These Demons Do it for Free-Chapter 80

So what if Viola was faced with a threatening necromancer that made her serious? If he commanded me to die through necromancy, could I withstand it?

*[What a presumptuous little pest.]*

*[Who do you think you’re telling to die, you fool?]*

Hmm… I might be able to hold on.

I recently learned that the contract isn’t just closed and opened by rational thought. It also reacts to instinct.

The instinct for survival reflexively opens the contract, and the tidal wave of mana that pours out envelops me, blocking the necromancer's coercive magic.

However, that madman’s necromancy pushes down on me, compelling me toward death.

My vision twisted and blurred repeatedly as the forces of necromancy and mana defense clashed.

Then, at some moment, the phenomenon stopped abruptly as if I had been cut.

"…Gah! Cough, haah…."

The retching sound that came from behind me was none other than Arthur.

What about the others? I turned around to find Ray and Leif still standing relatively unscathed.

"This is brutal…"

"I didn’t think necromancy could do this…."

It was as if I had managed to withstand the onslaught using my immense mana.

Ray likely held on with *Argentus’* power, while Leif endured by sheer physical prowess.

Considering the World Tree’s peculiarities, this was almost like having a protective glove in the realm of spirits.

But the problem wasn’t with us four.

"Perluntier!"

"I know."

Despite Hernando’s urgent shout, Viola coldly replied without turning around.

"As long as they’re not dead, just take care of them."

Dana, who had been silent, was now slumped over.

Is she really dead?

"Mas—Master… I…."

Arthur, managing to keep his wits about him, tended to Dana. Since Arthur also seemed to be nearly incapacitated, it was better to retreat at this point.

In contrast, the three of us still had some strength left.

That fact seemed quite surprising to that madman.

Gazing at us, he remarked, "Hmm, I didn’t expect you to be unscathed. Even your student is on the brink of death, yet here are these unheard-of individuals? A beastkin and a half-elf. And an ordinary human. This is quite strange indeed."

I felt as if my body were being dissected under his gaze.

It was a different level of malice than what I had encountered before.

The malice I faced during the training center raid had been overt and chaotic, lacking any direction.

Compared to those experiences, what I was feeling now felt almost like an insult.

"Don’t stare for too long."

"Viola."

As Viola stood like a wall in front of me, breaking the man’s gaze caused my fading consciousness to quickly return.

[Get a grip.]

[Face him with your instincts rather than your senses. There’s a force at play that can deceive your perceptions.]

If Seir was saying this, it meant that it was separate from mere malice.

It could either be the power of an artifact or perhaps a dual-class ability.

"The Chatterbox is still alive, huh? I thought you were dead."

"Call me Professor."

"What a disgusting notion. Do you still think of yourself as a professor of Nipur? You have a serious ego issue."

*Ching—clack.*

With the activation sound of the *Arms Changer*, Viola brandished a pair of daggers in her hands.

"This time, I’ll make sure you die."

"Can you handle that? With those little pests in tow?"

"Are you really thinking that you can escape from me while worrying about those pests?"

That brief exchange hinted at why the two were focused solely on each other.

'That self-proclaimed professor is a monster, but in pure combat strength, Viola surpasses him. However, she can’t act recklessly because she has to look out for us.'

So, if we were to withdraw, Viola would have a chance to deal with that self-proclaimed professor.

"Viola, we don’t need to worry."

That self-proclaimed professor is an Abyss worshipper.

One associated with the Doomsday Cult, like the immortal Jeegan.

If that’s the case, I would eventually get to hear about the raid on the training center.

So there was no need to hold back.

"We can retreat."

"…Fine."

Arthur and Dana had already backed away with Hernando.

We just had to withdraw.

"Do you think I’ll let you go? [You may move freely]."

The first part of the phrase was directed at us.

The latter part was for the necromancer.

"Hey, Roman! It’s coming!"

It was clearly aimed at the Sentinel Keeper, who had been waiting patiently like a well-trained dog.

'What is this? A tamer, a necromancer?'

This is ridiculous!

"Everyone, stick with me!"

The Sentinel Keeper charged at us with blinding speed.

The tremendous force emanating from its massive frame was akin to that of a tank.

Whether it was a mana bullet or an elemental spell, even if we unleashed all our firepower, we couldn’t hope to stop that charge; it was gone in an instant.

*Boom!!*

'What the—?'

In a situation where I couldn’t comprehend what was happening, only two things changed.

The Sentinel Keeper lay cut in half on the ground, and Viola had her arm raised.

"Go."

Wow… I almost lost my footing.

"…Yes."

With Ray and Leif, we began to move back toward the path we had come from.

And then, from the other side, the professor began to display his powers.

"No, [the path is blocked]. [There’s no way out]."

He uttered a stream of commands with barely a movement of his lips.

This content is taken from freeweɓnovel.cѳm.

According to his words, the path we had taken was sealed off, erasing visibility beyond it.

If it were Viola, she might have thought, *What’s that?* and simply smashed through.

But in doing so, the professor would likely aim his attacks at Viola.

There was no need to worry, though.

He had stated that the path was blocked.

That there was no way out.

Then, it follows that if we don’t go down that path, we’re fine.

"Access, activate."

*Access* scanned the space and relayed the information to my brain.

The wall blocking our way?

Who cares?

We could simply cross through the space.

There was no need for round trips.

Just once would suffice.

With my ability to teleport, refined through closing hidden paths, I could now move all three of us simultaneously.

§

*Vwoom—!*

"Huh?"

Immediately after Roman activated his teleport, the professor unleashed his necromancy.

*“Show me the enemy.”*

But there was nothing to see.

'It’s not an illusion?'

It couldn’t possibly be an illusion from the start.

A magician of that level wouldn’t be able to deceive the professor’s own mana perception.

Even a master of illusions wouldn’t be capable of that.

He was called a professor, not just because of an overblown ego, but because he actually held a position as a professor and was knowledgeable enough in magic to earn that title.

There were no mistakes.

The professor had undoubtedly blocked our escape route.

Even so, the three of us, effectively hostages, had vanished.

What did that mean?

It was a conclusion that was difficult for even him, who had mastered every aspect of magic theory and could control life and death with a word, to readily accept.

'Did we surpass space itself?'

A half-baked wizard like that?

Is that even possible?

While he could have moved through an artifact, the professor soon dismissed that hypothesis.

Artifacts emit distinct waves of Abyssal mana when used.

There was no way the professor could have failed to detect that disturbance.

So the answer was clear.

"Khah!"

That bastard uses spatial magic.

"It seems an unexpected catch has come up."

It was the moment he muttered that.

Viola’s blade filled the professor’s field of vision.