Chapter 161

The giants who paused moved simultaneously.

Some headed toward the mysterious woman who had made a flashy entrance.

Others seemed confused and were glowing strangely, while some cowered in fear, crawling to the corners.

‘…It’s different.’

There was something distinctly different about these giants compared to the ones we encountered at the entrance.

If all the giants were as strong as those from before, that would’ve been problematic.

However, just like humans, there were strong ones and non-combatant workers among them… but that wasn’t the issue here.

-Don’t come any closer.

The woman spoke.

Her voice carried an eerie echo that disturbed the air.

-I warned you.

But the hostile giants paid no heed to her indifferent warning and charged forward with their colossal fists.

-Pity.

Still, she didn’t move.

Their massive hands lunged toward her.

“……”

Should I intervene?

My instincts screamed otherwise.

She wasn’t someone I needed to worry about.

-Surely…

Even the Demon King beside me, who had been pacing restlessly, stopped and stared intently at her appearance with half-open eyes.

The situation was tense.

And then, unexpectedly—

…All the giants attempting to harm her collapsed instantly.

!!!!!!!

The giants’ cries echoed through the building like the world was ending.

“How is this possible?”

I whispered quietly, but—

-……

The Demon King remained silent.

Already, crimson pillars resembling tree branches erupted from the ground around her, encircling her.

Yet, they weren’t obstacles or barriers; they merely illuminated the surroundings with a soft glow.

The giants’ attacks faltered midway.

There was no need for defense or preparation.

She observed the phenomenon calmly, as if it were natural.

Then suddenly, her gaze shifted directly toward me.

From far away, where I had been clinging to the ceiling, trying to remain unnoticed.

“……”

Did she sense me?

No.

-You were here all along.

A strange premonition gripped me, and I instinctively leapt back.

Space itself split apart, leaving a trail of red light.

“It’s clear now.”

She wasn’t here by coincidence.

Running away? Or launching a preemptive strike?

I considered speaking, but it felt pointless.

Decisions came quickly.

I tried to retreat further from her, but—

In just a few steps, she appeared right in front of me.

“……”

Something about her technique felt oddly familiar.

The crimson trees and branches surrounding her grew more aggressive, twisting into vines that lit up the area with their red glow.

She finally spoke.

-I promised to take you.

“To take me?”

-…Are you hearing this?

For some reason, she sounded bewildered.

That aside—

…Her face was strangely familiar.

But despite this familiarity, I’d never met such a dangerous woman.

Look at her eyes.

They’re like embedded red stars, yet they seem ready to explode at any moment.

Apart from that, she looked entirely human.

But because of those eyes alone, she couldn’t be considered normal.

-Come with me willingly.

“Willingly? Who says so?”

Any proposal should involve terms the other party can accept.

Or show some goodwill.

Using force alone will naturally provoke resistance, right? Even common sense dictates that.

“……”

With power like hers… maybe she could enforce it.

[Yikes. She seems dangerous. Ridiculously so.]

“……”

[Even my demonic senses can barely grasp the density of her mana. It’s overwhelming.]

“Mana?”

[……This entity definitely hails from the Demon Realm. And judging by how openly she’s here… she’s not ordinary—]

Before I could fully evade, the bird perched on my shoulder was cleanly bisected.

-Time is short.

“Who has time to stand around chatting….”

-Carriel.

At that moment, the Demon King unusually called out my name seriously.

“……”

-This is the current Demon King.

Caught off guard by this unexpected declaration, I momentarily lost my words.

-Things have escalated too fast. This might indicate the Sacred Tree of the Demon Realm has done something.

“So, what do you suggest I do?”

Though shocking, it wasn’t enough to deter me.

But the Demon King seemed to be thinking along different lines.

-Remember our earlier discussion about the world and will?

“…Yes.”

-The ability to impose one’s own rigid world onto others. That’s the principle and authority of being a Demon King.

And for the Demon King, this principle—

-Sometimes becomes the most potent weapon.

Which proves existence and continues belief, becoming the very essence of life.

-You can consider her as carrying the legacy of the Great Demon King.

“……”

Appearing like this?

Maybe it’s some cursed connection with that accursed Great Demon King.

-And this… I left it behind in the Demon Realm. If she mastered it and used it to become a Demon King…

-Who are you talking to?

The woman turned her gaze directly toward the Demon King’s floating position.

Even though he was invisible, she seemed to sense his movements and followed them with her gaze.

-Oh dear.

The Demon King smirked.

“Haa.”

So, avoiding a fight isn’t an option?

As I wrapped my sword in darkness, she watched intently, her star-like red eyes flickering.

-Pity.

What pity?

Just as I was about to ask, I reflexively leapt back.

Again, space tore open without warning.

“……”

Hey, you’re not the only one who can do that, you know?

I swung my sword with determination.

Simultaneously, she vanished from her spot, reacting similarly.

The blade cut through empty air, splitting nothing but void.

-Carriel. Let me warn you, you can’t handle her with brute force. Don’t try to confront her head-on.

“……?”

What kind of legacy is this that even the Demon King feels compelled to warn me personally?

He usually lets me learn the hard way.

-Pity.

Reacting instinctively, I dodged as tendrils sprouted from the ground and blocked my attack.

Clang!

Metal clashed against metal, producing a fierce grinding sound.

At the same time, a crimson gust swept around us like dust and wind.

“?!”

Instinct screamed danger.

But it was already too late.

Despite retreating as far as I could by bending space, I realized I had already been affected by something unseen.

“Exactly what is going on…?”

Unfortunately, there was a sign.

Pain.

It was pain.

“!!!”

An excruciating sensation tore through my entire body, shredding, ripping, crushing, piercing—it filled my consciousness completely.

Each breath felt like rolling in hell.

“Keh!”

Can mere pain really make your soul leave your body, let alone churn your insides until you vomit blood?

Perhaps it’s possible.

Because that’s exactly what was happening to me.

‘What the hell…’

-As a creature of growth, you cannot normally withstand such an opponent.

The Demon King rarely declared despair.

-This isn’t meant to be wielded as a weapon but rather shaped into a world. No matter how I think about it, it doesn’t feel right.

“……”

Stop monologuing about things only you understand.

Frustration rose due to the lingering pain.

-You’re a resilient one.

Was that praise or mockery?

Either way, I wasn’t in any position to respond politely.

Dodging her next charge cost me exposure to its aftereffects again, this time causing nausea instead of pain.

Disgust and disdain overwhelmed me to the point where I wanted to vomit everything inside me.

Extreme revulsion and nausea washed over me.

“Kuek!”

Saliva and bile surged into my mouth, forcing me to spit it out.

…This is horrifying.

It’s pain, but on an entirely different level.

Not physical agony or stimulation.

It’s like… damn it. My mind can’t process it.

-He who rules over all negativity and suffering.

The Demon King continued rambling.

-This is the power the Great Demon King used to torture and reform those who couldn’t comprehend simple commands.

Whoever they may be.

-No living thing bearing growth can endure this. It’s an absolute limitation imposed on all life forms.

…Unless death is preferable.

Or unless one is determined to endure.

But this consumes time as an ally.

Pain accumulates, and the mind fractures.

Endurance becomes the greatest adversary.

Without any reward or recompense.

Only endless despair awaits.

“…Damnably underhanded ability.”

It’s absurd.

-This isn’t something easily abused.

Why?

-Because the caster suffers even more than the target.

“…?”

What does that mean?

-But using this as a principle? That’s insane.

“What principle?”

At this, the current Demon King—who had been watching me—spoke.

-How do you know this? Did someone tell you?

“……”

Once again, despite being invisible, her gaze pursued the presence of the former Demon King.

-It doesn’t matter. You’ll understand everything once you come with me.

‘Who says so?’

After striving for freedom through strength, am I doomed to face another setback?

‘If that’s the case… rather!’

A sword shrouded in darkness erupted with brilliant white light.

‘Even if it kills me!’

If there exists a divine blade from the heavens, it would look like this.

Exalted beyond purity, radiating intense brilliance.

If she’s truly a Demon King, defeating or repelling her must involve—

This must be the answer.

Yet, why?

Upon witnessing this, the current Demon King’s eyes trembled violently, as if struck by an earthquake.

-Why are you using that… Could you possibly…?

Her human form began to distort.

Her face twisted, crumpled, deformed—transforming into something grotesque and monstrous.

So hideously terrifying it could stop hearts cold.

-Are you also part of the Radiance?!?

It was.

A cry of mourning, a scream, a wail.

In an instant, vines and branches erupted around her, filling the world.

“?!”

I scattered the light of my sword, attempting to obliterate everything at once.

But they regrew faster than I could destroy them.

‘What grudge could she possibly hold!’

At this point, hatred and contempt for the malevolent Demon World Tree overshadowed my curiosity about the mysterious Demon King.

“I—!”

Reflexively spinning, I swung my sword.

But.

Her bare hand intercepted it.

Though protected by black gauntlets, this wasn’t a simple clash of steel against steel.

A divine light unlike anything holy pierced her grip, cutting through her arm.

Yet.

Without flinching, she extended her other hand, charging straight toward me.

Suddenly teleporting to the side, I reflexively warped space to evade—but she still grabbed me by the collar.

“Grrr!”

The fabric of my clothes tore as if caught in a monster’s jaws.

Twisting my body, I attempted a close-range slash with my elbow bent, nearly slicing my own chest.

But.

My ankle was kicked out from under me, collapsing my center of balance.

Simultaneously, the world flipped upside down.

She forcibly flipped me over, holding onto my hand.

My body drew a semicircle in the air.

Crash!

I collided with the ground.

“?!”

Attempting to regain my footing using the rebound, I found her grip still hadn’t loosened.

Like a whip or cudgel, she began mercilessly battering me.

“—!!”

Damn, she’s relentless!

Cutting off her arm allowed me to escape narrowly, though my body was already battered and bruised.

Ironically, the dusty remains of my torn clothing were in better condition than I was.

“Huff! Haa!”

Simple melee combat wouldn’t be an issue.

I managed to reduce the damage despite being pummeled, distributing the impact.

The real problem lay elsewhere.

‘It’s coming back.’

Unimaginable pain assaulted me in dozens of unique forms.

Stabbing, slicing, piercing—needles faint and sharp, daggers, swords, wooden spears, iron-tipped lances, arrows flying to pierce me repeatedly.

Experiencing this dozens of times, each sensation drilling through my body—my mind verged on collapse.

Most people would’ve fainted long ago.

But strangely, familiarity with pain helped somewhat, which was both ironic and absurd.

-Stiff-hearted.

The woman watching me reacted ambiguously, whether admiration or curse.

Seizing the opportunity, the Demon King spoke.

-Withdraw. Even if it strains you.

“…….”

Couldn’t agree more!

Inhaling deeply, I dove into the shadows.

Afraid she’d grab me again if I hesitated.

Indeed.

Regenerating her severed arm, she followed closely, albeit slightly delayed.

‘She’s relentless.’

The brief relief passed.

But I remained vigilant.

Sensing an unseen force approaching, I reflexively countered, leaving a crimson streak grazing my shoulder.

It wasn’t just one.

Even though I deflected many, one slipped past my defenses.

And the price was severe.

“Guh!”

Returning to camp somehow, I collapsed from the excruciating, cursed pain radiating from my shoulder, despite no visible wound.

-My Golden Rule, my perfect ratio shattered, and her rule took over the Demon Realm.

The Demon Realm must now be an infinite hell.

Rivers of pain, lands of agony, skies of torment—a world consumed endlessly.

-Was this all planned?

The Demon World Tree might harbor malice far greater than either the Demon King or I anticipated.

-Time is critical.

Defeating Ruelde is one thing,

but freeing him—and me—from the shackles tied to the World Tree is paramount.

Something related to the World Tree.

To live a normal life, this trial can no longer be avoided.

And.

After stepping out of the sanctuary,

he who had evaded certain protection advanced further,

and further still,

finally shaking off the Demon World Tree’s curse that clung to his neck.

But now, with its malice rendered ineffective, a new nightmare looms.

Avoiding it was always destined.

-……

Kid, your life is tough.

Yet moving forward is inevitable.

Your life must now grow as steadfast as a heart.

For yourself.

…And for those you care about.

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