225
King of Demons
‘Why is that Pope suddenly…!’
The fourth eldest son muttered, biting his lips in annoyance.
As the eldest son of the fourth eldest son had eyes on him, he participated in the coronation ceremony, but the eldest son of the fourth eldest son dug a separate tunnel to escape.
If the brothers really did start a great undertaking, they planned to use the religious forces to strike them in the back of the head.
If that were to happen, the relationship between the royal family and the religious order that had been at odds could be restored, so the inclusion would have been complete.
But then the Pope suddenly declared the imperial family evil, and all of those plans were ruined.
It was a fatal blow to the sect, which already had problems with the imperial knights.
That is why the religious leaders who had agreed in advance also risked their lives and went into battle.
Because we all knew that if we were defeated here, the sect itself would be erased.
Eventually, it happened.
The fourth eldest son, who had dug another cave, had no way of avoiding it either.
No, with the fourth eldest son’s strength, he could escape the capital. However, if he were to lose here, everything he had built up would collapse, so he could not escape.
Everyone seemed to have the same idea, so they fought desperately without retreating. Even the demons and heretic inquisitors who had appeared joined in the battle with the imperial knights.
At first, I thought I had a chance. The rumor had gathered people and the capital was full. They fought desperately until their heads were cut off.
However, the situation turned upside down as hypocrisy began to take hold.
‘You won’t die until you cut off my neck.’
The fourth eldest son looked to the side, his wet hair irritably turned.
There were imperial knights with splendid wings on their backs. They were lined up in shining gold armor and had white wings, and they looked like something straight out of a legend.
One side was filled with such people. Their appearance, in which not even a small conversation could be heard, was a heavy oppression that went beyond majesty.
After the imperial knights became like that, everyone hesitated. Because to anyone who saw them, they were knights of God.
“Is that the third eldest son you spoke of?”
A soft voice was heard. There stood a man with a neat appearance, unlike the others. He was the Grand Duke of the Noble Alliance, with his silver hair slicked back and his handsome face clearly visible.
He was worthy of the high position of Grand Duke. He did not take up arms, but his orders were followed without hesitation, even when the opponent was the imperial family.
While the Imperial Army was gathered around the Emperor, this side was densely packed around the Archduke. Starting from the nobles to the religious community, the big figures were lined up around him.
He was currently at the center of the rebellion.
At that question, the second eldest son nodded while licking the blood on his hand. His already fierce eyes sparkled, perhaps because he saw blood.
The fourth eldest son, seeing the second eldest son tearing the imperial knight apart with his own hands, averted his gaze.
“There is someone who can fight the master of the sword alone. How surprising.”
The Grand Duke took a handkerchief out of his bosom and handed it to the second eldest son, saying:
“He said he already caught it once. I thought he was joking, but now that I think about it, maybe he wasn’t.”
The second eldest son nodded and answered. The fourth eldest son turned his gaze.
The capital city that boasted of its splendid glory was reduced to nothing more than ruins.
Tall, sturdy buildings collapsed or burned, and there was no sign of life anywhere.
At the center of it all, the two men who had reduced the capital to ruins were facing each other.
Ironically, it was those two who stopped the rebellion that started in the main square and spread throughout the capital.
As everyone was swinging their swords to survive and the corpses were piling up, they suddenly appeared.
To others, their battle was a kind of natural disaster. Every time they clashed, buildings collapsed and the ground split, so everyone was busy running away even while they were fighting with their swords.
Even the imperial knights retreated. Seeing as the emperor was nowhere to be seen, it seemed as though he had given some sort of order, but there was no way to know.
As a result, the battle, which had been so fierce that it soaked the ground with blood, naturally entered a lull.
Naturally, the imperial side stood behind the sword master, and the rest stood behind the third eldest son.
There were so many of them that they were enough to fill the vast walls of the capital and overlap each other.
And in their midst stood the Master of the Sword and the Third Eldest Son, facing each other.
It definitely felt like a big battle was about to take place.
‘Fighting the master of the sword alone… I didn’t know he was that strong.’
Who is the master of the sword? It is he who has reigned as the sword of the empire for so many years.
His sword cut down the castle that the dwarves were proud of, and even the World Tree that protected the elves split apart. The mighty men who had made their name on the continent were swept away without leaving even a trace behind.
The master of the sword was a legendary figure who had accomplished all these feats.
To think that I’m standing alone against the master of such a sword.
‘What did I do then······.’
The fourth eldest son shivered as he suddenly remembered the previous meeting. At the time, he thought he had let his guard down and been taken advantage of, but now that he looked back, he realized that the guy was just strangely strong.
‘···The King of Demons.’
I had no choice but to admit it. That horrifying and destructive presence could not be explained by anyone other than the king of demons.
“Even so, it’s over now.”
At that moment, the second eldest son spoke with a voice full of regret. The fourth eldest son nodded as well.
I don’t know how he did it, but he clearly raised the spirit beyond its limit.
Its entire body was covered in a crimson carapace, and it was spewing out gray smoke from its mouth. It even had countless yellow eyes that glowed ominously in the darkness – it was a perfect spirit without a single empty space.
‘That’s not a miracle…’
The fourth one, who had been mumbling like that, quickly shook his head.
“What are we going to do?”
The fourth eldest son asked the second eldest son quietly. The Grand Duke’s eyes sharpened at this. Feeling unnecessarily stung, the fourth eldest son hurriedly lowered his head.
“How do you do it-?”
The second one muttered with a voice full of sincere emotion. Her gaze was fixed on the third eldest son, who was alone in confrontation with the master of the sword.
Pitter-patter. The sound of heavy rain took over for a moment.
“It’s up to our king.”
There was no trace of laughter in the voice of the second eldest son as he spoke. Everyone nodded at his muttering.
Where their eyes landed-.
The two who had been fighting fiercely were standing in a quiet standoff.
Everyone who saw him felt it.
That this one move would decide the game.
And in the match, his life is at stake…
No, beyond him-.
History will be decided.
***
“A strong body knows how to do it. So, do you know what a strong mind is?”
In the empty space, Hendrix fiddled with the worn-out handle of his sword, wondering how long it had been held.
I don’t know how long I’ve been here, but Hendrix has a subtly different vibe than when I saw him from the outside.
If he had been a bloodthirsty murderer before, he now looked like a truly enlightened Taoist. His voice was calm and quiet.
When Hendrix asked me while holding the weight, I adjusted my posture without realizing it.
As I was pondering what kind of cool answer to give, Hendrix opened his mouth again.
“A strong spirit is one that can swing its sword back even when it gets stabbed.”
Hendrix aimed his sword at me and grinned.
It was an ignorant and foolish statement, but when I thought about it carefully, it was true. That spirit must be strong enough to kill all other spirits.
At that moment, Hendrix opened his mouth and-.
I squinted my eyes.
The master of the sword was slowly taking a stance in a place where thick raindrops were pouring down.
The smell of rain and fire mixed together to create a pungent aroma. Add the smell of blood, and it was truly hell.
– You speak as if you have been there before.
I tried to chuckle at Oman’s joke, but I couldn’t laugh.
At that moment, Hendrix stood next to the old man.
Yes, there was Hendrix next to the old man.
Next to her, Kanna was playing with Hana, throwing snowballs.
I tried to smile at Hannah, who was waving happily, but stopped when I saw Udra crawling up next to me. Park Dae-gari noticed this and smiled, lifting Udra up.
‘I guess you’ve finally gone crazy.’
Now it was mixing beyond simple memories.
– Anything more than this is impossible.
Oman’s dissuasion was fully conveyed.
I could tell even without him saying anything.
How could it not be dangerous when you see Wayne and Dylan stealing each other’s pockets and swearing?
He stared ahead, clicking his tongue slightly.
The sword’s owner slowly pulled back his hand holding the sword and stared at me.
It was very slow, just taking a stance, but the pressure was stronger than when I swung the sword.
I thought about provoking the sword’s owner and completely getting eaten by the black goo, but the bastard knew the end and pushed the black goo away instead of letting it grow.
Maybe it’s because I saw Hendrix’s end. He must have been the one who made Hendrix like that.
The once neat and tidy owner of the sword was now a mess. There were scratches everywhere, and his entire body was covered in blood and mud.
But I still maintained my center.
‘It’s stable over there. Aren’t you a bad guy?’
As he muttered like that, I felt Oman’s anger.
– ···Hypocrite is a special kind of person. He thinks he is using it, but it is just a toy of hypocrisy. But you are taking it and using it as you please.
at that time-.
“This is his most prized sword.”
Hendrix, standing next to the sword master, spoke softly.
Hendrix took the stance of the sword’s master. Beside him, Berman and Kel fought and grumbled.
“If you take this out, it means you’ve pushed it to some extent, so you can be happy.”
Hendrix, lowering his posture, laughed heartily. His laugh was unbecomingly warm.
The sword master moved his hand diagonally. Then, the presence of the bastard, which had already reached its limit, was amplified in an instant. The raindrops falling around him turned into mist.
‘Turning rainwater into mud-.’
I let out a small laugh at the bizarre sight that I wouldn’t have believed if I hadn’t seen it.
The genius guy was still rising in the midst of all this.
However, there was one big difference between him and me.
“Yeah, you might be wondering why a strong mind is necessary.”
He muttered a curse while looking at the still peaceful Hendrix.
“Let it be known as glory.”
The master of the sword spoke softly, aiming at me.
I estimated the distance to the sword’s master. It would take about four steps if I ran at full speed.
‘It’s worth doing.’
He took a deep breath and muttered like that.
Then Hendrix finally opened his mouth. I knew what he was going to say.
“There is no avoiding his sword.”
It wasn’t a very nutritious story. Even the solution he gave was really simple and ignorant.
“So, a strong body that won’t die even if a sword pierces its psyche-.”
The sword master’s small breath pushed the azalea out long. A small crack began to form beneath it.
“I’ll swing my sword right after getting hit-.”
The bastard’s arm trembled slightly as if it had reached its limit. The crack beneath it grew wider and wider. It split as if something too heavy had been placed on it to support it.
I took a deep breath.
The falling raindrops slowed and lengthened.
The azaleas pushed away by the sword’s owner gathered and swirled around the bastard’s hand.
At that moment, the sword master twisted his waist very slightly.
It was a signal.
“A strong mind is needed.”
At the same time, I moved reflexively.
I couldn’t see the bastard’s sword, but the memory of Hendrix and the thousands of repetitions whipped my body. I gritted my teeth and turned desperately.
In an instant, the area around my forehead became cool. The chilly air, full of the smell of water, passed through my body.
There was a large hole slightly off the center of the shaft. It was neither visible nor felt. As the bastard moved his waist, the hole was carved as if the result had been determined.
The hole was quite large, so my body shook violently. For a moment, I lost consciousness, but then I was dragged back by the intense pain that followed.
I gritted my teeth and took a step forward, guided not by reason but by instinct, ingrained in me by my training with Hendrix.
‘One step.’
Kwaang-! I held onto my confused mind and kicked the ground. The ground dug deep and the new form shot forward at a rapid pace.
Every time a gust of cool air passed through the gaping hole, a terrible, stabbing pain continued to assault my mind.
As if it was too much for the black guy just now, the sword’s owner was catching his breath in a stiff posture.
His hands were shaking, and his eyes were closing very slowly. The raindrops that had fallen on his head were slowly flowing down his hair.
The azaleas around him moved as if they were alive, attaching themselves to him and then falling off.
Thud. The place where I had stepped collapsed with a loud noise. My feet shook violently for a moment. It seemed like this would be the end. However, without thinking about what would happen next, I kicked the ground.
‘Two steps.’
Kwaang! Once my feet started moving, I was able to somehow jump forward once more.
The power that had been drawn to Oman still remained. If he could use him, he could somehow fill this hole, but the next problem was what would happen.
The sword’s master would recover again, and by then there would be no hope at all.
I forced myself to suppress my arrogance.
There was another use for it.
The ground was getting closer again. My body, which had passed its limit, did not move.
The ground was so badly rolled that the battle up until just now seemed insignificant. The ground was dug deep and mud poured into the hole. It was so damn hot.
My body was telling me to give up. Even my mind was sinking. The rainwater was pounding and whispering to me to get comfortable.
Gorgai patted my back. If your body won’t move, move your neck! Gorgai’s hearty voice pushed away the rainwater.
He pushed the ground with his forehead. Boom! His body moved forward with a heavy sound. He thanked Gorgai, who raised his thumb, and moved his neck with all his might.
Thud! Somehow my body moved forward. I got the hang of it and threw my neck back, then hit the floor with all my might, and my body floated up.
‘Three steps.’
Now there was only one step left. I released all the strength I had saved.
The left foot that had stopped kicked the ground roughly, and a long toenail grew from the right arm that had been cleanly cut off.
At that time, the rainwater flowing down the old man’s forehead was wetting his eyes.
A look of astonishment appeared in the old man’s eyes as he saw me.
I kept my eyes on the thing and focused on its claws.
There was no more pain, and my body felt very foreign, as if it wasn’t mine, but I managed to move somehow.
Yeah, that was enough.
The old man’s face, once lofty, suddenly broke. In its place, ugly emotions quickly rose. It was as natural as the original.
Wrinkles around the eyes that have grown desperately, pores that are dripping with sweat, and even blood flowing from the corners of the mouth as if it had been chewed to death.
The old man tried to raise his sword hurriedly, but his speed was slow.
I was completely reflected in the old man’s crumpled eyes.
The shell, which was twisted all over by repeated regeneration, was sharp like thorns, and on its surface, ominous yellow eyes were constantly moving.
The area around the pit of the stomach was pierced very cleanly, the internal organs flapped like wings, and black blood continuously spurted out like fuel.
However, the snout was crookedly turned up, making it extremely bizarre.
A demon so terrifying that it was scary to dream about was coming closer and closer every moment through the heavy rain.
For the first time, fear appeared in the old man’s eyes.
Kuh-!
At that moment, Kanna, who was holding a bucket over her head next to the old man, raised both hands. Hannah raised her fingers and bargained, the guards laughed at their foolish remarks, and the mercenaries raised their glasses to greet me.
Each and every one of them was so sweet that it almost caught my eye-.
As always, I focused on the old man at the front.
Now it was the face of an ugly old man.
Yeah, I should have taken it all out a long time ago.
It was a mistake that only beginners would make. Or maybe they were so talented that they had never experienced a diagonal line.
In this fucking place, you always had to bet max to survive.
Hendrix was now beside me. Hendrix began to move his sword as if to give me a good look.
I moved my sword to follow him.
The sword started from above, but instead of going in a straight line, it headed in a strange direction. At some point, the sword started to bend on its own. I didn’t bother to stop it and just left it as it was.
The corners of Hendrix’s mouth went up.
As if it were the correct answer.
The sword moved haphazardly and unpredictably. I was a bit nervous when it suddenly rose up, but I held back thanks to Hendrix’s smile.
Of these three, faith, hope, and murder, the greatest is faith.
At that moment, a large number of white wings rose up behind the old man. There were so many wings that it was hard to count them, and at the same time, the old man’s eyes lost focus.
It seemed like the defeated one was cowardly taking out what was inside.
The fully spread wings were a thing of splendid glory, but they looked completely different to me.
The black goo rose up in small pieces, as if the old man’s soul was being torn to pieces. To me, the old man looked like he was receiving a terrible punishment rather than wings of glory.
The old man’s wings moved rapidly. The overwhelming power he felt shook his body for a moment.
The wings moved as if they knew everything-.
Even I, the one swinging the sword, don’t know the path, so how could he know?
Wings filled the surrounding area, but he staggered through them as if he were drunk on black alcohol.
Only then did I realize why Hendrix’s sword was so crooked.
This was not simply a sword aimed at its master.
In order to break the perfect god beyond the master of the sword, he raised the imperfection that the god could not understand to the extreme.
It was a sword for killing gods.
At that moment, Hendrix stopped moving.
Hendrix stared at me, as if he was lost or blocked. He seemed to think that this was the end for him.
I looked at him and-.
‘Take a good look.’
I put a period without hesitation.
Thud.
Raindrops pounded my head.
The master of the sword with his brilliant wings spread out stared at me.
He glared at me with unfocused eyes.
What are you going to do if you stare at it?
I tried to raise the corners of my mouth, but I couldn’t use any more strength.
My body was falling apart in real time, so all I could do was hold back from collapsing.
Even that doesn’t have much left.
At that moment, the old man’s mouth slowly opened.
White feathers shot out of its mouth in droves. To me, they looked like black goo falling down, pushing each other away.
Between them, a very ugly pair of eyes appeared.
It’s glaring at me-.
“It was you.”
He spoke in a very horrible voice.
– ah···.
The thought of Oman was completely conveyed. He was filled with joy. In between, a deep sense of regret was felt.
It seems that he doesn’t get along well with hypocrisy.
No, with such a thick-skinned personality, it wouldn’t be good. He would probably be ostracized even by the gods.
– I rejected them because they were low-quality people.
What a prickly fellow. As he laughed, the old man began to crack.
From top to bottom, cracks were drawn everywhere and slowly began to break apart. They were all misaligned lines, but they all had meaning.
At that moment, a black sticky substance was seen holding it together.
‘I have to finish it-.’
I muttered like that, but I couldn’t find any more strength in my body. I couldn’t even hear the sound of rain. My ears felt blocked as if I was underwater.
Kanna hummed a song.
Aaron is the best- Aaron is the strongest-.
I fell back listening to that subtly addictive melody.
In my shaky vision, I saw the capital city that had been destroyed. I hadn’t noticed it when I was focusing on the sword’s owner, but the surroundings were a mess.
From the broken buildings to the still burning imperial palace, the capital was in shambles.
As the body lowered, the onlookers came into view. There were onlookers in the distance.
Countless eyes were watching me, from the splendidly golden-armored imperial knights to the imperial army, the cult, the noble alliance, knights, and others.
There were various expressions on their faces, but the underlying theme was shock. They were all staring blankly at me, their mouths hanging open.
It felt like I had seen a miracle, or a legend.
Now that he had captured the master of that famous sword, it was clear that he had written a legend.
If it were a really great legend, those who were impressed by my power to carve the sword’s master would kneel down in praise and applaud, and it would end with that-.
‘···That can’t be true.’
Because it’s fucking medieval-.
With the atmosphere getting heavier and heavier and the guys slowly grabbing their weapons, it seemed like it would be difficult to escape comfortably.
And even if I escaped, my condition was a problem.
‘It’s refreshing.’
The gaping hole was no longer repairable.
The arrogant tenant didn’t open his mouth anymore and just expressed his confusion. He was surprisingly a very affectionate guy.
Yes, the end was coming.
“Let the surviving chick live a long time to take care of the rest!”
Gambler Wayne chuckled and waved. Gorgai, Udra, and the Captain were all around him, laughing heartily.
It was a promise made lightly, in order to find out where Wayne hid the gold.
It was the biggest leash for me.
Yeah, I was looking for an excuse.
In order not to break my promise – I did my best, but I was still looking for a grave where I could die.
Unfortunately, I survived every time…
But this time-.
The figures next to me were chattering noisily. The ordinary Cassadick appeared. The smell of sewage seemed to waft up here.
On your birthday next year too-.
There is still an appointment left.
‘Just one more time.’
I laughed out loud at the earnest feeling I felt for the first time in a long time.
After all that nonsense, I feel regret at the end. It really sucked.
Thud. The body completely fell over and a heavy sound like water rumbled.
The onlookers flinched greatly at that.
The faces of the onlookers looking at me were all unfamiliar. The emotions I felt when I first landed here came back to me for the first time in a long time.
Imperial knights in golden armor, knights in shining white armor, and nobles in luxurious robes.
Strangers were chatting and talking.
At that moment, a mean and small man jumped out from among them.
A truly vile-looking man came running, tears streaming down his face.
Those tears didn’t seem to be directed at me. He looked like he was being dragged to a place he really didn’t want to go.
That vile face was the only one I knew of.
As Dylan moved, everyone seemed to realize the situation and grabbed their weapons.
Soon, the guy who had come right up to me roughly knelt down and grabbed me.
The guy was shouting something. I couldn’t hear what he was saying. It was probably some kind of curse.
Then the guy-.
“······!”
He hit me in the back of the head.
I got angry for a moment and then came to my senses.
The heavy silence around him grew distant and the situation became closer.
The sound of rain began to be heard again-.
“Hey you dog-ass! What are you going to do if you lose here! After Pulptu, you should get rid of the eastern nobles, then the north and west, and then you should get rid of the emperor! You should appoint me as the crown prince!!”
Dylan burst into tears and spat repeatedly.
I coughed at the plan, which was so specific that it was useless. The sharp pain rose again.
Dylan’s mean eyes twitched and twitched. I couldn’t help but laugh as I looked at him. Why did he have to come out and twitch?
Wayne was beside him, shouting at him to get up.
Why do smart people who put themselves first make such stupid decisions at such a crucial moment?
If I had known you were such an idiot, I wouldn’t have brought you here.
The swear words came to my mind, but I didn’t have the strength to say them out loud.
“what······.”
I asked him, mustering up my strength.
Dylan frowned for a moment, then smiled coolly.
Dylan slowly opened his swollen lips, his face now extremely serious and unbecoming.
“I told you I would help you even to hell, brother.”
I chuckled at the straight voice that didn’t suit him at all.
Yeah, I guess you won’t be bored.
“Brother, just trust me. If you close your eyes and open them, it’ll be Cassidy, so just open them. But if you later take the throne, I’ll give you the position of Archduke. As I saw earlier, it’s very······.”
It was a voice filled with tears and trembling, but it was more believable than anything I had ever heard.
Yeah, Dylan.
Nodded.
In a sense of distance-.
Protect the king-!!
A familiar voice rang out.
escape
‘···The master of the sword was defeated?’
The fourth eldest son narrowed his eyes at the unbelievable sight.
In the center of the capital, the owner of the legendary sword was slowly falling backwards.
The being standing right in front of him was the king of demons in the prophecy.
There was a large hole in his chest, and black blood continued to pour out of it, forming a small puddle.
Behind it, the capital was hollowed out in a straight line. The mark of the sword that the master of the sword had swung at the king of demons was engraved so long that it seemed as if the end was not visible.
‘It wasn’t enough to survive that, you killed the sword’s owner.’
Everyone was dumbfounded because it was a battle outside the area. It ended so quickly that even the fourth eldest son had a hard time keeping up.
The sword’s master seemed to move slightly, and then suddenly a hole was pierced through the demon king’s chest. After that, black blood spread out like wings, and a huge line was drawn that could split the capital in half.
The moment I thought it was over, the King of Demons stood before the sword master. The series of events was hard to follow, but the King of Demons lowering his black claws in front of the sword master seemed very slow.
The master of the sword stretched out his wings and struggled, but the king of demons moved his claws as if passing judgment and tore the master of the sword apart.
Then came the silence. The two were illuminated by the bright moon.
The sky used to be dark and full of dark clouds, but now it was bright and there was no rain.
When I turned my gaze to him, the dark clouds above were completely torn apart, as if they had been eaten by the devil.
Gulp.
Many people were unable to breathe, just opening their mouths. The only sounds were the sound of suppressed breathing and rain.
At that moment, a man ran first. Even though the pressure must have been heavy because everyone was watching, the man ran without caring.
The thought that had stopped at that moment started flowing again,
The fourth eldest son’s head became complicated. The master of the sword, the sword of the empire, had fallen. The one who had struck him down was the king of demons.
The fourth eldest son had bad feelings towards him, but now all such thoughts have disappeared.
The martial arts he had shown were clearly a myth beyond legend, and the one who had seized the sword was a hero. Now, no one could deny that he was the king of demons.
The guy I thought was just brazenly bragging proved it by capturing the master of the sword. He is the king of demons.
The fourth eldest son’s mouth was dry. His eyes moved quickly. The imperial knights were still full, and the imperial army was so numerous that it surrounded him, but the master of the sword had fallen.
That doesn’t mean the empire collapsed.
“···Protect the King!!”
Then, someone shouted softly.
At that shout, all my distracting thoughts disappeared in an instant. Yes, the most important thing now is-.
“Protect the King-!”
The fourth eldest son shouted roughly as if he was screaming without realizing it.
It was not something based on reason, but rather an outburst of emotions that arose from within the heart.
The King of Demons was not just a King of Demons. It was a typified wish, a singular prophecy of an empire that would crush the continent.
That’s why-.
“Protect the King-!”
Although his accent was a little awkward, his voice was booming.
Starting with him, it spread quickly like a fire. Some people were shouting incoherently, while others were screaming with blood spewing from their mouths.
Although each voice was different and the intonation was different, the content was the same.
““Protect the King!””
A slogan containing everyone’s wishes broke the heavy silence.
Time, which had stopped, began to flow again. The capital, which had been as quiet as death, began to heat up again.
The fourth eldest son ran ahead.
No one gave an order, yet everyone ran.
Towards their king, who lay prostrate in the center.
The royal family stood quietly in the rain.
“Protect the King-!”
Soon, the fourth eldest son, who had arrived at the center, examined the sword’s owner. The sword’s owner had lines all over his body. It was clear that he had suffered a fatal wound.
However, white feathers were rising between them.
‘This is-.’
I thought of the royal knights I had seen earlier. Even so, it was impossible to heal such terrible wounds…
At that moment, the man holding the king of demons suddenly picked up a dagger. Then, he rushed at the sword’s owner and began to strike with the dagger.
The one who had finally cut off the sword master’s head kicked his head to the side. The royal knights were watching, and it was amazing how he could do such a thing.
Rolling – The head of the sword’s owner was kicked by several men in succession. It was a truly miserable end for someone who was called the strongest.
At that moment, the bastard grabbed the fourth eldest son by the collar.
“Ah, priest! Please heal our brother! Quickly! Why are you just sitting there! Our brother is the honorary abbot… or something like that! I said, hurry up!”
The fourth eldest son lowered his gaze at the bastard’s desperate cries. The king of demons was in no better condition than the sword master, if not worse.
There were rough scars between the fallen shells here and there. The biggest problem was the hole in his chest.
Black blood flowed continuously from the hole that was so wide that one could see through it. Fragments of internal organs dangled between them.
‘It’s brave that he’s still breathing.’
The fourth eldest son grimaced at the horrible sight.
“I said hurry up! Treat me! I- I’m sorry!!”
The man shouted, thrusting his dagger into the ground. How can you treat someone who is sure to die soon?
The fourth eldest son clicked his tongue slightly. If the king of demons dies, everything will fall apart.
Protect the king!
At that moment, those who came rushing out with a loud shout began to surround the area. They piled up like thick walls made of humans.
Their resolve hardened amid the cold rain.
The mean-looking man hugged the demon king tightly, pointed his daggers at him in all directions, and continued to curse.
“Fuck. Hurry up!!!”
At that moment, a soft voice was heard from the side.
“I will do it.”
The Pope was in a state of disarray. His usually neat robes were covered in stains, and his face was also covered in fatigue. He looked more like a corpse than a priest, as if he had done something wrong.
“The priest’s head! Please take a look quickly!”
The fourth eldest son was slightly shocked by such a vulgar title. The Pope, who was the person in question, knelt down as if nothing had happened.
at that time-.
············!!!
A bloodcurdling scream came from below, a howl of pain and rage. The ground shook and the air became heavy for a moment.
‘hypocrisy-!’
The fourth eldest son trembled greatly. He thought that the sword master was finished, but there was a greater being left.
God was angry-.
Someone muttered quietly.
At that moment, the imperial knights began to move. The imperial knights that had filled one side slowly approached.
Thud. The ground shook slightly as they stepped forward simultaneously.
Gulp. Everyone swallowed and grabbed their weapons. The sight of the imperial knights approaching all at once was a tremendous pressure. Just looking at him made my palms sweat.
At that moment, a mercenary with a particularly young appearance muttered in a trembling voice.
Protect the king-.
It was a muttering, perhaps a prayer seeking God.
Starting with him, the relief spread again. Unlike before, without cursing, but quietly, as if praying.
Protect the king-.
The kneeling Pope raised both hands upwards, as if praying to God. Then, a brilliant light began to emanate from his entire body.
When the light gradually grew stronger and eventually became so bright that it was difficult to see, like the noonday sun-.
The Pope’s back grew wings. In the past, it would have been a sight that would have been astonishing and considered a miracle, but now, my thoughts were different.
‘That’s clearly hypocrisy…’
As everyone was shocked by the unexpected sight, the Pope’s prayer reached its peak. A mean-looking man was about to swing his dagger, but fell backwards.
At that moment, the Pope, who had become a halo of light, slowly melted away.
Like wax that gets too close to the sun – the melted Pope began to fill the hole in the King of Demons.
As the hole was filled with brilliant white light, the breath of the King of Demons, which seemed ready to burst at any moment, subsided slightly.
The mean-looking man scratched him with his dagger, then nodded with a subtle expression.
‘The Pope was a hypocrite?’
He had never heard or seen the divine power of sacrificing one’s own life. It was as shocking to the fourth eldest son as the death of the master of the sword.
at that time-.
“Can you do that too? I’ll give you a good reward later, so hurry up-.”
The mean-looking man waved his dagger. Is he telling me to melt his body and heal him now? When I’m so dumbfounded that I can’t even get angry-.
“Protect the King-!!”
The sound of weapons clashing filled the air as someone cried out.
Screams and shouts echoed from all directions. The battle had begun again.
At that moment, the Archduke approached through the crowd. He knelt down on one knee before the King of Demons and checked his condition.
The mean-looking man held out a dagger, but the Archduke paid no attention to it.
“The top priority is to get the king out of the capital.”
The Archduke stood up and gave a command. The knights answered him with a loud roar. As the two knights approached, a mean-looking man swung his dagger wildly. He looked like a wild animal on guard.
“We’re just trying to move. Why would we harm the king of demons?”
The Archduke waved his hand and pushed the knights back, speaking calmly.
“Nimiral. I’ll move my brother myself. Just put one finger on him!”
The mean-looking man shouted and pulled the demon king. The knights who were trying to grab their swords were stopped by the archduke with a wave of his hand.
“I am Sherharten. Who are you?”
“Dylan. He’s your son!”
‘If he’s a brother, he’s a brother, and if he’s a son, he’s a son. What’s a brother’s son······.’
The fourth eldest son tilted his head.
“Yes, Dylan. I trust you. I leave it to you. Please take care of our king.”
“······King? A king?”
Dylan tilted his head and asked back. He was dumbfounded. He was the first to run out without even knowing that he was the king of demons.
“Can’t you hear that sound?”
The Archduke smiled coolly and pointed behind him with his chin.
Then-.
Protect the king!
A voice filled with indignation rang out. It was not the voice of one person, but the cry of all.
“······It was a prince! Swallows! Let’s catch him!”
A man named Dylan muttered something and shouted at the ugly man next to him.
Dylan was a slightly small man, and he seemed like he would never be able to lift the king of the giant demons.
‘···I can’t hear it.’
Dylan, who had briefly heard it and then quickly gave up, grabbed the man next to him by one shoulder and began to drag him.
“All the gates will be locked, so move along the trail made by the sword master.”
The Archduke pointed to one side with a long finger.
The order was quickly transmitted and-.
Protect the King-. Slowly pushing, he moved along the red and black path.
The fourth eldest son hurriedly went to the king of demons. When the guy named Dylan glared at him, he quickly summoned his divine power and pretended to heal him, and he nodded.
It seems that the area around the Demon King is the safest.
***
‘Hey, something’s fishy about this.’
Dylan muttered as he looked at the man next to him. He was wearing priest’s clothes, but there was something about him that made him look creepy.
at that time-.
············!!
An eerie noise echoed from below. The ground shook violently and people staggered.
Kwaaaaang! The ground shook violently and giant wings rose. Those around it were hit by the wings and lifted into the air. The giant wings flapped wildly as if they were going to touch the sky.
The distance wasn’t that far, so it made my bones shiver.
“Wake up!”
Dylan yelled at the dumbfounded Swallows and held Aaron tightly.
As everyone froze, the woman next to the archduke ran out. She jumped towards the wing and plucked out the feathers in a clump.
White feathers scattered across the sky-.
············!
The roar from below grew louder, and the wings disappeared beneath.
“Open the King’s Road-!”
The Archduke shouted. Only then did the people start moving again.
Screams and gunshots could be heard from all directions. Blood soaked my feet, and my heart sank at the constant, deafening noise.
Dylan, who was in the center of it all, only saw a solid back. Beyond that, a giant wing rose again-. Kwaaaaang! Several knights were torn to pieces by the sharp feathers and flew away.
Those great articles were crumbling like nothing.
Dylan moved diligently, cursing. The screams and the sound of guns were getting closer. Beyond the people’s backs, he could see a huge wall with a large hole in it.
I was getting closer to my destination. If I could just get past that point, I could escape this horrible place.
Sure enough, Dylan had a bad feeling. He couldn’t put his finger on it, but he had a feeling that he shouldn’t go that way.
“But why?”
The ugly swallow asked in a trembling voice.
“I have a strong feeling. I can’t explain it, but-.”
Dylan answered, scratching his head nervously. It didn’t feel right. There was no way to explain it.
“That’s… a big deal.”
Then the Swallows muttered in a deep voice.
Dylan checked Aaron. He still looked pale, but he seemed to have calmed down somewhat after the Pope melted away. He still showed no sign of opening his eyes.
Everyone was still making their way through the streets, swearing. It didn’t feel good.
“Let’s change direction! It’s creepy over there!”
Dylan shouted, but there was no answer. Everyone just glanced at him.
“What are you afraid of! If you play here, there’s nowhere to go!”
The priest replied with a harsh curse. Dylan bit his lip. You little shits… It was a familiar treatment.
Dylan nodded his chin slightly as he looked at Swallows. Swallows winked back, as if asking if he really wanted to do that.
Knights, high-ranking nobles, and even priests – they were desperately guarding them. It might have been wise to follow them, but –
Dylan trusted himself more than anyone else. When he frowned and pointed to the side with his chin, Swallows shut his eyes tightly and nodded.
The opportunity came sooner than expected. Dylan’s back arched with a feeling of uneasiness, and he kicked the priest and pulled Aaron.
“What the-!”
When the priest who had been just pretending to stick around tried to raise his hand and shouted-.
Kwaaaaaaaang! The bottom of the thing split open and its wings rose. It was where Aaron had just been. My ears were momentarily deafened by the tremendous roar. The priest was crushed and blood splattered everywhere. Dylan was hit squarely and his mouth opened for a moment.
‘I told you it’s strong-.’
The formation was instantly distorted by the wings rising from the center. Dylan, who had prepared in advance, ran desperately. Although he was slow because he was carrying Aaron-.
“Open the King’s Road!!”
Those around him didn’t run away, but opened the way for Dylan to go. They just looked at Aaron with hardened eyes, and didn’t ask why.
Dylan’s ears were ringing from the loud noise right in front of him, and he couldn’t hear anything. Dylan didn’t stop walking even as blood poured out from all directions.
Now it was the realm of instinct. Running in a different direction amidst the chaos caused by the completely collapsed formation, there were fewer people surrounding them.
The pup was very heavy from what he had eaten, but Dylan never let him go.
Instead, I bit my tongue and opened the pouch I had kept on my waist. Tears streamed down my face as I saw the silver and gold coins and jewels rolling around, but I couldn’t help it.
How long did you run like that?
The guy speaking in a dialect who had been opening the way in front was split in half. A blue light could be seen between them.
It was the imperial knight who had caused the aura. His eyes were cold and unfocused between his helmets. It was a clear death.
Dylan gritted his teeth and pushed Aaron towards the Swallows, drawing his dagger.
The hair on my head stood on end and I urged him to run away, but I couldn’t run away with ten puppies in my care, let alone if I were alone.
“Ha- Ningiri. Do you know how many imperial knights I have in my hands? You’d better run away.”
Dylan deliberately scrunched his face and turned the dagger. He spoke roughly, but the bastard paid no attention and raised his sword upward.
“Shibure-. Go over there!!”
Dylan, who had shouted at Swallows, raised his dagger in return. There was no way he could defeat the Imperial Knights in a head-on fight, let alone the back of their heads.
‘So this is how it goes.’
I realized my stupidity and tears welled up in my eyes. If it weren’t for that bastard, I would have died a miserable death, eaten by a corpse.
When I think of him, dying in a cool head-on fight with an imperial knight is just…
‘······I really don’t want to die.’
Dylan bit his lip and twirled the dagger. However, the knight simply slashed down mercilessly.
at that time-.
The knight fell forward. Behind him appeared a figure wearing a gray hood.
He was a one-armed man with one arm missing, and his eyes were very sharp. There were many unintelligible letters floating around him.
“This way.”
The man who had spoken lightly turned around. He did so with determination, as if he had known for a moment that I would follow him.
Dylan opened his eyes wide and looked down at his body. His forehead was a little scratched, but he was fine.
“Hans is the Gray Tower Master. Why is the author here-.”
“Let’s go for now. He seems like a nice guy.”
Dylan stabbed the fallen knight in the neck with his dagger and followed him, carrying Aaron.
Even in the midst of the chaos caused by screams coming from all directions, the creature moved without a moment’s hesitation. It was as if it knew the way.
It was similar to a punk, but while a punk was someone who could just beat up anyone they got caught with, this guy really seemed to know all the ways.
As I followed him, I never encountered a single imperial knight. It was strange how he moved so well in a place where the roads had completely disappeared and there were ruins.
I felt a little uneasy about going inward, but I didn’t get an answer when I asked him.
But since I couldn’t go anywhere else, I had no choice but to follow him.
After walking for a long time, we arrived at a small hole.
“I know that the walls of the capital are enchanted and impenetrable, but how can something like this exist?”
Even in this urgent situation, Swallows muttered, wondering if there was something he was curious about.
“When you go out, a carriage will be ready.”
The bastard waved his hand dryly. When Swallows tried to ask him something else, Dylan pushed Swallows towards the hole.
Swallows looked momentarily flustered and tried to say something, but Dylan ignored him and continued to shove in.
“This side is okay!”
Dylan nodded at the sound of Swallows’ voices coming from the other side. It didn’t seem to be a trap.
“I don’t know who you are, but thank you.”
Dylan nodded at the guy and shoved Aaron into the hole. He was so big that his back felt like it was going to fall off.
While I was struggling to put Aaron in, the guy suddenly approached me.
Dylan habitually reached for his dagger. The bastard crouched down in front of Aaron.
“It was fun.”
The man who had been mumbling something incomprehensible immediately struck Aaron in the face with his fist, sending Aaron crashing into the water under the hole.
Dylan reflexively swung his dagger, but was stopped by the bastard’s gesture. It was a natural gesture, as if he had known it.
“I just repaid what I received. Well, I’m busy, so I’ll take my leave now.”
The man who said that turned around without any hesitation. He quickly walked towards the ruins as if he had something to do.
‘······What are you doing, kid?’
Dylan clicked his tongue slightly and went into the hole. The stagnant rainwater was really cold.
Putting Aaron in was hard work, but taking him out was even harder. He was scratched here and there in the mud, and tears welled up in his eyes.
I somehow managed to get it out, and just as he said, the carriage was really ready.
It was a very splendid and magnificent carriage, and it even had a neat escort around it.
I was a bit skeptical, but I had no other choice. Plus, it felt good.
Only after loading Aaron onto the wagon did Dylan catch his breath. His body was heavy from the rain, and his muscles screamed.
“The rooftop terrace is a total mess.”
Dylan chuckled at the sight of Swallows. He was already ugly, covered in mud and blood, and he looked downright ugly.
“···Is he okay?”
Dylan muttered for a moment in response to Swallows’ question before opening his mouth.
“Brother, you will come back. I promised.”
Dylan nodded firmly.
He was a jerk who always kept his promises.
“···promise?”
Swallows asked, shaking his wet hair.
Dylan just laughed without answering.
‘I’ve come this far, so you’re going to give me a big seat, right?’
Even though my body was sore, I couldn’t help but smile when I imagined myself wearing the crown.
Swallows tried to look away from Dylan, who was grinning alone at the mess.
The capital’s scenery was visible through the window.
The capital of a glorious empire that had ruled the continent for a long time was ablaze.
The huge wings flapped continuously with an angry howl, collapsing the capital.
The capital was literally collapsing.
Then Dylan opened his mouth.
“Oh, and did you see me wielding the sword?”
Swallows wanted to say something in response to Dylan’s shameless words, but…
Because it was true, I just kept my mouth shut.
“Kya-. The master of the sword, Shaky-. He was being noisy-. He just completely lost!”
Swallows laughed hollowly at the buttocks wiggling in front.
***
‘hmm···.’
I was embarrassed by the rather familiar space.
“That’s why I told you. It’s impossible to go any further.”
In the void, there was a huge, ornate chair. An unlucky guy was sitting on the chair, grumbling.
He was a man covered in black hair and had eyes that shone like the sun.
“···Oman?”
The guy nodded to my question.
‘I got eaten again.’
It wasn’t the first time, so I felt strangely calm.
When I looked around, there was nothing like before.
But Hendrix was still holding a sword.
‘···This little bastard’s chair.’
He was sitting on a magnificent chair that would make even the emperor of the continent feel uncomfortable, and he was looking down at me.
‘Then escape···.’
“It’s impossible.”
He spoke firmly without me even asking. There was something rough about the way he looked at me. It was clear that he was dissatisfied.
“Impossible?”
“You have been eaten by karma. It is because you foolishly dared to use my power too much.”
The space shook at his soft declaration. I could feel his full weight.
“You got eaten by karma?”
I muttered quietly, following his words.
“Yes. It’s like the predation. That time, it was possible because I opened it from outside.”
He spoke as he slowly lowered my withered left arm. I looked at him and frowned.
“Why are you here?”
The guy kept his mouth shut in response to my question. His whole body was trembling as if he was holding back anger, and he slowly opened his mouth.
“···Didn’t you take my power and use it as you pleased?”
“So we were tied together here?”
The bastard simply closed his eyes without answering. That was enough of an answer.
“So, it wasn’t enough that you had your powers taken away, you were tied up with me and trapped inside me-?”
“···This fucking guy!!”
He jumped up and pointed at me. He must have been really angry, his face was red as if it was going to burst, and his fingers were shaking.
‘That’s correct.’
I clicked my tongue slightly and sorted out the situation.
I was trapped here because I couldn’t overcome my karma due to drawing too much power.
Unlike that time, Oman, who was supposed to be taken out, was foolishly locked up with me, so there was no way out.
“You idiot! You took the power without permission! I warned you several times, but-!”
He raised his voice again, but I knew that if he really wasn’t going to exert force, he wouldn’t have been able to take it.
That means-.
“You agreed, right?”
When he slew the master of the sword, the joy he exuded was genuine.
The guy closed his mouth to my question.
He slowly sat down on the chair and took hold of the weight, but his body was trembling.
From his violent reaction, I could infer one thing.
“Have you ever been trapped here before?”
The guy flinched loudly. It seemed like it wasn’t his first time.
Well, that’s why the name is Oman.
“It was to punish the lowly ones who dared to rebel against me. I fought against all of them alone, except for me.”
The bastard took up his stance again and bragged arrogantly. Just hearing those words, he seemed like a great bastard who had single-handedly taken on an entire god.
“I see you’re trapped, so you lost.”
“There were just too many of them. You cowardly hypocrites. If there had been even a little less of them, I would have torn off all their throats.”
The bastard muttered in a voice that was sticky with anger. Then the space shook violently. The bastard’s anger and presence were felt strongly, but-.
“······So you’re saying I lost. Why are you talking so long?”
What’s there to brag about if you lose a one-on-many fight?
You have to win that to brag about it.
The bastard started shaking.
“So how did you escape then?”
“Ha, do you think you can trap me? Even if the opponent is me, it is impossible. I have surpassed myself.”
There is a way, I guess. So I looked around.
It was a place I had already been to once.
“······This- fucking bastard!”
“why?”
The guy raised his eyebrows at my answer. He licked his lips for a moment, then sighed and sat back down.
“Give up. I know you are a fool, but there is no other way this time. I am trapped in arrogance, so bear the burden for eons.”
The bastard’s voice was firm, as if he was passing judgment. However, disappointment and despair were heavy in it.
“Is that something a fool who is trapped inside himself would say?”
The guy kept his mouth shut. He seemed to be upset again. He really was a pain in the ass.
I relaxed.
In any situation, there is always a way.
Because I lack persistence, I just can’t find him.
If you don’t give up, there’s always a way.
“······You stupid bastard.”
Oman shook his head, realizing what I was trying to do.
I ignored him and squatted down.
Hendrix tore through space. That meant there was something tangible.
I lowered my posture and looked closely. I saw tiny pieces of dust overlapping each other. Each piece contained a thick weight.
This was a huge universe where pieces of the bastard overlapped.
“I am arrogant. How dare you, a bastard who has not even earned your respect, look down on me?”
He asked in a subdued voice.
The guy grew even bigger. He grew so big that his face was no longer visible.
It was only then that I realized the difference.
If he was the universe, I was an ant.
but-.
“Arong! Arong! How does this taste?”
“You broke the wall again-. This is how you open a door! This is a door! A door!”
“The captain asked me to give Rosa a special discount-.”
“You in the sun, I in the shade. We take control of Cassidy.”
“Because Aaron is handsome.”
“First, let’s start with the captain. Brother!”
A loud noise took hold of my mind.
Then I looked at the bastard and grabbed the piece that had grown to be as large as my body.
It was easy to hold because it was bigger. Even though it was just one of the countless pieces of the guy, it took a lot of effort to move it very finely.
But it still moved.
That was enough.
I gritted my teeth and tore off the piece with all my might.
My body shook violently as the torn piece disappeared.
A certain sensation passed over me, and I grew slightly larger.
It was a very small step forward, almost no different from before, but it was still progress.
He grabbed the next piece and raised the corners of his mouth.
To the rather clichéd words of the guy who asked, “How dare you look down on me?”
“You’ll know once you try it.”
I answered with a smile.
Then the eyes of the giant, planet-like creature shook slightly.
