You think you're worthy of saving the world?

Rosalia launched an attack.

If the lich Leoric hadn't received the blessing of the divine core, then in its eyes, this would probably have been a surprise attack that was as easy as disappearing.

The perfect fusion of martial arts and divine techniques has created such a superb footwork.

A voluptuous, curvaceous body can not only conquer men, but also be used as a weapon to ravage enemies.

At this moment, Rosalia had transformed her limbs into weapons.

A violent palm strike pierced straight into the lich's body.

Even undead creatures could be instantly killed by this attack infused with divine power.

However, the real terror lies elsewhere.

As the "Empress" attacks her opponent, she simultaneously releases the spells embedded in her arms.

Along with physical damage, what is injected into the opponent's body is a seventh-tier divine spell known as "Holy Nail".

Unlike the long-range throwing "Holy Lance," this extremely close-range attack is created with both hands and delivered into the enemy's body through bare-handed attacks.

"Holy Nails" instantly generate four-sided pyramid-shaped holy attribute iron nails inside the enemy.

Whether they are monsters with physical bodies or spirits that have abandoned their bodies, they will be pierced and imprisoned by the "Holy Nails" and unable to move.

"Ugh...!!"

Having suffered a fatal blow and been pierced by the "Holy Nail," the lich Leoric was then met with a sweeping kick from the "Empress."

Long, shapely legs swept through the air, and the skeleton's skull was kicked away like a ball, leaving a deep crack.

"Gah...ha!"

Despite the power of the divine core, the attack was still very effective, and the lich even suffered visibly damaged cheeks.

"Wow~ Rosa is so cool!" Celeste clapped her hands and let out a swooning scream.

"..." Yuri swallowed hard, still feeling a lingering fear.

"Ah...ha ...

The lich Leoric did not fall.

The lich, who forcibly broke through the level limit by devouring the divine core, even withstood the impact of the "Empress" and the curse of the "Holy Nail".

It chuckled merrily.

"I see... As expected of the Demon King, he's even more powerful than I imagined! But—"

"You lich, aren't you talking too much nonsense... Drink!"

Rosalia's attack came suddenly as she spoke, but the lich, floating in mid-air, dodged it by the narrowest of margins.

"That was just an accident... That's enough, Demon King."

As he spoke, the lich reached his skeletal claws into his black cloak and into his own chest.

Then——

He pulled a huge scythe from his chest.

"!"

Rosalia frowned slightly.

She had learned that it was the strange weapon the lich had used to ambush Celestia, and that it contained some kind of extraordinary power.

"Rosa!"

Yuri shouted from behind, signaling her to step back immediately.

Rosalia glanced back at him and then immediately obeyed his instructions to step aside.

"Oh? Are we changing players?"

The lich Leoric, clutching his scythe, grinned menacingly.

"Hahaha, whatever! You're all going to die anyway! Come on, feed my death scythe with your lives!"

The lich's skull revealed a sinister laugh.

"..."

As the smug laughter rang out, everyone present felt the temperature suddenly drop, as if an invisible vortex was beginning to rise around them.

The lich's scythe began to absorb the surrounding surges—the space itself, having lost its vitality, began to become imprisoned.

At that time, Celestia was rendered immobile after being penetrated from behind, leaving her at the mercy of her opponent.

This is probably the special ability possessed by this scythe.

Several months ago, the lich Leoric accidentally unearthed this scythe in an elven ruin.

It quickly discovered the scythe's mysterious power.

If I had this, I could kill the Demon King... no, I could even kill a god—

"You actually deceived me, unforgivable... I'll start with you, brave warrior! Prepare to die!"

The lich flew towards Yuri, swinging its scythe with tremendous force—

His posture was like that of the Grim Reaper, and the crescent-shaped blade slashed deeply into the black-haired boy's shoulder.

"Yuri!"

Celestia and Rosalia shouted anxiously.

In contrast, the lich mocked them and the hero.

"Hahahaha! Weren't you just raging and demanding revenge? Now you're so scared you can't even move? Is this what you call a hero? Hahahaha!"

The lich plunged the scythe deeper into Yuri's body, however—

"I see, so that's really how it is..."

The boy, whose entire upper body was pierced by a scythe, spoke calmly.

"That woman wasn't lying to me; this thing doesn't work on me."

"What……!?"

The lich looked surprised; it had finally noticed something was wrong.

why?

Why can this guy still talk?

Why is this guy standing there unmoved even though his body has been slashed?

The lich Leoric tried to pull the scythe out of Yuri's body, but found it was as if it were stuck in a stone and wouldn't budge.

"What...impossible...what is this...Ughhhhhh!!!!"

While Leoric stared in disbelief, Yuri didn't stand still. He slammed a heavy punch into the lich's face, sending it flying and adding another crack to its skull.

"Lord Yuri! Are you alright?" Celestia asked anxiously.

"I am fine."

Yuri shook his head.

Looking down, he saw that what was exposed on his upper body, which had been cut open by the sickle, was not blood or internal organs, but a black, viscous substance with a deep sheen.

According to the information obtained from the "King of Verdant Lands" last night, this is a divine substance known as the Demon King (Erlkonig)—

Just as Yuri, as a member of the "Crimson King's" familiar, obtained the "red mist" that controls the flow of magical energy,

This "black slime" is a product of the blessing of the "King of Verdant Lands," a collection of evil spirits.

Erlkonig —

This is a narrative poem written by the poet Goethe, and Schubert also composed a very famous piano piece based on this poem.

The Demon King (Erlkonig) does not refer to the king of monsters, but rather to the embodiment of an alder tree.

It is the Elfenkonig, the king of the elves, crowned and draped in a long robe, surrounded by maidens of grey willow trees, standing at the entrance to the realm of the dead.

Ever since his first journey to the singularity, those evil spirits... the Demon King has always existed within Yuri's body, but he has always been suppressed by the power of Crimson, and he himself has never been aware of it.

The scythe that the lich Leoric unearthed in the elven ruins was actually a key placed beforehand by the "Green King" to activate the Demon Lord's substance.

According to the plan of the "Green King" and the "Lantern Witch" (second playthrough), the lich Leoric will use this scythe to backstab Celestia, who has exhausted her divinity.

Then, when Yuri comes to seek revenge, he will be struck by this scythe, causing the demonic substance within him to go berserk—

What appears to be a rampage is actually controlled behind the scenes by the "King of Verdant Green".

She controlled the Demon King's substance to kill Leoric and steal the "Eternal Queen" divine core, and Yuri would become her servant forever.

As a result, this perfect plan was ruined because of Yuri's "non-cooperation".

Having come this far, she had no choice but to tell Yuri the truth.

In exchange, Yuri concealed her existence from everyone, including Celestia.

Although Yuri knew it was wrong, she had no other choice.

Who knows, the "King of Verdant Green" might snap his fingers and die from the explosion of black slime.

The prophesied child conjured up the icy beauty of the "King of Verdant Greens."

Damn it, why did I get entangled with such a dangerous woman?

I've only met her once before, from afar. Can an evil god cast a curse from a distance?

Forget it, let's put that guy's matter aside for now.

In short, since I've already been possessed by this dangerous thing, I might as well make good use of it.

Yuri gripped the scythe that was embedded in his body.

In an instant, the scythe transformed into black slime, merging with the prophesied son, filling his severed body, and restoring him to its original state.

"Why... that's my Death Scythe! How could it have fallen into your hands?!"

"If you want it so badly, then you can have it."

As he spoke, Yuri raised his right hand, and black, sticky liquid oozed from his wrist.