◈ Episode 120. The Three Demon King Castles Revealed by the Regular Ripple Update.
Concerns had burst forth at the shocking update notes.
Yet those worries were rendered meaningless.
“……Hey, Sugyeom. What the hell am I looking at right now?”
After Lee Hoyeol took action.
In merely ten minutes, everything was over.
Park Minjae, Branch Chief of AAU Korea.
A stubborn old fossil. No, a boss as lofty as the heavens—at least, that was the question such a boss had asked.
But Yoon Sugyeom did not have the mental capacity to answer.
Pinch—well, since the pinch made his cheek sting, it wasn’t a dream.
Now that he realized it was reality.
Then next.
“I’m also trying my best to comprehend it, Branch Chief.”
He had no choice but to acknowledge the situation that had unfolded.
But it was not easy to believe.
Yoon Sugyeom barely continued.
“……Let’s assume, for argument’s sake, that the Tower’s firepower was far stronger than we predicted. Not only did the Tower’s senior mages move out, but even the Shadow Mercenary Corps joined them.”
And were they the only ones?
The Goddess Church’s Holy Knights.
Even the Empire’s Lionheart Knights.
It was a Demon King Castle rift entered by forces whose very names made one’s chest swell with grandeur.
So he had tried desperately to understand. Seong Hyunjun, who was listening, also nodded deeply.
“That’s right. Just as you said, senior. I can understand the Demon King Castle of Rhythm and the Demon King Castle of Debauchery. But that last one, the Demon King Castle of the Hunt, I just can’t understand how……!”
The Demon King Castle of Rhythm, roughly ten thousand.
The Demon King Castle of Debauchery, roughly one hundred.
But those who had entered the last one, the Demon King Castle of the Hunt.
Were merely three.
“This is driving me crazy, really.”
They were all AAU employees who had once been Arcana developers.
They could tell just by looking at the update notes.
If they compared the clear difficulties.
The fact that the Demon King Castle of the Hunt was twice as tricky as the other two Demon King Castles.
You see only as much as you know.
So they couldn’t help but be shocked.
Swish—Park Minjae let out a hollow laugh and wiped away his cold sweat.
“……Just what level are you at, Lee Hoyeol?”
It wasn’t merely about strength, about level.
Then, the caption that arose on the monitor.──────Demon King Crush!──────As the media was clamoring, this wasn’t merely a victory—it was a crushing.
Before the Demon Kings could even wriggle their filthy demonic claws.
He had perfectly trampled upon them.
The reason that was possible?
“This isn’t something possible through force alone.”
“You’re right, Branch Chief.”
“Above all, the Collapse rank-up speed was no joke either……”
As if he had known about the Demon Kings’ existence beforehand.
No, to be precise, it was the Demon Kings.
Yes, as if he had known that three Demon King Castle rifts would appear.
It was possible because he had launched into action without a moment’s hesitation the moment the regular update appeared.
“And while leading those Arcana all-stars at that.”
A feat so absurd it made no sense no matter how he thought about it.
Suddenly, Park Minjae flinched.‘……Surely, it’s not a dream?’He had been overdoing it lately…….
To the point of mistaking reality and dreams.
I’m not a naive person, yet.
Because it was an incident so hard to believe.
Park Minjae tried to pinch his cheek as Yoon Sugyeom had, then gave up.
“No. Forget it.”
Inside the monitor.
Hoyeol’s figure caught in the streamers’ angles.
His consistent demeanor, no different from usual.
Was telling him that this was reality, not a dream.
—“I will not be taking questions.”
Even his usual prickly attitude.
“……How can a person be like that?”
“If it were me, I’d really be puffing out my shoulders and strutting around.”
“Heroes are heroes for a reason. You think they call him Homen for nothing?”
*Demon King Crush.
A warning and a declaration of war toward demons.
The place where the effect of the victory report appeared first was the Arcana continent. Flying Fortress, Iron Castle. Chainwalker, the leader of the dwarves, looked down at the ground.
“It is truly unbelievable.”
The last demon hunter.
The fact that he was an adventurer.
Not to mention realizing the existence of the Demon Kings in a world completely different from the Arcana continent.
The fact that he had even made plans to hunt them. And the fact that he had perfectly executed those plans!
“At the very moment he appeared before us, to think he was simultaneously facing two Demon Kings. We who were in the same Arcana continent didn’t even realize it…….”
Naturally, the reason they learned of that was thanks to Hoyeol’s arrangement, thanks to Hiel.
Chainwalker bit his lip.
If only he hadn’t been caught in that bad weather…….
“I could have met you face to face.”
But it was fortunate.
According to Hiel, the spirit, if the time and place were properly matched, they could reunite.
Of course, Chainwalker couldn’t easily stop marveling.‘To think he had grasped this natural disaster to such a degree.’The dwarves had considered the rift an irresistible calamity.
Because even with their brilliant minds, they couldn’t guess its cause.
But to think there was someone who could predict the appearance of the rifts. Furthermore, to think that person would be a survivor of Akshan, the last demon hunter.
“Hiel, Spirit.”
Chainwalker called Hiel’s name respectfully.
His eyes, steeped in emotion, turned toward the ground.
Chainwalker continued in a low voice.
“Please convey this situation to him without omission on our behalf—to the survivor of Akshan. Tell him that thanks to his exploits, the momentum of the Arcana continent has completely changed.”
At the earnest request, Hiel took in the scenery of the ground.
Overnight.
No, even that was an overestimation.
In real-world time, it was about ten minutes.
Even in Arcana continent time, it was merely several dozen minutes.
Compared to the scale, it was but an instant.
It was in that instant that the Demon King Castles disappeared without a trace.
One of the three Demon Kings, Plauros, had his very existence erased.
He was buried in a hell from which he could descend by no means.
That shocking event became supreme terror to the demons.
And became courage to those resisting them.
Chainwalker continued.
“Do you see?”
“The Empire’s remnants have protected the village.”
“Akshan’s decisive weapon has recaptured the major city, Sachsen.”
“Lake Plerinity has regained its former light.”…….
Unending victory reports.
A butterfly effect of unbelievable proportions.
Yet this too was one of the reasons Hoyeol had crushed the Demon Kings.
Hiel merely replied calmly.
“He had foreseen even this.”
Of course, the dwarves who had no way of knowing that.
“……W-what?! Is that true?”
They couldn’t help but fall into shock once again, but…….
The rift connecting the Arcana continent and reality.
As long as the rift existed.
Changes in the Arcana continent were bound to affect reality.
Naturally, the ones who noticed the changes originating from the Arcana continent first were the players.-……
Guys, is it just me?
Player community site.
The boards were filled with posts of similar nuance.
-No, haven’t things been a bit quiet lately???
-rlly I haven’t run into any while grinding rifts either;;;
-No but it’s gotten comfortable not having to worry about buffs…….
-I had no idea the demon race disappearing would feel this huge. Those annoying abnormal status inflictors.
The demon race monsters that had been a thorn in their eyes were nowhere to be seen.
Only one reason came to mind.
-It’s totally ‘cause of the Demon King Crush. GG, Lee Hoyeol!
He crushed the king of demons, the Demon King.
It was definitely thanks to him literally trampling three Demon Kings.
Looking at the timing of the demon race monsters’ disappearance, that speculation gained even more credibility.
“This isn’t something to end with questions like ‘He overwhelmingly cleared an impregnable rift, amazing, I wonder what level he is.’”
“Is there a reason you’re saying that?”
“Can’t you tell just by looking? The ripple effect caused by Player Lee Hoyeol clearing the Demon King Castle rifts! Above all, the demon race monsters that had been a headache have vanished!”
Thanks to that, players could enter rifts more aggressively.
Thanks to that, players’ levels rose. Humanity could build the strength to resist rift erosion…….
All kinds of programs were filled with talk about that effect.
Beep—beep—beep-beep-beep-beep-beep—no matter which channel they turned to.
At the noisy remote control sounds, Nam Taemin finally opened his mouth.
“Hey, is there something broken or what?”
“Shut up.”
“Why you’re so upset. I just can’t figure it out.”
“Upset my ass.”
Though he said that.
Leonie was indeed upset.
The appearance of the Demon King Castle rifts.
Hoyeol and the forces that had moved simultaneously.
They hadn’t been included in those forces.
It was only natural.
Shimmer, shimmer.
Hisagi spoke while tending to his spear, like an extension of himself.
“Inazuma, Berserker, Gaon. Even if our three guilds have allied. Entering a Demon King Castle rift with an appropriate level of eight hundred would have been no different from suicide.”
Right, right.
Nam Taemin nodded.
He calmly assessed their own forces.
“Thanks to Mr. Hoyeol, we could focus solely on growth, but the truth is we’re still lacking.”
The alliance of three guilds.
Its growth effect was truly tremendous.
Of course.
“……But why are you saying them in that order?”
“?”
“Inazuma, Berserker, Gaooon? Why are we last?”
“There was no particular meaning. Just habit.”
“What?! Habit? You think you can just drone on all prim and proper and that makes you somebody?”
As you could see, they couldn’t perfectly match their breathing.
Nevertheless, since rift conquest had become easier than before and EXP acquisition had increased.‘That’s why I’d been so motivated……’Leonie bit her lip.
The Demon King Castle rifts had made her realize once again.
The gap between Hoyeol and themselves.
But there was no despair.
“……That’s what I’m saying.”
The goal is to stand alongside Hoyeol.
Not to catch up to him.
For such people, a clear goal had just been born.
The Demon King Castle rifts.
Because there were those who had stood beside Hoyeol there.
At least they had to rise to the same level as them.
Then they would have every right to be upset, wouldn’t they?
“Great. That’s fine.”
In that sense, what they had to do was simple.
Rift conquest, as expected.
Knowing that fact.
Leonie couldn’t help but flinch.
“……Could the reason he crushed the Demon Kings and silenced the demons be?”
So that we wouldn’t be held back by demon race monsters.
To let us grow faster……?
No way…….
Of course, Leonie had rather dull instincts.
Nam Taemin and Hisagi had unnecessarily sharp ears.
“What was that? Tell me in detail.”…
A detached house somewhere.
No light was needed.
Everyone knew each other’s faces—no, their identities.
“It’s been a while since we gathered like this.”
“Somehow you all seem even more menacing than before.”
“Well, isn’t it thanks to this wonderful world?”
In the pitch-black darkness, only black pupils shone.
They were looking at the monitor.
What was playing on repeat was the Demon King Castle rift clear scene.
Someone opened their mouth.
“I truly believe this is an antiquated idea and action.”
“Hey! Watch your mouth. Our Demon Kings might hear you.”
“Well, let them hear. If they can.”
Heh, heh.
An eerie laugh burst out, but only for a moment.
The conversation continued again.
“Don’t you know far too little about this world? Such classical methods might have worked on the Arcana continent, but they’re useless here.”
“Look at him struggling for nothing.”
“Our Demon Kings may know how to handle demons, but they don’t know how to handle humans. Is it because they’ve breathed the world’s air after so long?”
Possession.
Thanks to living while wearing human skin, they had naturally learned.
What the humans of this world feared.
Was not such primitive terror.
“You have to use your heads. What are they doing so ignorantly?”
“Well, it’s still good news for us.”
“That’s right. We have less to worry about being pushed around among the Demon Kings.”
You could tell just by them disparaging the Demon Kings.
True unity, true loyalty—demons had none of it.
Even in this gathering where they had assembled in one place after a long time.
How do demons stab one another in the back?
They had been pondering that very question in all seriousness.
And because they all knew that about each other,
they had been refraining from meeting.
Yet there was a reason the demons had gathered here today.
“So, how about we all lie low for the time being?”
The emergence of a being who could unite even such demons.
That was right.
It was all because of Hoyeol.
“They may be relics of an old era, but they are Demon Kings. There is no doubting their overwhelming power. And yet those Demon Kings were trampled in a mere ten minutes. By Lee Hoyeol and the forces he commands, no less.”
“……
We certainly need to be wary.”
“No. There is no need for that.”
“?”
“All we have to do is remain where we are, as usual.”
Lee Hoyeol?
The Magic Tower?
The Shadow Mercenary Corps?
No matter how strong they were,
that only became a problem if they met as enemies.
“We simply need to make use of the masks we are wearing now.”
After all, they would not be able to recognize them while they were possessing humans.
In other words, as long as they did not step forward rashly and make a scene, they would be fine.
So long as they did not invite needless suspicion, this current would actually work to their advantage.
“I am saying we should hide quietly and build up our strength.”
Silence.
No objections were raised.
But in that instant, everyone’s gaze turned toward one place.
“Why are you all staring like that? It’s making me uncomfortable. I heard you well enough.”
In the darkness, black eyes gleamed.
“What, are you worried I’ll go show off just because I’m a Supernova?”
Supernova.
Players who would stop at nothing to grow stronger. For demons, they were vessels more suitable than any other.
That was precisely why the True-Named Demon, Desqui, had possessed this man.
Desqui waved a hand in the darkness.
“As if I’m crazy. I do have some sense, you know.”
This was Lee Hoyeol, the man who had sent three Demon Kings to their graves.
Targeting him would be nothing short of suicide.
But he could not help but feel curious.
‘Just how strong is he?’
Desqui flicked his tongue.
“Well, I’ll just watch quietly. From far away. That much should be fine, right?”
*
The appearance of demons had decreased.
It was probably only a temporary effect of crushing the Demon Kings, but…….
I sincerely hoped.
Whether it was a low-ranking demon, a True-Named Demon, or whatever else.
I wanted just three of them, no more and no less, to appear before my eyes.
The reason was simple.
Demon King Amdusias.
Demon King Kimaris.
Demon King Flauros.
The spoils I had obtained after defeating the three Demon Kings—demonic items.
I was extremely curious about the effects of those three [Epic]-grade items.
Moreover, as someone who was thoroughly enjoying the effects of a Demon King’s spoil called the [Pentagram of Pure Knowledge]……!
“Tea in the afternoon is worth its weight in gold.”……
What the hell is that supposed to mean? It is not even an apple in the morning.
Of course, even after this cringe-inducing line, as always,
I calmly tilted my teacup as usual.
With a serene gaze, I checked the information on the Demon King’s spoils.