## Episode 141. Night Stalker Demon (5)
"Rake!"
Rake noticed before I did and rolled her body to avoid the creature's attack.
BOOM!
The green light fired from the creature's fingertips shattered the floor.
Damn it. I couldn't even see its attack. It suddenly vanished with a whoosh, then appeared right in front of us. Must be some kind of acceleration ability.
"It's targeting the totem."
"I'll be careful."
Unlike other demons, this one targeted the totem from the start. As if it knew destroying the totem to neutralize me was its top priority.
"You bastard!"
Kanto and Isaac swung their weapons, but the creature easily dodged and retreated. Its body slipped into the darkness and smoothly disappeared.
This isn't just invisibility, it's almost like disintegration. Already tricky abilities have been enhanced.
"What an ugly-looking thing," Isaac said, staring at the spot where the creature had just been.
Yeah, it did look like a dog. Like a deep-sea anglerfish walking on two legs.
Wait a minute... it disappeared like it was being sucked in.
The creature appeared in mid-air, tearing through space. "Tearing" might sound strange, but there's no other way to describe it.
A hand appeared out of nowhere with a pop, pulling at its surroundings, and from that folded space, the Night Stalker demon's body materialized.
When it disappeared just now, it seemed to melt into the darkness.
It could have just vanished with a swoosh like when it ambushed us, but it deliberately moved physically too.
...
The creature might only be able to teleport through darkness.
Let's assume that's the case. Then there's a way to counter it.
Since both the situation and its abilities have changed, I'll discard MeleeSpy's strategy.
"Paya, we need Toughie's flames."
"Toughie! Fire!"
Paya understood my garbled instruction perfectly and gave the command.
Squeeeeeak~!
Toughie breathed fire, heating up the surroundings. Parts of the dungeon hidden in darkness were revealed.
Strange wall paintings that looked like they were carved in blood, an altar covered in cobwebs, and a skull tower emanating an eerie energy.
So hell was right here underground. Truly a fitting dungeon for a demon.
Whoosh!
A green light shot toward Toughie, who was busy spewing flames like a flamethrower. The Night Stalker demon must have released its divine power.
Rake quickly jumped in and swung her meteor sword. Though the divine power was packed with ominous energy, it couldn't penetrate the meteor sword—said to be the continent's toughest—and the golden light surrounding Rake's body.
Rake's superpower should be considered divine power now too. The energy itself wasn't much weaker than the demon's.
Good. We've blocked its spatial movement ability. At least we won't be ambushed right in front of our faces.
"Where is it?"
"It's gone! It seems to have disappeared like before!"
Kanto and Isaac checked the direction the claws came from, but couldn't find the creature. It must have teleported right after firing its claws. Clever beast.
"Don't rush out alone. Stay near me while protecting Paya."
This is a one-shot battle. Whoever loses focus and becomes careless loses. This works in our favor.
We're many, it's alone.
I can restore my allies' fatigue with the "Healing Totem." We also have reinforcements coming down after clearing the city's demons and worshippers.
Paladin skills are optimized for hunting demons. Si-woo's "Holy Flame" might even inflict effective damage.
The longer this drags on, the worse it gets for the Night Stalker demon.
"...It's slight, but the water color seems to be changing," Rake said, stretching her foot after carefully watching and listening. The ankle-deep water rippled.
Ah, right.
The Night Stalker demon could also generate poison from its body. It must be hiding and releasing poison.
Trying to slowly poison us?
"Using such petty tactics."
Honestly, I'm not scared at all.
I used the blessing "Mallak's Domain." Blue clouds formed above us and began to rain.
This isn't ordinary rain. It's rain that weakens enemies. I'm not sure if it has sterilizing or detoxifying functions, but at least it won't let poison accumulate.
Since demon poison can be considered an enemy, wouldn't it weaken it?
...No. That's just baseless faith. This isn't enough.
I'll definitely get an incarnation if I catch this thing. No need to hold back on blessings.
[Would you like to upgrade the blessing 'Mallak's Domain (Intermediate)' to Advanced?]
Click.
I upgraded it immediately.
[Mallak's Domain (Advanced): Rains down water that weakens enemies. Enemies fall into states of anxiety, chills, and slowness. Occasionally can strike lightning. Can drive away all kinds of filth and impurities.]
Good. A pretty useful effect has been added.
Soon after, with a hissing sound, smoke rose from the water filling the dungeon floor. The dirty, impure water was being purified.
"Good. We've gained the upper hand."
We drove away the darkness with Toughie's flames, and my blessing is purifying the poison. And Rake just standing there is already a huge threat to it.
We had information about it, while it had none about us. We overcame seemingly equal abilities with the difference in information.
The two men are also playing their roles as "weak but definitely annoying to kill." The tiresome game of cat and mouse should end soon.
Just as the rain from my summoned clouds extinguished all of Toughie's flames.
With the sudden darkness, something approached us with a swoosh. I couldn't see or hear anything, but I could feel it.
It's the demon. It's attacking, seizing its last chance.
I can sense divine power. Not enough to ascend to heaven again, but very threatening.
I didn't need to say anything. Rake, with her more sensitive detection abilities, moved. She instantly amplified her divine power like when she flew to the griffin demon's nest, emitting golden light from her entire body.
CLANG!
The meteor sword and the Night Stalker demon's hand collided. Metal against flesh, yet it made such a sound. Perhaps it coated its hand with divine power.
The collision didn't end there.
One second. No, less than a second. An incredible exchange of attacks and defenses occurred in that brief moment.
It was a high-speed battle I'd never seen before. Like watching at 10x speed.
Rake and the Night Stalker demon engaged in combat at a level my eyes could barely follow.
Damn. Isaac, you need to rename your swordsmanship. That's what a Gale Thrust should look like, not whatever you do.
The only problem was that the creature's body was just barely outside the Confusion Totem's range.
The Night Stalker demon was swinging its extremely long arms while facing off against Rake, but keeping its body pulled back.
Does it know I might use the Confusion Totem if necessary? Or maybe it's wary because of True Mallak's energy flowing from the totem.
The creature occasionally glanced at Totem #3 with its translucent, hollow eyes. If Rake gets pushed back even a little, it would try to destroy the totem.
"Bind its feet."
We have more numbers. Since it's focusing on Rake, even Isaac or Kanto won't be easily defeated.
"Haap!"
"Yah!"
Kanto and Isaac, who had been watching the battle between the semi-deity and demon waiting for an opportunity, joined in. They rushed in from both sides to interfere, and while their strength and speed might be inferior to Rake's, their experience and combat sense were excellent.
Isaac, who had received the "Enhancement Tattoo" blessing before descending to the Assassin's Guild Headquarters, attacked faster than Kanto. A combination of gear advantage and buffs.
"Hup!"
Rake, in the middle of an intense sword fight, suddenly threw her meteor sword at the creature.
What? What does this mean? A stress-induced suicide show? Shouldn't she keep that sword?
I had a brief brain freeze.
The creature deflected the meteor sword with its hand, and Rake approached it.
The Night Stalker demon reached for Totem #3, and Rake twisted her body just in time. It all happened in an instant.
THUNK!
The Night Stalker demon's fingertip pierced Rake's shoulder. Red blood gushed out.
"Kuk!"
Rake slightly grimaced but raised the corner of her mouth.
"Got you."
She grabbed the arm that had pierced her shoulder and pulled hard. Ah, she deliberately showed an opening to lure it in.
As expected of Rake! The Tribal Federation's greatest beauty warrior! I believed in you!
GROOOWL...!
The Night Stalker demon resisted fiercely, but it was useless. Rake glared and wouldn't let go.
"Nice!"
"Well done!"
Kanto swung his axe to strike the creature's left foot, while Isaac mercilessly stabbed its right foot with his sword.
"Toughie!"
Squeeeeeak~!
Add Toughie's body slam to that.
Now's the time! I used the Confusion Totem on the creature as it lost balance and was dragged toward us.
GURK!
Rake's hand dug into the abdomen of the creature, which was now spewing blood from its eyes, nose, and mouth. She was no longer the guardian who ate alone.
Now that she understands the importance of "cooperation," maybe she'll start mingling with the believers?