There are two ways to close a rift. Either pour divine power into it to completely purify the demonic energy, causing the weakened rift to disappear, or pour in energy stronger than the rift's demonic energy to destroy it.
Regardless of the method, it was necessary to get close to the rift.
As we got closer to the center where the rift was, the overall number of individual monsters decreased, but the frequency of intermediate demonic beasts appearing increased.
It wouldn't be a threat to Theo, Orca, or me, but Liam seemed to struggle just facing the monsters. Moreover, the feathers I gave him were wearing out especially fast, making me worry that he might really get a bald spot.
"If I get a bald spot, you're responsible."
"I'm sorry..."
Orca coaxed and soothed Liam, who was on the verge of fainting, and we finally arrived at the center.
The rift looked as if someone had slashed the air with a knife, and it was filled with darkness, distortions, and demonic energy of unknown origin.
The first thought I had when I encountered the rift was that it was disgusting. I didn't think I would feel this way even if I were surrounded by countless demonic beasts.
Only after seeing the rift did I realize that what was inside was the source of something impure that should not exist.
'That's Chaos.'
I suppressed the rising nausea and inexplicable anger and looked around. As Theo had explained before, several seemingly strong intermediate demonic beasts were positioned near the rift as if guarding it, but one of them looked particularly strange.
Unlike the intermediate demonic beasts we had encountered so far, which were about the size of cars, this one was only about the size of an average human, and its form was not much different from a human.
However, its waist was bent backward, and it had long arms that seemed to be several meters long, which it casually dragged on the ground, making its movement of dragging its knees seem grotesque.
"That..."
"...No matter how I look at it, it looks ominous."
Even Orca and Theo, who had encountered many monsters, distorted their faces, so it definitely didn't look normal. Liam, who muttered something small, retched a few times and trembled, hiding behind Orca.
"Judging by the amount of demonic energy it emits, it's definitely a intermediate level demonic beast..."
The knights of the Ruina Knights, one of the few who also served as Theo's guards, had the lower-ranking knights approach first.
Then, the demonic beast arbitrarily extended or shortened its long arms and swung them like whips to attack, and the speed was so fast that it was difficult for an ordinary human to follow its movements.
There was another problem. The other monsters seemed to be protecting that demonic beast.
Even if monsters don't attack each other, demonic beasts below the high-tier level don't have very high intelligence, and even if they do, they have almost no sense of solidarity, so they have never been seen to form alliances or protect specific individuals.
Therefore, it was not normal for low-tier monsters to try to protect that monster as if serving a master.
"Orca, focus on protecting Liam and provide magical support from the rear. We need to deal with that one first."
"Be careful."
"Shuian, don't get too close to it. Something's wrong."
I nodded and flew high into the sky, avoiding its range. The knights were unable to get close to the intermediate level demonic beast due to the interference of the low-tier monsters, and the demonic beast cleverly aimed for openings and swung its arms. It was cunning, unlike the demonic beasts that blindly attack any living being.
At that moment, Theo, who had been watching from afar as if trying to figure it out, fired a spell. Just before it reached the intermediate level demonic beast, one of the low-tier monsters nearby threw itself to block the attack.
'Something's wrong...'
Judging by its appearance and behavior patterns, that one is more grotesque and threatening, but the feeling of repulsion is less, which is especially strange.
In any case, the fact that I had to deal with that one first remained unchanged, so I descended near it and released an amount of divine power that was incomparable to anything I had done before.
As light burst out and I waited for the demonic beast to stiffen in response to the divine power, the low-tier monsters, which would normally have melted just by touching it and had to run away, foamed at the mouth and rushed at me.
Kieeeek-!
Kaaack!
All the monsters that had been heading towards Theo, Orca, and the other knights swarmed towards me.
"Shuian-!"
These bug-like bastards...! Hearing Theo's call, I suppressed the rising anger and tried to fly upwards to escape, but one of them grabbed my leg.
It quickly melted away because I was still covered in divine power, so it only stopped me for a moment, but the intermediate level demonic beast, taking advantage of that brief moment, swung both arms at me as I was gaining altitude.
Kwaang-!
It was blocked by the protective magic, but as a result, the protective magic that had been intact until now was instantly shattered.
I tilted my body and instinctively flapped my wings, and one of the arms that brushed against my wing was cut off and fell to the ground with a thud.
I thought it was fortunate that I had gotten rid of one arm, but then the area I had cut off rippled like it was foaming and new flesh slowly began to grow.
"Screech-?!"
No way, it's regenerating?! Seriously?! Isn't the balance patch all wrong?! Theo cast magic on me again, and one of the demonic beast's intact arms flew towards Theo.
It was fast, but not so fast that he couldn't keep up, so he immediately shot out, grabbed the demonic beast's arm, and slammed it into the ground.
Theo, seeing the arm breaking the ground and getting stuck inside, immediately drew his sword and ran towards the demonic beast.
Kieeeek-!
Theo, who knocked away the monsters rushing at him with magic, reached the demonic beast in an instant.
Theo cut off the demonic beast's head along with its regenerating arm, and the demonic beast died instantly, as its defense was terrible compared to its attack power.
The monsters, who had been momentarily flustered by the death of the intermediate level demonic beast who seemed like a boss, scattered all at once and began to attack the knights nearby.
As I, who had returned to human form, pulled out my foot that was almost buried in the ground and shook off the dirt, Theo and Orca, who had destroyed the rift, immediately ran towards me.
"Shuian! Are you hurt anywhere?!"
"Yeah, I'm okay. What about Theo and Orca?"
"I'm fine too."
Orca was carrying the unconscious Liam on his shoulder, and when I asked if he was hurt anywhere, he said that he had collapsed as soon as he saw the rift being destroyed.
He must have thought it was over and relaxed. I'm glad everyone's okay... Just as I was relieved, I noticed a wound on Theo's arm.
"What, you're hurt! You said you weren't!"
It wasn't a big wound, but it was already turning black around the wound due to demonic energy poisoning.
"It'll heal quickly, so don't worry."
He must have said that to reassure me, but seeing the ominous color, I wasn't reassured at all. I reflexively placed my hand on his wound.
When I felt the divine power gathering in my palm and took my hand away again, the wound was still there, but all the demonic energy that had been darkening the flesh had been purified.
Regardless of the god they believe in, any priest with divine power can purify demonic energy, so it was only natural that I, a divine beast, could do it too, but I couldn't help but be surprised.
I didn't know how to use divine power or how to deal with monsters until before the subjugation. And yet, all my actions were all done naturally. As if it had already become a habit.
Besides, the demonic beast's arm was definitely cut off when I swung my wings earlier. It's not too surprising since it seemed to focus more on attack power than defense, but the problem is that my wings aren't that strong.
I had even been pierced by a normal arrow in the forest before. No matter how weak it is, it doesn't make sense for a normal arrow shot from afar to get stuck in my wing if it's strong enough to cut off a demonic beast's arm.
Could it be related to what Ariel said, that the divine power feels like it's been torn apart, but that it's been restored compared to before?
"Shuian?"
I snapped out of my thoughts at Theo's call.
"Oh, anyway, let's get treated first. Tell me right away if you both get hurt. And Theo, I'm protected by divine power to some extent, so you need to take better care of your body than me! You got hurt because you were casting magic on me, didn't you?!"
Theo avoided my gaze as my eyes narrowed.
"I thought you would scold me."
"Whose side are you on anyway?"
"I'm on the side of the righteous one."
Yeah, he's right for once!
After clearing out all the remaining monsters nearby, Theo, Orca, and I gathered in front of the human-shaped demonic beast's corpse while the surviving knights burned the demonic beasts corpses.
I hadn't been able to see its face in detail because its waist was bent backward, but when I looked at it up close, its face definitely resembled a human's.
"It seems we need to investigate."
"Yes, the patterns these guys showed don't match the habits of demonic beasts."
"The attack is fast and strong, but the durability is low, so the other monsters protect it... No matter how I look at it, it seems human."
"Could there have been the intervention of a black magician?"
If tearing rifts is the specialty of priests, then experimenting with monsters was the specialty of black magicians who were crazy about research and experimentation.
Why else would we immediately kill monsters when we find them and burn their corpses on the spot?
It's not just because of the demonic energy, but because we don't know what kind of experiments black magicians who acquire the corpses will do.
"It's highly likely, but then things get complicated. It means they traded with priests."
"That's a headache... First, we need to take the corpse and entrust it to the mages."
At that moment, Liam, who had been hanging on Orca's shoulder, woke up groggily. He looked around blankly with a bloodshot eyes, and then, realizing that he was being carried, he was startled and bowed deeply to Orca.
"I-I'm sorry! I must have relaxed..."
"It's okay. You weren't that heavy."
"I-I'm really sorry..."
"So, how was the ride with your esteemed senior?"
Here we go again. Theo, shaking his head at Liam's pale face, told one of the knights to collect and take care of the monster's corpse, and then said to everyone.
"Let's go back."
Finally, I'm going home! I need to go wash up and eat meat!
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