Act 12

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As the Bicorn demon appeared, the air around it began to chill and settle. 

Aileen felt the sudden change in atmosphere on her skin as she looked around. 

A knight of the Azure Lion Order, either dead or unconscious from hitting a tree. 

Another knight staring down the demon, unable to find a way to combat it. 

A soldier whose face was turning pale with fear. 

Aileen bit her lip hard. 

‘The spells I have memorized are not for combat but for repairing resonance stones…!’ 

The demon was of a caliber that was uncertain to be subdued even in a fully prepared state. 

Aileen, a fifth-rank Barco-class wizard, was scared by the imposing presence of the Bicorn demon.

– Shhhh…! 

The area around the tower was deathly silent, with only the breathing of the Bicorn demon audible. 

‘The barrier of the resonance stone has weakened this much… Or has the aggressiveness of the demons increased?’ 

Even a Bicorn demon, should be bound helplessly by the barrier of the resonance stone. 

The fact that it revealed itself like this meant the damage to the resonance stone was more severe than expected. 

‘What should I do…!?’ 

Aileen tried to calm her pounding heart as much as possible, thinking of a way to overcome the situation. 

Fighting against the Bicorn demon seemed impossible. 

The moment one of the Azure Lion knights was blown away by the demon’s attack, the morale of the soldiers plummeted.

‘Running away?’ 

It might be possible to escape on horseback. 

But if this place falls, it would become uncontrollable. 

The demon would start from this region and advance towards the imperial capital. 

Naturally, the responsibility would fall solely on those who failed to stop the demon here. 

She could not turn away and flee. 

‘Then what should I do…!’ 

Just then, she felt a piercing murderous intent. 

As Aileen looked up, a beast-shaped demon was flying towards her like an arrow through the air. 

‘Ah…!’ 

It had waited for the moment when the output of the barrier weakened. 

The demon had that level of intelligence. 

As the flying demon approached, Aileen involuntarily closed her eyes tight. 

However, nothing happened even as time passed. 

Slowly opening her eyes, she saw in front of her…

“Julian?” 

The back of the man she detested so much was in view. 

The imperial sword known for executing many nobles and commoners. 

That sword was protecting her in this moment of crisis. 

“Where is your mind?” Julian spoke softly. 

He swung his sword once to shake off the blood stained on it. 

It was the blood of the beast-shaped demon that had flown towards Aileen. 

“To think that a Barco-class wizard would only amount to this.” 

Surprisingly, as Julian spoke, the threatening breathing of the Bicorn demon could no longer be heard. 

Precisely, Julian’s not-so-loud voice was compelling enough to drown out the fierce breathing of the demon. 

“Have you forgotten what you must do, being too startled?” 

Aileen remembered what she had momentarily forgotten. 

What she needed to do was clear. 

“Br-bring the mana conduit and a new resonance stone here! I’ll resume repairing the resonance stone!” As Aileen spoke, the administrators of the Yulin district snapped back to their senses and began moving the items.

The soldiers holding weapons also seemed to regain some morale. 

Realizing that Julian was here had begun to snap people back to their senses. 

“It will take about 7 minutes from now!” 

Saying so, Aileen once again etched the sight of Julian’s back into her eyes. 

A man who had turned into a dog of the royal family beyond recognition from the past, and who had sold his soul for advancement. 

‘…….’ 

However, in this situation, the existence of ‘Julian’ was more reliable than anything. 

He was as trustworthy as when they were studying at the Byel Academy. 

Aileen didn’t want to admit it and bit her lip hard. 

Yet, looking at his back, it overflowed with nobility, vehemently denying the notion of being the royal family’s dog. 

***

I thought as I shook off the demon’s blood from the sword. 

It’s messed up. 

The situation is not good. 

I tried to immerse myself in the situation and character by quoting ‘Julian’s’ lines from the work, but it was not easy. 

‘I did want real-life experience, but the hurdle is too high.’ 

I looked at the Bicorn demon looking at us from not far away. 

Whether it used to be a human or walked on two legs, its appearance had already become a monster beyond human domain. 

Nearly 3 meters tall, with two horns growing on its head and bulging muscles. 

The mucous dripping from its mouth made onlookers frown. 

‘One of the Azure Lion knights is out of action. Whether the other can hold against the Bicorn demon is uncertain.’ 

I am the only one who can confront it here. 

Only I, ‘Julian Crypart Frason.’ 

‘Can I do it?’ 

Of course, it’s not necessarily to kill it. 

If Aileen successfully repairs the resonance stone, that alone would end this situation. 

‘It will take at least 7 minutes to replace the resonance stone.’ 

Meaning, I need to hold off this monster, which knocked down a knight with beyond-human combat power in one hit, for more than 7 minutes. 

‘I have to do it.’

 Still, I have no choice but to do it. 

Even if I run away and survive now, it will only be for a moment. 

When I return to the capital, those eager to find even a slight fault to exploit will certainly not let this matter rest. 

Literally, a desperate situation. 

But if there’s one silver lining, it’s that Julian’s physique is stronger than imagined. 

I recalled how he had cleanly sliced through the demon he had targeted. 

‘It was cleanly cut.’

 It also proved the immense strength ‘Julian’ possessed. 

Even the <Natural Swordsman> trait helped me grasp how to swing the sword. 

‘I can do it.’ 

I felt hope. 

Hope that maybe, somehow, I can get through this situation. 

Clutching the handle of the sword, I approached the Bicorn demon. 

With each step closer, the pressure of possibly dying made my eyes feel like they were going to be bloodshot. 

At the same time, I felt a rise in spirits. 

A life-and-death situation. 

Within it, Julian’s body felt a certain thrill. 

‘This guy was a battle maniac.’ 

It was like a flame of emotion. 

If it were the usual me who despised the character ‘Julian,’ I would have excluded this intense emotion. 

But now, I’ve decided to throw myself into these flames. 

Otherwise, I can’t survive here. 

Not just in actions and speech. 

I’ll act perfectly, even in abilities!

“Sir Julian!” 

Fern’s urgent cry was heard. 

Lifting my head at that voice, I saw the ominous right arm of the Bicorn demon. 

The demon’s attack, which had subdued a knight who could well be considered an elite of the Adratan Empire with a single blow. 

Yet, to my eyes, it was clear. 

Where it was headed, what its goal was, and where I needed to move my sword to block it. 

<Amazing Intuition> 

<Natural Swordsman> 

Bang! 

As I blocked the demon’s hand, a screeching metallic sound echoed around. 

“He, he blocked it!” 

“He blocked the attack of the Bicorn demon!” 

I was surprised myself that I could block it so naturally. 

I felt anew that Julian’s physical abilities were monstrously beyond the reach of an ordinary person. 

<Incomplete Moonlight Sword> 

But I couldn’t be satisfied with just that. 

I focused my mind and infused aura into the sword. 

Then, the light of Julian’s trademark, the ‘Moonlight Sword,’ began to emerge. 

“That’s… the Moonlight Sword.” 

Even those who hadn’t seen it directly but had heard rumors recognized the ‘Moonlight Sword.’ 

However, it wasn’t satisfactory by my standards. 

Only about a quarter of the blade was imbued with moonlight, not the entire blade. 

Yet, the effect of the ‘Moonlight Sword’ was tremendous. 

From below to above as I swung a vertical slash at the Bicorn demon, a mucous-like blood flowed from its body. 

Grrrrk! 

The creature let out a boiling groan of pain. 

The fact that it could command demons meant it had some level of intelligence, and unlike the lesser mobs like the no-horn or single-horn, it could feel pain. 

‘I’ll press on.’ 

Thinking this as I gripped the sword handle tighter. 

Thump! 

My body was launched into the air with a dull sound, and belatedly, I spat out a mouthful of blood. 

It didn’t take long to realize what had happened. 

It had kicked me in the abdomen using a blind spot in my field of vision. 

‘Damn, that hurts…!?’

I cursed inwardly without realizing it. 

If I had been the ordinary ‘Lee Si-hu,’ I would have been on my knees from the immense pain. 

But my mind was unexpectedly calm. 

The obsession with ‘being Julian’ had begun to change me, little by little. 

-…!! 

With a tearing roar, the Bicorn demon fiercely pressed on. 

The sound of the air splitting from its monstrous strength hit my ears several times. 

Allowing even one of those brutal attacks could lead to a fatal injury. 

Dodging them while swinging my sword at the demon’s body was extremely difficult. 

“It’s impossible…” 

“This is ‘Blindfolded Julian’…” 

But now, it was possible. 

I don’t know the reason. 

I don’t know the principle. 

Just swinging the sword as my body dictated. 

Each time I cut the Bicorn demon’s body, mucous splattered in all directions. 

The creature, possessing overwhelming regenerative capabilities, healed its wounds in an instant. 

However, it seemed that the intense pain was steadily accumulating, as its movements gradually became sluggish. 

‘It doesn’t matter if it’s strong or weak. In the face of pain, hesitation is inevitable.’

Pain is also an emotion.

The higher the intelligence, the more keenly it is felt.

Rumble—!

A “purple haze” began to swirl above the creature’s head.

It was a clear emotion of fear.

“The restoration of the resonant stone is complete! The barrier will soon be operational again!”

With Aileen’s shout, I approached the Bicorn demon.

With each step closer, the emotions harbored by the creature took on a more vivid color.

Eventually, purple enveloped the creature’s entire body.

Possibly triggered by a protective instinct, the Bicorn demon kicked off the ground and lunged at me.

And that was the opportunity.

The situation was different from before.

A frightened creature is never a formidable opponent.

As my mind cleared, the ‘knowledge’ that Lee Si-hu knew and the ‘experience’ of Julian whispered to me.

“If you want to kill it in one blow, strike here.”

Just like when I had sliced through a wooden figure at the mansion’s training ground, I brought my path of the sword to bear.

[You have acquired a new trait, “Insight.”]

As if the previous struggle had been a lie, the Bicorn demon was easily split in two.

The soldiers, knights, and Aileen watching were astonished, looking at me with wide eyes.

“Wow”

Of course, I was surprised too.

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