The night grew deeper, and it was unclear whether it was due to the Demon King's influence or if nights near the Endless Sea were always this oppressive. There were no stars here, only varying shades of black—black seas, black soil, and the dark silhouettes of all things.
Only the pale sand and the dark red sky reflected a bit of light, a color combination that reminded Teest of corpses. Pale bones, dark red decaying flesh, and black blood—blood everywhere.
It was like the end of the world.
The pitch-black city ruins revolved silently and weightlessly around the Demon King, carrying a rich scent of destruction without stirring a single breeze. The shadows seemed surreal, yet their impact on Nol's "firewall" felt unmistakably real.
The Demon King, curled up like a spider on the ground, emitted a silent wail. The strange shadows spewed out faster and faster, causing the ground to tremble incessantly. A giant teddy bear's head rose from the sea, and sharp metallic debris sprouted from the sand like seeds. Countless rotten, bizarre wooden swords pierced through the soil, caught up in the frenzied shadows.
All this happened in utter silence. It was still a quiet night. The absurdity and chaos were like illusions, and the oppression was like a mountain collapsing.
Teest's hair stood on end, his pores stinging as if pricked by needles, uncertain if it was fear or excitement.
His blood continued to flow from his eyes, nose, ears, and mouth. The initial bloodstains had dried, clinging to his skin like leeches. But the dizziness—when looking directly at the Demon King—miraculously lessened a lot.
Now he could glance at the Demon King with his peripheral vision or quickly look away.
Such swift peeks didn't bring the near-death pain as before. Teest vaguely felt something had changed inside him, but he wasn't sure what it was.
Was it related to the corruption that had seeped into his body? Or the influence of learning the Demon King's spell?
Either way, it wasn't a power that could help him break through the predicament.
Teest habitually scanned his surroundings, trying to find a viable breakthrough.
He finally noticed the result of [King of Eternal Sleep]—a fragile, small shadow. Behind it, countless shadows whirled madly like a tornado, yet it stood still, waving its little hand at them.
Even if [King of Eternal Sleep] couldn't kill the enemy, its effect shouldn't be this mild. Or perhaps, theoretically, shadows weren't living beings, so affixing a death tag was useless?
…He had seen one example of something "living" even after being "dead". Teest couldn't help but glance at Fischer, who was ashen-faced, hundreds of meters away.
Nol had said he couldn't kill and enslave real undead beings. The Supplement Demons didn't belong to the Tahe system, so his magic would have problems. This weird shadow in front of him surely couldn't belong to Nol's world.
Teest immediately brought up the [Necrotic Dominion] interface, and indeed, the number "1" had changed to "2."
There was hope!
"Attack the Demon King!" Teest quickly issued the first command.
However, the small figure didn't respond like the weeping Fischer. It scratched its face awkwardly and slowly shook its head.
"Can't…" it said in a voice so faint it was almost inaudible, undoubtedly belonging to a child.
As soon as the shadow finished speaking, it began to disintegrate slowly, its outline becoming more distorted and its voice fluctuating between high and low. "But I can talk, walk…"
Teest was stunned. He didn't know whether to marvel that this thing could actually communicate or lament the pitiful effect of his skill.
[What's going on?!]
Nol struggled to hold up the firewall, as clumsy as using an umbrella against a typhoon.
The Demon King's onslaught intensified, forcing him to concentrate his layers of "firewall" to one side of his body. If he dared retreat or attempt to escape, not just Teest but the other three behind them would be bombarded by the shadow army.
[I don't know,] The Mad Monk responded dejectedly. [I seem to have commanded this thing, but not really. It only deigns to chat with me.]
Nol didn't care about the bug Teest had unearthed. He directly addressed the shadow, "What are you?"
"A fragment of a dream." The shadow pointed to the Demon King. "Its fragment…" After saying this, it dispersed like a soap bubble.
Teest: "..."
The good news, his [King of Eternal Sleep] could eliminate these abnormal shadows. The bad news, the shadows spewed from the Demon King's head like arterial bleeding, and it took him several minutes to erase just one small shadow.
Nol seemed to be at his limit too—his continuous power consumption meant his lost claws and tail hadn't regrown properly. He seemed to be back in The Manor, burning himself to withstand the impact.
But this time, even Teest couldn't see a way out.
[I have an idea,] Nol said. [Teest, take those three and run in the opposite direction. I'll lead the Demon King towards the Endless Sea. By creating distance, the Demon King's influence on the terrain might be lifted.]
[You'll die,] Teest replied bluntly.
[No, I will do my best to survive. I want to see you again.] Nol's thoughts were serious and straightforward. [If you don't leave, I can't fight freely.]
[...] Alright, Nol sounded serious.
Unlike the time at The Manor, there was no calm acceptance of death in Nol's tone. He truly wanted to minimize casualties and fight with all his might.
Even if he forcefully stayed, he couldn't make Nol fight any harder.
It was undoubtedly a reasonable command, but… Teest reached out and touched the incomplete but warm dragon scales.
[Actually, I don't like that undead knight,] Teest suddenly said.
[…What?]
[The War King ended his life meaninglessly, and he didn't resist at all.] Facing the overwhelming scene of despair, Teest continued calmly, [He still missed his brother. What a foolish man.]
[Now I think I understand a bit. In the face of an invincible force, to follow one's heart, one must do something foolish.]
It had nothing to do with promising life, logical advantages and disadvantages, or even the other's wishes. He just didn't want to leave, didn't want to let that person sink—it was just that simple.
Nol, focusing ninety percent of his attention on defense, couldn't quite grasp what Teest was trying to say, but he was sure his knight had no intention of obediently following orders.
Nol was frustrated. [I don't need—]
Teest's thoughts were louder. [I can't hear you—]
He provocatively gathered the golden thread, leaping onto the dragon's nose, allowing those blue dragon eyes to glare fiercely at him. Teest, covered in his own blood, initiated a high-level curse from the Eternal Church.
He slit his wrist, aimed towards the sky, and decisively summoned that giant hand from the shadows.
The magic fluctuations spread suddenly, the dark red sky rolling with clouds. The Demon King seemed to sense something, lifting its head slightly.
The next second, the cloud of darkness disappeared as if someone hastily packed it away in a panic. Teest couldn't help but snicker.
"Whatever was summoned, it's a coward," Teest commented cheerfully.
His goal was achieved—in that brief moment, the Demon King was distracted by the anomaly in the sky, its attention diverted for a few seconds. And in those seconds, Teest cast [King of Eternal Sleep] on an especially tall building shadow.
It quieted down, no longer flailing and, naturally, no longer speaking. Teest barely controlled it, positioning it in front of the Dracolich.
While the building hadn't vanished, Teest desperately drained his magic, controlling one shadow after another—they stacked haphazardly in front of Nol, forming a makeshift and alternative "shield".
The shadows were insubstantial, unable to merge with their kind. The incoming twisted shadows hit this bizarre shadow shield and lightly bounced off.
Using the Demon King's shadows to defend against shadows, he actually managed to hold off the attack.
Teest pulled out the mana potions he had accumulated over the years, gulping them down one after another. He recklessly used [King of Eternal Sleep] to keep the shield up as long as possible.
[Now you can think about your strategy, Lord Nol.]
Teest spat out a bottle, emphasizing the last few words. He sat on the dragon's nose, directing the shield up and down, as if he planned to take root here.
[But my mana potions and stomach both have their limits. You should act quickly.]
Nol silently retracted the "firewall", not engaging in futile arguments. That bit of warmth stubbornly clung to his nose tip, like a white spark that wasn't too hot.
Time was limited. He had to make a decision quickly.
Taking Teest away meant no one to rescue the other three; running towards the Endless Sea was no longer the best option. If he didn't lead the Demon King away, then he would have to… follow the Demon King's wishes and destroy it.
Liking the Mad Monk for too long, Nol himself had gone a bit crazy, he thought somewhat helplessly.
After Teest's defensive move, the originally quiet night gradually became lively.
Those shadows, freed from the Demon King's control, would murmur a few words on their own. Some exclaimed in surprise, "Oh my," many shouted, "It's so high up here," and a few vigorously waved at them, shouting, "Go for it."
Then they would gradually dissipate amidst murmuring, and new ones moved in, continuing to repair the shadow shield.
"It's so dark here…"
"The sky is red!"
"I really want to talk to someone."
Whispers of the Demon King's dream fragments.
The remnants of the old world attempted to penetrate the shadow attack, only to be pulled and collided by golden threads, collapsing to the ground.
Nol closed his eyes, pondering all his skills. Now he knew the enemy's skills and characteristics. This was a game puzzle. He was best at this.
"Mom and Dad must be so worried."
"How do I get home?"
"Help me. Help me."
...
Having gained the relief of "death", the remnants of the Demon King's will were still whispering softly.
Surprisingly, although the Demon King was in a state of madness, it didn't pounce again, nor did it use spells from the old worlds against them.
It merely threw remnants futilely, raising dreams… like a child wanting to cry and throw a tantrum but afraid to cause trouble and get scolded, only daring to throw nearby toys.
But those toys were deadly enough.
A giant toy bear stepped out of the sea. One of its eyes was loose, wobbling on the rotting fabric. Eaves and pavilions rose and collapsed. The pallid, mottled barrels of guns protruding out like barnacles from the fabric aimed at them.
Nol looked up, facing the oppressive force, and saw the six twitching light orbs above the Demon King's head.
He couldn't cheat with the letter opener this time, he thought. This was entirely not his world. Even if he severed the connection with it, the Demon King was still the Demon King—Tahe had only existed for two hundred years, while the Demon King had wandered this land for a thousand years.
A thousand years of solitude and decay, it had almost lost all reason, and only a trace of its former humanity remained… But even if it was just a trace, it was still there.
"I'm sorry. Being alone is too terrifying."
"I don't want to hurt my compatriot."
"But being alone is too terrifying…"
Tall, short, fat, thin shadows each uttered a phrase, softly narrating the same will.
Even if it was wishful thinking, Nol still wanted to believe this was the Demon King suppressing itself, creating an opportunity for them… An opportunity to let it rest eternally.
The toy bear staggered closer, about to press down on them. Under the swaying, bloodthirsty wooden talismans, countless barrels aimed at the scar-ridden black dragon, their muzzles spinning wildly.
Nol closed his eyes.
He had an idea—cruel, direct, but effective.
With his magic, he could only use [Lullaby] to instantaneously move the target object a few meters away. But what if… What if he used two completely different forces on the same thing?
Nol reverted from his dragon form back to human. He kept some dragon scales and wings, deliberately using his elongated hair to cover his body. Teest rolled off and landed nimbly, winking at Nol, lowering the shield a bit.
Nol moved his remaining hand, pulling out Kando from the fallen pack.
"I know you're still alive," Nol said calmly. "Whether you're just watching or your power is really suppressed, I need your spatial transfer—just a short distance. Can you do it?"
The candle's single eye trembled weakly, barely opening a slit. ".….."
Nol sighed. He extended his blood-drenched severed hand, pouring blood over the black candle. Dracolich's blood, rich in magic, might help somewhat.
Nol, dragging his injured arm and leg, stumbled towards Teest. He placed his hand on the back of his knight's neck and gave him a kiss, filled with the scent of blood.
"…Ten meters." The candle flickered a bit of blue flame, mumbling softly. "At most ten meters, I can't contend with the Demon King."
"That's enough." Nol smiled bitterly.
"Ready?" Teest turned his head, his handsome face covered in blood and scars. "To be honest, I can't hold on much longer."
Nol dragged his injured arm and leg, stumbling towards Teest. He held the back of his knight's neck, giving him a kiss full of the taste of blood.
"Honey, you taste like you're about to commit murder," After the kiss, Teest said breathlessly.
"Take care of yourself." Nol forced a smile. He gripped the equally faint candle, trying to spread his wounded wings.
"I still prefer being within five meters."
Teest reached out his equally scarred hand. "Don't leave your knight behind, remember?"
"Of course." Nol extended his broken arm. "I was just thinking of picking you up."
"Ah, let me do it this time."
Teest let go of most of the shadow shield, controlling only a few shadows close to him. He carried Nol on his back, rushing towards the Demon King. Nol hooked his injured arm around his neck as the magic staff ignited blue fire.
The blue fire formed a ring, not too big or small, just enough to encircle the Demon King's neck.
He sadly glanced at the silently wailing Demon King and activated [Lullaby].
[Lullaby], forced the Demon King to move 10 meters north.
Kando teleportation, the fire ring around the neck, moved the Demon King 10 meters south.
…Both activated simultaneously.
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Today's vision:
Every day, when corporate worker Nol wakes up, his white big cat at home brings him a lot of freshly caught bugs*.
*Double meaning, as in bugs in a game/software/program ect..
Teest, the world's best tester.jpg