Chapter 43
The demon asked.
【Do you seek power? The strength to crush the enemy before you?】
‘…….’
I silently nodded.
With my current strength, I couldn’t deal with the strengthened Guardian.
Even if it meant taking on some risk, I needed far greater power now.
The demon laughed quietly.
It was an unpleasant sound—like a snake licking at one’s ear.
【I shall lend you my authority. A mighty power that can destroy and trample the enemy before your eyes.】
‘What’s the price?’
It wasn’t the time to be questioning terms when my life was in danger, but perhaps my body’s memories remembered all too vividly how dangerous demons were.
Somehow, that question slipped out first.
The demon answered without a moment’s hesitation.
【The Soul of the Star!】
‘The Soul of the Star?’
For a moment, I wondered what that was, but soon enough, I realized.
In this world, there was only one person who possessed a power connected to the stars—Park Siwoo.
The demon let out a slick, revolting sound that affirmed my suspicion.
【Is that not the one beside you? The Soul of the Star that is just now beginning to shine. Offer to me that star which will soon glow brilliantly.】
‘…….’
As expected.
The “Soul of the Star” he spoke of meant Park Siwoo.
He was telling me to kill Park Siwoo—to stain my hands once again with the blood of a comrade, just to live.
It felt as if someone had poured ice water over my head; my body went cold.
What had I even been struggling with all this time?
If I thought about why I was fighting so hard to survive here, then the answer to his offer was already clear.
I shouted at the demon.
‘Screw you!’
【Are you serious? You would rather choose death? No—humans may deceive others, but they cannot deceive me. You wish to live more than anyone else. Even if it means offering your soul to a demon!】
He was right.
I wanted to live.
Even if I had to sell my soul to a demon, I wanted to cling to this miserable life.
【Then why do you reject my offer? Out of consideration for you, I did not even ask for your soul, but for the Soul of the Star instead.】
‘You should’ve just asked for my soul instead. Then at least I might’ve thought about it.’
The reason I so desperately wanted to survive—
Of course, it was to see the happy ending.
‘But if I kill Park Siwoo, I won’t be able to reach that happy ending!’
【A happy ending? Do you take this world for some beautiful fairy tale? I thought you were clever, but it seems you’re merely a madman.】
‘If you get the point, then shut up and disappear.’
【Very well. I shall respect your choice. But know this—when you call upon me next, the Soul of the Star alone will not suffice.】
Confident that I would seek him again soon, the demon gave his warning and vanished.
At the same time, my halted thoughts resumed their normal flow—and the spear fell.
Puuuk, Puuuk—
Having kept track of the spear’s position even while speaking with the demon, I quickly rolled aside to evade it.
But I couldn’t avoid every attack fired from such close range.
Spears of light pierced my left shoulder and calf.
I clenched my teeth against the excruciating pain.
A mouthful of bitter blood surged up my throat.
The spears of light didn’t merely pierce flesh—they rampaged through my body, attacking the demonic energy within me, tearing me apart from the inside.
Still, even with my accelerated thoughts, it had felt strangely long.
So that was it—the demon had briefly stopped time around me.
[Another demonic aura… It is far stronger than before. What have you encountered, one tainted by evil?]
“Don’t worry! I didn’t— make that— contract with— him!”
I’d already noticed it the moment time stopped and he whispered to me.
The one who offered the contract was likely among the higher ranks of High Demons.
It would’ve been a lie to say I wasn’t worried about offending such a being—but now wasn’t the time to care about that.
Because the Guardian, who had been preparing its next attack, was already on the move again.
[This is the end. One tainted by evil, may grace be with you.]
The five remaining spears of light that had missed me merged into one, forming a single massive spear.
[Spear of Longinus!]
As he chanted softly,
The golden spear turned red—as though drenched in blood.
If that hit, it would be instant death.
The most threatening attack I’d faced since being possessed.
But even so, I did not fall into despair.
Because during my conversation with the demon, I had found a clue.
I focused the explosive energy of the demon’s authority into my sword.
The Guardian couldn’t be defeated the same way as before.
If using two authorities separately wasn’t enough—then why not merge the power of both into one?
The conflicting authorities, each belonging to different masters, began to clash violently.
The stronger their repulsion grew,
The more violently my insides churned from using the demon’s authority.
Then I heard the demon’s voice again.
【So you refused my contract only to attempt the fusion of authorities. Do you think powers of different masters can truly be united?】
‘We’ll only know if we try.’
Coughing up a mouthful of blood from the backlash between the authorities, I unleashed the full power of the 【Lamb】 skill.
【It is impossible to unite authorities with different masters. They will repel—and you will explode and die.】
‘Shut up, you’re breaking my concentration!’
I no longer listened to a single word the demon said.
There was never a lie in his words—but even so, I ignored him.
The uncontrollable authorities began to run wild.
And again, I heard his voice.
【Foolish… so utterly foolish.】
Damn it—did I fail?
I had believed I had a chance.
Because this possessed body—
It was special.
This body wasn’t just any ordinary vessel.
The vessel meant to contain the being known as the Lord of the Archdemons.
It was the body destined to become the Final Boss of the game.
In the actual game, the Final Boss combined numerous troublesome Authorities to unleash absurd, overwhelming skills.
If the completed version in the game could use them, then I should be able to use them now as well.
But in the end, was that merely my arrogance?
Blood gushed from every opening in my body.
I had lost so much that my vision began to blur.
I thought, Is this how I die?
It felt as if my soul were leaving my body—no longer could I feel anything at all.
Pain, hearing, sight—all of it faded away.
Only a piercing regret remained.
It felt unbearably futile that this would be my end.
The feeling was the same as when I’d first been diagnosed with a terminal illness.
In that moment, a single scene flashed through my mind.
—The moment when the Primordial Evil, the Father of all Demons, the Lord who once ruled them through terror, finally returned.
It was a scene from the game—the very moment the Final Boss first descended into this body.
At the same time, within my fading consciousness, a blaze erupted in my mind.
From the beginning, the power of a demon was never something that could be harmonized.
Demons were violent and arrogant—they only submitted to those stronger than themselves.
I should not have tried to tune a demon’s Authority.
I should have trampled it and forced it into submission.
I gathered the last vestiges of my fading life force.
If I was going to die either way, then—!
Life flashing before one’s eyes.
The dying flame of life flared violently, burning brighter than ever.
Gathering all my energy, I fully unleashed the Asura Divine Art, which I had been avoiding to conceal my true nature.
The Infernal Flame that punished sin began to burn, pressing down upon the warring demonic Authorities.
At that moment, a familiar blue window flickered before my eyes.
【The different demonic Authorities have begun to unite as one.】
【This is an unprecedented event.】
【The demon’s Authority is being fused into your sword.】
【A new Authority is being born.】
【Authority: Levatein has been created.】
The jet-black blade began to glow crimson.
The two opposing Authorities merged, forming an entirely new power.
【What… what is this absurdity…!】
The voice of the demon I thought had vanished echoed again.
But I no longer had the strength to care.
My body, already pushed beyond its limits, began to shut down.
As my senses faded one by one, I unconsciously swung the sword in my hand.
The crimson blade, dyed in red flame, was swung toward the Guardian.
A scarlet line was drawn across space.
There was no loud explosion or thunderous roar.
Everything simply ignited.
Everything along the sword’s path burst into flames—
The Guardian’s body, and even the space he had created.
The Guardian collapsed.
A being struck by that sword could no longer maintain its form.
As the Guardian’s body was consumed by Levatein’s flames, he looked toward Seongwoo, who lay fallen on the ground.
To think this one would use him as fuel to create a new Authority…
Truly, a fearsome existence.
Indeed, he was worthy of being called the one who would bring about the end foretold in prophecy.
But this was the end.
The one destined to bring forth the world’s end lay before him, drained of all strength.
He was merely a remnant spirit anyway—if his existence had been sacrificed to prevent the end, that was a worthwhile price.
[Through your death, the prophecy shall not come to pass.]
The Prophecy.
That the Ancient Evil would once again return through the body of a human.
Perhaps that was why his master, Baek Hyun-joong, had placed him here—to guard the Academy and prevent the prophecy’s fulfillment.
Then, before the dying Seongwoo, something black appeared.
Like a dark storm cloud, it slithered like a serpent and coiled around him.
The Guardian’s eyes widened in shock.
The being that appeared before him—
Though it took the form of a small serpent, behind it loomed an endless abyss.
The demon looked at Seongwoo and let out a revolting hiss.
【I knew you were a vessel, but I did not expect you to create a new Authority. The creation of new power was something only He could accomplish. For the first time in tens of thousands of years, I feel the emotion of astonishment.】
The demon, speaking grandly, praised the dying Seongwoo.
Of course, Seongwoo—his senses severed and his body shutting down—could not hear any of it.
But the demon spoke on regardless.
【I care not for His resurrection, but you have piqued my interest. You have stirred my emotions after so very long. Thus, I shall grant you a gift.】
The serpent-like demon then slithered into Seongwoo’s mouth.
At once, Seongwoo’s body convulsed as immense demonic energy burst forth.
The pure white space around him turned black under the flood of malevolent energy.
His body trembled as light began to seep from the wounds left by the Guardian’s attack.
The light that had been eating away at him was being expelled.
Even his battered body began to heal little by little.
The Guardian screamed in horror.
The demon was reviving the very being he had sacrificed his own existence to destroy.
All his efforts to prevent the prophecy were crumbling away.
[What are you doing, demon?! What have you done to the one of prophecy I went so far to kill?!]
Beings of the otherworld should never interfere with this realm.
If they did, the energy required would be beyond mortal comprehension—something even the Lord of the Archdemons would hesitate to do.
Yet this demon so easily rekindled the flame of a dying life.
Which meant—it was no mere High Demon.
The Guardian, his body nearly gone, demanded an answer.
[What is your name, demon?]
To that, the demon replied as if waiting for the question.
【My name is Agares. Duke of the East of Hell, commander of thirty-one legions.】
Upon hearing this, despair filled the Guardian’s face.
[Ah… Ahh…! So in the end, the destined fate cannot be stopped.]
And with that final word, the Guardian vanished.
Then, Seongwoo opened his eyes.