Chapter 277: Could the Horned Demon be a Good Demon?

After finishing her defensive magic, Su Nian fell into brief contemplation.

Shadowmoon Manor was already incredibly mysterious. 

It possessed the Magic Phone, which felt beyond its era, and held the master of the manor—the Horned Demon. 

His identity, his bizarre and unpredictable behavior, and his overwhelming power were all enigmas.

Combined with his appearance at this Winter Festival banquet, everything was pushing her suspicions toward the worst, most terrifying possibility.

This attack on the Floating Fortress had been orchestrated by the Horned Demon.

The Horned Demon had hidden in Academy City, and his ultimate goal was today!

If that was truly the case…

Su Nian subconsciously touched the Lover’s Prison Collar on her snow-white neck, which had already transformed into an exquisite necklace.

If the Horned Demon was truly in league with these demons, then wouldn’t she be… unable to escape, completely trapped in a hopeless situation?

‘Where is he right now?’

Su Nian’s gaze pierced through the chaotic crowd, frantically searching for that familiar and hateful figure.

She did not see the Horned Demon.

Yet, the more this was the case, the deeper the fear in her heart grew.

This sudden attack was too precise, too lethal.

It felt like a script that had been meticulously planned countless times, and she, along with everyone else on the Floating Fortress, was merely a sacrifice waiting to be offered on this bloody stage.

‘Was that man hiding in some unknown corner, using those dark, deep eyes to admire this feast of slaughter he had directed himself?’

Was he enjoying her panic and helplessness?

If it was really like that…

Not just the Floating Fortress, but even Academy City might not be able to withstand the offensive of the Horned Demon Bastard.

If she resisted next, she would likely be defeated again.

Under the watchful eyes of the entire city’s populace, she would be publicly humiliated by the Horned Demon.

The mere thought of that possibility filled her with utter despair.

While Su Nian was thinking, a demon warrior grinned hideously. 

Its massive claws tore through the air, bringing a stench of blood as it lunged straight toward a noble girl who had fallen to the ground, frozen in fear.

Clearly, the little girl had accompanied her mother to the banquet.

She was one of the few children aboard the Floating Fortress.

In a flash, the glass-like patterns in Su Nian’s left pupil instantly lit up, spinning rapidly like an hourglass.

[Time-Sand Peeking] activated! 

Several death trajectories the girl might encounter within the next three seconds clearly emerged in her field of vision.

Almost as an instinctive reaction, her feet performed a graceful pivot. 

Her star-studded skirt traced a beautiful arc, looking like an improvised dance move, perfectly evading a surprise attack from a bone spear thrust by another demon from the side.

Simultaneously, she held her right hand out. 

The Water Element in the air condensed rapidly, forming a palm-sized but bone-chilling blue Icicle that shot out at an incredible angle.

The Icicle was pinned with absolute precision into the wrist joint of the demon warrior lunging at the little girl.

“Ow!” The demon warrior yelped in pain, its momentum stalling. 

The little girl took the opportunity to be pulled away by a nearby guard.

Su Nian did not stop. 

From the corner of her eye, she spotted a wounded soldier lying in a pool of blood, his life force quickly fading.

She raised her left hand slightly, and a beam of soft Holy Light poured down.

Like warm sunshine, it quickly stabilized his injuries.

On this chaotic and bloody battlefield, her figure as she performed Healing Magic possessed a sacred and inviolable quality.

Su Nian didn’t care about anything else anymore.

Even if she might be defeated again, beaten by the Horned Demon… and then stepped on and humiliated at his whim.

She could not sit idly by and watch the Demon Race slaughter humans!

Worst case scenario…

The worst case was just being defeated and taken away by the Horned Demon again…

***

Academy City.

“It’s Lady Su Nian!”

“Lady Su Nian is fighting! She’s protecting everyone!”

“Keep going, Lady Su Nian!”

After the initial panic, the citizens in front of the magic screens felt a warm current surge through their chests as they saw Su Nian step forward, calmly engage the enemy, and even rescue the wounded.

Hope was rekindled in the hearts of the people.

This battle was not yet lost!

They began to spontaneously cheer for the battle on the Floating Fortress.

***

Aboard the Floating Fortress, the battle remained tragic.

The deck swayed unsteadily, filled with disoriented crowds and rampaging demons.

Although the soldiers’ strengths varied, they did not flee in the face of the Demon Race; they continued to fight.

However, there were too many nobles nearby who needed protection, and it was impossible to look after everyone.

Some of the noble men and women who had been mocking Su Nian earlier were now shamelessly squeezing toward her location. 

Their once-proud faces were written with terror as they screamed for protection.

“My father is a count, save me!”

“I can give you 1,000 gold coins, just save me…”

Su Nian, who had made up her mind to fight, did not particularly like these people.

But in this situation, she couldn’t just let them be killed by the Demon Race.

Regardless of everything, when facing the Demon Race, humans stood as one.

A second later.

Su Nian cast a spell with all her might.

“ILLUSIVE FLAMEWATER BREAK!”

The S-Rank Magic of the dual water and fire systems was unleashed.

It accurately struck a demon with wings on its back.

“Boom!”

After the explosion, the demon soldier, who had been majestic just moments ago, instantly lost its life.

Facing a Saint Level combatant, elite soldiers were still just soldiers after all.

Just as Su Nian took a deep breath, preparing to continue fighting and protect the trembling young women behind her, a tall and familiar figure abruptly appeared in her line of sight.

In an instant, Su Nian felt incredibly nervous.

It was the Horned Demon.

At this moment, his identity was “Master Mo Yuan” attending the banquet.

He walked over, passing through the screaming crowd and splashing blood, looking as if he were taking a leisurely stroll in his own Maze Garden.

Su Nian’s heart skipped a beat.

‘Is this guy really in league with these demons?’

For a moment, Su Nian’s mind was a mess, and all sorts of chaotic thoughts emerged like a tide.

In the blink of an eye.

An ancient and magnificent longsword appeared out of thin air in his hand. 

Starlight flowed over the blade, emitting a sharp aura that made one’s heart tremble.

– Shing!

A dazzling sword light of starlight flashed. 

A demon warrior who was about to ambush Su Nian from the side froze mid-motion. 

A small bloody hole appeared between its brows, and its massive body crashed to the ground.

This sword was called the [Starlight Judgment Sword].

He had spent a full 3,000,000 Annoyance Value to exchange for it from the System Shop.

As for the source of that Annoyance Value… it naturally came from those “wonderful” nights spent with the beautiful girl before him at Shadowmoon Manor.

When Su Nian saw the Horned Demon walking toward her with a sword earlier, she had been scared to death…

However, when he killed a powerful demon in a single strike, the girl’s eyes suddenly lit up.

‘Ha!’

She knew it! 

This Horned Demon Bastard really wasn’t in league with these demons!

Recalling her experience in Bai Shui Town, he seemed to have been secretly sabotaging certain plans of the Demon Race all along, and she had never seen him kill a human.

Even though he was a Horned Demon himself… could he be a good demon?

‘Wait… no, no!’

Su Nian quickly shook her head, tossing aside that ridiculous thought.

‘What “good demon”?’

‘This guy is a big villain who bullied her to the point of wanting to die! He is the culprit who turned her life and her body upside down!’