Chapter 26
"I was hoping we could resolve this through dialogue."
I spoke to Azazel while coughing up dark red blood. The tentacles behind her were raised sharp like spearheads.
In the original "Possessed by an Idle Game," I had written that Azazel would go mad waiting endlessly in this monastery for the protagonist Kang Si-woo who would never come.
After contracting with an Outer God and growing strong enough to tear through time and space, she ultimately tried to capture Kang Si-woo and make him hers - that was the latter part of my novel.
Though I never finished writing it due to discontinuation.
'Can I defeat Azazel in my current state?'
Honestly, it seemed nearly impossible. Outer Gods, called gods of outer space, cast their presence even in many other creative works.
That's why I had tried to recruit Bi Wol and Verdandi to stop her. I judged that a Hero and Heavenly Demon could fight and win against an Outer God.
"Dialogue? Don't we not need such things between us? You seem to serve an Outer God too."
Azazel chuckled while looking at me. Her rainbow-colored eyes were scanning me.
She would probably use this to predict the future. A situation where all fighting paths created by connecting moves would be read.
"...What do you mean by the same Outer God?"
I decided to play along with Azazel to buy even a little time. The Outer God I had set for her was a being named Morgidian.
The god of ghouls who only craved corpses and wouldn't kill innocent people as long as they didn't harm him.
Unlike other Outer Gods, he had merciful aspects, so I had added him thinking he would be quite unique and charming.
But,
"Outer God. You wouldn't say you don't know?"
That I also had an Outer God dwelling in me?
If such a thing were in my body, I would have either gone mad or died.
"Aren't they beings who dwell in abysses beyond the universe, incomprehensible gods far beyond human cognition?"
Since Outer Gods were inherently incomprehensible to humans. Unlike ordinary mythological gods, they were filled with influences that were difficult to understand even in their manifestations.
They had no concept of good and evil. No emotions. Not even common sense or ethics existed for them.
'You could call it fear of the unknown.'
I bit my lower lip while watching the writhing black tentacles. They were parts of an Outer God's divine body. Like fingernails to humans, parts that could be cut away without much loss.
However, those tentacles could tear through space and time, and even a mere touch could steal one's soul.
"That's right. Don't you have any guesses? Haven't you done anything to earn their displeasure, or perhaps actions worthy of their favor?"
Azazel opened her mouth while slowly raising the tentacles behind her back. Like a priest questioning sins, she interrogated me.
"......"
Honestly, I had some idea.
The avid reader who had possessed me into this world from the nightmare I just had. The only being who had followed all three of my discontinued works.
Could something capable of dragging me into such a world even be called human?
"Even if that's true, what does it matter?"
I deliberately chose ignorance. Even if it was an Outer God as Azazel said, I had responsibilities as the author who created this world.
This was the world I had created together with my first love, Seolhwa. It was like the last trace left by her who had already died.
"Of course it matters. The fact that the two girls you travel with don't fight each other is probably because of that too."
Azazel furrowed her brow as if something was amiss while speaking about beings who were like daughters to Seolhwa and me.
"One born with the energy of a fierce star like a Demon King, and one who received an oracle from the Main God. Could such fates be less than dust before a great one?"
"You can know such things through dreams. Impressive."
"...Well, though I couldn't peek into your dreams."
Azazel sighed deeply while preparing to attack me as I approached.
Though her stance was ordinary with hands clasped in prayer, the tentacles behind her back had transformed into blades honed sharper than ever.
"Now please get out of here, for the sake of my love."
Azazel spoke to me in her most grating voice yet. Her whole body expressed how much she detested having her memories sullied by muddy feet.
"Azazel, love that can never be returned isn't love - it's lingering attachment."
I advised her. I knew better than anyone the difference between love and lingering attachment.
After all, I had twisted my dream of becoming a novelist into writing web novels to keep the dying wish she had left behind.
"You're talking nonsense."
"Well, we can find out whose words are right directly."
The reason for fighting wasn't important.
The difference in skill didn't matter either.
That's how fights between those mad with love always were.
There was a madness like fighting dogs, disregarding even their lives to protect what they loved.
"Fall Down Style Swordsmanship, First Form."
I spoke the name of the legendary Sword Master's technique that appeared in Azazel's original work.
Fall Down - a name passed down because it was said to have made even the moon in the sky fall.
He was a character from the original work whom I had asked to take me as a disciple while wandering the Western Regions to extend my lifespan.
I created an ice sword like I had done for Bi Wol, and advanced forward with the sword held low and my body crouched.
And then,
"Crescent."
I countered with a thrust to match Azazel's tentacles. An aura drew a sharp line from the tip of the ice sword.
Kang, Kaang─!
A violent clashing sound like metal hitting metal. Sparks flew between the steel-hardened tentacles and sword, making Azazel step back.
"Ice White Divine Technique, Sixth Form Ice Killing Leg."
After concentrating all qi into my right foot to condense the cold energy, I drove a kick into her exposed flank. The unguarded area froze.
"Kugh...!"
Azazel seemed to feel a dull pain as if struck by an ice hammer, and she glared at me with murderous intent while frowning.
***
Azazel couldn't help but be flustered. She had met many heroes while following Kang Si-woo when he was a hero.
'That's definitely the Sword Master's swordsmanship that I knew...!'
A character appearing in the original game of the game possession web novel "Possessed by an Idle Game" written by author Han Do-hyeon.
Among them, Fall Down, classified as SSR or ★5-star, was originally categorized as a limited pass or must-have character who was always present in the party as a companion.
But how could this person use that swordsmanship?
The dull vibrations transmitted through her tentacles and the freezing pain digging into her side were eating away at her thoughts.
- Azazel, get your mind straight. The opponent is physically weak. If you drag this into a long battle, you'll definitely win.
Morgidian reassessed the battle situation.
He observed Bing Yeon's rough breathing and trembling hands whenever using internal energy or aura, and how he endured pain while coughing up dark red blood.
"B-but...! How can I when the opponent is this strong...!"
- Just focus on defense. Using my divine body connected to you, you can sufficiently block attacks of that level.
In truth, Morgidian's words weren't wrong.
After all, what dwelled in Azazel was an Outer God, while Bing Yeon had barely entered the threshold of the pinnacle realm.
However,
- Your weakness is that you have almost no actual combat experience, Azazel. The opponent knows this and is deliberately using irregular moves. That's why he's mixing kicks with swordsmanship.
She had usually just boosted allies' morale from the rear trusting in the hero Kang Si-woo, or healed wounds and reattached severed limbs with holy power.
Azazel lacked the cunning to see through an opponent's habits and breathing while crossing death lines, and to exploit weaknesses.
Kwang─!
A fist struck without an inch of error.
The Ice Breaking Fist, first form of the Ice White Divine Technique, dug into Azazel's solar plexus, and she staggered from the impact.
"What's wrong? Where did that confident attitude from earlier go?"
With blurred vision and slowed thoughts, Azazel couldn't keep up with Bing Yeon's movements.
"Ha, haha.... There's no choice. I have no choice but to use Lord ■■■■■'s power─"
Three Talents Sword Technique,
The second of three basic forms, vertical slash,
Mountain Pressing Top.
Seogek─!
Before Azazel could finish speaking, the black tentacles surrounding her were cut.
"How can a person's reaction speed...!"
Azazel let out a sigh of frustration as her means of briefly manifesting Morgidian in this world through prayer was blocked.
Could this really be the power and speed of someone whose blood vessels were all blocked?
Azazel doubted her own eyes. She had clearly thought she had the advantage in stamina.
"Don't reveal your methods to the enemy. This is my first teaching to you."
Bing Yeon cut away Azazel's remaining tentacles and was breaking through her defense while mixing punches and sword strikes.
"Are you trying to play teacher?!"
Pook, Azazel's tentacles crossed dimensions to target Bing Yeon's blind spot. He received a slight cut on his arm from the attack that couldn't be seen.
"You aimed for the sword arm. Good instinct."
"Isn't that so you'll give up and leave? I'll reattach it in reverse later, so please find another healer to fix it back."
Bing Yeon slightly raised the corners of his mouth at her behavior. The sight of the Holy Maiden, who originally should have no connection to actual close combat, gradually growing.
At this sight, Bing Yeon could pull out one clever move he had been considering. Originally, he hadn't even planned to try suggesting it.
"Azazel, didn't you want to see Kang Si-woo?"
"I have no obligation to answer you."
Tak─! When Azazel clapped her hands together, shadows fell on their space and something writhing descended from the ceiling.
The Outer God Morgidian.
The god of ghouls and Great Old One who craved corpses.
Seeing him, Bing Yeon couldn't help but shudder. The sensation of death was crawling up his entire body like insects.
"...There's a tournament called the Dragon Phoenix Branch Meeting. Though it's originally held in the East, this time's prize is quite special, so even children from the Western Regions might participate."
Just before having all life completely drained, Bing Yeon told Azazel about the settings he knew from the original works.
What's called a crossover, where characters from different works appear or share the same world view.
Originally, since all the worlds and characters he had created with Seolhwa had shared elements,
It was something Han Do-hyeon, as a writer, had always wanted to do.
Kim Hyul from "The King of the Vajra Fist."
Sieghart, the latter-day hero from "Must Kill the Hero."
Kang Si-woo, the player from "Possessed by an Idle Game."
The Dragon Phoenix Branch Meeting, where the latter disciples of each sect appear, was conceived as an episode where the protagonists of these three works would all gather.
"The man you're looking for, Kang Si-woo, will probably come there too."
"...What?"
Moreover, this Dragon Phoenix Branch Meeting's prize was the Ten Thousand Year Ultimate Blood Treasure containing extreme yang energy.
"If you join our sect, you'll qualify to enter as a latter disciple, Azazel."
It was also the final resort Bing Yeon had considered for curing his own meridian condition.
"What do you say, won't you become my disciple, even if it means being deceived?"
With those final words, Bing Yeon smiled at Azazel while cutting away all the descending tentacles.