Wandering Mercenary in an Open World

Ruon felt a crushing pressure on his whole body.

His lips dried up in an instant, his neck muscles contracted and goosebumps rose on his skin, and his heart pounded fast as if he had been sprinting non-stop.

He had felt this overwhelming presence before, the kind that twisted the flow of the nearby area just by standing still.

He slowly lowered his crossed arms and glared at the being that spread its six huge wings to both sides.

The one who gazed into the abyss, the one who stepped beyond the boundary, the one who caused the rift of the world, the one who sang the downfall of the heavens.

One word that encompassed all those epithets.

Archdemon.

That archdemon was right in front of him.

It repeatedly clenched and unclenched its five fingers with sharp claws. It looked like it was adapting to its new body.

-What an incredible flesh. I can feel it growing even now, at this moment. An overwhelming power that can break the ancient rules!

Ruon tried to raise his concentration and push away the voice that echoed in his head, but it was impossible because of the close distance.

He quickly glanced to both sides while keeping his face forward. He saw Kyle and Igor, who had fallen from the impact of the collision, getting up at the corner of his eye.

Kyle shouted when he saw the huge hole that had been drilled into the floor.

“Strabo!”

There was no sign of life inside the hole. Only a faint laughter that mocked the silence filled his head.

-So that vulgar beast’s name is Strabo? They call him the cheerful Strabo in the world, how true. How delightful to see him fall and be crushed by the archdemon.

Kyle’s eyes flashed with anger at the blatant taunt.

“Shut up!”

He stretched his right arm forward and aimed his hammer head at Fleur. Fragments of lightning that seemed to embody his rage gathered in one place, and then a thick bolt of lightning poured down furiously. As if he wanted to turn his opponent into ashes.

But Kyle’s strike didn’t even reach Fleur’s vicinity. A crimson bolt of lightning that fell from the dark clouds perfectly neutralized his attack.

“What?”

Fleur started to laugh wickedly.

-Even the lightning of nature bows to my will. What can you do with a mere blessed hammer?

The next moment, his flashing eyes scanned the group one by one.

He’s coming!

The first to react was Ruon. He activated the shield of his sword to protect himself from the falling lightning and charged into the swirling heat.

In the blink of an eye, he closed the distance and left a clear footprint on the stone floor as he jumped high. He gripped his sword with both hands and swung it down with all his might, but at that moment, the demon’s sharp beak opened wide and an intangible force burst out.

Kee-ah-ah-ah!

As the red shield that surrounded him shattered at the same time, Ruon was flung back far away as if he had collided with a dump truck that ran at full speed.

“No!”

Someone screamed. It looked like Ruon, who had been thrown out, would fall off the outer wall of the roof at any moment.

But fortunately, that didn’t happen.

Clack!

Ruon, for a brief moment, dug his fingers into the floor and barely stopped his body from sliding back any further.

-The only thing I regret is that I couldn’t reconstruct my flesh based on your body.

Fleur said that and pointed his index finger forward. Then, a fist-sized flame flickered and gathered at his fingertip, and flew toward the direction where the group was.

Igor shouted.

“Give us the strength to withstand the storm of sin!”

As if responding to the faithful priest’s prayer, a large shield of light rose and blocked the flame perfectly. But it seemed to be just the beginning, as all kinds of evil magic pounded on the shield without a break, and soon cracks appeared on the solid surface. Then the shield broke with a loud noise and a blast of heat rushed in.

“Ruin.”

Ruon urged Ego Sword with a hoarse voice and stabbed his sword into the ground, and a dazzling light flashed from the blade and blocked the heat.

-A sword with infinite potential. Whose skillful craftsmanship is it? No, maybe that doesn’t matter anymore.

Fleur finished his words and slowly flapped his huge wings.

-The game is over.

With a brief remark, he flapped his wings vigorously.

With one flap, his massive body rose into the air, with two flaps, he soared to a tremendous height, and with three flaps, he disappeared into the distant clouds.

Igor coughed and said.

“His power is getting stronger and stronger. At this rate, it’s only a matter of time before he gets his power.”

“···Power?”

Kyle tilted his head, his face pale. It was because of the lightning that he had blocked with his shield earlier.

“Archdemons are not just beings with powerful flesh. The reason they are feared is because of the power they gained by crossing the boundary. Just like Belducius, who symbolized madness and corruption.”

Ruon muttered as he stared at the rumbling dark clouds.

“So this is the best we can do right now.”

Igor nodded.

“That’s right.”

“···How hopeful.”

Kyle gave a bitter laugh and Igor replied.

“It’s thanks to the enormous amount of sacrifices and the powerful souls of the witches that they can boast such overwhelming firepower without breaking their powers.”

Kyle spat out saliva as he looked at the floor that was riddled with holes from the aftermath of the battle.

“Besides, this place is too disadvantageous for us. If we keep fighting like this···”

Boom-!

The group swallowed their words and prepared for battle again as a huge thunderclap sounded. Igor called out Tivela’s name and raised his holy power, while Kyle clashed his hammer and shield and widened his eyes.

Lastly, Ruon put strength into his legs and gripped the handle of Ego Sword more firmly. His superhuman grip, which had raised his concentration to the extreme, pierced through the dark clouds filled with resentment and succeeded in finding the great demon inside.

What is he doing?

Ruon frowned as he saw the evil demon who was absorbing the wicked lightning with his whole body, spreading his arms wide.

Soon, the six wings that had absorbed the lightning turned red and he slowly flipped his body and started to dive vertically towards the tower.

Spreading red light from his wings, which were tightly folded inward to minimize air resistance, the thing that flew towards them was nothing but a living meteor.

“Damn bastard!”

Kyle cursed and swung his hammer up. The lightning that shot up to the sky hit the great demon’s body, but it did not inflict any damage and scattered in vain.

“Merciful mother!”

Igor created a shield of light in the air again. Behind him, Kyle stood in his way, holding the spell destroyer high.

“Ruon! Igor! Back off!”

No, I can’t.

At that moment, Ruon’s extremely activated senses saw the future that was artificially created.

The light shield that was crushed like a paper, the spell destroyer that lost its shape and flew away, Kyle and Igor who fell from the tower with their limbs torn off.

In an instant, Ruon stepped forward as the scene flashed through his mind. And he grabbed Kyle’s arm and pulled it roughly. Kyle, who lost his balance from the terrible force, bumped into Igor and fell to the corner of the tower.

“Ruon, what are you doing?”

“No!”

Ruon ignored the voices of the two people behind him and put the Ego Sword in his sheath.

-Why? Fight with me! Let me out!-

He covered up the scream of Ruin, who was shouting as if he was wailing, and clenched his fist.

-I’ll stop him with my bare hands!

As he entered the range, Fleur’s voice rang in his head.

“Yeah.”

With a short answer, Ruon stretched out his fist with all his might towards the meteor that had reached his nose.

─────!

───!

──!

Ruon, who started to fall into the tower, leaving a huge crater on the ground, ignored the terrible pain that scratched his whole body and the tinnitus that rang in his ears, and swung his other fist hard.

His huge fist smashed the face of the great demon, who looked like a mix of an eagle and a crow. With a crunching sound, half of his face collapsed.

But Fleur, who recovered his broken face in an instant with his amazing regeneration, snapped at him.

-Did you think this kind of trashy fight would work? You idiot! I’ll smash you to the ground like this!

He hugged Ruon’s body and started to kick harder. His head was smashed again shortly after.

-Crunch! Crazy bastard!

Ruon, whose skin was melting and muscles were not listening due to the lightning that wrapped his body, did not care and swung his fist again.

He had no intention of letting go of the great demon in the first place.

-Making a last stand···

Fleur looked at the eyes of the warrior who swung his fist with a destructive power that mocked his regeneration. And he realized.

The calm eyes without any shaking were not those of a person who had given up. He was serious about killing him before he hit the ground. In that time, which was only a few seconds at best!

Crack!

The great demon’s skull was crushed again. The crushed brain, the torn flesh, and the blood spattered the air.

This whole series of events happened in just a few seconds. It was a fight that was possible only for Ruon and Fleur, who had amazing physical and mental abilities. But the end was approaching.

Ruon, who saw his regeneration slowed down (but only for a moment) with his last blow, prepared for the final blow.

“Fleur-!”

He roared and swung his fist with all his strength, as he always did. Thinking that this might be the last.

***

Ruon barely lifted his heavy eyelids. The blurry sight of his blinking eyes reflected the great demon with huge wings.

There was nothing on the devil’s neck that lay sprawled on the cold floor. Only blood gushed from the ragged cross-section, as if it had been torn off by force.

But Ruon knew that the enemy was not dead. He didn’t get any experience points. He wanted to rush in and smash the bastard’s body that was stubbornly holding on, but unfortunately he couldn’t.

Because he was the one who was smashed.

His bones were shattered all over his body, not to mention his internal organs and muscles were torn apart by the chaos. He didn’t even know how he was still breathing in this mess.

Damn Duermyr. Show me some skill.

Ruon muttered to himself, but there was no answer. Even the creed of the blacksmith seemed to have no clue this time. He didn’t know.

That’s when it happened. The Fleur who had lost his head began to rise up with his wings and arms digging into the ground. Soon, the bastard who stood on his feet spread his wings wide and roared roughly.

Krrr-oo-oo-oo!

Of course, it wasn’t a sound from his throat. His vocal cords were smashed along with his head.

As the roar mixed with evil magic echoed, the thick darkness scattered inside the spire flew and gathered on the devil’s neck.

Soon, the Fleur who regained his lost face turned his head toward Ruon who had fallen. The bastard who had a more devilish appearance than before, with huge horns piercing both sides of his jaw and a large pupil in the middle of his forehead, said.

-Warrior, even fate is on my side. Awakening your power at the last moment.

His body slowly rose up.

-I won’t kill you. You have to see your comrades who cling to a straw of hope being torn apart.

Then the devil flapped his wings and soared to the top of the tower. Ruon wanted to grab the bastard who was getting farther away, but he couldn’t even move a finger. He felt his body, which had reached its limit, slowly collapsing.

Is this the end?

No matter how much he blinked, his vision didn’t brighten. Rather, it became more and more blurred. Everything became dull and his mind, which he barely held on to, was about to sink into an endless swamp.

At that moment, a small light twinkled inside him.

It was the memory of the first time he killed a goblin.

A little bigger light twinkled.

This time, it was the memory of barely defeating the seven thugs who tried to rob his bounty.

Lights of various sizes, containing memories, twinkled one by one and made a galaxy inside Ruon. They were the stars that Imrek praised.

At the same time, the countless sentences that filled his inner space gathered in one place.

From [Fairy’s Hearing] to [Devil Slayer].

The sentences that he had accumulated in his life as Ruon came together and shone brightly.

A single story made of sentences connected together rose up brightly, pushing away the darkness.

[Ruon]

It was the moment when a man’s life was engraved.

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Nothing was left on the devil’s severed neck, lying on the cold floor. Blood spurted from the jagged wound, as if someone had ripped it off by force.

But Ruon knew the enemy wasn’t dead. He hadn’t received any experience points. He wished he could charge in and finish off the stubborn creature, but he couldn’t.

He was the one who was broken.

His bones were shattered, his organs and muscles were mangled, and he could barely breathe. He wondered how he was still alive in this state.

Curse you, Duermyr. Show some skill.

Ruon grumbled inwardly, but got no response. Even the blacksmith’s creed seemed to have given up on him. He had no idea.

Then it happened. The headless Fleur started to get up, using his wings and arms to push off the ground. A moment later, he stood on his feet and spread his wings, letting out a harsh roar.

Krrr-oo-oo-oo!

It wasn’t a sound from his throat, of course. His vocal cords had been smashed with his head.

The roar, infused with dark magic, resonated, and the shadows that filled the spire flew to the devil’s neck.

Soon, Fleur’s face was restored, and he turned to look at Ruon, who lay on the ground. He had a more devilish appearance than before, with huge horns piercing his jaws and a large eye in the center of his forehead. He said.

-Warrior, fate is on my side. You awakened your power at the last moment.

He slowly rose into the air.

-I won’t kill you. You have to watch your comrades, who cling to a sliver of hope, be torn to pieces.

Then he flapped his wings and flew to the top of the tower. Ruon wanted to catch him, but he couldn’t move a finger. He felt his body, which had reached its limit, crumble.

Is this the end?

His vision didn’t clear, no matter how much he blinked. It only became more blurry. Everything faded, and his mind, which he barely held onto, was about to sink into a bottomless swamp.

At that moment, a small light sparkled inside him.

It was the memory of killing his first goblin.

A slightly bigger light sparkled.

This time, it was the memory of barely defeating the seven thugs who tried to rob him.

Lights of different sizes, each holding a memory, sparkled one by one, creating a galaxy inside Ruon. They were the stars that Imrek had praised.

At the same time, the many sentences that filled his inner space gathered in one place.

From [Fairy’s Hearing] to [Devil Slayer].

The sentences that he had piled up in his life as Ruon came together and shone brightly.

A single story, made of connected sentences, rose up brightly, pushing away the darkness.

[Ruon]

It was the moment when a man’s life was engraved.