◈ Episode 61. O Self-Proclaimed Demon Lord (2)
The demon items that would become sacrifices for the Demon Subjugation Ritual.
I had bought them in advance.
There was no trouble in acquiring them.
Because the speed of the Yuseura Kingdom’s reconstruction was beyond imagination.
Not only had basic shops opened, but the auction house had opened its doors as well.
And an auction house operated by the Arcana System, at that.
Moreover, wasn’t this a Demon Subjugation Ritual prepared for a Demon Lord?
‘Good thing I worked hard to earn it all.’
A few demon items.
They couldn’t even put a scratch on my bank balance.
I realized anew.
I didn’t know about Geurangpel, but I was definitely a slave to capitalism.
I took out the demon items.
The more sacrifices there were, the stronger the ritual’s effect. [‘The Noblewoman’s Jewelry Box’ has been selected as a sacrifice.] [‘The Throttling Necktie’ has been selected as a sacrifice.]
I added those items as sacrifices for the Demon Subjugation Ritual.
And so the Demon Subjugation Ritual began.
I immediately manifested magic.
Sss—interfering by utilizing the [Aesthetic] stat to probe the ash floating in the air.
I manifested a flame imbued with an aesthetic sense.
Hwarrr—!
“Shut that filthy mouth first. O self-proclaimed Demon Lord.”
As befitting one with an outstanding aesthetic sense.
Geurangpel could not help but detest ugly appearances to the extreme.
In that sense, Decarabia must be nearly unbearable to look at.
It was an appearance one might expect to see in a horror film—no, a gore film.
However, I did not avert my eyes.
‘The opponent is a Demon Lord.’
Considering the level of a demon legion commander.
The creature’s level was at least 600.
It might even be superior to the great evil, Greed of the Seven Sinful Species.
Why? Because Greed of the Seven Sinful Species had not been in a normal state.
It was only natural that I could not afford to let my guard down.
Moreover.
Hwarrr—!
There were residents of Frost, swallowed by that creature.
Flames burning nobly with added aesthetic sense.
It meant they were inside the burning flesh.
Their final moments.
That this pride of mine could never turn away from.
Decarabia writhed within the flames and shouted.
“……
Y-you, you!!”
Me?
So what.
I didn’t answer.
I was one to avoid unnecessary conversation with prey.
At my cold reaction.
As if burning were not enough, had he also erupted in rage?
The creature shook off the flames and continued speaking.
“……
Yes, I see. I have entered the ‘Ritual.’”
Indeed, the King of Demons. He was a Demon Lord.
To realize it was a Demon Subjugation Ritual.
Well, it wasn’t that surprising.
Suddenly, the words of the Arcshean demon hunters came to mind.
—There are not many demon hunters who have faced a Demon Lord and survived.
So much were they called the nemesis of demon hunters.
Because from the Demon Lords upward, they were not beings to be trifled with.
Sizzle—the burning flesh of Decarabia began to regenerate.
A snickering laugh followed from him.
“How arrogant, human. To invite this body, the Demon Lord, into the Ritual.”
Decarabia trembled as if deeply moved.
“This sensation is not bad. Yes, I shall play along.”
Indeed, it was different from the demons who had been helpless before the Demon Subjugation Ritual.
Befitting a Demon Lord, Decarabia was not shaken.
He even appeared composed.
As the Arcshean demon hunters had said.
For one of Demon Lord caliber, claiming that they would devour their natural enemy, the demon hunter, was no idle boast.
However, I knew.
“Know your place.”
『Perhaps what demons should fear most is not the class called Demon Hunter that belongs to Geurangpel, but the human called Geurangpel himself.』
Even if it was a Demon Lord.
That it could not even put a scratch on Geurangpel’s noble ego.
The battle of mental strength within the Demon Subjugation Ritual?
The victor was already decided as Geurangpel, as me.
Therefore.
“I have no intention of humoring such an inferior being.”
Search, interference, manifestation.
I pressed Decarabia.
There was not a moment’s hesitation.
So what if I couldn’t manifest stone pillars?
That was merely a magic to conserve mana rather than destructive power.
A desperate struggle to freeload with minimal investment.
Which meant I was someone who had not manifested magic of far superior power even once since entering Frost……!
What that meant was simple.
‘The reserves are sufficient.’
That I had plenty of mana to spare.
Naturally, I had no intention of wasting that mana.
[Natural Enemy]
activated.
Though my mana had increased, my level was trivial.
Because I was someone with a pathetic absolute magic power stat.
‘What matters is cost-effectiveness.’
As always.
In my own way.
What I had.
What I lacked.
It meant I had no choice but to use everything.
Hwarrr—!
Two completely different concepts.
The fusion of magic and science.
I manifested the inspiration Marcelo had given me as advanced magic.
‘I spoke grandly of it, but.’
It was merely at an elementary science level.
However, its efficiency was something I had already thoroughly verified.
That without additional mana consumption, I could sustain a manifested magic for a long time.
Continuously.
‘And regardless of the manifested magic’s power……!’
A storm of flames showing no signs of dying down.
The flame storm swallowed the flames of Frost that had turned into hell and blazed even greater.
And to the interference process was added an aesthetic sense.
Solely to pass judgment on the Demon Lord.
Like flames descending from heaven.
The storm of flames began to move as if alive.
“Wait, an opening appeared?”
It cleared a path for those preparing a coordinated assault.
“……
How dare you!”
It sealed Decarabia’s movements so that not a single finger could twitch.
“Wow! Incredible!”
The magician of magicians.
It was only natural that even Jesi, called the disciple of the Archmage, exclaimed in admiration, her pointed hat quivering.
But it was still too early to be surprised.
My struggle had only just begun.
Sss—I raised my mana in succession.
‘I’m not Jesi, so I can’t spam magic like that.’
This time, it wasn’t ordinary mana, but ‘compatible mana.’
Not a stat.
But compatible mana rooted in the manifester’s life and past.
‘……
Whatever. Good is good.’
Whether the source of that compatible mana was chuunibyou or whatever.
I was someone who had not let the black magic talent acknowledged by Matisse, the founder of Black Magical Science, go to waste.
I manifested the intermediate black magic, 『Black Coffin』.
Its effect was to steal the enemy’s senses.
“……!”
The first thing I stole was the creature’s mouth.
[Silence is inflicted upon the Demon Lord, Decarabia.]
But the mouth was only the beginning.
Since black magic was also magic.
Black Coffin also had a continuous effect.
Yes, to be precise, each time the creature trembled in fear.
Its senses would vanish one by one.
Into the deep, deep darkness beyond.
I looked at the frozen Decarabia and opened my mouth.
“O self-proclaimed Demon Lord.”
I threw the words he had spewed back at him.
“How does it feel to have that arrogance driven into the ground?”
*……
Demon hunter!
Now I understand.
The reason a mere human could dare be so impudent.
Decarabia was not shaken.
“……
Yes, I see. I have entered the ‘Ritual.’”
Demon hunters?
Had he not slaughtered them to tedium in the Holy War?
It was quite a long time ago, but thinking back, they were truly like moths to a flame.
‘They were the most foolish among humans.’
To dare invite a Demon Lord into one’s ritual.
Decarabia, in an instant.
Made his decision.
‘An excellent body, if one removes the excessive ego.’
Inside the Demon Subjugation Ritual.
After subduing Hoyeol in the battle of mental strength.
He would take Hoyeol’s body.
Because it seemed much could be done with that body.
‘There is no need to overdo it.’
Above all, even for him, fighting multiple opponents was burdensome.
It was not a cowardly retreat.
Just as he had captured Frost.
He was merely waiting for the right moment.
“Yes, I shall play along.”
But that plan came to naught.
‘What in the world is this?’
Without doubt, he had entered the creature’s ritual.
The King of Demons, the Demon Lord.
A being whose existence alone inspired terror—himself.
Just by entering the ritual.
An ordinary demon hunter would have gone mad.
But Hoyeol was unharmed.
No, beyond unharmed, he was overwhelming him.
Hwarrr—!
“!”
Soaring flames.
The vortex of flames was connected to the sky.
Decarabia admonished himself.
‘This is not reality.’
It was merely an exaggeration created by that creature.
Even realizing that, it was only natural to feel doubt.
A mere human.
How could he overwhelm me, a Demon Lord, in mental strength?
‘Daring to tell me to know my place……?’
Decarabia did not submit.
He need only transform minerals to block mere flames.
Frost, this city, had plenty of minerals including stone.
The moment he thought so.
“……
Mmph?!”
His tongue would not move.
His voice would not come out.
He realized intuitively.
That creature had pulled a trick……!
‘Magic? No, it is not mere magic……’
But knowing that.
Did not mean he could understand the current situation.
The moment Decarabia hesitated.
Something flew through the blazing flames.
Shwish!
It was an arrow.
Thuk! Thuk!
Decarabia was enraged by the arrows lodged in his flesh.
‘……
How dare a mere human!!’
If only the flame storm wasn’t blocking his sight……!
But the rain of arrows was only the beginning.
This time, magic and throwing knives flew from all directions.
Among them were fatal strikes dealing critical damage.
Decarabia could not hide his bewilderment.
‘……I?’
With countless sacrifices, his descent was perfect.
And yet, why.
Am I this powerless……?
No.
Not yet.
Decarabia used all his might to make a sound.
“……
Mmph!!”
Demon Lord Army, demon legion commanders! What are you doing!
I, your king, am under attack!
Lay down your lives for me!
But he soon realized.
“……!”
The demon legion commanders, the Demon Lord Army, were no more.
Because he had devoured even the survivors as sacrifices.
Realizing that fact, Hoyeol’s cold voice came to mind.
—O self-proclaimed Demon Lord.
That was right.
There was no longer anyone who would call him king.
It was then.
Beeeeee—his ears rang.
……He couldn’t hear any sound.
Mmph, mmph—not even the sound of his own screams.
Decarabia glared at Hoyeol.
‘……
It cannot end like this.’
Demon hunters.
Knowing of their existence, he also knew their danger.
The moment one dies by their hands.
One can never revive again.
Flash—thousands of pupils sprouted from Decarabia’s flesh.
He needed to find a countermeasure.
The eyeballs that had been rolling rapidly all stopped at once.
‘……
Yes.’
More sacrifices.
More blood and flesh were needed.
Decarabia targeted easier prey.
‘Did you think I wouldn’t know you were hiding?’
The residents of Frost hiding within the buildings.
The reason he had kept them alive was simple.
Because the fear of the living became his strength.
But now that was enough.
‘Be still and become blood and flesh.’
Decarabia’s pentagram began to spin.
The buildings of Frost, constructed of minerals.
For him, who had attained knowledge of all minerals, collapsing a building was an exceedingly simple matter.
Behold.
Just as now.
Because his hearing was gone, he could not hear the sound of the collapse.
But he could clearly see.
The buildings collapsing and dust rising.
But…….
‘Why, again this time?’
The blood and flesh that should have been there were nowhere to be seen.
Something tapped against Decarabia’s flesh.
Tuk, tuk—
What flew were tiny, tiny stone fragments.
Figures briefly visible through the blazing flames.
They were the residents of Frost.
“?!!”
Frail humans and human younglings.
Those who should have been hiding deep in the shadows.
Were throwing stones at him.
Decarabia’s pupils fixed on their faces.
‘……
How?’
From those weak, weak humans.
Fear was no longer felt.
Those eyes were the same as those who had never let go of their weapons even as they died.
Yes, they were exactly the same as the soldiers of Frost.
Decarabia’s flesh churned.
He could not understand at all.
Humans as a species—not just Hoyeol.
Decarabia snarled.
I killed them all!
I killed the mother trying to protect her child!
I killed her child right before the mother’s eyes!
And yet they do not submit.
And yet, he still could not grasp fear.
Was it because humans were foolish that they did not even know fear?
Decarabia fell into confusion.
Within the flames, the creature ceased moving entirely.
In the end, now that even his last desperate struggle had come to nothing.
There was nothing he could do.
The flames began to burn his flesh.
Within his charring vision.
Decarabia looked at Hoyeol. ‘Even if the others cannot hear me, you should be able to.’
Because this was inside the creature’s consciousness.
Decarabia asked. ‘Why? Why is it that humans do not submit?’
What was the reason they stood back up even after falling?
Even knowing it was more than they could bear.
What was the reason they leaped into fear?
There was no longer any dignity of a Demon King in that question.
Decarabia screamed. ‘……
Please! I beg you! I will plead like this! Tell me!!’
But no answer came back.
Because Hoyeol’s mouth was firmly shut.
As if he had no intention of exchanging unnecessary words with his prey. ‘Please!! Pleeeeease!!’
...
“Die with your question unanswered. That is the price of your sins.”
Beginning, development, turn—and pride.
That simple truth.
There was no way Decarabia could understand it.
I looked at the flames burning away.
As though they would never go out.
Flames blazing fiercely.
Thud—
The survivors of Frost sank to the floor.
“……
It’s all over.”
“Uuuhuhuhk.”
“Father, Mother……. Hngh.”
And they began to sob.
As if mourning those they had sent off first.
The flames burned Decarabia.
And those who had been swallowed by him.
Sublimely, without leaving even a single handful behind.
Only after that cremation
had been completed did they begin to die down.
Soon, messages appeared before my eyes.
[Your level has increased.]
[Your level has increased.]
[Your level has increased.]
……
Level-up messages appeared without end.
[You have met the conditions.]
[Rewards will be issued.]
[You have recaptured Frost.]
[You have entered the northern city, ‘Frost’.]
……
Along with countless other messages difficult to take in at a glance.
Amid the cluttered field of vision filled with messages.
Something pure white began to drift down.
Harkon spoke in a low voice.
“Sir. Did you know? In Frost, they call snow a gift from the heavens. There is a superstition that if one refuses that heavenly gift, one will be punished by divine wrath. Since so much snow falls in the North, I suppose it is no more than a plausible tale made up to make people clear away the piled snow.”
He continued bitterly.
“But for today, at least. I want to consider this snow a gift from the heavens.”
I, too, looked up at the sky.
Snow from Bukhaedo was pouring down over Frost.
*
[You have met the conditions.]
Conditions for the [Recapture Frost] quest have been fulfilled.
No one could say who started first.
The players each checked their own contribution.
─Current Contribution: 3,210p
─Current Contribution: 2,940p
─Current Contribution: 1,570p
……
“……
Damn, how much contribution did you get?”
“You show yours first.”
“You first, sir. Did you break two thousand?”
Higher than expected, or lower than expected.
But at this moment.
Most of the players were probably thinking the same thing.
Just how much contribution had Lee Hoyeol obtained?
And what kind of reward would he receive based on that contribution?
At the same time, the players’ gazes turned toward Hoyeol.
“Maybe around ten thousand, roughly……?”
“What are you talking about? He’ll easily pass ten thousand.”
“But why does his expression look like that? Is it lower than he expected? Don’t tell me it’s not even ten thousand?!”
But even if they looked into his face.
“But Lee Hoyeol always has that expression.”
As expected, they could not guess at all.
...
I checked my contribution.