The smell of blood tickled his nose.
Yuma walked towards the heavily distorted defensive fortress.
Lilith’s subordinates had already subdued the direct descendants of Berzette as per their lord’s orders.
Swoosh—
Karah, a demon destined to become the head of the engraved family [Levian], drew her sword. It was the sword given to her by one of Lilith’s subordinates.
“…I have no intention of making you feel the pain we felt.”
With a stern face, Karah looked at the man kneeling before her, Zargos, who trembled visibly.
“Y-you dare to think… you can kill me?”
Zargos believed himself to be a chosen one. And he wasn’t entirely wrong. As a descendant of the Great Demon King, in this demon world, he was indeed a chosen one. The issue was that that shine had now completely faded.
Zargos’ forced kneeling vividly illustrated that reality. A dagger was wedged into his lap, shining ominously as it immobilized him.
Once Karah made up her mind, she couldn’t hesitate.
She plunged the sword straight into Zargos’ heart. Blood gushed from his mouth.
Thus, Karah cut off the breath of Berzette’s first son, Zargos, and the remaining members of the Levian family also snuffed out the lives of Berzette’s direct bloodline.
Just a few days ago, the youngest engraved member, Yuren, stabbed a sword into the heart of Jaymel, who she had engraved herself.
The engraved family [Levian] was undeniably demons. Although the years of oppression had been long, demons were born with an instinctive martial prowess.
Nine cries echoed on the floor of the Blood Fortress.
The breath of the direct bloodline of the Great Demon King Berzette was thus wholly cut off.
The next day.
The Great Demon King Lilith immediately conducted a ceremony to transfer the authority over the monsters of [Blood Fortress] to the Levian family.
Yuma personally witnessed Lilith carrying out that process.
Now, the schedule in the [Demon World] was coming to an end.
“…Here it is.”
Karah gestured respectfully towards Yuma.
Yuma gazed at Selene’s grave.
After staring at the grave for a while, Yuma slowly stood up and faced Lilith, who was before him.
“I will come to check on homework within ten years.”
Lilith’s red eyes widened.
“Homework… check?”
“Yeah.”
“A madman who says he will check homework will not be seen again… Understood. I will ensure the alliance is properly maintained.”
Yuma nodded.
“Yeah, I hope we won’t embarrass each other next time.”
Let’s do well.
At Yuma’s words, Lilith smiled and replied, “Indeed, I look forward to the day we meet again! Yuma!”
Thus ended the farewell from the Great Demon King Lilith. Yuma turned to look at the Levian bloodline standing behind her. The nine direct descendants of Levian knelt down simultaneously, gazing at Yuma.
“We will remember the grace and mercy of our benefactor.”
At the words of Karah, now the new head of Levian, the other nine deeply bowed their heads and echoed, “We will remember the grace and mercy of our benefactor.”
Yuma slowly scanned the nine engraved bloodline members of [Levian].
“Stay alive.”
At Yuma’s words, the nine fervently responded in unison.
“Got it.”
Yuma glanced at Bell next to him. Bell nodded and took out the return device he had given before they entered the demon world. It was a dark blue intermediate world return device.
Done.
Setting the location to the Astes Empire palace made it as simple as pressing a button in the center.
The two pressed the button simultaneously.
Flash!
And with a burst of blue light, the figures of the two humans who were standing in the Demon Realm vanished.
The Great Demon King Lilith sighed heavily as she looked at the empty space where Yuma and Bell had just stood.
“It was the strangest week in my life….”
There were two humans who had lingered in the Demon Realm for a week.
They had taken one breath from the Great Demon King and freed an enslaved family under the dominion of that Demon King.
Lilith sighed and turned around.
She gazed at the nine bloodline members of the branded family, [Leviath] who were bowing their heads towards her.
“…Alright, let’s make the branded family a prominent house once more.”
At Lilith’s words, the branded bloodlines sparkled with excitement.
“Yes!”
The nine bloodline members, including Karah, bowed their heads towards Selene’s grave. They had to elevate the Leviath family to greatness in the Demon Realm once again, even for the sake of Selene, who sacrificed herself for this family.
*
The designated location for their return was clear. Right in front of the Astes Imperial Palace, in the garden.
A flicker of blue light flashed in the flower-filled garden.
From that swirl of light emerged two figures: Yuma and Bell.
“U-Uh, U-Uh…!!”
Former Holy Maiden Ermel and Cat-Folk Swordswoman Hestia, who walked the garden path every morning, halted in their tracks.
Two weeks.
After nearly two weeks, Hestia rushed towards Yuma, seeing him.
Without thinking about Ermel’s health, which was being held back by her left wrist, she dashed forward.
“Yuma, Yuma!”
Thud thud thud thud!
Hestia’s cat ears perked up as she sprinted towards him.
“You’re finally back!”
Yuma nodded, wide-eyed at Hestia’s enthusiastic greeting.
“Yeah, I’m back.”
After responding, Yuma glanced at the blonde former Holy Maiden Ermel.
“How’s your training as a mage going?”
“Y-Yes! It’s going really well! Yuma-sama!”
Ermel answered loudly for no particular reason.
Yuma turned back to Hestia.
“Welcome back! Yuma’s sword!”
Bell chuckled, watching Hestia express her joy while referring to herself as Yuma’s sword.
“Yeah, I’m back.”
“Is Cloney doing well?”
Hestia, who was hugging Bell, quickly responded to Yuma’s question.
“Yes, Cloney is currently at the Scarlet Magic Tower under the capital, training her magic. She’s been there for a week now.”
“I see.”
Cloney seemed to be putting a lot of thought into becoming stronger.
If Cloney heard that Yuma had returned, she would surely leave the Scarlet Magic Tower and come back to the capital.
Yuma then thought of someone he had to see immediately: Princess Brigitte. He needed to see the emperor of this land first.
“Let’s head to the palace together.”
At Yuma’s words, Hestia’s scarlet ears perked up.
“Sure, Yuma!”
Ermel, closely following Hestia, opened her small mouth.
They began to whisper among themselves, quietly enough that Yuma wouldn’t hear.
“Um, when should I mention that the temple has started renovations….”
To Ermel’s comment, Hestia replied with a serious expression as if she were about to embark on a great endeavor.
“Well, we’ve only just changed the sign for the temple, so let’s wait until it looks a bit more convincing! Surprising Yuma!”
“Yes!”
Ermel vigorously nodded in agreement.
“I agree.”
Yuma and Bell headed to Princess Brigitte’s office. The secretary, who was steadfastly guarding Brigitte’s advisory position,
Princess Brigitte’s eyes widened upon seeing Yuma.
Brigitte put down the document she was reading with a stern expression and shot up from her chair.
“Welcome back safe, Yuma.”
The Emperor of the Astes Empire, Brigitte, said this as she strode toward Yuma.
“Yeah.”
To match Yuma’s height, Brigitte lifted her heels while still wearing her shoes.
Brigitte raised her delicate right arm and gently placed her hand on Yuma’s face, lightly squeezing his chin with her thumb and index finger.
She slowly moved Yuma’s face left and right.
“You’re not hurt anywhere.”
After confirming there were no injuries on Yuma’s face, Brigitte gradually lowered her hand.
Yuma twisted his mouth.
“Can you really tell just by looking at my face?”
Brigitte chuckled at Yuma’s words.
Their eyes locked onto each other.
“So, did you get everything you needed?”
At Brigitte’s question, Yuma nodded slowly.
“Yeah, I got everything. And… I need time to turn those gains into my own. Just for today. No one is allowed in my quarters until I step outside.”
“Got it.”
“Cloney is at the Scarlet Magic Tower?”
In response to Yuma’s question, Brigitte provided a detailed explanation.
“Yes, Cloney asked to get in touch with Scarlet Magic Tower Master Eldrie first. It’s probably because Eldrie is the highest-ranking magician Cloney knows.”
And that holds true not just for the empire, but for the entire human race.
“I’ll contact the Scarlet Magic Tower right away, and once they receive it, Cloney will return to the capital.”
“Alright.”
Yuma checked all the necessary details, including Cloney’s whereabouts, and entered his quarters in the palace.
Sitting cross-legged on the floor, Yuma took out several items from his Spatial Pocket.
Each item that was laid out one by one on the floor was something people wouldn’t encounter in a lifetime.
[Bulcan─Dehit’s Dragon Heart].
The Dragon Heart of the Red Dragon [Bulcan─Dehit], which had been left behind in the lair occupied by the Black Dragon [Elcam─Acreon] that Yuma personally killed.
Yuma needed to consume this Dragon Heart to break free from his current state as an ordinary human.
That was the reason Yuma had to go all the way to the demon realm.
The first conditional item for consuming the Dragon Heart.
[Seedling of the Golden Ratio].
An item granted by the system after killing the god Incre. In [Loop Blood], it was an item held by the benevolent gods. This series of events made Yuma think that the ‘system’ might be related to the gods on the side of goodness.
And the second conditional item.
[Blood of the Great Demon King].
Yuma extracted blood from the heart of the Great Demon King Berzette and collected it in a flask.
The red blood swirled in the flask.
[Would you like to combine the materials?]
Yuma slowly nodded.
[Place the Dragon Heart and the Seedling of the Golden Ratio together, then pour the blood of the Great Demon King over them.]
Yuma executed the instructions as described.
Shwoosh—
The blood of the Great Demon King was sprinkled over the Seedling of the Golden Ratio resting atop the Dragon Heart.
Golden radiance filled the room in an instant. And in the spot where all the materials fused, a golden orb appeared.
There was a golden orb.
‘…Cheongsimhwan?’
It looked just like an item called Cheongsimhwan from Yuma’s world.
Yuma swallowed the orb.
Gulp.
Soon, his consciousness faded away.
Thud.
As Yuma collapsed, he could only stare at the ceiling.
After a brief blackout, his vision slowly returned.
[You have consumed the Dragon Heart of Vulcan-Dehit.]
[Time remaining until full activation: 30 days.]
“Hah.”
Yuma let out a sigh of relief that nothing exploded or killed him.
“Well, something like a Dragon Heart wouldn’t digest right away.”
Muttering to himself, Yuma stretched.
Aside from feeling a bit warm, he was perfectly fine.
Now all that was left was to wait a little longer.
Until the consumed Dragon Heart settled fully in his body.
*
Puhwaaaaak!!
The mighty god Barbatos’s right arm pierced something.
“Kuh… cough!”
It was a god.
After Barbatos’s relentless pursuit, the scholar-tier second-level god, the God of Wisdom and Magic—Rokmenten—found himself caught in Barbatos’s grasp.
“Rejoice, Rokmenten.”
Rokmenten, resembling a giraffe, had a twisted expression.
“The authority you’ve perfected suits me well. I shall make good use of it.”
“…I was not meant to grovel under such vile evil gods… kekekeke!”
Rokmenten clicked his tongue.
“You shall bear a curse… unworthy one.”
Barbatos’s red eyes gleamed as his lips curled into a smile.
Barbatos’s right arm completely pierced Rokmenten’s upper body.
Muscles and veins bulging, Barbatos’s arm held Rokmenten’s bright red heart, pulsating.
“Just die already, you pathetic excuse for a god.”
Kwa—chik!
Rokmenten’s heart exploded.
His brilliantly shining golden eyes turned pitch black.
From the corpse of Rokmenten sprawled on the divine realm’s floor, three beams of light emerged. Barbatos picked up the most dazzling green orb among them.
And gulped it down.
In that moment, the power perfected by Rokmenten over thousands of years became one with Barbatos’s powers.
Barbatos swung his right arm.
Flesh and blood from Rokmenten splattered everywhere.
Slowly lifting his head, his black hair danced in the wind. Barbatos’s crimson eyes focused on the sky.
“I see that human seems quite bothersome to you, Malphas.”
Barbatos glanced at the crow-shaped evil god, Malphas, who had informed him about Yuma. A giant crow was flying in the sky.
“…Yeah, to be honest, that’s true. Barbatos.”
Barbatos smiled slyly.
“Malphas, you have a fighting spirit unlike this pitiful wretch. I’m curious to see why you’re so concerned about him, so I’ll go down to kill him soon.”
Flap—
Malphas unconsciously quickened the pace of his slowly flapping wings.
Flap— flutter!
The murderous intent radiating from Barbatos was terrifyingly intense.
The fighting god gazed at his own body.
“Are you worried that the insect might crush too easily? That’s my concern.”
Now, no being with pure brute strength existed that was stronger than himself in this divine realm.
Barbatos was sure of that.
“I hope he provides some amusement.”
Just a little leisure.
Barbatos wished for Yuma to at least be a plaything for him.
