Storm Warrior - Chapter 351



Only Krnovel

#351, Ascension

The players were in an uproar.

“Hey, is this… the Demon World?”

The ash-colored earth mixed with the blackened soil and the bones of animals,

The red sky as if the sun was setting in all directions and the dozens of active volcanoes spewing black smoke in the distance were a sight that could not be forgotten even after seeing it once.

“There’s no area sign here….”

“Oh… Really?”

The lower right corner of the system UI always shows the area the player is currently in, but there was nothing displayed there either.

“Don’t you feel like your body has gotten a little heavier?”

“Right? It’s not just me who feels this way….”

It took strength just to stand up straight and keep my body still, as if a different gravity was at work.

“Damn… I didn’t know there was a place like this… Has anyone been there before?”

If this place had been implemented in Loco33, it would have been a hidden stage with the highest difficulty level, as someone said.

“… If I had discovered something like this, I would have definitely posted it on the community.”

The players all shook their heads, but naturally focused on the person with the highest probability of discovery.

“… … .”

But Richard was equally perplexed.

‘Everything is dead… .’

Richard had just confirmed that the system had completely stopped.

The boss room survival time limit is still displayed at the top center of the view.

That wasn’t the problem, I survived thanks to it.

Of course, the system time as well,

The status window and inventory functions all don’t work… .

It was as if a program that only functions online had lost its communication signal.

The fact that they are superhumans remains the same, even though they are assisted by the system.

However, it was a huge blow that all the recovery, buff items, and unworn equipment were locked in the inventory.

The rest of the players, who were still shocked by the sight outside the system, seemed not to have noticed it yet.

The reason Richard was able to think ahead of others in the same situation was not only because he had superior intelligence, but also because he already knew the identity of the demon.

For some reason, the name Tarantor was not visible above the bastard’s head, but the feeling of confronting the magic directly was engraved in his bones.

‘Tsk… If I make one wrong move, I’ll be in trouble.’

There might be retribution for the misunderstanding and hostility towards him in Lord Charybdis’s chambers.

Richard quickly rolled his head and shouted at the devil.

“Is this the solution you were talking about!”

The devil’s gaze turned to Richard.

“…nothing has been said about that yet.”

Richard said, snorting.

“The system doesn’t work here. You planned to bring us here from the beginning. So when you promised us April 15th of the year 36, you’re saying you’re going to keep us here!”

The players were shaken by Richard’s remarks.

Because he had begun to realize the ‘system failure’ he had been talking about, and because, judging from the context of the conversation, the identity of the demon was Tarantor.

Moreover, the fear of being ‘locked up here’ spread.

Richard then shouted.

“If that’s the solution, I’ll quit. I’d rather die and see the end of the system with my own eyes!”

“Again, I haven’t said anything yet. I stopped the system because it was interrupting our calm conversation.”

“Stop whining! If you weren’t planning on using us for your own purposes, why would you bother going through all this trouble… Ugh!”

Suddenly, Richard’s new form, with his neck grabbed by something, rose into the air.

And the magic that stretched out from the demon’s body enveloped Richard’s entire body.

“That’s true too. But this is my space. Your opinion doesn’t matter.”

Hurrruk!

The moment the devil finished speaking, magic burst forth like black flames.

Richard was reduced to a handful of ashes and swirled around inside.

“… … !”

Two thousand players were frozen in shock and horror.

There was no will to fight back in the first place, but it was natural to see the top ranker being erased without any resistance.

Perhaps it was even more shocking because I was relying on him in one way.

But what they saw was only an illusion. Richard was moved to another location and was standing there, completely fine.

“Whew… .”

Although the performance started without a signature, it means that Tarantor understood his intentions.

Tarantor’s voice came into his consciousness.

-You’re so good at killing smoke. That’s all for now about what happened in the boss room.

***

Literally, the demon world was my space.

If we look at it more broadly, it is part of the realm of Lucifer who drank.

That means that even the level of interference that Marduk can exert through the system is impossible here.

Even without that, once they entered my territory, the players didn’t pose any threat.

But before we could start talking too loudly, we needed to freeze things for a moment.

‘… I don’t want to get used to violence being the answer.’

I have a lot to worry about besides them right now, and I’ve been dealing with a lot of people who have been talking to me, so I’ve been a bit out of it.

– Are you really in the Demon World? Are you crazy? No, where the hell am I and why are you dragging me here?

“I’m the Demon King, so why can’t I come here?”

– Was that really a concept? No, of course I felt the magic too… but Nephas also had magic.

To Gayoung.

-… So that’s why you asked me to become your servant.

『Yes. The moment you become my subordinate, the ultimate disadvantage, whether it be the gold or the life vessel, will be directed at me. And that disadvantage will not reach the Demon World.』

-So is Umor completely safe now?

“As you can see.”

To Katrinan.

-I’m sorry, my lord.

To Tagaros… .

Richard may not have known about these circumstances, but he must have thought of it anyway.

Anyway, what was most distracting to me at this moment was Tagaros’ apology.

The complex story behind that brief apology could be revealed by looking into the guy’s thoughts.

Just once, for a moment, Tagaros denied me in front of the spirits.

Well, that was something I understood well enough.

How surprised must they have been when, out of nowhere, a person with the heart of the previous king emerged from a gamble where they would place their family lineage on a candidate for the throne?

To be honest, it was such a trivial thing for me that I completely forgot about it after that, but it seems like the guy has been working hard to make up for his mistakes.

To gain unified support from all the high-ranking families of the Eight Realms.

‘… But even that didn’t go as planned.’

The mines and demons that filled the surroundings were not ones I summoned.

As someone who once served in the military, I wouldn’t like the formalities of a ‘review’.

They gathered of their own accord as the fragrance of the eight realms became entirely mine.

The problem is that half of the group, led by Tagaros’ Zahhak clan, is bowing down to me, while the other half is holding their heads up stiffly and glaring at me.

The emotions in their gaze are distrust, discontent, and disobedience… right?

Perhaps, like House Zahhak, they had their own candidate they were pushing for.

However, since the fragrance of the 8th realm had already acknowledged me as the only one, it was common sense in the demon world that I had to show my submission, even if it was pretense, in order to preserve my family.

‘… So you’re saying there’s something to believe in.’

If there were any corner of the world that would raise its head against the already enthroned Demon King, it would only be beings of the same level.

When my gaze turned to the group of anti-Kings.

Chuck─!

The guys suddenly knelt down and bowed their heads.

Those who have shown their unwillingness to surrender until now will not change their minds at the sight of my gaze.

Their worship was not directed to me.

Woohoo!

As if they had been waiting, seven gaps were drawn in front of them.

And through that gap, seven dolls walked out.

The other seven monarchs… .

Although it is commonly called the Demon World, strictly speaking, the Demon World includes all the planets in each dimension divided into eight ruling spheres.

Among them, this planet, called the 8th realm, is entirely my territory.

According to Tagaros’s memory, he usually did not visit other monarchs’ domains as if it were his own home.

‘So to speak, a welcoming party… no, an initiation ceremony?’

“Huh! What is this…? Human soldiers, and even lizard followers? The new lord of the 8th realm has some strange tastes.”

“But the quality of the ones I’ve collected isn’t bad. They’re pretty useful for a bunch of worms. Can I give you a few as a gift to commemorate your accession to the throne?”

The Seven Lords looked around at me, the player, and Charybdis’ hat, flirting.

“… … .”

Even though I didn’t respond, the monarchs continued their sarcastic remarks.

Maybe you think I’m nervous.

“You said you were a reverse incarnation? That means you’re from Middle-earth… Or maybe you’re a dark elf?”

“Heh heh. Baloch, what a rude thing to say.”

“There’s no way a high elf can channel magic. But there’s no way a human can… .”

“Hahahaha!”

“Ah. Don’t misunderstand, I didn’t mean to insult you. It’s just that this is an unprecedented event. These guys here must have had the same doubts as I did, and they sent word of their intention to defect.”

Only then did I understand why those on the other side of Tagaros had shown such guts.

He completely abandoned the Eight Precepts and wanted to serve another monarch.

I’m getting annoyed.

‘It doesn’t matter whether it is or not…’

The very moment of facing this situation was annoying.

Because it was ridiculous and trivial.

The monarchs, unlike me, had the appearance of ordinary(?) demons, which means they all had flesh.

They believed that since all desires come from the flesh, having a flesh body makes one stronger.

In fact, it is not wrong, because most of the unique powers possessed by the demons come from using desire, nourishing it, and expressing it.

But my only desire is to just ‘fix it’… .

The process only requires a little effort.

It did not require a body, because it was not a fleshly desire.

And then, for the first time, I was no longer subject to the restraints of the flesh, and so I transcended them.

Another thing that I surpassed them in was my communication with the devil.

By becoming a spirit, I can clearly hear the will of the spirit.

‘I’m not interested in politics or power struggles. So, from today on, let’s say that the Demon World means the Eighth Realm.’

Lucifer reacted immediately to the words that they would all be killed.

【They are my children too.】

Lucifer’s whispers that he had ‘seemed to hear’ were actually something he was interested in.

It seems that he found it quite interesting that his spiritual son was thinking of planting a flag in the divine realm.

Regardless of whether it seems possible to Mashin’s eyes, I am a type of child he has never had before.

No… I think Lucifer needs this more than I do.

Of course, Lucifer would be closer to the divine realm, but he may have even higher-dimensional restrictions that I am unaware of.

Anyway, I was born with a good grasp of my subject.

Even though I am not a ‘super’ to Lucifer right now, I am a ‘super’.

‘I don’t have time to deal with those kind of idiot brothers, so let’s just throw them away.’

Therefore, I thought his tacit approval was support that I could naturally receive.

At that moment, a black aura spread across the red sky like ink.

「…!」

“omg!”

The monarchs and minions raised their heads and looked up at the sky at the sudden darkness.

Then, a streak of red light fell from the black sky over my head, and something in the shape of a large snake descended, wrapping itself around the light and seeping into me.

‘What is this?’

The moment I began to question myself.

Boom! Boom boom!

The seven monarchs and the minions all fell to their knees, bowing their heads to the ground.

It was just like Tagaros’ reaction when I once put Lucifer in my mouth.

And the seven monarchs cried out with one voice.

“Meet the enemy of the demon god!”

‘No, what is this….’

Lucifer’s response was absurd, but there was no doubt that it made it easier to avoid the annoyance.

At the same time, a thought suddenly crossed my mind.

‘Ah… Now that I think about it, I guess they have their uses too.’

It was an evil plan that would make even Lucifer cry.