===============瞳's Perspective================
What’s going on?! Why is Perina in the palace’s underground chamber?!
My mind raced through every possible explanation for the situation as I dashed toward Perina’s location without hesitation.
[“Is this vermin rushing to die?!”]
Standing to the side, a demon began channeling dark magic into its claws, forming razor-sharp talons in its hands.
[“Move out of my way!”]
In one swift motion, I grabbed a sword nearby and slashed straight at the demon named Arkado. With a sharp crack, the blade cleaved him cleanly in two.
[“Perina! Are you alright?!”]
[“Who...?”]
Perina weakly opened her eyes to look at me.
[“Hang on, I’ll grab a healing potion for you right now!”]
[“Healing potions won’t save me... But before I go, there’s something critical I must ask of you. Do not—under any circumstances—let that demon enter the treasury.”]
Wait, this place is the royal treasury? What are they doing here?
In a panic, I rummaged through my inventory for a Full Recovery Potion.
[“Not much time left... I'm done for... Damn it, this is so frustrating! I bleed more than this every month, yet here I am!”]
[“Hold on—bleeding every month? That’s not even comparable!”]
[“What’s the difference? It’s blood from inside the body, isn’t it?”]
[“You don’t get it—period cramps are agony, okay?!”]
[“Should you really be talking about this right now?! And by the way, you're not even female!”]
Focus on the task—how the heck is this potion supposed to be used? Drink it? Apply it topically? I remember Tia pouring one onto Yatta’s wounds before...
Frantically, I uncorked the bottle and poured the healing potion directly onto Perina’s bloody wound.
The second the potion touched her exposed flesh, muscle and skin rapidly regenerated, closing up the gaping wound.
[“!!!!!”]
Perina shot up, gasping for air.
[“Seems like it worked.”]
I tossed the empty bottle aside.
[“Wait—how did you do that?!”]
Perina stared at me, wide-eyed in disbelief.
[“Guess you’re not completely useless after all, vermin.”]
Before I could respond, a voice called out from behind me.
[“Huh? Didn’t I just slice you in half?”]
[“That trivial attack couldn’t possibly harm me!”]
Arkado reappeared, his hands brimming with concentrated dark energy, now shaped like enormous claws.
Perina bolted upright, shouting, [“瞳! Ordinary attacks won’t work against Upper Demons like him! He’ll regenerate no matter how many times you cut him down!”]
[“Then what should I do—use Battle Aura?”]
[“That won’t help much either! Usually, fire or holy magic should do the trick.”]
[“Loud-mouthed woman! Die first!”]
Arkado charged toward Perina with alarming speed.
Panicked, I pulled out a holy cross imbued with divine attributes—but froze. One problem. I’ve only played as a support healer! I’ve never used the high-damage skill combos of a Retribution Paladin!
He’s closing in—fast! What do I do?! Wait—I remember one move. The classic one! The one every support player learns!
[“Heaven’s Strike!”]
Don’t let the skill name fool you; the move is really just swinging the holy cross like a blunt weapon.
Arkado, mid-air and ready to strike, didn’t seem prepared for the sheer bluntness of the attack. His lightning-fast charge ended in disaster as the cross sent him crashing into the nearby wall.
[“?! Wh-What just happened?!”]
The scene unfolded so unexpectedly that even Perina was left dumbfounded.
[“Where did this holy weapon even come from?! You must have kept it hidden somewhere secret!”]
Arkado clutched his disfigured face, horrified.
[*“My socket!”*]
Phyllis stood aside, arms crossed like it was the most profound revelation he’d ever made.
[“Shut your mouth!”]
Seriously, can we stop with the slander already?!
Both Perina and Phyllis gave me these looks—as if they believed him!
[“Humans are terrifying—they’ve even advanced to weaponizing their own sockets in just a few centuries.”]
Arkado’s serious demeanor cracked, a single bead of cold sweat slipping down his face.
[“Please don’t slander humanity! Not everyone is as insane as him!”]
[“You’re slandering *me*! Stop saying that!”]
[“瞳 is the only human in this world who’s truly extraordinary!”]
[“Enough! It’s *unprecedented,* not what you just said! Why do I feel like there’s a hint of hostility every time you praise me?!”]
[“If that’s how it is, then I must reevaluate you. Show me just how extraordinary you really are!”]
Stop encouraging her!
Arkado unleashed his full power, surrounding himself with dark energy so intense it cast the towering form of a shadowy Demon God behind him.
The oppressive aura radiating from him wasn’t on par with the Dragon Deity—but as an ordinary salaryman, it was still debilitating.
[“Let’s go!”]
Arkado lunged forward with terrifying force.
I raised the cross and swung down.
[“Ha! Such a slow attack could never hit me!”]
Just as Arkado shifted direction mid-stride—
**[CRACK!]**
He stepped on the empty bottle I’d thrown earlier.
**[THUD!]**
Losing his balance, Arkado’s face collided—hard—with the full force of the descending holy cross.
[“……………”]
[“……………”]
The silence was deafening.
Awkward. Painfully awkward.
[“Humans truly are terrifying! Setting up traps even before the fight begins!”]
No! Absolutely not! I didn’t plan any of that—it was pure accident. And wipe that nosebleed off your face before spouting nonsense!
[“Do sthop mop haffin de minibathon!”]
Could you not talk while pinching your nose? I can’t understand you! You should stop the bleeding first!
[“Hold still—I’ll help you heal!”]
[“Holy Light Mend!”]
As a medic, healing wounds is my forte. Holy magic floods and rapidly regenerates physical injuries.
[“AAAAHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!”]
Arkado's bloodcurdling scream echoed like thunder.
[“Humans are truly horrifying!!! Using holy restoration magic against demons!!!”]
I swear—I only meant to stop the bleeding!
[“Didn’t you know?! Holy magic causes immense pain to all demons, no matter in what form!”]
Perina chimed in with some helpful context.
[“Why didn’t you tell me that sooner?!”]
[“Wait—didn’t you already know that?!”]
[“You really are unprecedented! Tell me your name!”]
Why do I feel like I’ve turned into the villain here? It might be better to keep quiet... but seriously, this setup is humiliating.
Arkado’s body turned increasingly translucent. Any moment now, he’d fully fade away.
[“欧尼酱 (big brother) is called 瞳!”]
[“Why’d you sell me out so fast?!”]
[“瞳, is it? Today I’ve met an extraordinary human. When I return to the Inferno Realm, I’ll make sure your name is known to *everyone*! Expect it—vengeance will come from our kind!”]
= =! Please—don’t! I didn’t mean any of this! I wasn’t trying to kill you through healing!
[“And don’t think destroying me will stop the summoning ritual! I’m not the caster! The conjurer, holding an energy-rich magic crystal, is likely cowering somewhere trying not to be found! Prepare yourselves—a true demon shall descend upon this place soon! Mwahahaha!”]
With maniacal laughter, Arkado faded into nothingness.
[“So, uh... What now? Should we track down this so-called terrified caster?”]
[“Judging by the intensity of the magic, it’s likely too late. I can feel an immense demonic presence gathering within the summoning circle as we speak.”]
[“Then what do we do?!”]
[“Simple—just destroy the summoning circle! You can handle that easily, 欧尼酱. Quick and effective.”]
[“Why didn’t you say that earlier?!”]
I grabbed Phyllis and prepared to rush out to destroy the summoning circle.
[“瞳! Wait a moment!”]
Perina called out, stumbling to her feet and approaching the iron vault doors nearby.
**[Rattle… Rattle… Rattle...]**
Perina unfastened the heavy doors and stepped inside. When she emerged, she held a glowing green jade pendant, suspended on a delicate necklace.
[“Take this! Never let it leave your side—not even for an instant, no matter what happens.”]
[“...........................”]
[“What’s wrong? Do you not accept it? I’ll explain everything later—but you *must* take it for now!”]
[“.....................”]
[“What is it? Do you have something you’d like to say?”]
[“Why... Why is it green...”]
[“............”]
