’s roar pierced through the performance sounds and echoed across the entire island.

“What?”

“A demon?”

“A demon? Where? Where?”

The audience stirred restlessly.

Theon pushed through the people toward the old man. The old man spat out a curse.

“Damn it, this quickly…!”

Tuong had been searching for Theon Dert Palsen when he heard rumors that the Archduke and his wife were on the moving island. After arriving on the island and circling around, the Archduke indeed had that Trimule. He was looking for an opportunity to steal it, but the Archduke and Grand Duchess never separated from each other all day.

One transcendent alone was troublesome enough, but with the two constantly together, no opening was visible. Just as he was thinking of retreating for now, people began gathering in one space.

When there are many people, it’s advantageous. It means he can capture them all as hostages.

Tuong held his breath and spread demonic energy to capture as many hostages as possible. But when he had only captured four or five people, Rothy noticed his presence.

“Transcendents really are annoying things!”

Tuong threw off his hood and soared high into the sky. Dozens of black tentacles extended from behind the levitating old man’s back.

“Ahhhhh! Kyaah! It’s a demon! Save us! Run!” Only then did people recognize the severity of the situation and fall into chaos.

“Keep your heads down!”

“The demonic energy is poisoned. Cover your nose and mouth with your sleeves!”

“Leave your bags where they are!”

Chungnip and the subordinates calmly helped people evacuate. The minstrels performing on stage also came down to help with the evacuation. Minstrels were also a type of mage, and all mages had a duty to protect people in emergency situations.

“There’s a divine barrier shelter. This way!”

The organizers’ response was also quick. Humanity had been fighting Mayton’s spawn all their lives, so everyone was skilled at responding to sudden attacks.

When the standby aura swordsmen hurriedly approached, Jay blocked them.

“That person is His Grace Archduke Theon Dert Palsen, and I am his aide Janis Ordius. Leave the battle to His Grace and quickly call priests or clerics. How many priests above deacon rank are on the island?”

“There are five.”

“If it’s a demon in the form of an old man wielding tentacles, it must be Tuong, the sixth demon. Bring all five. The rest of us will guard the front of the shelter.”

“We can’t just leave it to the Archduke alone-“

“We must leave it to him. If we interfere carelessly and become hostages, it will make things worse.”

“Ah… understood.”

The security captain quickly agreed and helped evacuate people with his subordinates.

“Kukukuku, human screams are always beautiful to hear!”

CRASH!

BANG!

Theon and Rothy blocked the tentacles reaching toward the fleeing people. Theon swung his sword to cut the tentacles in half, and Rothy swung his tiny front paws to knock away the falling tentacles.

A dark blue-furred wolf doll also jumped out of the small bag to bite and claw at the tentacles. Rothy had already cast puppet magic on it. In Chi-chi’s case, he didn’t come out because he was guarding Rothy inside the bag.

Shortly after, the evacuation was completed with some injured but no deaths.

“Damn transcendents!”

BANG! Tuong lashed out at the stage with his tentacles as if venting his anger. Among the crumbling debris were those who hadn’t evacuated. They were the five he had successfully captured before being discovered. Among them was even a child.

“Attack those things!”

Kiyaaahhh–

The captured people rushed toward Theon and Rothy, spewing poisoned demonic energy from their mouths. Like Tuong, they had black tentacles made of demonic energy on their backs.

Demons are troublesome for two main reasons. First, they can’t be killed without divine magic. Second, they capture hostages like this.

Theon dodged from that spot. He planned to only evade until divine magic support arrived. This was the combat method always used during the Human-Demon War when hostages were captured by demons.

However.

“Theon, put me down. I’ll handle the people.”

Rothy transformed into human form and landed beside him. Theon quickly pulled Rothy into his arms and kicked off the ground. BANG! A tentacle struck where they had been.

“How can you?”

“I’ll break the restraints with mental magic like with Ken. Don’t worry about the people and fight that demon, Theon.”

“Will you be alright alone?”

“Of course… I’m very strong. You’ve seen it many times. On the battlefield.”

“……”

Watching Yolone Sirin on that battlefield… even Theon felt overwhelmed.

Rothy’s words were not wrong.

Theon put Rothy down. The hostages seized that moment to extend their black tentacles.

BANG! CRASH!

The tentacles hit the barrier Rothy had created. The hostages made strange “keeeeh” sounds and shot out their remaining tentacles. Inside the barrier that couldn’t even be scratched, Rothy muttered something and chanted spells.

Theon realized his wife didn’t need his help.

He headed toward where Tuong was.

Woooong–

Tuong was flowing black demonic energy from his entire body as if trying to dominate this space. Theon also emitted a black, dark aura. However, it was different from demonic energy.

An aura darker than the night sky and blacker than demonic energy…

The dark, deep aura that had earned him the name “Demon of Seara” in the Human-Demon War devoured Tuong’s demonic energy and expanded its territory.

“You bastaaaaard!”

Tuong shouted from the sky.

“If you hand over just that Trimule, I’ll withdraw quietly! Drop the Trimule and get lost!”

Theon pointed his sword toward the demon.

“Where did Shirain go that you came instead?”

“Shirain coveted something beyond his station!”

“And you think it suits your station?”

“Stop your insolent words, human!”

Tuong’s neck stretched long as he rapidly descended. When Theon swung his sword, he quickly retreated while continuing to circle around with swift movements.

“I must take that thing. Now that it’s come to this, I’ll kill you and take every piece of flesh and bone fragment to present to the ‘Archduke’!”

CRASH!

Theon blocked the exploding demonic energy.

His heartbeat slowed. Theon sometimes became this calm and composed in fierce battlefields, his heart growing quiet. Especially now, he was in a more composed state than ever before.

This Trimule was the only way to protect Rothy. He had to guard it.

“Hand over what belongs to the ‘Archduke’!”

Tuong roared, and the air vibrated with growling sounds. Sticky black fog began spreading in all directions.

Theon stopped breathing. He deflected the fog mixed with demonic energy using his aura and cut down the charging tentacles. For tentacles that would miss and go into empty air based on his calculations of their trajectory, he didn’t bother using his sword.

BANG! BANG! The sound of sword and tentacles clashing was like bombs exploding.

Theon cut down and struck away all the pouring tentacles, advancing step by step.

As the Aura Master drew closer, Tuong became anxious.

“Stop him! Stop him! What are you doing!”

Kreeeeee–

The people who had been facing Rothy rushed toward Theon. However, they seemed blocked by something and couldn’t move further from the middle. Soon, as if hearing a command they absolutely couldn’t refuse, their eyes became vacant and they collapsed with thuds.

It was Rothy’s mental magic.

“What on earth is that mage harboring?”

The demon’s gaze turned precisely toward Rothy. It seemed Shirain hadn’t informed him about the Living magic stone.

“I should take a look. Come here…”

How dare he.

Theon’s red eyes flashed ominously.

Theon exploded his aura. The surroundings became devastated by the formless energy. He regripped his sword and charged. In midair, the demon’s tentacles and Theon’s sword clashed. An exchange unfolded that ordinary people couldn’t follow with their eyes.

BANG! THOOM! With each collision, tentacles were severed. And those severed tentacles didn’t regenerate. It was due to the Aura Master’s aura overwhelming the demonic energy.

Tuong continued losing tentacles. Though Theon also received wounds on his cheek and back of his hand, they could be considered minor compared to Tuong’s damage.

Through this exchange, Tuong realized tentacles were no match. He fired dozens of rock-sized chunks of demonic energy.

CRASH!

Theon saw the pouring chunks of demonic energy and regripped his sword. Unlike tentacles, he knew from experience that chunks couldn’t be cut. BANG! BANG! Theon struck away the chunks of demonic energy with his blade. Each time, shock was transmitted to his bones and muscles. However, his advance didn’t stop.