Knights and Magic Wand
Chapter 423 - 423 199 The First Appearance of the Devil Shadow_2

423: Chapter 199 The First Appearance of the Devil Shadow_2 423: Chapter 199 The First Appearance of the Devil Shadow_2 Grasping the iron reins, Leon commanded Death Claw to decrease its altitude, landing in a clearing beside the forest.

In the Cursed Land, even if you’re flying through the sky, you don’t have the visual advantage you’d get in reality.

Everything they saw above was distorted space-time.

Despite the outer edges of the seemingly limit spirit-like fields appearing narrow, if you continued to fly internally indefinitely, you would still never see the end of the chaotic space-time.

Looking up, he caught a glimpse of the pitch-black, variegated sky he hadn’t seen for a long time.

The chaos of the heavens was like the deep sea, and if you gazed too long, it felt as though the tumultuous Sea of Chaos was actually “below,” and standing on the ground felt like you were upside down in the sky, creating a terrifying sense of falling.

Redirecting his gaze, Leon took out the Emblem Ring that Orad had used for many years, which was something Ines had helped him get from the Loman Knights.

With the other person’s personal belonging, he drew the Dharma Seal according to Lola’s guidance, channeling the Tracking Magic constructed inside him by Miss Pope.

Leon, who had now become a Spellcaster, personally noticed that it seemed being within a limit spirit-like field made casting magic much simpler than in the outside world.

During the brief encounter in midair just now, even with the help of the Magic Wand, he still felt that the efficiency and power of the two Attack Magic spells exceeded their usual levels.

Putting aside this realization, Leon watched as the ring in his hand started to glow faintly.

Under the influence of the Spell, it began to float, and like fireflies, found a direction and swiftly flew off.

Leon pulled on the reins, urging Death Claw to follow the glowing Seal Ring.

The Griffin folded its wings, striding forward on its bestial paws.

Following Lola’s magical guidance, Death Claw made its way haphazardly through the forest paths.

One by one, trees obstructing the path were rudely toppled by the massive beast, plowing a winding trail through the woodland.

“….Hehe~…Hehe~…”

Before they knew it, the layered, eerie laughter faintly surrounded the forest.

Leon prepared his Magic Gun and Kovis unsheathed his Sword, both of them on the back of the Griffin, vigilant against another attack from the Demon.

“….~Hehehe….~…~…..I see your desires…..your longing…..”

It was like a multitude of male and female whispers and echoes drawing closer.

“…..Such eagerness…don’t worry….we will welcome you to join us~….”

Listening to the laughter, Leon saw the forest ahead of the Griffin suddenly open up.

The floating ring sped straight toward that spot, and an open meadow appeared before the two of them.

In the meadow shrouded in grey darkness, a group of eerie figures that caused goosebumps just by looking at them slowly turned around and quickly approached the newcomers with a mesmerizing gait.

Upon closer inspection, these towering figures were not bipedal but instead had their lower bodies replaced by what seemed to be those of Horror Wolves.

However, it appeared the Horror Wolves had been stripped of their fur, exposing unusually glossy skin.

Where there should have been a wolf’s head, now naturally extended a human’s upper body, as if centaur-like, two forms of life fused into one.

The upper bodies of these “half-human wolves” Suture Monsters, adorned in the Chest Armor of Loman Cavalry, still proclaimed their past identities.

But now, not only had half of their bodies merged with what used to be their mounts, but the Horror Wolves Knights’ hair, eyebrows, beards…

all their hair had fallen out like the wolf bodies, revealing skin that seemed oddly nourished and demonic.

Looking at these bareheaded odd men with twisted, seductive smiles on their faces, Leon couldn’t help but feel his stomach churn.

Anger also rose in him, witnessing his own kind and warriors being desecrated.

Fallen to such an ugly form twisted by the Desire Demon, it would have been better for these Loman Knights to be slain by Angry Demons and die a swift and painful death in battle.

“…Is there any hope for them?” Leon wondered internally.

“In this state, Demon Exorcism has become meaningless.

But this place has yet to become a part of the Spirit Realm.

If you vanquish the Rodoc Mages causing the limit spirit-like field and destroy this domain, those people’s souls may still sink into the Dead Sea, rather than fall into the Spirit Realm,” Lola replied.

“My Lord, look at that!”

Kovis, gazing to the side, raised his sword towards the back of those bald half-human wolves.

Leon fixed his gaze.

On a rock pedestal full of Demon Rune Formations, a youth clad in luxurious Armor was kneeling with his arms wrapped around himself, unconscious and head bowed.

Although Leon could not see the man’s face from this angle, the Emblem Ring, imbued with the Tracking Magic, was flying straight toward the man on the rock pedestal with a tail light following, undoubtedly confirming his identity.

It was indeed the son of the Duke of the East Territory, the arrogant man Leon had seen at Glade’s banquet.

The Marquis’s ring flew toward the altar and was about to reach its intended destination when it was blocked by a pale hand.

The figure of “Emmon” had appeared on one side of the pedestal at some point in time.

Those slender fingers pinched the ring into a clump and tossed it away carelessly, as purple, otherworldly pupils in his eyes looked up and gazed at the intruder riding the Griffin.

“…That blond boy?…Be patient~ I will keep him for my own enjoyment~…”

The muttering “Emmon” licked his lips with a snake-like purple tongue as he stepped forward, his back writhing.

Seeing the Desire Demon that had taken over Emmon’s body appear again and even the wound in his chest caused by the Magic Gun had already healed, Leon narrowed his eyes.

“The one kneeling on the rock pedestal, is that Orad?

Is he dead?

What is that demon doing with him?”

“It seems he’s still alive.

That is a Magic Technique designed to influence the human mind.

This Desire Demon is probably planning on turning him into a servant that succumbs to his control, potentially with the intention of sending him back to reality to be utilized,” replied Lola.

“So, there’s still a chance to save Orad?” Leon asked with some doubt.

“Then you must act quickly.

If you disrupt the Magic Technique there now, the influence may not be too deep.

However, if you can directly drive out the Desire Demon, you can also solve the problem at its root.”

“That makes things easier,” Leon weighed his Magic Wand in his hand.

He had not been very interested in rescuring the Duke’s son, but now it seemed that if he didn’t deal with this mischievous Desire Demon, it could bring even greater trouble to the outside world.

He immediately drew two Netti Cards from his waist, but this time, instead of directly activating the Boiling Heart as usual, he first consumed his own Magic Power, infusing it into the Heroic Spirit Cards.

In a burst of dazzling radiance, Canis’s figure appeared beside Death Claw.

The moment he materialized, the Wolf Family Young Master raised an eyebrow at the Underworld-like environment before him.

“What kind of godforsaken place is this?” If not for the faint memory of the terror and descent after death, Canis almost thought he had returned to the “Netherworld.”

He looked ahead at the distorted Suture Monsters charging across the field and felt a wave of nausea: “And what on earth is that thing?”

“Don’t delve too deep into it.

Just make sure to guard Kovis, push through those monsters together, and try to destroy the altar imprisoning Duke Loman’s eldest son,” Leon instructed while activating the Boiling Heart, providing a boost to everyone on his side.

This time, with an abundance of Magic Power in the environment and fewer targets to enhance, he included Canis within the range of the BUFF.

Kovis, understanding the situation, unfastened his restraints and leapt down from the Griffin’s saddle.

The instant his feet touched the ground, with a thought, the second Flying Sword sheathed on his back armor unsheathed and landed beside his left hand’s Dharma Seal.

Feeling the surge of power within, Canis shrugged his shoulders, raised his Riding Spear, and came to stand next to Kovis, asking no further questions.

“I’ll deal with that desecrator of life, the Demon.

Leave the rest to you for now,” Leon ordered, then flicked the reins, and Death Claw spread its wings to take off at a low altitude.

…

“Emmon” looked at the Griffin flying towards him with a playful and increasingly twisted smile, revealing a mouth full of pointed teeth.

“…Traitor~…Having left that hypocritical throne…~The master…will surely be pleased~…with my discovery~….”

His forehead began to protrude, growing fleshy sharp horns, and the tail blade behind him grew thicker; his pale, slender body swelled, growing to a height of three meters in an instant.

The huge pale Demon Body stretched out its claws and pointed feet.

The body’s increasing size tore the skin on its spine, and spiked meat wings struggled out from a bloody, indistinct fissure.

Whoosh—!

The Demon Body, emanating a faint purple glow, spread its flesh wings and leapt into the air, its tail blade swinging behind.

With speed that was in no way inferior, it pounced toward the Griffin that was swooping down.