I Became a Raid Boss

As soon as Selin removed her hands from the man she was holding, the golden Holy Power surrounding him completely faded away.

His complexion had clearly improved since receiving treatment from Selin.

He still looked pale, but at least he didn’t seem on the verge of collapsing and dying like earlier.

“I’ve done everything I can. But….”

“You mean, a full recovery is impossible… right?”

“…I’m sorry. I’m not enough….”

“That’s not true at all. I was already on the brink of death. Thanks to you, Sister, I’ve been given a little reprieve, so how could I blame you? Please don’t say such things.”

The man wasn’t unaware that the Grim Reaper’s scythe was hanging over him.

Still, he looked at his own death with a resigned attitude.

“From the moment I decided to challenge the ‘Ascension Ritual,’ I was prepared for this outcome.”

Selin, confused by the unfamiliar term, asked.

“The Ascension Ritual, you say?”

“It’s a ritual that forcibly accepts mana to elevate one’s rank.”

“Could it be that you belong to our clan? Ah, you probably prefer the term Demon Race. Are you a demon?”

“Does it look that way?”

“Not exactly, but….”

After explaining this to Selin, the man looked at me suspiciously.

It was only natural for him to look at me like that, since I knew a ritual only demons would know.

If Edel hadn’t informed me, I wouldn’t have known either.

“As you, my lady, mentioned, the Ascension Ritual is a ceremony that raises the rank of the spirit and body by accepting mana.”

“Hmm, hmm.”

‘My lady,’ huh.

Not exactly my favorite title, but compared to titles like ‘kid’ or ‘girl,’ it’s not half bad.

While I nodded with satisfaction, Selin appeared puzzled.

“You elevate your rank by accepting mana?”

“Yes.”

“If I may be so bold, that sounds like an exceedingly dangerous ritual.”

“Haha. No offense taken. You are absolutely correct; it is indeed a dangerous ritual.”

“Of course it is dangerous; you’re shoving in more mana than you can handle.”

Even pure mana is risky, so it’s obvious that doing so with corrupt mana is even more perilous.

Simply put, it’s like stuffing food into a full stomach.

Especially when you don’t even know when or what kind of rotten food you’re cramming in.

Whether you die from your stomach bursting or slowly from food poisoning, the outcome is always death.

And the man before me was leaning toward the latter.

Well… if used wisely, poison can be medicine, so perhaps there’s a chance to survive and become stronger.

But what percentage do you think that is?

“How many people have succeeded so far?”

“…Only two, including the tribal leader and the current chief.”

“Two….”

In response to Selin’s question of how many had attempted it, the man spoke.

“Before answering that question, I must say this: Since you’ve come this far under Atysha’s guidance, you understand our mission, right?”

“To purify the corrupted mana.”

“Ah, so you know. Then I can give a brief explanation.”

The mission given by Edel, the lost powers, and the mana beginning to overflow.

Since I already knew this, I paid little attention as it was being explained.

“…So, I didn’t stop the children from migrating to another continent. Their lives are important just as much as the mission.”

Still, there were some intriguing points.

The younger demons tend to have less sense of mission and, consequently, a tendency to prioritize their lives.

It may sound a bit like an old person’s lecture, but perhaps it doesn’t come across that way due to his tone.

I envisioned the villages of demons on the Ardina Continent.

Faces that seemed to carry darkness, even while smiling.

Having left their hometown to survive, they were tormented by guilt for abandoning their mission.

“Those who remain are either able to endure or have resolved to bury their bones here even if they fail to persist.”

“What’s the point of that mission anyway?”

“Haha….”

The man chuckled at my almost whiny remark.

“Anyway, those who endure until they can’t anymore have three choices: the first is to leave for the Ardina Continent like the children. The second is to face death as is. The third is….”

“…the Ascension Ritual, I presume.”

He’d laid enough groundwork; he couldn’t possibly be so oblivious to not understand.

“Yes, through the Ascension Ritual, if one’s rank increases, they can stay in Raxia, and if they fail and die, they’ll already have accepted their fate anyway.”

“…Are you truly a demon?”

“Why not find out for yourself?”

As I casually lifted a strand of hair off his head, the man shook his head.

“I’m not doubting you; it’s just that you’re so accurate it’s surprising.”

“I only knew because I read the answers.”

“The answers…? Ah, well, there’s one thing you’ve misunderstood. Those of us, including myself, who challenge the Ascension Ritual don’t think it’s fine to fail.”

“Of course. You’d wish to succeed, naturally.”

“No. I mean….”

“…Ah.”

Selin, who seemed to understand, looked a bit embarrassed and withdrew.

“What’s misunderstood is that this method was proposed by Edel first.”

“…Edel?”

“Yes.”

I would never have thought of such a method before hearing it from Edel.

“Why….”

“Why? I’ve already said.”

The purpose of the Ascension Ritual, as articulated by the man.

I need a higher rank than now, and if I succeed in the Ascension Ritual—

“It’s to raise my rank.”

I’ll possess a far greater rank than before.

Oh, I misspoke.

It’s not ‘if I succeed.’

“I will succeed.”

As I mentioned before, the thought of failing hadn’t crossed my mind even in the slightest.

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