〈 Demon World (3) 〉
Demon World, a land of struggle where violence and war never cease.
However, apart from its notoriety, the Demon World was also one of the worlds where intelligent beings formed civilization and lived.
Even though the war lasted for hundreds of years, not all areas could be battlefields all year round, and most regions still maintained society with their own systems and rules.
“What dude? Strike it and kill it!”
“Oh, let’s give it a try! “I’ll put an end to it this time!”
“Oh oh! Are you fighting! Hey, this place is full!”
“Kellok! Show me your example! “Show your Marang pride!”
Although that society is very distorted from the perspective of other intelligent beings, it is also a part of their culture.
In fact, given the environment of the demon world full of negative energy, it was not surprising that the demons living there tended to be violent.
“Isn’t it nice to see something so lively? This may all be due to expectations that the war that has continued for a long time will soon end as ‘Dark Nest’ gains victory. ah! Of course, it is also thanks to the Coatl family, who took part in it.”
The Doberman-headed demon who was guiding Hella inside looked at the disturbance on one side of the street and said something.
That was the only response, as if it was a courtesy remark made upon seeing an everyday scene.
‘…Can we just ignore that as being lively?’
A large crowd surrounded the surroundings and two demons began to fight in the center.
Neither of them seemed to be at a very high level, but the brutality of the fight was something that could never be ignored.
“Search!”
“Kill! Kill it! “Kill me!”
“What are you doing, Kelok! “Bite me and kill me!”
Both sides did their best to destroy the other’s body.
The sight of blood and flesh flying as they attack each other as if they were going to kill each other, and the crowd cheering at the sight.
‘Is it because regenerative power is a common ability among demons? They fight so fiercely.’
Is this a cultural difference?
A fight like that happening openly in the middle of the street was a sight that made you keenly aware that this was indeed the infamous demon world.
As long as they are supplied with magical power, there is no problem in surviving without eating. Aren’t they literally biological weapons born to fight?
“Im here. “Please come here.”
It was a while while I was moving around and appreciating the reality of the demon world that I had only heard about.
Hela, who moved with guidance, soon reached the huge mansion in the center of the castle.
As if it were true that they had been notified in advance, someone was already there to meet them in front of the main gate of the mansion.
“Heung—! Welcome. “I am Dalun, the lord of this land.”
The castle lord, who holds the highest position in this castle, himself.
It was such a treat that I was so grateful.
‘You bowed so low and came in when you were told to go to Coatl… I guess we can say this is a completely subordinate relationship?’
Hela quickly grasped the situation, hiding her expression with a haughty attitude.
Apparently, they also quickly lined up for the ‘Dark Nest’, to which the Coatl family belonged, immediately after the balance of the battlefield was lost.
As I was walking into the mansion, following Seongju, who personally came to meet me.
Dalun, the boar-headed demon, continued to sniffle roughly, frowned slightly, and lowered his voice.
“Heungheung! By the way, I didn’t expect that someone from Coatl would suddenly come to me without any contact from me… and it was my first time seeing him. I guess the district manager who came before was busy with something? “I see that that person came instead.”
As expected, it was impressive to see that the lord of the castle was polite and did not show an excessively servile appearance.
Unlike his subordinates who were just busy being caught up in the situation, he immediately identified suspicious parts and tried to sneak around them.
‘It’s pretty good. Well, that guy named Dalun is also a noble-level devil.’
I heard that a member of the next hegemony suddenly visited, so I hurriedly prepared and came out to meet him, but it was a completely new person I met, so that was a natural reaction.
Even though he was a baron, which was the lowest rank among titles, the fact that he rose to that rank in this land of the demonic world where merit was paramount was nothing short of proof of one’s own qualifications.
‘Well, to me, it’s there.’
Anyway, there was one most efficient and reliable way to respond in this situation.
“Hehe, are you telling me why I’m here now?”
“ok? No, that….”
Just pressing down with force.
This was the Demon World, a land of struggle where violence and coercion abounded.
A faint sense of intimidation seeped out of Hela’s body.
“…!”
Before the castle lord Dalun could even open his mouth, the remnants of a mighty power instantly occupied all around him and bared their fangs.
A magic power that could not even be accessed by a mere baron-level devil’s power shamelessly forcibly suppressed all suspicion and distrust.
Gulp—
Seongju swallowed his saliva with difficulty.
My whole body became stiff and my face slowly began to turn pale.
Although it was covered in wild boar fur, it wasn’t noticeable on the outside.
“Oh yeah. If you stay quiet, you’re starting to feel nauseous, right? “Are you trying to obediently follow the words of a girl who seems like she could kill someone if she wanted to?”
“Oh no…what. “It’s not like that…”
Sophistry that forcibly twists the topic and a blatant display of power.
And the displeased frown on his face, his arms tightly twisted, and his hair flowing down his head slightly tilted to the side.
He was truly a great boss.
“Then what is it? Are you saying I came to a place I shouldn’t have come to? huh? “That’s what you mean, right?”
“…no. sorry. “It was a mistake.”
In the end, Dalun had no choice but to keep quiet.
If you look at it, I didn’t do anything wrong, but I couldn’t help it.
Expressing one’s opinion without any power in this demon world was a serious crime worth noting even if one were to die.
‘At least the level of a count, maybe even higher. Where on earth did such a monster come from?… Is it really from Coatl? Unless the core forces on the battlefield were withdrawn as the war situation became more relaxed…’
All kinds of thoughts swirled in his head.
From how to appease the anger of an unidentified powerful person right next to her, to concerns about the worst that could happen if she follows her will.
‘The really worst thing is if this woman belongs to another faction. It’s been a long time since I’ve been in the mood for victory or defeat. Now, if you force yourself to side with another faction and get retaliated against by the Dark Nest.’
In that case, the difference was between dying now or later, but there was no future for him.
A beleaguered situation where you can’t do this or that.
‘Let’s pretend to cooperate for now. Then, if you secretly contact the Dark Nest and explain the situation well, you might be able to get some credit…’
Dalun racked his brain to find a way out.
Contrary to his appearance that he seemed to blindly follow only power, he was the type of devil who preferred scheming.
A crisis is an opportunity, if you utilize it well—.
“Foot.”
But then.
A soft laugh came from the side.
There was no need to say who the epicenter was.
“Why are you so stiff? “It’s a joke, it’s a joke.”
“Ah haha… I see. “This really surprised me.”
“Hehe, was it fun?”
This is a really boring joke.
But I didn’t have the guts to be honest.
There was no way that warning was really a joke in the first place.
“…This is the drawing room of our castle. First, let’s go into more details…”
“Well, this should be enough. It’s quiet so you won’t be disturbed. “It’s great.”
“yes?”
As I managed to control my expression, unintelligible words came out again.
No, it wasn’t just that.
Saaa—
“What…!”
The atmosphere of the area has changed.
He quickly turned his head and looked at the suspicious guest next to him, and his body suddenly stopped.
But that was never his will.
‘Kk, the eyes…?’
Before I knew it, the other person’s eyes had changed.
From ordinary eyes that were just beautiful, to inverted eyes with shining ruby-like eyes in the middle of the black eyeballs.
And I couldn’t take my eyes off that pair of eyes, as if I was caught up in it.
“Now, eat comfortably. There’s no use resisting anyway, so let’s take it easy, shall we? “There is still a long way to go.”
Now I see that the other person’s horns have changed their shape, but I didn’t have time to check it in more detail.
His image had long been absorbed into the red eyes, as if he had fallen into a swamp from which he could not escape.
“Okay, okay. Good guy Dalun. First, could you please call the leadership of this castle one by one? “I’m not used to working on everything at once.”
“…yes. According to the master’s orders.”
Dalun, who was possessed by the “Mysterious Eye of Domination,” answered politely, and Hela smiled happily and patted his trustworthy shoulder.
I never thought I would have the opportunity to meet the owner of a castle so easily.
Because it still took considerable constraints and time to take down a single high-ranking demon, I couldn’t help but be glad that an environment where I could work without external interference was created.
‘If you do this, it doesn’t matter if you can’t come with your subordinates. Just supply what you need from here and that’s it.’
Local procurement and direct delivery from the producer.
This is the Demon World, the home of the demons.
It was a world overflowing with talented people who could become descendants of the Demon King.
‘Due to the nature of demons becoming stronger within the demon world, their resistance will also increase, but that doesn’t matter because it’s the same for me. The more you use it, the more your proficiency will increase.’
Also, the “Mystical Eye of Domination” used against them was not just about forcibly manipulating their minds.
It is part of the power and right to command the forces under the Demon King.
In other words, this series of subordinate acts was all part of a ritual performed through proper procedures.
‘First, let’s check the exact location of this place… Next, we’ll try to contact the other guys. Each person has given instructions, but I don’t know if they are doing as they were told. ‘There’s a lot to do.’
If there is a problem in the demon world, it is most likely deeply related to the ‘Dark Nest’, the center of the current crisis.
Tracking their movements will be a shortcut to the cause.
“Lord Seong? Why am I suddenly…”
“Come here first. “As you know, you are an important guest, so please be careful of how you behave.”
At that time, the voices of Dalun and Doberman were heard outside the living room.
As expected, he also appears to have been in a leadership position, such as being in charge of security.
Hela smiled brightly as she looked at those entering through the slowly opening door.
At the same time, a pair of ruby-like eyes burned red.
‘The more work that needs to be done, the more essential the existence of power is.’
That was a fact I had already learned through countless experiences.
There were limits to struggling alone in this unfamiliar place.
‘First, swallow this castle completely.’
And then—.
A new demon lord faction that no one expected.
It began to take root quietly and rapidly in a corner of the demon world.
***
The rear area of the Demon World occupied by the Dark Nest.
“What is it, Ken? “Why are you back already?”
“hmm? iced coffee. “Is it Lucy Coatl?”
“‘Ahh’ is damn it. Why don’t you explain it properly? Why are you back already? Do you know how much it costs to cross the Demon World’s dimensional barrier once? “You must have completed your mission properly, right?”
Ken Miyamoto’s brow furrowed as he heard the woman’s loud, loud voice.
Even though she is the person in charge of this area, she starts nagging me as soon as I meet her.
Anyway, she is a woman I have no feelings for.
‘Tsk, if it even resembles Hela’s toenails, the wooers would be lining up.’
But there’s no way that’s possible.
It would be no exaggeration to say that it is the descent of a goddess. Who would dare to put an object on that perfect idol?
There was no deity in Outerica that could be called a goddess, but Ken was confident that his new master was the most worthy of that.
“Are you listening to me? “I sent you because you wanted to go so badly, but if you came back without any results, I wouldn’t have stayed still…”
“Don’t worry. “Because it was quite successful.”
“…huh? really?”
Ken glanced at Lucy Coatl, whose eyes were wide open, and took out an object from his pocket.
A polyhedral black jewel-like object with jagged pyramids like stars.
“It is the essence of a marquis-level devil who died during the invasion of the 14th Demon King.”
“…Kek, it’s real?!”
The mission of those dispatched to the continent, including Ken, was simple.
Anything is fine, so we should retrieve as many items from the Demon World that have spread across the earth as possible.
Of course, anything was good, but there were expectations depending on the level.
“Huh, I couldn’t believe it, but something like this still remained on the continent? How did you do it? “Did you steal a dragon’s lair somewhere?”
“after! “Well, it wasn’t easy.”
“Hmm, is it a trade secret? I guess it’s okay. “An achievement of this magnitude is definitely worth shouting about.”
The minimum condition to challenge for the Demon Kingship was to be a duke.
Currently, there are only four of them in the Demon World, and they are the heads of each faction and at the same time the actual rulers of the divided territory.
If they are at the marquis level, they are just below the monarchs and can be said to be the strongest force in any battlefield.
‘Even if it is the essence of the devil who died in the last invasion of the continent.’
The karma involved in it would also not be easy to estimate.
Ken was sure.
If no one recovered the remains of the 14th Demon King or the essence of the Succubus Queen, a Duke-level demon, no one would return from this mission with a harvest greater than his own.
‘…Okay, I have to live up to the expectations you have entrusted me with.’
Ken’s eyes lit up as he looked at Lucy, who was looking around at Jeongsoo with an expression of admiration.
Actually, I wanted to leave this place right away and go find the owner, but for the sake of the instructions he gave me, I have to hold on for now.
For that purpose, didn’t he personally give these precious items to himself?
“Lucy Coatl I guess this is enough for my achievements, right?”
“Uhm, okay. I have no choice but to admit it. “At this rate, even if I go back and forth to the continent ten more times, no one will say anything.”
“Then what are you doing without leading the way?”
“huh? what?”
Ken raised his head straight and spoke confidently as he put the devil’s essence back into his arms.
“I have to see the Demon Dragon Duke. I will personally present this magic stone to him.”
A fire of fanaticism burned in his eyes.
Lucy tilted her head, wondering if his loyalty was that level, but soon she could only roughly understand and nod.
With that level of achievement, his request was extremely reasonable.
‘Everything is for Hela.’
Of course, if I had known for sure where his faith was headed, I would never have accepted it so easily.
‘Even if it means burning this one body.’
A determined fanatic penetrated into the heart of heresy.