The Demon Hunting Method of the Regressed Inquisitor

The Eroding One (3)

Whether it was luck or misfortune.

The girl who intruded, Lilia, did not kill Lost immediately.

Though she strangled him with murderous intent, it seemed that was not enough to satisfy her anger.

“Gah…!”

The torture essentially began.

Like a beast that had finished hunting and was toying with its prey.

Crunch! Crack!

Lilia grabbed one of Lost’s arms and put strength into her foot.

A sound like something being torn off, like something breaking, echoed.

Lost, who had a resistance to torture, did not scream.

But that fact only brought fear to the hunters who had collapsed around them.

The one who is causing pain as if to tear off the arm. The one who endures the pain without uttering a word.

The sound of a human breaking becomes even clearer due to that silence.

“Ah, I think I finally understand.”

Lilia, who had been tormenting Lost for a long time, suddenly smirked as if she had just realized something.

Keeping Lost alive is not because of her principles.

Of course, she didn’t want to kill anyone.

Because she is the one who feels the weight of life the most.

Pain is fleeting, but death is eternal. No matter how painful and agonizing it is, it will eventually get better, but death cannot be undone.

“I finally understand why I feel traces of my father in you.”

She hates death.

But she hates the priests of the Pantheon and the demons just as much.

The reason she hasn’t killed Lost until now is because he is under the influence of ‘erosion’.

She knows her parents. She knows how powerful they are.

She couldn’t understand how he could be alive while containing such power.

That’s why she held back.

Until now, she thought there was some reason to keep him alive.

She even considered the possibility that the being in front of her was a messenger sent to her.

But the man didn’t say a word. He didn’t even know her parents’ real names.

Then there is only one answer.

“Just like me now, my father must have been unsatisfied with simply killing you.”

As much as she hates it. No, even more than her, ＜The Eroding One＞ Eremus hates the Pantheon.

He is the dark history of the Pantheon itself. The result of the Pantheon’s neglect since ancient times.

‘This b*stard…’

An excuse to justify hatred.

Lilia is creating an excuse to kill Lost.

Even in his dazed state, Lost could clearly feel it.

“That’s why you’re suffering like this, right? Right?”

Lost is dying. She, too, can exercise a bit of the same power as Eremus.

Accelerating the erosion is not a problem.

“It hurts, doesn’t it? Your insides must be twisting. The sensation of your organs melting from the inside. Can’t you feel it?”

Lilia asked while trampling on Rost. Every time she stomped, a creaking sound came from his body, and black blood gushed out.

His insides are melting.

This is the result of stimulating the power of erosion through physical shock.

Death is approaching Rost step by step.

The eyes that were examining the opponent’s abilities eventually faded away in pain.

And at that very moment.

“Ouch!”

Slash!

Lilia’s leg, which was trampling on Rost, flew off. It was a serious injury, unlike the minor wounds she had sustained even when facing numerous hunters.

Was it because of the sudden attack?

‘No.’

Lilia pondered in that fleeting moment when her leg was flying off.

She examines what attacked her. Black hair and white clothes.

The movements are not that exceptional, and the weapon is not special either.

Lilia, who confirmed the appearance of the girl with fox ears, Linnea Spirine, could only tilt her head in confusion.

‘What?’

The reason she was injured was because she received too many sudden attacks. One of her powers is to make her body like mist.

Although it is impossible to wrap her entire body in mist like her parents, the probability of receiving such a fatal injury is extremely low.

In the first place, the only times she gets injured are when she is counterattacked during her own attacks.

Most of the time, it’s just her fists getting scraped or the tops of her feet getting cut, and exceptions are those with abilities strong enough to penetrate even the mist, like Kurud.

So, was the attack she just received one of those exceptions?

“Hmm.”

Lilia instantly transformed the severed surface, where blood had started pouring out, into mist and reattached the severed leg.

Snap!

And instead of pulling the leg connected by mist right away, she swung it like a whip and delivered a thorough punishment.

“Ugh!”

“Huh?”

What she confirmed after kicking the opponent who had shown his back defenselessly was that the man she had been tormenting had disappeared.

He wasn’t defenseless.

“I don’t understand…”

She turned her back.

To protect the man from herself.

The burning anger subsides.

She hates the idea of people dying. Because she understands its meaning.

It was also the reason she fled from her parents’ side as they faced death.

The fear and sense of loss that comes from someone precious disappearing forever.

Every time she tries to kill someone, that feeling resurfaces and makes her hesitate.

She thought this time would be different, that she would break free from that shackle if the opponent was the priest of the Pantheon, one of the culprits who made her this way.

“Is he someone precious to you?”

Watching such actions makes her heart soften.

“…No. To be honest, not to that extent.”

“Then why? Is he worth risking your life to protect?”

“No. I regret it even now.”

Linnea felt the raindrops falling on her back, as if torn by a beast’s claws, and shivered.

It hurts. It hurts so much.

She should have stepped back as Rost suggested. She made the mistake at the most dangerous place, at the most dangerous moment.

“Mr. Rost is not a good person, no matter how you look at it.”

“And?”

“Well.”

Is Rost worth risking her life to protect? The answer is still no.

He is not a purely good person.

He incites and manipulates people without hesitation.

But he is not a bad person.

“I once threw a tantrum. I think of it as the price for that.”

“You’re a strange one.”

“…Indeed.”

She always tried not to care about anything outside her own goals.

She followed Rost only to uncover his secrets.

She approached Rost with calculated lies, disguising herself.

It was all for herself. She kept telling herself that.

But in the end, she couldn’t do it.

Even though she frowned and gave a bitter smile, she might have enjoyed the things Rost planned and did.

“But what can I do?”

When they tried to save Pinocchio in Nidavellir. When Rost felt a sense of responsibility and tried to turn back.

She stopped him.

Even though she knew it would have been better to follow Rost’s opinion.

Why did she do that? Why did she act as if she was opposing his opinion?

Until now, she had only thought about getting close to Rost to uncover his secrets.

The answer was simpler than she thought.

“Because this is who I am.”

It was simply because she didn’t want that. She couldn’t be as cold-hearted as she thought.

She acted on impulses in the moment. The humanity she was denying was surprisingly deeply rooted in her.

“Even if I die, I guess I’m still a doctor.”

She was a descendant of the prestigious Spirine family of doctors.

The mindset of becoming a doctor to save people might have been ingrained in her from the education she received since childhood.

Yes, she could come up with as many reasons as she wanted.

“You asked if it’s worth risking my life to protect? Unfortunately, as a doctor, I don’t weigh such values. If I can save, I save.”

Linnea stood between Rost and Lilia, holding a dagger.

She was only able to cut off the leg because she was lucky.

She had been waiting silently, and in that fleeting moment, the line she saw miraculously severed the leg perfectly.

The physical abilities of the beastmen are superior to humans. Their senses are the same.

There was various support she received within the huge fence of the count’s family.

Even if it was self-defense, she learned techniques from a renowned teacher.

So, she could fight.

“Step back.”

“……”

“If you don’t step back, next time I’ll cut your neck instead of your leg.”

The greatest threat she could muster. She stopped using honorifics and warned in a cold voice.

It was a bluff. In the end, it was just a bluff.

Even if she piled up all the conditions she had thought of, there was no chance of winning.

Even among the hunters who had already fallen nearby, there would be many stronger than her.

Cutting off the leg was a stroke of luck. But it was an achievement that no one else had accomplished.

She used her anomaly to force caution upon her opponent.

“Heehee.”

“……”

“Heeheeheehee!”

But it didn’t work. The opponent was not someone who would be intimidated by such threats.

“If you can cut off my head, go ahead and try.”

An undeniable anomaly? So what?

“But even if you do that, I can’t guarantee you’ll be able to kill me.”

It’s just an anomaly, after all.

She had fought countless battles.

Since entering this Rubia, she had defeated over a hundred.

But was there not a single one among them who boasted?

“And don’t you think your words don’t make sense?”

Thud!

She lightly stepped on the ground. But the result was anything but light.

Lilia, who approached Linnea in one step, swung her fist widely.

It was an action solely for attack, without worrying about the opponent’s counterattack.

And that action itself was proof that she didn’t care about Linnea’s threats.

“Ugh!”

Linnea raised her arm to block Lilia’s kick and rolled on the ground with a short groan.

Her arm broke in one blow.

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She couldn’t even think of counterattacking. The opponent had brazenly exposed her neck.

“Aren’t you a doctor? Then you can’t just kill people recklessly, can you?”

“……No.”

“Then? Can you kill?”

“If I can’t save them. Our job is to make it as painless as possible. I’ve killed as many as I’ve saved.”

“Impressive!”

Thud!

Lillia’s follow-up strike landed squarely on Linea’s abdomen, who had one arm hanging limply.

“But you don’t have the strength to match.”

Linea, lying face down on the ground, kept coughing.

Blood flowed from her mouth, and her body trembled.

Lack of experience.

Even though one arm was already broken, she hadn’t thought of how to handle it.

“Seeing your admirable resolve, I won’t kill you here, at least.”

Lillia had already abandoned her plan to kill Rost.

She wasn’t in the mood for it. Of course, if that annoying light swung in front of her eyes again, it would be a different story.

So she decided to take minimal measures to ensure she wouldn’t have to kill next time.

But she couldn’t move.

“I said I won’t kill you, didn’t I?”

It was because Linea was holding onto her ankle.

“…That’s too obvious. If you can do anything as long as you don’t kill, why would I let you go?”

Linea, who had been spitting blood, was now breathing evenly again. She was controlling the pain.

“…Everyone, this guy and that guy, they’re all just annoying.”

Lillia stomped on Linea’s arm, which was holding her ankle, with her other foot.

“Let go.”

With a creaking sound, Linea’s arm turned blue. Blood oozed from her wrist, pierced and torn by the broken stone floor fragments.

When the strength left Linea’s hand, which had been holding her ankle.

“Ughhh!!”

Another obstacle appeared.

Lillia looked in the direction of the scream with a face that seemed fed up.

It was the green monster she had managed to knock down with a lucky blow the first time.

It was charging at her, matching its appearance and scream.

“….”

Lillia’s expression was cold. She was no longer in the mood to play.

Around her, black mist began to bloom like flowers.

The power of ‘erosion,’ which she had been restraining until now, began to spread.

“Ugh…!”

Crash!!

With a roar, the Titan charged with all its might.

This time, the situation was the opposite of their first encounter.

Lilia, who was blocking the Titan’s charge, couldn’t withstand the force and was pushed back, scraping the ground.

Despite starting to use the power of erosion, the force was beyond expectation.

It was only after being pushed far from the initial spot that Lilia could stop the Titan’s charge.

“Rinea Spirine.”

The Titan called Rinea’s name, which it had never called before.

It was a sign of acknowledgment.

Even if they had joined with dubious intentions, the display just now couldn’t be denied.

“Take Rost and get out.”

The moment the full-force attack was blocked, the Titan sensed it wouldn’t be easy.

At first, it was caught off guard. But the opponent had already taken down several strong ones, including Kurud.

Having blocked even this surprise charge, there was no chance of victory.

Therefore, the strongest and most steadfast had to remain.

“Impressive.”

Rinea, staggering from the Titan’s command-like words, immediately hoisted Rost.

Despite the searing pain from being kicked and trampled by Lilia, she moved without hesitation.

“Don’t be ridiculous.”

Lilia ground her teeth at the sight of the two. Why go to such lengths? Hadn’t they said it wasn’t worth it?

They had said it wasn’t precious enough to risk their lives.

They had said it wasn’t worth it.

“Then why are you doing this!!”

Thus, their actions felt like they were merely trying to hinder her.

It felt like they were trying to deny everything about her, making her feel unpleasant.

Lilia pushed the Titan, who was trying to suppress her, aside and charged at Rinea, who was fleeing with Rost.

“Ugh?!”

Just as she was about to tear into that defenseless back, Lilia had to stop again.

There was an obstructing presence.

It wasn’t strong. It felt ephemeral, as if it would crumble with a slight touch.

“Wow, it’s true.”

Snow-white hair and red eyes reminiscent of a rabbit.

I could tell instinctively.

This girl is the weakest among the people here. She would die if I just touched her lightly.

That’s why I hesitated.

Lilia’s hesitation, not wanting to kill anyone, was exploited.

The chip in that gamble was life.

“A great success.”

Claire, who should have been evacuated by Anne’s side, smirked.

The brief moment she had bought.

With just that, she did everything she could. Claire stuck out her tongue and quickly ran away.

Lilia didn’t bother to stop her.

She had no intention of killing her in the first place, and she wasn’t confident in controlling her strength against her.

Everything just cooled down.

A world where the painful groans of hunters disappeared into the sound of rain.

Lilia felt as if she was left alone in such a world.

An absurd loneliness enveloped her body. It seeped out as a power called erosion.

“He said the king is the one who leads everyone. That’s true.”

Titan said to the girl.

“It’s not because he’s special that I’m trying to save him. I’m the special one. Isn’t a great king someone who even leads such sly and trivial people?”

Golden patterns began to emerge on his green skin.

“Such a king should not impose his resolve on his people.”

Titan revealed the power he had not intended to show even in the face of death.