Chapter 85
The bastard who arrived at the private room beneath the banquet hall began unbuttoning his suit jacket, as if he couldn’t hold back any longer.
His face was flushed red, and he was breathing heavily, sending me a greedy, lust-filled gaze.
After confirming that the door was firmly locked, I released my mana and formed a barrier around the room.
Flinch.
The man, who had half-undressed, froze in place.
The demonic power cloaking his body began to wash away.
How does it feel?
To witness with your own eyes an “attractive woman” turning into a dark, broad-shouldered man?
Judging by his expression, the shock must have been quite severe.
“You… you were sent by Pandemonium, weren’t you?”
“Huh, calmer than I expected.”
“I knew a day like this would come. I just didn’t expect it to be today.”
The bastard was surprisingly composed at my sudden appearance.
Of course, it only made him look even more pathetic, speaking like that with his shirt still half-unbuttoned.
“Was it when Miss Kim went to the restroom?”
“Sharp. Then you must already know what’s about to happen.”
Feigning composure, the bastard looked straight at me.
“You know well—Pandemonium never lets a traitor live. They’ll chase you to the depths of hell and tear you apart. But do you know something? I betrayed Pandemonium five years ago.”
“What are you trying to say?”
“That you’re not the only one who’s tried to kill me.”
As he said that, he flicked his hand, and his shadow rippled violently.
From it, figures clad in black cloaks suddenly emerged.
Through the darkness of their cloaks, crimson eyes gleamed.
“A so-called executive of the Association keeping demons as subordinates. Seems the Association has truly fallen far.”
“They’re talented ones I smuggled out before I betrayed Pandemonium.”
Just as he said, those before me could, in a way, be considered my juniors.
Like me and Joo Sarang, they were elite demons—killing machines born from the same nest.
I hadn’t planned to let him die peacefully, but now I was even more determined to make his death agonizing.
There was no need for further words.
I lunged at the black-clad figures blocking my path.
They instantly formed up into a formation, drawing their weapons and charging from three directions.
Swift coordination and impressive synergy.
Such teamwork wasn’t something Pandemonium taught.
Pandemonium thrived on the principle of survival of the fittest, not cooperation.
They attacked from my blind spots, each wielding their weapon.
Ha, how ironic. If this had happened just a few weeks earlier, I might’ve struggled.
Thud.
As I lightly stepped forward, mana spread outward, filling the space around me.
My senses sharpened to their extreme.
Domain.
My very existence filled the space.
The moment the first one entered my sight, I seized his wrist with Golden Thread Hand.
At the same time, I pulled him forward, blocking the second attacker’s strike.
Puk.
With a cold, tearing sound, the first attacker’s body was pierced through by a sword.
Then I released mana beneath the feet of the one trying to ambush me from behind—massive flames erupted upward.
Grabbing the last one by the head, I slammed him into the ground.
KWAANG!
In an instant, the subordinates the target had boasted about were all retired.
The target’s face turned pale at the sight.
He must’ve assumed that transforming was the extent of my ability.
Fear spread thickly across his eyes.
Driven by panic, the target screamed.
“Y-you useless fools! You can’t even kill one demon?! Get up and kill him right now!”
“Telling the dead to rise—are you a necromancer now? As expected of a Pandemonium traitor.”
At my mockery, the target ground his teeth.
“So Pandemonium has finally sharpened its blade to kill me…”
Sharpened its blade?
“Pfft.”
I couldn’t help but laugh.
It seemed he actually believed he was still alive because of his own skill.
“Do you know why you’re still alive?”
“Of course! Because I’m a high-ranking executive in the Association—!”
“No. Pandemonium’s just been waiting for you to ripen.”
Pandemonium never forgives traitors.
And they know exactly how to deal with them.
They don’t just kill them.
Instead, they use their deaths as fuel to spread Pandemonium’s name even wider.
And this time, he was chosen as the firewood.
“Pandemonium could’ve killed you anytime. They just waited for you to climb high enough—to season properly—so that your fall would hurt the most.”
I strode toward him.
Grabbing him roughly by the back of his neck, I lifted him off the ground.
“Keuk, kehuk! P-please! Spare me!”
“You know that’s impossible. But if you answer what I ask, I’ll at least make it painless.”
“Ghhh… c-can’t… breathe…”
Dangling in midair, his eyes began to roll upward.
Can’t let him pass out yet.
I loosened my grip, and he fell to the floor, coughing violently, tears streaming down his face.
“...What’s your question…”
Resignation was already seeping into his voice.
“Pandemonium’s Treasure Vault. Tell me about it.”
“That’s…”
He hesitated, glancing up at me once.
I could practically hear the gears turning in his head.
Drawing upon demonic power, I summoned a sword—【Dark Relic】—its aura writhing ominously.
Seeing the sinister energy, the target screamed desperately.
“I-I don’t know for sure! I’m not even certain it’s really a treasure vault! I just… they’ve hidden it so well that I can only assume something valuable must be there!”
“Who knows about it?”
“No one!”
“The location?”
“Demon Realm…”
Demon Realm?
In Become a Hero, there was only one place referred to as the Demon Realm.
Baekdu Mountain.
And that was also the region where the Heavenly Demon was active.
Something that existed in the place where the Heavenly Demon resided—
That made his words much more credible.
Something hidden in the dwelling place of the Heavenly Demon, the strongest force within Pandemonium?
Just hearing that made it sound like there was definitely something there.
It wouldn’t be a bad idea to check it out when I had the time.
Perhaps during vacation—or even before that wouldn’t be bad.
At the very least, the Heavenly Demon didn’t seem to dislike me, so visiting her wouldn’t be rejected outright.
Of course, meeting the Heavenly Demon in person still terrified me...
But if what was hidden there was important to Pandemonium, then it was worth risking my life for.
“As promised, I’ll give you a comfortable death.”
“Ah…”
At my words, tears began streaming down the man’s eyes.
Disgusting crocodile tears.
“But you know… there’s still another debt to settle, isn’t there? You said it yourself—‘If something is given, something must be returned.’”
I raised my sword.
“W-wait…! You promised me a painless death!”
“That’s right. But come to think of it—you tried to grope me earlier, didn’t you? I didn’t factor that into the deal.”
From the private room of the Daehos Guild, the agonized screams of a man echoed through the air.
The mission went smoothly.
As planned, the target met a gruesome death. And when this truth eventually came to light, the media would undoubtedly be in an uproar.
A brutal death during a grand guild’s party, and yet no one knew how or by whom.
At the same time, Pandemonium would claim responsibility for the killing under their name.
Perhaps they would even make the announcement before the guild could attempt to cover it up.
Soon, this would become a massive scandal—and Pandemonium would use it to restore the reputation they had lost after the Beast Rampage incident.
As I finished everything and exited the private room, I ran into Helena in front of the elevator.
“You are…?”
“We meet again.”
Why am I running into her here of all places?
I needed to leave quickly, but I couldn’t show my urgency.
So I asked with a calm façade, “What brings you here at this hour?”
Helena replied, “It’s too late to return to the Academy, so I decided to stay in one of the private rooms provided by the Daehos Guild. Booking a hotel would’ve been too much trouble.”
“I see. I was just about to leave myself.”
At that, Helena tilted her head, looking puzzled.
“Oh my, then in the private room earlier…”
She trailed off, and her face flushed red.
What the hell was she imagining?
I wanted to clear up her misunderstanding, but I didn’t have the time—or the energy—to explain.
Taking advantage of the awkward silence, I quickly stepped into the elevator to get out of there.
I wanted to leave this place as fast as possible.
I’d handled things quietly, but I had still cast a barrier and fought a brief battle.
If any sensitive or high-ranking Heroes had been nearby, they could have sensed it.
Hopefully those guys got out safely too.
I thought back to the three black-clad ones I had given first aid to.
The trio who had been treated like slaves by the target.
When mocking that bastard, I said they were dead—but in truth, I’d only given them light injuries.
The fire I’d used wasn’t the 【Flames of Gehenna】, just ordinary flames, so their natural regeneration should allow them to heal.
Even when I stabbed them, I’d avoided vital points, and the last one… well, I might’ve hit him a bit hard, but I treated him afterward, so he should be fine.
After everything was over, I woke them up and faced them.
As expected, they were just kids—barely entering adolescence.
If I hadn’t treated them, they wouldn’t have escaped the scene, and they’d likely have been executed as suspects in a murder case.
Feeling a twinge of old memories, I patched them up and sent them away. If they had even a shred of common sense, they’d understand they needed to flee.
That was as far as my kindness went.
After exchanging an awkward farewell with Helena, I pressed the elevator’s close button.
Kugoong!
A violent explosion suddenly shook the building.
What the hell?
Beeeep!
The elevator jolted to an emergency stop from the impact.
From down the hallway, faint smoke began to drift out—coming from the direction I had exited after killing the target.
My head instantly cooled.
Footsteps echoed from beyond the smoke.
Helena looked at me, flustered.
“What’s happening?”
“I’m not sure. Please, stay behind me.”
Annoyance boiled inside me, but I forced myself to remain calm and motioned for Helena to step back.
Right now, I was disguised as a member of the Daehos Guild.
Running away in panic wouldn’t fit my role and would only draw suspicion.
The smoke began to clear—and someone burst through.
A man’s familiar voice called out.
“Cadet Helena.”
“Instructor Kang Jae-seok? What are you doing here? And those children in your arms…”
Helena looked at him in shock.
But with a grim expression, Instructor Kang Jae-seok quickly gave a briefing.
“It’s a murder case. I sensed suspicious mana and came to investigate. Found these demons fleeing the scene, so I captured them.”
Damn it.
I cursed inwardly.
Of all people, they had to run into Instructor Kang Jae-seok.
There went my clean escape plan.
Instructor Kang Jae-seok turned to me.
“And you are?”
“Intermediate Hero Jung Ji-woon, Daehos Guild.”
“I see. Then assist in securing the area. Notify the guild and lock down the building.”
“Yes, sir.”
I nodded and moved quickly.
My mind was spinning rapidly.
What the hell was I supposed to do now?
Should I just escape?
It wasn’t impossible.
Even if they tracked me, using the Mask of the Deceiver would make evading pursuit relatively easy.
But…
The three black-clad kids held in Kang Jae-seok’s arms weighed on my mind.
If I escaped now, they’d be labeled as murderers and executed.
The scale in my mind kept tilting back and forth.
My duty as a human being—
Or my own safety and gain.
In that endless dilemma, I shut my eyes tightly.