Chapter 344: Champion Part Four_Salvos (A Monster Evolution LitRPG)

Chapter 344: Champion Part Four

 344 Champion Part Four

 Belzu looked down at the sphere in his hand, seeing the two Infant Demons make a break for it. They ran from the other Demons chasing them. They fled, unable to fight back. The Primeval Demon cackled in his victory. He nced back down at where Mori dius and the Salvos clone had been standing. They were both gone.

 That was right. He hadnt been lying. Or maybe hed lied a little bit.

 It was an illusion in a sense. But an illusion so powerful it warped reality that it became real. That it trapped Belzus targets in a world of his own creation. And they were forever cursed to live through the Destion. Through the hell that was the Netherworld.

 Perhaps they could break out of it, given time. And that was why Belzu hadnt sent them alone. A small portion of his army was sent along with them to the Primeval Demons world. And hed given the monsters bodies of powerful Demons. They would kill both Mori dius and the Salvos clone. Eventually.

 Perhaps both the Salvos clone and Mori dius would retain some of their abilities. But it would only dy the inevitable. There was nothing more for Belzu to do. His biggest threats were trapped, and he was free to continue his razing of the city. And bolstering his army.

 The Primeval Demon looked over beyond the city walls. He saw the adventurer army retreating. And he moved for them.

 Retreat! We need to leave now!

 A voice shouted. Zack nced back at the rest of the adventurer army. They were already pulling back. The army had taken severe losses. Thousands of adventurers were dead. But theyd managed to take out just as many or even more monsters than that.

 But the horde of monsters just kepting. They didnt stop. And it was time to leave. Zack agreed with that, but his teammates werent as easy to convince.

 Jaakko, you heard them! Lets get out of here!

 The Cyclops crushed a Saeve with one of his four arms. The ape-like creature went limp. Jaakko turned back and faced Zack with his one eye.

 We cannot retreat.

 He spoke simply. Zack gestured exasperatedly at the burning city.

 Theres not a chance that theres a single civilian left alive there! Why are we staying?

 Because

 Jaakko paused. He looked over at one of the few adventurers who were still fighting close to the citys walls. Zack followed his gaze and saw Scarlet. The Red Rose. One of the Elites of the Remembered Order Company. She fought alongside another Elite. Tyrian the Brightsbane Archer. They didnt back up, even when the rest of thepany fled.

 What are they doing?

 Zack asked, utterly befuddled. Helen walked up behind him, pursing her lips.

 Mori dius hasnt returned from the city. Theyre waiting for their leader.

 What?

 It took a moment for Zack to process this. That meant they were all waiting for Mori dius to return. Zack shook his head.

 Mori dius is the Champion of the Human Lands. He can handle himself. And if he cant, we have no business being out here. Let the Elites handle it.

 Jaakko remained silent. Helen protested.

 But we cant just leave!

 Well just be in the way.

 Zack spoke, voice level. Still, she wasnt convinced. She turned to the Cyclops the leader of their team.

 Jaakko!

 The Cyclops didnt speak for a moment. It looked like he was in deep thought. He stared at the city as another burning building copsed. Finally, he sighed.

 Zacks right.

 Of course I am.

 Zack snorted, d his leader was finally seeing some sense. Helen blinked. She opened her mouth to argue, then she looked at her two team members. Her shoulders slumped.

 I see.

 Jaakko nodded.

 I do not wish to leave the Champion of the Human Lands alone. But our help is not needed here. Let us go

 He started, only for a blinding light to cut him off. It tore through the battlefield, slicing through the first ranks of adventurers before they could even react. Dozens of tinum Ranks and a few Diamond Ranks just vanished, killed by the giant de of light in an instant.

 Jaakko, Helen, and Zack wouldve fallen victim to the attack too if they hadnt been saved. Zack blinked as he found himself floating, being carried by the Salvos clone that had been protectively hovering over them.

 W-what?

 The [Mage] stared at the ranks of dead adventurers. Both Scarlet and Tyrian managed to escape in time too. They were tense, weapons at the ready for whatever it was responsible for that attack.

 The Salvos clone slowly lowered Jaakko, Helen, and Zack to the ground. She hurriedly gestured at them to leave. Zack stumbled to his feet, still in shock. Then he looked at what the Salvos clone was looking at. She stared into the raging mes. At a bloated figure slowly flying out of it.

 No

 He gasped. That was when he saw it. For the very first time, Zack caught sight of the Primeval Demon.

 It emerged from the mes, followed by its army. Monsters of all kinds. Undead of all Species. Zack was almost certain he saw Humans amongst them too, but he was too transfixed on the Primeval Demon to even realize what he was looking at.

 The Primeval Demons presence weighed on him. A creeping sense of dread crawled over the battlefield, smothering any spark of fighting spirit that had previously been there. A sick grin spread across its face as it spoke a simple order for its army.

 Kill them all.

 And Zack screamed. The adventurers fled as the horde of monsters gave chase, led by the Primeval Demon itself.

 This was it. Mori dius had found himself in many dangerous situations throughout his life. As an adventurer, he was no stranger to death. Many of his friends and allies had died throughout his adventures. Throughout his journey to be the Champion of the Human Lands.

 He knew that a time woulde when he, himself, would eventually fall in battle. He was prepared for it. But he didnt expect to go out like this.

 A Greater Demon swung for him as he barely scuttled out of the way, using his little nubs to carry himself as fast as possible. It missed, instead striking a Lesser Demon. The Lesser Demon snarled in anger. It struck back, only to be crushed by the Greater Demon.

 Mori dius sighed internally in relief, grateful for that brief reprieve for that dy it had bought him. The Demons continued to give chase as he could only crawl-scurry back. Behind him, the Salvos clone followed. She matched his speed, although it wasnt very hard to do so.

 They were both slug-like creatures that barely had any appendages or limbs. The Primeval Demons Grand Skill trapped them in these bodies. It had ced them in this world. In the Netherworld? Or a recreation of it?

 He didnt know. It didnt matter to him. All he knew was that he was going to die in some unknown ce with the body of some grotesque creature. It was a shameful death. He couldnt even fight back. He tried, oh, he did.

 But when he threw himself at theserger creatures, all he did was flop over and fall to the ground, barely even stalling them. So all he could do was run. But he couldnt run forever.

 A Lesser Demon intercepted him a kind of [Djinn]. It towered over him, and he swiftly crawled around its legs. The [Djinn] kicked once, sending him flying in the air. The single hit battered his body. Hended on the white ground with a thud, bleeding a ck blood that mixed with the rain from above.

 He grimaced.

 No He got back up, immediately taking off running again. Not like this 

 And an Archdemon caught up to him. Its ws raked his back as he recoiled in pain. He wiggled around the Archdemons arms as it picked him up. It had a demented head that of a monsters skull. And its jaws unhinged, revealing a hundred razor-sharp teeth. It held him over its mouth as he struggled to break free.

 I cant die like this, he thought as he gazed into the bottomless pit of the Archdemons maws. It easily kept back the Greater Demons and Lesser Demons. It slowly lowered Mori dius down, closing its jaw.

 He shut his eyes, epting his fate. This is how I go, huh? It was bittersweet. He took sce in knowing that he died protecting Humankind, living up to his Title as the Champion of the Human Lands. But he was going to die in another world. In a reality-warping illusion. As a Demon.

 It truly was a tragedy

 And he heard a thud. A hard smacking sound. Almost wet. He opened his eyes to see the Salvos clone throwing her slug-like body straight into the Archdemons mouth. It knocked the Archdemon back, causing it to stagger and drop him. Mori dius stared at her, confused. She looked down at him once and nodded.

 Why? he began to ask, and the Archdemon bit down. It was a chomp. One that crushed the Salvos clone instantly. Mori dius flinched. Why would you save me? he asked again.

 It was over. He was next. All she did was dy his death for a second longer. All she did was

 And there was a glint. A bright light coalesced deep within the Archemon. It paused. It fell to the ground in pain. Mori dius eyes widened. He leapt back, scuttling past the other Demons as the light grew brighter. Before, finally, a powerful explosion ripped apart thendscape. It killed the Archdemon instantly, before blowing apart the nearby Greater Demons and Lesser Demons.

 Mori dius himself was caught in the st. He was sent flying back and mmed into arge rock. He fell over in a daze, vision growing dark. Now is this really it? he wondered as the world vanished.

 --

 You did it.

 A soft voice spoke in the room. Mori dius sat up abruptly, nearly knocking over the report that had beenid on his desk. He nced over at the figure standing by the doorway. A young man, barely twenty years old, stood there with a raised brow.

 Im surprised. Id have thought you of all people would have fucked up.

 Fuck up? What are you

 Mori dius started in anger, before catching himself. He straightened and bowed at the young man.

 Im sorry, Master. But may I ask why exactly did you think I''d fail my mission? 

 I told you before, Mori. You dont have to address me so formally.

 The young man just chuckled. He walked over to the desk with a skip in his step. Utterly carefree. He sat down and crossed his legs. 

 I told you, you can just call me Yves.

 Mori stared at the rxed young man. At Yves Virgil. The leader of the Remembered Order Company. The Watcher. The highest-leveled Human in the entire world. Then Mori shook his head.

 Im sorry, but I cannot address you that way, Master. That would be disrespectful and rude of me to do so. 

 Geez, youre always so uptight, arent you? You need to rx more. Although I guess that stubbornness of yours is why you got that Title.

 Yves smiled. Despite his youthful appearance, he was nearly twice Moris age. Mori wasnt sure how the Watcher looked so young. It was possible that Yves had a second ss as an [Alchemist] and concocted Potions of Youth for himself. 

 Mori dius never thought to ask. Yves continued.

 Champion of the Human Lands, huh? What a prestigious Title. Youd think youd have gotten it from besting the Demon King in a duel, or fending off a Kobold army all by yourself. And yet, all you did was negotiate with the Elven Matriarch Ios-friel and convince her not to invade the Humannds. You, of all people.

 The Watcher ced his hand on his forehead like he was in disbelief. Mori dius pursed his lips.

 Did you think I was going to fail, Master? 

 Maybe. I cant say for sure with you, Mori. When I first met you, you were the most brash idiot I had ever epted into mypany. But now? 

 Mori dius stood slightly straighter prouder. And Yves grinned.

 Now? Youve changed so much. Youve grown so much stronger. But youre still a brash idiot.

 ...oh.

 The Champion of the Human Lands deted. But his Master just waved a hand off.

 Thats not to say you were the exact same person then as you are now. And youve shown how much youve grown since then. But at the very core, you havent changed. Because whether you are good or bad, weak or strong, rich or poor none of it matters. That is not who you are. The very essence of your soul hasnt changed.

 Mori dius looked up at the Watcher. He stared at his Master, listening carefully. Taking in every word that came out of Yves mouth as the young man got to his feet.

 If you had failed, it wouldve been a terrible war. A cmity to the Humannds. But you are Mori dius. My sessor. I trusted that you wouldnt fail. And you didnt. You seeded. You prevented it.

 Yves patted Mori on the shoulder with a soft smile.

 So good job. Because it is now up to you to protect Humankind, Mori.

 With those words, the Watcher left the room.

 --

 Mori dius eyes fluttered open. He was no longer in that old office back at hispanys headquarters that wasnt even his current office which was farrger and more luxurious than what he had now. It had been a memory from a time long ago. When hed still been a Diamond Ranked adventurer.

 The Watcher had picked him as the next leader of the Remembered Order Company. At the time, Mori had been perplexed. He didnt know why his Master didnt choose any of the other Elites there. But perhaps it was because his Master saw something in him that others couldnt.

 Forcing himself back up, Mori dius took in his surroundings. He was still in the crimson world, although the dark rain had stopped falling from the sky. His body was injured ripped and torn by the Demons before being sted by a golden explosion.

 Here he was, still trapped in the body of an Infant Demon. In a harsh world far from his own. He wasnt in the Humannds. He was going to die in a foreign ce with the broken body of a creature he scorned.

 A moving figure caught his eyes. He looked over at an ambling Archdemon walking over the corpses of the other Demons that had been caught in the st. This wasnt the same Archdemon that had tried to eat him. That Archdemon had been incinerated by the golden mes.

 No this was another Archdemon that managed to avoid the st. It came down now to collect the scraps and leftovers, although there were none except for Mori dius himself. He tried to crawl away, but it slowly walked up to him. It wore a vicious smile on its face as it reached over to him. Like a vulture swooping down to its prey.

 Mori dius stared at it. At the way it hungered for him. But Demons didnt eat. This was a monster wearing the skin of an Archdemon, as he was a Human with the form of an Infant Demon. That was why it opened its mouth that was why it scooped him into its maw.

 Then he looked past the Archdemon. Towards the site of the explosion. The golden st. The Salvos clone had exploded. He remembered seeing the very same st erupted throughout the city. Despite being reduced to a mere slug-like creature, the Salvos clone still retained that ability.

 He craned his neck, looking at the Archdemon. Then at himself. And he remembered his Masters words.

 Thats right. 

 The Archdemon closed its teeth around him as he stared at his impending death.

 I am the Watchers sessor. 

 He would face death in the face andugh. Mere death was nothing to a [Divine Spearmaster].

 I am the leader of the Remembered Order Company. 

 The essence of his soul hadnt changed, even if he looked like an Infant Demon now. His divinity wisped off him as there was a chomp. A crunch. An intense pain swept through his body. And heughed.

 I am the Champion of the Humannds! 

 With that thought, he activated his Grand Skill.

 [Divine Resurrection]! 

 The Archdemon paused. It stumbled back as something emerged from its stomach. It spat out the body of the Infant Demon, only for the eddying golden kes to coalesce around the corpse. A bright light shone for a bit before morphing into the vague shape of a Human body. And from that, emerged Mori dius. He carried his Bloodforged Lance, blue hair dripping with ck blood.

 He smirked as the Archdemon stepped back. He didnt let it escape. Instead, he thrust forward. He stabbed at the Archdemon even as it fled. His spear lit up the entire crimson sky, painting it gold as he shouted.

 [I Shall Pierce the Heavens]!

 And his second Grand Skill impaled the Archdemon. It reached the end of the small world, breaching its edges. It moved in a straight line, cracking the sky. The entire world shone gold, before everything shattered.

AliNovel

Chapter 344: Champion Part Four