Shouting Duel at the Center of a Dead Game

The roar of the iron bars being struck, and Paimon's cries that weren't masked by the roar, were heard.

"AoDaiAshichi! As expected, only you…… I have to tear you apart and kill you with these hands! I will split you into a hundred pieces, throw you into the hottest lava in hell, and not leave a trace!"

I dug through the Elder Slime's mucus without rest, but the core didn't come out easily.

─Bang, bang, bang.

Paimon began to strike the iron bars like crazy. He raised his huge arms and struck the iron bars with his fists, and when it didn't work as he wanted, he soon grabbed the iron bars.

"Kueaaaaa!"

The muscles in his arms swelled unbelievably, and veins popped out on his chest. At the same time, blood began to flow down from Paimon's hands. He was gripping the iron bars so strongly that his fingernails were digging into his palms and began to give strength.

─Squeak.

The iron bars began to bend in Paimon's hands.

At that time.

─Beep.

Suddenly the iron bars vibrated, and a strong current began to flow visibly. The blue current spread through Paimon's body in an instant.

─Buzzzz.

"Kueeeeuk!"

It was the same lightning that the system had activated.

There was a smell of Paimon's hands burning, but Paimon never let go. Instead, he glared at me and said.

"Only you, only you!"

Then, this time, a group of lights spread from behind him. And large restraints were placed on Paimon's neck, both wrists, both ankles, and six wings.

─Clang.

Paimon's body staggered for a moment because it was heavy. And as expected, current began to flow through the restraints as well.

"Kueaaaaaa!"

Paimon screamed and soon let go and fell.

─Thud.

Paimon's huge body fell to the floor, and I began to dig through the Elder Slime's body even more busily in the gap that was created.

At that time.

─Thwack.

I felt a foreign substance at the tip of the hoe. I had touched the core. When I put strength into the hand holding the hoe, the Elder Slime's body began to flow down with a sensation like a bubble bursting.

'Thank goodness.'

The road was opened and Paimon didn't tear down the iron bars. I felt relieved by that, but questions also arose.

'But why is he trying to kill me so much? What does that word architect mean?'

"Damn Deia…… Can't I escape after all?"

Paimon staggered up and glared at me. Restraints were placed on his entire body, and his skin was burned by lightning, but the murderous intent revealed in his eyes was even stronger.

"Yeah, I didn't have enough resolve. It's about killing you, it can't be easy."

No.

Why are you doing this to me?

And the next moment, Paimon's hand began to turn black. And when the black energy surged over his large fingernails and subsided, becoming like a heavy spear blade.

─Stab.

Paimon stabbed his chest with it.

'What is this?'

Blood gushed out of Paimon's chest. A large hole was pierced in his chest. Black blood, unique to demons, flowed down like a waterfall, reaching my feet.

"……AoDaiAshichi."

Paimon said without even wiping the blood flowing down from his mouth.

"I will take only you with me, in the name of the great demon, Paimon. Even if the price is…… everything I have."

The moment those words ended, Paimon's body, which was already huge, began to swell even more. The blood flowing from the hole in his chest had stopped.

─Squeak.

The restraint on his neck dug into Paimon's growing body, but soon it couldn't withstand the pressure and burst with a bizarre sound.

─Shatter.

And Paimon's body grew bigger and bigger. And the remaining restraints that were placed on his body also began to make uneasy noises.

─Buzzzz.

Current that was visible to the eye continued to flow through the restraints, but it could no longer stop Paimon.

'This is, could it be……'

In the game, Paimon has 3 phases. The 1st phase of summoning monsters and attacking, the 2nd phase of directly fighting hand-to-hand.

And if you capture all those two phases and Paimon's health reaches the bottom, the worst 3rd phase begins.

The phase of extreme that greatly increases the power of the already strong Paimon and even makes him bigger.

The so-called 'struggle' pattern.

'Could it be, did he commit suicide with his own hands? To use the struggle pattern?'

As if my guess was true, Paimon's body continued to grow.

─Shatter.

The restraint on his right wrist also broke. And even in the midst of that, Paimon's red eyes were fixed on me.

"I am an unstoppable death, and a disaster that cannot be avoided!"

'Damn it.'

I quickly started running between the wreckage of the Elder Slime. The door was right in front of me, but it wasn't easy to gain speed in the slippery mucus.

─Crash, crash, crash…… Clang!

When I had a few steps to the door, I heard an ominous sound in my ears. After a sound like the iron bars bursting, I heard something cutting through the wind.

─Whoosh.

A large shadow loomed over my head. I instinctively jumped to the side and rolled.

─Thump.

Paimon's fist fell right next to me. The large fist with prominent red veins was blocking the place where I would have run, right in front of the door.

I stepped back and distanced myself.

Paimon, with a large hole in his chest, was walking out from between the iron bars that were shattered unsightly.

─Thud, thud.

The monster's eyes, which seemed to cause an earthquake with every step he took, were fixed only on me.

"Architect."

Paimon called me that again.

***

Demon Paimon.

The boss of the gate that appears after 10 years of game time.

I still remember the day when Paimon's video was first uploaded to the community.

I remember that the person who uploaded it was a shield warrior. If he went to that area, his defense would have been strong without saying.

But the content of the video was shocking itself. The content of the very short video was all about Paimon swinging his fist and the player being instantly killed by it.

─Crack.

A shocking video of the shield, armor, and character being crushed and killed in one blow with one fist.

‘Last Savior’ is a game where the character is erased the moment the character dies completely.

In other words, the character was blown away as it was by the boss monster's one shot. Even a character with a tanker build.

At the time, there was a lot of controversy over the authenticity of the video, but later when more information about Paimon was revealed, those controversies subsided.

The demon Paimon's authority is 'violence' and 'summoning'.

He summons monsters to block the enemies' movements, and swings his fist with great power.

If you are hit by that great power, it is impossible to withstand. He was nicknamed 'one-shot healer' because he sent both tankers and dealers in one shot equally.

How could there have been a controversy in the community at the time over whether Paimon was really a monster that could be caught.

That Paimon is in front of me.

My level is 1, there is naturally no answer or anything to catch Paimon. But I can't give up like this.

If dying in this world is really the end, I'm choosing death with my own hands.

'Let's think.'

While looking at Paimon bending the iron bars and coming out, I racked my brain. My brain was spinning faster than ever to save its owner.

'Can I avoid Paimon and enter the door?'

─With agility 5? No way.

'Then what is Paimon's weakness?'

─The first thing that comes to mind is his slow speed compared to high-ranking demons. The only weakness is that he is not agile because he focuses on power. But even then, you can't aim for that weakness with agility 5.

'Then what is the strategy?'

─The strategy for the 3rd phase is 'Endure until the struggle is over.' It is impossible to deal damage to Paimon in the struggle state with ordinary stats.

However, killing Paimon, who has become weak after the struggle is over, is not an ordinary task either. My strength is also 5.

'Any other answers?'

─There are two common weaknesses of demons. They are weak to holy power, and they can be greatly weakened if you find out their true name.

But neither applies. I'm not a paladin, so I don't have holy power, and 'Paimon' is just the name given by the evil god, not his true name. Considering that you couldn't find out the true name of the demon even in the game, it may be a kind of MacGuffin.

'The conclusion?'

─You're screwed.

My brain gave me that conclusion. It was a very reasonable and quick conclusion.

I looked at Paimon. Paimon, who was almost out of the iron bars, looked at me and said.

"Architect, just by killing you, I will receive the grace of the great demon god."

To the murderous words coming from the goat head with a hole in its chest, an answer came out of my mouth immediately.

"Sigh, what did I design that you keep bitching about. Seriously."

I couldn't manage my expression anymore. I was upset, annoyed, and above all, I didn't understand.

If I had designed something, I wouldn't feel so wronged. I was just summoned here.

All I did in the game was clear the story hard, duel…….

'Duel?'

There is one card that I had forgotten in the midst of urgency.

The trait given to me, 'Duelist'.

[Duelist: You have no blood or tears. You enjoy trampling on opponents who surrender and suppressing those who have lost their will to fight. Your humanity is questionable, but no one can question your ability to subdue opponents one-on-one.

You can declare a 'Duel'.

─You can only declare a duel in one-on-one situations.

─Your stats increase during a duel, and you can acquire special rewards depending on your opponent.

─Usable count (1): The usable count is recharged when the 'Full Moon' rises.]

I don't know the effect properly, and I don't know what will happen.

This is the only variable I have now. If there is no variable, I will be stepped on by Paimon and die right away.

There was nothing to worry about or save.

"Duel!"

I said quickly. Then a phrase popped up in front of me.

[Please specify the opponent.]

"Paimon, duel!"

[Dueling is a gentlemanly act of those who protect the goddess. Please have enough manners.]

"Ah, damn it……!"

While desperately suppressing the bursting frustration, I pointed at Paimon with my index finger.

"Paimon, it's a duel."

At that moment, Paimon completely came out of the iron bars. And…….

'This is?'

A huge circle of light began to be drawn around me and Paimon. And a warm energy began to settle in my body.

"This disgusting energy……! Architect, what trickery is this?"

"I don't know."

I really don't know.

A phrase popped up in front of my eyes.

[Starting the duel between Han Hae-il ─ Paimon (Demon).]

─Whoosh.

A group of lights began to settle on my body. And I felt something seeping into my muscles and my head clearing.

[You have challenged an enemy stronger than yourself. You will receive a suitable reward upon victory.]

[You are a great duelist. You don't get tired easily during a duel, and your mind is not clouded by anything corrupt.]

Vitality surged in my tired body. And the urgency and fear from just now disappeared, and Paimon's appearance was seen properly.

A disfigured figure with red flesh exposed from burns all over his body, and fragments of shackles still attached to his body. The steps he was taking towards me were staggering slightly.

And the streaks of blood slowly falling from the hole pierced in his chest, twitching blood vessels.

'……In this state.'

My brain gave another answer.

─Maybe possible.

No, I think it's possible.

And the moment I made up my mind like that, one more phrase popped up.

[You have challenged an enemy stronger than yourself. You are blessed by the goddess.]

[Choose a blessing.]

[Strength] [Sense] [Agility]

I hesitated for a very short time and pressed one. Immediately, hot energy spread through my body.