Chapter 136

Demons while essential for the residents of the Demon Realm, what do they covet?

“Guhhhhhh! Power! Power overflowing within me!”

The grotesquely bloated flesh.

What started as a chubby kid quickly swelled beyond bursting point until—

Even inside the royal chamber, his presence now filled the space so overwhelmingly that it was palpable.

“Hmph.”

Carriel gave a light snort and kicked him aside with ease at about this moment.

“Eeek?!”

From far away, he hurled his foot straight forward—but without warning, the trace vanished, and the colossal figure of the Great Demon was slammed into the wall as if pushed by something unseen.

BOOM!

Not just slammed—it outright pierced through the wall.

“…So, what’re you gonna do? Participate in the fight?”

When Carriel asked the regent, the latter hesitated, unsure how to respond.

A fresh-faced youth, yet there was an air around him that one couldn’t easily mess with.

Oppressive aura?

Nope. It wasn’t that. It was different.

This was more fundamental—a deep-rooted sense of fear.

Yeah, fear.

For instance, the regent could feel dread radiating from every movement of his.

It wasn’t the naive fear like sticking your head carelessly into the mouth of a predator—it was an entirely different form of terror.

For example, a primal fear that stimulated and paralyzed the core.

Even this, the regent couldn’t fully discern yet.

“…”

Carriel headed toward the breached wall.

Passing by the sprawled women on the way, he swung his fist directly at the enraged Great Demon who had fallen to the ground.

“Ugh?!?”

Clearly, that guy was over there just moments ago.

Why is his fist now right in front of my face?

‘Teleportation magic?!!’

That’s not it though!

At this point, memories of his physical body were useless.

What was needed here was the innate memory—or knowledge—of a demon.

‘Is this “induced transmission”?’

Grandeous doesn’t move.

Yet his swinging sword strikes are almost impossible to evade.

There are three methods involved.

First, the target always exists in the direction of attack.

Second, both attack and defense are restricted.

Some call it being sucked in, suppressed, or controlled—it remains unclear.

Only those survivors who left such accounts were capable of doing so because they possessed some resilience.

And lastly,

Third, Grandeous himself is drawn towards the target.

Thus, he didn’t need to strain his body unnecessarily.

Even from a distance, he could instantly close the gap.

Once contact is made, be it mana or pure energy, it gets exploited effortlessly.

But isn’t a demon free from such constraints since they don’t handle mana?

“Cough!”

As soon as his body retreated, the Obsidian Sword slashed open his skin.

Even dodging barely saved him from being cleanly bisected.

“Hm?”

However, it wasn’t as sharp as expected.

Whatever material or form the sword was made of, it surprisingly lacked sharpness or tenacity.

Still, the wounds didn’t regenerate, which was expected.

“You’re still unstable, I see?”

“…”

Carriel shook his head.

“This is my first encounter with an actual demon.”

“So?”

“Such a good live-training opportunity shouldn’t go to waste, right?”

…Wait, what kind of nonsense is he spouting now?

“Training? You just called that training?”

“If I wanted to kill you, I would’ve done it already. There’d be no need for conversation either. Or are you implying that I’m hesitating because you’re wearing the guise of this nation’s king? Even if I were contemplating sparing your body while banishing you, it’d be meaningless, wouldn’t it? You know it, and so do I.”

“What the heck is your intention?! Why did you crawl into my sight?! Did I wrong you or something?!”

“Ignorance will lead to your death. Anyway, dying merely returns you to your homeland; why fear it?”

“No way! Why should I give up this fresh air, this endless fountain of greed and despair?! Why should I crawl back to that hellhole when staying here feels like paradise with pleasures bubbling up just by opening my eyes?! Why?!”

“Well then, crush the trials set before you. Have you already forgotten the words you spoke moments ago?”

“That’s not my fault, is it?!”

“The lack of repentance, the attitude of ignoring and turning away from it—that’s the greatest sin.”

Mistakes happen to anyone.

Through reflection and correction, imperfections can become the foundation for perfection and completion.

Humanity and life forms’ imperfections are but another mechanism leading to ultimate fulfillment.

Without understanding this, one falls into the skewed bias of seeing failures and errors solely as sins.

Anyone.

Everyone once couldn’t walk properly. We must always remember this.

Because recognizing that we’re fundamentally the same is the most basic condition.

Depending on how differences are accepted, sins may deepen endlessly—or conversely, transform completely.

“Who are you teaching? I’ve lived thousands, tens of thousands of years longer than you!”

“There’s no need to boast about wasting time.”

“Tch, you little brat!”

Darkness slashes through.

“Aaaagh!”

The monstrous figure writhes in agony, groaning pitifully.

Thus, the courtyard behind Faceulan Royal Palace became even more chaotic.

“Leave no room for mercy. Pour all your strength into this moment.”

If you don’t want to return home humiliated after being treated like a mere scarecrow with a sturdy body…

“Do as I say. Properly.”

====

Demons and gods eat and drink the same things.

An ancient grand mage who said this proverb didn’t believe in gods.

Initially, the first mages, magicians.

Their teacher was demons themselves.

And to those who revered their teachers as fathers, masters, and gods alike,

Could they truly accept another father and master?

Two fathers?

In ancient times, status and environment were granted by one father, while flesh and spirit came from the divine father.

Though many ancient heroes claimed both as their fathers, this makes no sense, does it?

Unless it’s myth, then it must make sense.

“That’s why that guy’s a demon mage.”

Stopping the fight, following Cain’s direction, they quickly reached the drawbridge of the palace with Minette’s assistance.

Curious, Minette asked, and Venus explained.

To appropriately counter a demon, one must understand them first. That’s why she asked for the basics.

Venus held nothing back in her explanation.

Being a demon doesn’t make one a demon mage.

Handling malevolent spirits and handling demons are entirely separate matters.

While spirit mages consume mana,

Demon mages don’t use mana at all.

“Fear. Discomfort, anxiety. Anger. Depression. Hatred. Disappointment and frustration. Guilt. Loneliness. Helplessness. They use these negative emotions as both medium and source.”

“So that means…”

Minette trailed off.

“It’s like setting fire to a forest.”

Venus explained again.

“As the flames consume the forest, the demon grows stronger.”

There, a whirlwind of negative emotions will arise uncontrollably.

“And if someone could gather all that? Meaning they could handle it. If this chaos was caused for that purpose, wouldn’t that be reason enough?”

“So by now, that demon must be…”

“Still not enough.”

By this point, Cain couldn’t help but marvel.

“You know quite detailed information that’s unknown to the public.”

“So what? Can’t kill those bastards with swords, so gotta know somehow, right? Or what? Just let them win?”

…Truly fitting of him.

Despite knowing him for only a short while, Cain felt he understood him somewhat now.

“Demons have no physical form, so they must possess someone. The more spiritually receptive the person, the more useful they are.”

There’s compatibility involved.

If the possessed object turns out to be inert matter, moving consumes immense power without end.

Possessing living beings, life forms, requires nothing in comparison.

“So what about that thing behind you?”

Before Cain could answer, Venus casually replied.

“That’s mimicking spirit magic. More precisely, the tricks used by malevolent spirit mages.”

“To that extent?”

Not just a battle maniac, huh?

“Is fighting just about brute strength? If your head’s empty, your body suffers. Even the toughest can die from a rusted blade cutting a minor wound.”

“So, does that mean going there now won’t accomplish anything?”

“Why do you think that?”

“Well… helping people stabilize the situation might ultimately aid him, right?”

“Me? When did I say that?”

Why does she interpret it this way?

Did my words even hint at that?

“If blocking the water flow is a method, how do you plan to handle the entire city? How big do you think this place is?”

“…Then is there another way?”

Venus blew a raspberry.

“Your premise is wrong. Why do you assume he’ll lose to some random demon?”

“Isn’t that true?”

“You don’t know much about demons, so you think like this. And if someone at your level thinks this way, the demon gains even more power.”

“…Why? I’m not feeling fear or dread, you know?”

“But you’re imagining and feeling uneasy, right? For someone at your level, that’s more than enough reward for the demon.”

“In battling demons, it’s not about life or death.”

It’s about breaking first or giving up first.

“Humans are disadvantaged because they have physical bodies, but it’s the same for demons.”

However, unless they’re foolish, demons will exhaust all efforts to create favorable conditions.

“That’s the current predicament… but can we really handle it?”

“A mentally unshakable person is the most terrifying enemy to a demon.”

Even those armed with divine power or divine spells collapse mentally first, rendering their divinity useless.

Yet, due to steadfast faith and belief, they overcome it.

They are inevitably stronger than ordinary people.

Of course, there are those who are strong without such things, but the problem lies in ignorance-induced anxiety, which leads to unavoidable fear.

Knowing and still fearing is one thing, but ignorance amplifies fear.

Unless someone is inherently fearless, that is.

“But… that guy isn’t like that.”

Among the countless people in the world, how many could truly break that guy’s spirit?

“So the remaining factor is the accumulated negative emotions in this city. And the ongoing outpouring of such emotions serves as the resources and foundation for that Great Demon.”

And if we could deplete all of it…

“…This trashy city might become a bit cleaner.”

But if the trash generators persistently keep creating trash, it’ll revert to a dump sooner or later.

Even cleanliness fades into dust after a few days.

Especially when people recklessly litter without cleaning up, the mess becomes inevitable.

“So, does he know this and still confront the demon?”

“I don’t know.”

“…?”

Shouldn’t he know that?

Minette was perplexed.

“Then should we go tell him now?”

“You keep misinterpreting what I say.”

Venus pointed a finger and poked Minette’s forehead.

“How does he know where to go? Did he go out of boredom? If he went, there must be a reason, right? If he went knowing exactly where, was it luck or calculation? And if he decided to fight the demon after finding it, there must be a reason too, right? Or do you see him as some restless kid lacking skill, fighting for fame or honor? Is he just flexing his superiority?”

“…”

“Stop getting stuck in your own head. Look at the world. Selfishness? Isn’t that selfishness right there? Thinking only of oneself. Superficially, that’s it.”

But it’s not, is it?

“When saving others, you don’t observe them. You only consider yourself. So your actions seem hypocritical. Though actions precede results, that’s all there is. At least you have a bit of compassion and responsibility, otherwise, how well did you take care of orphans before?”

On the other hand, reflect for a moment. How was that guy different from you?

“He focused on you and others from the start, not himself. That’s why he helped you succinctly back then. Did he even have time to think about his position or circumstances when he was weak and in poor health?”

“…Why do you act like you know him so well?”

She clearly spent more time with him than Venus.

Why does he know so much about him?

“…Pfft.”

Venus turned away irritably.

Why?

Because he once saw someone like that before.

He chased after that existence but failed, lamenting for years about wasted time.

But perhaps those years weren’t entirely wasted.

He eventually learned about the constant ramblings of the First Sword.

Now he understands.

[If you don’t know, just do it. You’ll figure it out as you go.]

You don’t have to be good or truthful.

Just do the job right.

Avoid regrets later.

Forget your situation and think about continuing his name and legacy.

Would he treat others like garbage if he were you?

Never forget the gratitude you felt when he saved you.

Now it’s your turn to give.

“That’s annoying talk.”

There’s no memory of gratitude.

I simply wanted to follow.

That’s why.

To restore the world to some semblance of normalcy.

That resolve hasn’t changed.

Ultimately, accepting impossibility led to despair and frustration due to personal weakness.

That’s why he clung to Elbat.

That’s why he focused on greater power.

Admitting right and wrong?

Does that make me stronger? It only makes me weaker, doesn’t it?

“Well, sure. I get it. A weak human has to block out their senses to breathe a little easier, right?”

Weak because they can only endure.

For those without the luxury to ponder right and wrong, it’s their best option.

I get it. I’ve been through it too.

“So. What now? Are you going that way or staying here worrying about stabilizing the city? Helping people?”

“Why do you keep asking me?”

“What?”

What is this insane woman thinking now?

“Who else am I supposed to ask? I’m heading wherever he is anyway. Why would I miss such a great show? But you were the one suggesting we go, then started babbling nonsense about helping people after hearing me out. Aren’t you hesitating because of that? Or were you listening to my explanation?”

“…”

“Lost your marbles. Hey, demon mage. Look at her. This is the one claiming to wield the powers of the Demon King? Pathetic, isn’t it?”

“That’s not for me to judge.”

One chosen isn’t always perfect.

It’s troublesome to think they’re always strong.

More often, they endure more storms and trials than others, making them pitiable and fragile.

…Simply.

They just don’t fall when others do.

Cain had seen many like this.

Venus grabbed Minette’s shoulder and shook her impatiently.

“So, what are you going to do?! Go or stay? Sleep here? Or will you do what I say?”

“…”

As Minette’s gaze shifted slightly,

Venus finally snapped after holding back.

“Hey, you insane woman! Always like this ever since I met you! Do you plan to spend your whole life pondering what proper choices are? When are you planning to take action or make decisions? Tomorrow? The day after? A year from now? After you die and rot in your grave? If you’re just going to worry and do nothing, stop overthinking and sleep with some random guy already! If not, do something you can do right now! Still not satisfied? Then clear your mind and do whatever the hell you want, you damn woman! Why annoy everyone around you?”

And you pathetic woman! That guy you chase around—

“Right now, he’s struggling to do everything he can. What have you learned by chasing his tail? Or are you only interested in his face or other parts? Is that why you follow him? Looking at you now, you’re nothing but a lewd, promiscuous harlot!”

Minette flinched with disgust at the final remark.

“H, H-how dare you spout such nonsense!”

“Then stop pretending to be a tragic princess from fairy tales and stop causing trouble before I slap you.”

Look.

Black flashes pierce the sky above the inner walls.

Each one could potentially bring insight and enlightenment to me. Why ruin this for me?

I wanted to strangle her a hundred times over, but…

Guiding someone who isn’t ready yet is part of my role, however absurd.

And if she goes in this unstable mental state and gets entangled in something bad?

She’ll be more useless than useless.

“So, what will you do?”

“Why do you keep forcing me?”

“I despise cripples who can’t move on their own more than anything. You know that, right? My personality’s like that. Difficult and bothersome, you know? But what can I do? This is me. If you don’t like it, kill me now. The reason I haven’t killed you yet is because I’m assessing you, thinking you might be stronger than me. But that’s reaching its limit. So, will you decide already? Or do you want us both to die?”

I don’t blame hesitation due to necessity. I understand that as a human. But having the ability yet hesitating, stalling, and spacing out—what’s the point? Deception? Mockery?

It makes my insides churn.

Why provoke me like this? Make me angry?

“Tch.”

Cain diverted his gaze from their conflict, looking instead at the inner side blocked by the castle walls.

Black lightning splits the night sky in fine streaks across the fortress walls.

‘If a demon that directly shakes one’s mind appeared, this woman would’ve been toyed with easily.’

Perhaps.

That man might have considered this situation and tried to correct this woman’s mental state even now.

Cain entertained this thought but—

“…”

Upon reconsideration, maybe it’s just his atrocious, cantankerous, downright evil personality pushing her to extremes.

It was that intense.

[!– Slider main container –]

---