Chapter 82. Kin, Insect (1)
Marbas, who had climbed onto one of the Hungry Tree's branches, met Michael's eyes as he approached from far away.
Michael was climbing the mountain at high speed, radiating intense hostility.
"How arrogant of him to glare at me like that."
Turning his attention away from Michael, Marbas placed his hand on the tree's trunk.
"Hmm?"
Suddenly, he sensed a familiar energy coming from the tree.
"Did it devour Personality?"
Among the energies he could sense within the tree was one that belonged to Personality.
Before Marbas could even work out what had happened, a stream of energy from somewhere in the air flowed into his body.
That alone was enough to confirm his suspicions. Marbas clicked his tongue.
"Tsk. No wonder the tree suddenly developed such an appetite. So that was the reason. Personality, you fool. You couldn't even carry out a simple errand properly."
Since Marbas had shared portions of his Authority with each of his kin, he could reclaim that power whenever they died or whenever he wished.
In particular, the fact that Personality's energy had returned to him without his requesting it meant that Personality was dead.
"At least you became nourishment for the tree. Even your worthless life managed to contribute a little."
Marbas no longer had many capable subordinates remaining, but it wasn't a major problem.
He could create more kin whenever suitable candidates appeared. In the meantime, the tree that had absorbed Personality would satisfy its growing hunger.
"I'll help you fill your stomach more quickly."
Placing a hand on the tree's thick trunk, Marbas began reciting an incantation that resembled a prayer.
"This is the product of disease and my curse. Wherever your touch reaches, rotten air shall flow, and blood and suffering shall be contaminated."
WHOOOOOSH!
Dark purple demonic energy flowed from Marbas's body into the tree.
"Now my Authority will spread plagues wherever the tree touches."
Marbas's Authority was spreading through the roots surrounding Seoul. This was the fish trap he had prepared.
Having sent his Authority into the tree, Marbas looked down the mountain to observe the results.
RUMBLE!!
The tree, which had become more active after consuming Personality, caused tremors to spread through the ground.
Roots burst out of the earth while branches extended from the trunk and swung violently. The barrier the priests had established was shattered into pieces.
The demons and priests appeared to be fighting one another, but the situation was descending into chaos as the tree attacked everyone without distinguishing between demons and humans.
"Grrrk! I, I can't breathe... Ghk!"
Throughout the city, Marbas's Authority, which had been poured into the fish trap, spread disease and caused people to scream and cry out in agony.
Taking pleasure in that sweet melody, Marbas shouted toward the streets filled with chaos and suffering, which he had previously been watching with indifference.
"Your blood shall become the White Horseman's blood, and your bodies shall become the White Horseman's flesh."
Perhaps he had become a little too excited, because Marbas closed his eyes for a moment. He had just said something he wouldn't normally have said.
Nobody had likely heard him, but shouting those words aloud had allowed him to suppress the excitement that had been rising from beneath his usual indifference.
"Wonderful."
The smell of blood drifting past his nose lifted his mood considerably.
As he imagined the people who would die from this point onward, an exhilarating thrill ran through his body.
"This is true catharsis."
Shiver!
Just as he was enjoying that sensation, he felt someone looking at him.
The gaze carried an unfamiliar energy that shattered Marbas's pleasant mood and sent a tingling sensation through all five of his senses.
"Hmm? This energy..."
It was sacred, like the aura that came from those who prayed to God, and it felt extremely familiar.
However, he couldn't simply call it ordinary aura. To a demon, it felt strangely repulsive and degrading.
"Such disgusting, hypocritical energy. What people commonly call purity and nobility. Wait, wait..."
Having remembered something, Marbas's pupils widened in surprise.
Among those who wielded aura, nobility usually originated from Saints, while purity was associated with a female Saint.
And there was one particular person who possessed both of those qualities.
"Ah, is that Saint Helena? Of course. Whenever Michael appears, the Saint always comes as part of the set. But her power is weaker than before. Is she still awakening?"
She was the woman who had repeatedly saved humanity from destruction through the forgiveness of sins.
Whenever it seemed that the world was about to end, she would meet her death like Jesus, atoning for humanity's sins. It was a strange fate.
Moreover, she was repeatedly reborn whenever an omen appeared. Even a demon might consider such a life a curse.
This time seemed no different. She was apparently still in the process of awakening.
"Even some demons have grown tired of living through this cycle. And she's the one who has to live through such a tragic fate... Hmm. She's perfect for the role of a female protagonist sacrificed to destiny."
Marbas extended a finger.
Buzzz.
A tiny fly immediately landed on his fingertip.
"Insect, the new protagonist is still weak. Personality's death has bought us some time, so you should give the protagonist known as the Saint a trial."
If the new protagonist was lacking, all he had to do was give her a trial worthy of her role.
Buzzz.
The fly rapidly flew away, beating its wings to deliver Marbas's order.
A short while later, Marbas sensed the moving insect army split into two groups. One headed toward the airport, while the other changed direction toward the Saint.
"Now then, shall we go and welcome Michael?"
Marbas jumped down from the high branch and rapidly descended toward the ground.
Whoosh.
Just before he reached the ground, the demonic energy surrounding his body defied the laws of physics and slowed his descent.
"Infection, it seems you'll finally get to meet the commander you've wanted to see for so long."
At those words, Infection, who had been concealed in the shadows, stepped into the light.
A broad smile, blooming like a flower, appeared on the lower half of Infection's partially visible face.
"It hurts. It hurts. Why do we have to be the only ones in pain? You should hurt too."
"M, Mom!"
"Yeonwoo, h, hold on tightly to Mommy."
On a street near Toegye-ro, a mother carrying her son was running away from a demon whose body was covered in purple patches.
Ever since the barrier had been destroyed, demons had spread throughout the streets. Civilians who hadn't managed to evacuate were often caught and killed by demons or were forced to flee, just like this mother and child.
"YOU SHOULD HURT TOO!!"
However, no matter how fast someone could run, escaping a demon while carrying a child was no easy task.
"Behind you, Mom! It's catching up!!"
