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Chapter 79
The Novel's Villain
21. Subordinates (3)
Jin-woo offered a lot of support to Gallord and helped him directly. He rearranged the field and planted several seeds he had enhanced himself. The residents and soldiers were mobilized, but there was too much work to do.
Labor was essential to farming, repairing roads and walls, buildings. If he made a mistake, he would be abusing Gallord's people. There was also a problem with security because the demon soldiers were also being used to suppress the many evil creatures were living around Gallord's estate.
There were quite a few residents wounded and missing. Demon King, Gallord, couldn't go out every time and couldn't turn his soldiers around. This was largely thanks to the territories of the Demon King Sarah Vriac and the high-ranking demons adjacent to him.
'If it's about the labor force…'
When Jin-woo was agonizing over how to solve it, Gallord stamped his feet, not knowing what to do. His face looked ten years older. Despite being the Demon King, he quickly ran whenever Jin-woo said something and put it into action. Seeing Gallord like that, Jin-woo couldn't help but agonize more deeply.
Then, he thought of a way.
"Ah!"
"D-do you have any orders?"
"May I bring workers?"
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"O-of course. Hahaha. Y-you don't have to ask me every single time."
Jin-woo nodded. He thought he could solve the problem. He had something to prepare, so he asked him to wait, and then he moved to Arina's estate. Gallord flopped down on the floor when Jin-woo disappeared. He looked as if he had burned his whole life away, but it was just the beginning.
Jin-woo, who returned to Arina's estate, gathered the Black Skeletons. They would be perfect for solving the problem of Gallord's estate. They were rather strong and had the best skills. Moreover, they could be revived even if they were broken if the mana core wasn't destroyed. The work on Arina's estate was almost finished, so there was no problem moving them.
'First of all….'
Looking at Black Skeletons' equipment, it was quite poor. They were holding wooden plows or old axes. Considering the situation of Gallord's estate, that wouldn't be enough.
'There are also evil creatures…'
They needed appropriate equipment. Jin-woo brought his existing equipment and bought tools in bulk. He already had several enhanced tools from Earth he had prepared before. They were reborn as a fairly plausible tool by grinding them with proper Attribute Stones. It was worthwhile after getting the job done.
Jin-woo picked up a tool. As he swung it lightly, a compressed wind blew out, digging deep into the ground.
'It's good.'
At this rate, they seemed able to work quickly. Jin-woo looked at the Black Skeleton, a bit thin because it had only bones left. He thought it would look better if he covered it a little.
'I'll have to unpack the warehouse at this point.'
He brought all the armor that China and Japan had donated for free and all the things he had accumulated unknowingly. Jin-woo decided to use this opportunity to organize the warehouse. The Black Skeletons began to pick up the enhanced tools and armor.
"I think they look better than the Death Knight when they dress up like this."
"Yeah."
"It was worth the hard work. I think they will do a better job!"
It took longer than expected, but Jin-woo and Arina looked proud. All the hard work felt like it was washed away when he saw the results. As Arina said, the Black Skeleton looked different when it wore armor and brandished tools. The emanated demon energy seeped secretly into the armor and tools, and the blackish-red energy faded gently. Putting something on the bare skeleton made him feel like he was looking at a well-drawn sports car.
Jin-woo nodded. It seemed a little too much, but it had to be at this level to ensure the work was done well. He opened a portal to Gallord's estate and moved on. There was a forest around Gallord's estate. Without a portal stone, people had to travel through this forest to get to Gallord's estate. It was a forest famous for hiding many evil creatures.
'We need to clear this place first.'
Recalling the conversation of a nobleman in front of the castle gate, it was said that there were many problems on the road.
"Let's just shove it in neatly."
When Jin-woo commanded, the red eyes of the Black Skeletons glowed fiercely. They immediately grabbed their tools and started moving the forest near the road like a bulldozer. The tools imbued with Attribute Stones were powerful. Things like sword energy spewed out, tearing trees and breaking stones into powder. Before long, a flat land greeted him.
It was like they were reborn to work.
Keeeeeeeck!
There was a monster in the middle that looked like a troll, but…
Whoops! Puff!
It disappeared immediately like the trees and stones. As the road widened, demons from afar approached, riding a carriage. They were dressed similar to the aristocrats who had recently visited Gallord's estate. It was the demons who were sent to find out more about what happened in Gallord's estate.
Bang!
A huge tree fell in front of them. The demons jumped off the carriage in response, preparing themselves. It was when the soldiers escorting the carriage approached the tree…
Boom!
A monster the size of a carriage fell from a tree, its head half broken. It was a monster known normally for its impenetrable skin.
"W-what the!"
The nights in the Demon Realm were exceptionally dark, but they could see. Trees and monsters were soaring everywhere. The dark forest was filled with a very evil-looking red energy and roars of pain. The soldiers tensed up and raised their weapons. At that moment, the roar began to grow closer.
Crack-crack-crack!
A large rock next to the carriage exploded. The nobles looked at the rocks with their eyes wide open and then slowly turned their heads to gaze into the forest.
"Gasp!"
"T-t-that…!"
It was no ordinary Death Knight. It was enveloped in a dark air current and wearing a style of armor that had never been seen before. Every time it wielded the magical weapon, the surrounding terrain changed. One of the nobles had a wealth of common sense. The moment he saw the black bones, he realized that it was a monster that only appeared in the deep underground of the Demon Realm.
"Black D-Death Knight!"
They were dealing with a great level of sword energy. As the Black Death Knight picked up a weapon that looked like a sickle and hit the ground…
Bang!
Everything in front of the carriage was removed in an instant. The nobleman looked around. The forest was full of red eyes. It seemed that there were dozens or even hundreds of such crazy things.
Clack-clack-clack!
A bizarre sound was heard as bone collided with bone. It was as if they were saying that they would eat him. The nobles and soldiers abandoned their carriage and fled along the way they came. The Black Skeletons looked blankly at them as they blinked their red eyes, then they started working again.
Jin-woo thought he heard a voice in the distance, so he raised his head and grabbed his tool again. He was also working on it himself.
"It's worthwhile."
He felt refreshed when the messy surroundings became clean. Jin-woo thought it was okay to work like this sometimes. The Black Skeletons did exactly what he ordered. It was much better as they finished paving the road in an instant and installed many amenities.
Jin-woo returned to Gallord's estate with the Black Skeletons. Gallord and his soldiers came out to greet them, but there was an obvious sign of nervousness. They were wary of the Black Skeletons. Jin-woo approached them with a bright smile to calm them down.
"M-my Lord Emperor?"
"I brought workers. They will be very helpful."
"D-do you mean they're the workers?"
"Yes. There is a story about it…anyway. It's complicated. Do you want me to explain it to you?"
"N-no!"
Although there was a sad story, the Black Skeletons also wanted to work, so it was good for each other. It was said that they would fall into frustration if they had nothing to do. They didn't seem to have any intention of going back. That was how much energy they had given to work.
'I'm sure they will go back to rest if I give enough work to satisfy them.'
It seemed to him that they would pass over if they were satisfied. Gallord's complexion looked even worse.
'Come to think of it. I told him to wait.'
That was what he said before he left the estate. He must have been tired, but he seemed to have been waiting without a break until now. Jin-woo approached Gallord and put his hand on his shoulder. He looked at him with a smile.
"Leave it to me and get some rest. I think you're too worried."
"I-I understood. I will take a rest. I-I'll take a good rest. Uh, uh…"
Gallord handed broad authority over the estate, replying to Jin-woo with trust. Jin-woo wanted to repay that trust. From that day on, estate development began. It took some time to melt into the estate due to the appearance of the Black Skeleton, but from the beginning, they were the same as the estate residents.
"Wow! Mr. Skull! Let's go together!"
"Cool!"
"Wow!"
The Black Skeletons were nice. They played well with Amy and the other children and even helped the residents' work. After doing various tasks, such as patrolling around the border with the demon soldiers, everyone began to open their hearts and accept them.
"It's all thanks to the Emperor that we can eat three meals a day!"
"I must pray to the Emperor."
"Yeah. Let's all pray together."
There had also been a huge increase in favor of Jin-woo. Gallord couldn't give warm houses, good clothes, and delicious food like Jin-woo. As the estate quickly began to prosper, they came to follow and respect Jin-woo more than Gallord.
After watching everything from inside the castle, Gallord's thoughts grew complicated. Not only the estate residents but also all the soldiers were handed over to the Emperor. Although they endured hardship together, the residents had no choice but to be fascinated by the abundance given right away. It was a feeling that Gallord, who was fascinated by the dimensional gold coins, was also very well aware of.
Both body and heart were stolen. All the estate residents became loyal subordinates of the Emperor. All debts disappeared, and the estate developed day by day. It was inevitable because a huge amount of dimensional gold coins funneled in. Sooner or later, it was likely to be more spectacular than Giganter.
'In an instant.'
The estate was occupied, and even the hearts of the residents were taken away. It was a nasty trick. He wanted to shout at the residents right away.
'No! You are being deceived! Those skeletons are the bones of demons! You guys almost became like that, too! I'm the one who saved you! You shouldn't be friends with those skeletons!'
But Amy always went to play with the Black Skeletons. She read the children's books or played with them. If he said anything…
Gallord was horrified.
"Honey?"
His wife walked in. Gallord looked at her in surprise. She was born with a weak magic core; her limbs were limp as the mana passage was blocked. But now she was fine.
"How..?"
"The Emperor helped. I'm so grateful to him."
To restore her naturally weak magic core, he had to use dozens of advanced potions, which only rich people like Hallas could purchase.
"I guess Amy told the Emperor that I was sick."
"I-I see."
"He is a good person, isn't he?"
His wife laughed as she knew nothing. His wife was unaware of the evil darkness hidden in the Emperor's courteous tone and beautiful smile, the black tentacle-like horror. Gallord wanted to take the plunge and confess to his wife. After all, he wanted to be comforted.
"About that…."
The moment he opened his mouth, he had no choice but to close it. A Black Skeleton was standing behind his wife.
"It is helping me with my work. It has been chaotic these days, right?"
"…Right."
"I am very glad that the Emperor has come here."
"Cough!"
His wife's recovery was a tearful joy, but his tears were a mixture of joy and bitterness. He couldn't get away from him now.
Forever.
Gallord had to stare blankly at the changing estate like an outpost of the conquest of the Demon Realm.
The Lair of Greed. It was located in the deepest part of the Demon Realm, and it was huge enough to reach the entirety of the Demon Realm. It was because the Emperor of Greed ate the bottom of the Demon Realm, just as it ate the roots of the World Tree. Something unknown was being created in that huge space.
Degurron shook his head. The other dwarves also had serious expressions on their faces. They needed a power source to operate that huge thing. It could be operated with dimensional gold coins, but it cost a lot for maintenance. It wasn't in line with Degurron's pursuit of perfection. The Emperor would want something perfect and beautiful.
He agonized for days and days, but there was no clear answer.
"Chief, it seems we have found a solution."
"Hmm?"
"Hallas says he knew something."
Degurron nodded, and Hallas was dragged in, a ghost of his former self.
"I-I know that."
"Tell me."
"There was a great war of angels and demons a long time ago. There were way too many pigeons…no, angels then. Therefore…"
Hallas kindly told him. There was a giant weapon made by the great ancestor of the Demon King. It was said to be a weapon that had been instrumental in the fight against the angels. After that, the subsequent Demon Kings disassembled it and shared it, but the power source was kept by the Demon King Sarah Vriac's family.
'This is also a sacred ordeal.'
Degurron nodded. As he listened closely, he found that the conditions were just right. Hallas was desperate to please Degurron as he was very hungry and his body ached.
"I-I know Sarah Vriac's estate very well."
"How do you know?"
"I-I tried to invade it. I-I also planted many spies there…"
Degurron built the operation based on Hallas' information. Luckily, the Lair of Greed was linked to Sarah Vriac's estate. Degurron and the dwarves made equipment for their plan.
"H-here it is. H-how about doing this?"
"Well, your knowledge is also useful."
Hallas also poured out all his knowledge. The black scales found in the lair could absorb the surrounding demon energy, allowing them to move freely even inside the Demon Realm. The scales were barely bent so that they could be carried on their backs. They could also hide under the scales when they curled up. It was perfect for a dwarf with a small body and short limbs. The defense was great, and even if there were a magic bombardment, they would just be fine.
Hallas worked hard and completed them with a technique that dramatically upgraded physical abilities then granted them stealth. He also added a subspace to it. Degurron gave him a meal for his hard work, and Hallas ate it while crying.
Among Degurron and the dwarves, the most agile were wearing masks and carrying scales. They could hide inside by crouching down. Then, the stealth ability was activated immediately. It was the best technique that Hallas made by consuming all his remaining powers. Now that he had no magic core, that power had done nothing to help. Hallas's new priority was to avoid pain.
Degurron and the dwarves followed the cave and arrived near Sarah Vriac's estate. They quietly infiltrated Sarah Vriac's estate. With a map given by Hallas, it was as easy as strolling through the park. The secret passageway made in advance by Hallas's spies was indispensable.
Whoosh!
They quickly crossed the wall. A demon soldier was on guard there, but there was no problem. As they approached secretly and struck him with the scales, he was instantly stunned. Moving on, they soon reached their destination: a massive door. It was made with a complicated and elaborate magic design.
Degurron brought the tool made by Hallas, and the magic circle quickly unraveled. The alarm didn't go off either.
It was so neat.
'Hallas…he's great. I'm sure he has lost his power, but he's still a Demon King, huh?"
Degurron finally understood why the Emperor kept Hallas alive. Everything was going according to his revelation.
They secretly opened the door and went inside. Behind the door were numerous treasures, among which was a crystal ball with enormous energy circulating inside it. Degurron readied to return after placing the crystal ball into the subspace on the scale.
"Chief, why don't we take them all? The Emperor will soon become the owner of the Demon Realm, and these also belong to him."
"Um, I guess so."
That makes sense!
Degurron thought so. They packed all the treasures and snuck out along the back road made by Hallas's spies. Hallas, was truly a terrifying Demon King.
'I'll have to beat him more so that he won't have any bad thoughts.'
Degurron thought so. Returning to the lair, Degurron pulled out the power source while everyone was watching. With both hands, he raised the power source, which was fluttering with bright light.
"Shall the power of darkness descend upon this place…"
"Oooh!"
"The destruction of darkness will finally be complete!"
It was a very dangerous vibe. Hallas glanced at the scene, and then he went to the corner to curl up. It was too scary.
* * *
Sarah Vriac participated in the Demon King's meeting through video. Without Hallas and Gallord, there were only five Demon Kings, including her. The disappearance of two of the seven Demon Kings sent a huge shock through the Demon Kings. The news that Gallord's estate was eaten by the Dark Army was a startling revelation. Although she looked down on him publicly, she was the one who most recognized Gallord. The sight she saw after secretly sending demons to inspect was terrifying.
'I-I'm scared to death!'
In the meantime, she talked to Gallord about this and that for the countermeasures, but now the contact had been completely cut off. Being quite close to the Gallord's estate, she was extremely anxious.
But she was the Demon King of Fear. She always wore an arrogant expression on her face. It was thanks to the wrong concept on the day she first became the Demon King. It was very strange that the Demon Kings misunderstood her all on their own.
The Demon King of Fear, with power equal to that of Gallord! But actually, it wasn't like that. As time passed, she couldn't show her true self anymore. She had already become someone who was trapped in the bad image she inadvertently created.
[Why don't we use our power to awaken the Emperor of Maze?]
[Ha! If that happens, we will become ordinary demons!]
[Not after that. By killing an Emperor with an Emperor and acquiring his power…]
[What being is the Emperor of Maze? It's not even clearly stated in the records!]
The voices continued to bicker.
[Well then…let's use the Emperor of Maze as a last resort…how about activating the giant weapon Arcron?]
[Well, I'm not sure if it will work on an Emperor.]
[But can we still show him that we have this kind of power, right? Then if we ask him to proceed with the negotiations…]
It was a story that would never come out normally as the Demon Kings rarely cooperated. The meeting was prolonged. She was just looking at the Demon Kings with an arrogant expression.
[Then…that was decided. Even an Emperor can't underestimate it when it comes to Arcron. Vriac, I know that your family has the power source.]
"Fufu, don't worry."
[Since you have a high reputation as the Demon King of Fear, we can count on you.]
She raised her head arrogantly. It was the moment when the giant weapon would be revived after 700 years. After the boring meeting, she barely returned to her original expression. Yet as soon as she felt another presence approaching, she put on the arrogant look again.
"Your Majesty!"
"What's going on?"
"A-about that, there's…a thief…"
"Fufu, did the thief steal pottery?"
She was surprised inside, but she said it calmly as if it was nothing.
"I-I just checked and found out that the central treasure trove is…"
"What?!"
Startled, she ran to the central treasure trove. The complicated barrier technique was solved so neatly. When she went inside, there was nothing left.
"Ah…"
She stared blankly at the warehouse and hurriedly contacted the Demon King.
"Well…there seem to be a lot of thieves these days, that's why…"
[Thanks for your concern. I know your family has the best treasury. I'm envious.]
"Uh, um…."
It was hard to say. She tried to contact another Demon King.
[Sarah Vriac, the Demon King of Fear! We're all ready. The most perfect, you would have guessed, wouldn't you?
"Of course. I am the Demon King of Fear."
[As expected from you. I'll see you then.]
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She cut off the contact, her face calm despite the cold sweat dripping down her back.
"What should I do?"
She struggled to find a way out of the crisis.
'E-even if it's fake…'
Now she couldn't help it. She had no choice but to prepare a fake one.
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Ranobes » Updates » The Novel's Villain » Chapter 80
           
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Chapter 80
The Novel's Villain
< 21. Subordinates (4) >
Jin-woo stayed at Gallord's estate for a while, though he occasionally went to JW Gate and brought things that he could grow in the Demon Realm.
Rachel and Moo-jin had grown to an unrecognizable extent, now ranked among the best among the Mercenary Guilds. They were even expanding their scope of activities by smoothly exploring the JW gate. With the of meat and ingredients, many Gate dishes had been created. Thanks to Rachel and Moo-jin, new materials were constantly being discovered, so the potential for development was limitless. Some scholars had even described it as a revolution comparable to when humans discovered fire.
It also entered the instant market, and SNS was all about it. Some people even toured the country to buy 'Gate Noodles' or 'Gate Flavored Potato Chips.' Jin-woo stayed at the Gallord's estate except when he occasionally returned to Earth to do work. Yoo-na was a little disappointed, but she was kept just as busy.
'Is that too much?'
When he came to his senses, Gallord's estate had become large and splendid. As he cared about this and that, it grew bigger and bigger. As he kept growing dissatisfied with something, he broke it down and built a new one, so it became more splendid. He made it as if he were playing Sim City, so it changed remarkably. The magnificent walls and towers looked like works of art even to Jin-woo. The crops were growing well, and specialties had been produced in their own way, so it seemed that there would be no major problems in the future.
Wouldn't this be enough to satisfy Gallord?
'I think it will be fine if I help the other Demon Kings and conciliate them.'
Jin-woo thought so. He still hadn't heard from Hallas, but things were going well anyway. If he met the Demon Kings and talked honestly, it seemed unlikely that the Emperor of Maze would be resurrected. It was very reassuring to have Gallord on their side. After all, he was one of the most powerful among the Demon Kings.
'The estate close to here is…'
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It was Sarah Vriac's estate.
Sarah Vriac, the heroine of the Demon Realm season. She was known by a terrifying nickname, the Demon King of Fear. She was also the Demon King who was the first to be dealt with by Hallas. For a Demon King who was competing for rank with Gallord, she felt somehow empty. After Hallas took all her power, she became the main character's workhorse.
'If only I had my power, a guy like you would…!'
'It's a shame that my power has decreased.'
'Is this the sorrow of the powerless?'
She spouted these lines, but it was a little cheesy. Anyway, she was a heroine with the concept of losing power. When the Demon Realm season ended, she disappeared, but her power hadn't been restored at all by then.
'She's a Demon King I should be careful about.'
It was when Jin-woo nodded and thought so; he could see Gallord running.
"M-my Lord Emperor!"
It looked like something big had happened.
"What's going on?"
"That's…"
According to Gallord, it seemed that the Demon Kings invited him. They asked him to attend the event to congratulate the completion of the giant weapon Arcron and watch the demonstration. And they wanted to proceed with negotiations for mutual development.
'If it's Arcron…'
It appeared briefly in the original story. Hallas used it to distract the protagonist. The other Demon King's estate was devastated, but the main character, who was going to stop Hallas, stopped halfway to save the demons. As it was a dangerous weapon, the main character somehow blocked it, but Hallas awakened the Emperor of Maze in the end.
'Umm…'
Jin-woo wondered why it came out now and at this time. Maybe it was because of what he had done when he first arrived. After all, another Emperor came again after the Emperor of Greed, so it wouldn't be strange to unite once more. It might be a good thing.
'Negotiation, that's what I wanted.'
Jin-woo wanted to solve the problem of the Demon Realm before the international competition. If only the Emperor of Maze were taken care of, they wouldn't appear in Japan, and the road to the Middle-World wouldn't be opened. Then, the international competition would be held safely, and the world would be filled with peace.
"W-what would you like to do?"
"It's a negotiation…good."
"T-they won't have any ill will either. I-it's just…"
Jin-woo smiled at Gallord's words. It seemed that if he relieved their anxiety at this time, they could find a way to peace.
"I want to know the tastes of the Demon Kings."
"Yes? W-why…?"
"I got an invitation, but I can't go empty-handed."
"A-Aah…"
Gallord quivered and began to tell him the information about the Demon Kings. He stuttered a lot, but he could tell even the smallest details. He told Jin-woo everything from habits to weaknesses. Anyway, thanks to Gallord, he was able to choose gifts that suited the taste of each Demon King.
"I'll have to get ready. Lord Gallord."
"Yes?"
"It is my first meeting with the Demon Kings, so please take care of me."
"I-I understood."
Gallord wiped away the flowing sweat and answered so. He didn't want to go to the site of tragedy and despair, but he couldn't refuse the Emperor's words.
'Those crazy bastards! I'll just be quiet!'
Gallord had made every effort to please the Emperor. He put all his heart and sincerity into making him lose interest in the Demon Realm. But the damn Demon Kings ruined everything.
'What the heck. I don't know.'
Come to think of it; he was lucky to be on the Emperor's side. At least he didn't have to worry about being eaten.
'Yes! Just ruin everyone! As long as it's not me. I am the Emperor's servant!'
Admitting it like that made him feel at ease.
It was the day of the invitation. Jin-woo, returning to Earth, dressed up for the first time in a while. They were the Kings who ruled the Demon Realm, so he couldn't go to them dressed in shabby clothes. Gallord never blamed him since he was a good companion, but that wouldn't be the case with the other Demon Kings.
Before he went back to the Demon Realm, he was able to talk to Yoo-na.
"Are you saying that you are going to meet the Demon Kings?"
"Yeah, I should have a good talk with them."
"I see. We don't know what they're up to, so I want you to be careful."
Yoo-na was worried. It was understandable when he said he was going to meet the Kings of the Demon Realm.
Jin-woo headed straight to the Demon Realm, remembering to bring the presents. As the demons were materially weak, even the Kings would be satisfied with them. When he returned to Gallord's estate, the preparations were complete. Gallord himself wore a costume that symbolized his status as a Demon King, though he didn't wear his crown.
Since he was invited, he decided not to bring an escort.
"You are wonderful, my Lord Emperor."
"I'm flattered."
Gallord's complexion always looked poor, but now he looked fine.
The place where they were invited was Daront, the estate of Demon King Digent. Digent was the oldest among the Demon Kings, acting as the spiritual pillar of the Kings. It was Hallas who pierced his heart from behind in the novel.
Gallord used a portal stone to teleport to Digent's estate. However, the portal wouldn't open.
"The mana supply seems to have been cut off."
"It must have been touched when we were repairing the road."
Jin-woo looked at the portal stone with the Magic Eye of Information. There was only a problem with the supply of mana, but everything else was fine. When Jin-woo infused it with mana, the black portal opened. Gallord nodded in admiration.
As they passed through the portal, they could see Daront. Digent's estate, Daront, wasn't as wealthy as Giganter and nor as large as Vriac's estate. However, it was called the capital of the Demon Realm as it was the place where the previous Demon Kings were established, where the tradition and culture of the Demon Realm remained intact.
There was a place set in front of Daront. Food was placed on a huge table, and numerous demon soldiers were lined up behind it.
'So these are the Demon Kings.'
Five Demon Kings appeared. It was unexpected since he thought there would be six of them. Jin-woo could feel the powerful force emanating from each of them. Thanks to the information that Gallord gave him, he recognized them all without using the Magic Eye of Information. Only Hallas wasn't there.
'Umm…'
Again, the Demon Kings were on a different level. It seemed that he wouldn't be able to deal with them easily without dark mana. He could also see something covered with a cloth. It was quite large, so maybe that was the weapon discussed before.
'Why am I a little nervous?'
Jin-woo moved his hand to relax, but the Demon Kings and their soldiers all flinched back. The first impression was important.
Jin-woo smiled. As a person who practiced looking in the mirror in his way, it was a nice smile.
* * *
The Lair of Greed.
Everyone gathered around Chief Degurron. Finally, the time had come.
"Lady Arina has contacted me. It was said that the Demon Kings are gathering today."
The dwarves nodded with determination at their chief.
"She asked if the gift was complete. Lady Arina said she wanted to prepare a surprise for the Emperor!"
"Surprise gift…it's a perfect match."
"That's right."
Surprise gift…it was such a gift that everyone would be surprised to death.
Degurron looked at the surprise present standing in the huge space with a tremendous presence. He had no idea that something like this would be born; he had to say that he was lucky. Hallas's ability was also very helpful. No, come to think of it, everything had been accomplished as the Emperor wished!
The connection with the infinite dark mana that the Emperor possessed was completed. The Black Skeletons were very helpful in that regard.
'When the Emperor signals…'
It would be revealed to the world.
* * *
Digent and the Demon Kings were nervous. In a way, they were provoking the Emperor. The Demon Kings thought that if they had the power of the giant weapon and the five Demon Kings, they would still negotiate to a certain extent. They wouldn't be as helpless as Hallas and Gallord.
To be honest, it was gambling. They had never experienced the power of the giant weapon firsthand. Digent grasped the Emperor's plans to some extent through Callarice's observations and their intelligence warfare. If things went wrong, there was a willingness to offer not only territories but also periodic sacrifices.
Only one Demon King put a relaxed smile on while keeping her back straight; it was Sarah Vriac, the Demon King of Fear.
'She's indeed the Demon King who will lead the Demon Realm.'
Now that Gallord betrayed them, she was the strongest Demon King. Digent looked at the giant weapon. Although there were some unstable parts due to their rapid preparations, the parts such as the system and control could be covered if the power source was sufficient. The power source was strangely colorful and stable. He couldn't help but admire the technical skills of their ancient ancestors.
Everyone arrived early and waited nervously for the Emperor. A huge black portal was created. Ripping through the space, the Emperor stepped out. Even Digent, who had been living as a Demon King for many years, couldn't help but be nervous. As the Emperor moved his hand slightly, Digent instinctively took a defensive stance. The same was true of other Demon Kings.
Gallord was standing right next to the Emperor, serving the Emperor too naturally. It felt like watching a cunning servant.
The Emperor slowly approached. The Demon Kings were all wary due to his enormous presence. Digent opened his mouth first, asking for a handshake.
"W-welcome to Daront. My name is Digent, the one who rules Daront."
"Nice to meet you. I'm Lee Jin-…"
The demon energy fluctuated. A black air stream began to flow explosively around the Emperor. Digent's body trembled as the thick mana choked him. As the Emperor shook his head, the black air disappeared neatly. All the Demon Kings and the soldiers just swallowed in fear and lowered their tails.
Jin-woo couldn't reveal his name, so he spoke vaguely about it. He was cautious that it would be rude, but fortunately, they didn't seem to care. He then sat down in the reserved seat. The meal continued in the cool silence. The food of Demon Realm was pretty good. While their likes and dislikes were different, it still suited Jin-woo's taste.
He thought there would be fanatics if they opened a restaurant.
"It's delicious."
"I am glad that you like it."
"I sometimes cook myself, but this is good."
Jin-woo said so to lead into a friendly atmosphere. Whether it worked or not, the expressions of Digent and the other Demon Kings were loosened. Digent smiled broadly with an awkward expression on his face.
"Hahahaha! I can't believe that the Emperor also cooks…do you even have any flaws?"
"I think the taste will be richer if I add the meat I brought with me. I know Lord Digent is the most famous gourmet in the Demon Realm, so I would like to treat you."
Digent also guessed the Emperor's special meat. Callarice had observed it. The demon bones and the appearance of Gallord forcing himself to eat while enduring his nausea. After that, Callarice said he hadn't eaten anything for a while.
"So, I have a present for you, Lord Digent."
Jin-woo thought that it went well and took out the finest meat set from the subspace. It was a New Year's gift set ambitiously prepared by JW Gate. It was a little pricey, but it was the most popular product these days. A set of JW meat was placed on the table.
The taste he learned through Gallord was very helpful. Digent liked special food very much, so he thought he would like it.
"It is a high-quality material. It was made with high-ranking meat. It will suit your taste."
"H-high-quality…you said it was high-ranking…? Is that so?"
"No. It is similar."
It was hard to say that it was a high ranking since it was only Rank D+. Jin-woo continued to talk because he thought the atmosphere was good. Digent was astonished. There was only cold silence for a moment.
'Did I say something wrong?'
Jin-woo was embarrassed by the reaction. It seemed like he had made a slip of the tongue. Was this just a cultural difference?
Jin-woo decided to change the subject to fix it. He smiled as politely as possible. Wasn't there such a saying, one that said you couldn't spit on a smiling face?
"Ah! Lord Hallas is nowhere to be seen."
"…Ha-Hallas…"
"About that…!"
That was how the Demon Kings reacted. They seemed to care about Hallas. Sarah remained firm with a fork in her hand, not even blinking. The other Demon Kings trembled as they glanced at the meat gift set.
Digent looked at Gallord with his eyes wide open. Gallord just shook his head.
"C-cough, that meat is only a very small part compared to the affairs of the Demon Realm. So, shouldn't we proceed with the conversation slowly?"
Gallord helped just in time. Jin-woo thought it was a relief. As expected, Gallord was experienced in politics.
"Before that, we want to show you how the giant weapon works. It is the weapon that drove out the angels. Hehehe, we think it might be helpful for the Emperor's plan."
Digent said so. The Demon Kings looked at him, but he didn't care. Digent was quite quick-witted; it was the power that kept him on his throne for this long. When he saw the Emperor himself, it seemed that it would be useless to show the majesty of the Demon Realm. He thought that it might be better to buy his heart by offering the giant weapon.
'I'd rather cooperate…'
It was a crisis, but it was also an opportunity. He changed direction to cooperation rather than negotiation. The Emperor he saw was an existence beyond common sense, who seemed to be gathering troops to conquer the dimension. So, it wasn't bad for him to cooperate as much as possible to obtain even the smallest benefit from it. After all, the Demon Realm would be devastated.
'Let's see.'
Jin-woo had no intention of provoking the Demon Kings. It didn't matter if there was a giant weapon; it could only be active in the Demon Realm anyway.
The cloth covering the giant weapon was removed, revealing what looked to be a giant spider. Digent stood in front of the giant weapon, opening his arms to activate it.
Jin-woo looked at the giant weapon.
[-S] Giant Weapon Arcron
An ancient weapon that was active during the great war of angels and demons. It is a weapon in the shape of a spider. The beam emitted by the giant weapon is known to have destructive power similar to that of a dragon's breath. A stable power source is required, but it is in a very unstable state because it has been replaced by an improper power source.
"Hmm?"
It was unstable. Gallord looked at Jin-woo.
"What's wrong?"
"I think it would be better not to activate it…"
It was already late. Arcron spewed smoke and raised its body. It was similar to the description in the original novel, though it was spectacular to see a figure as big as a building raising its body in person.
Whoosh!
Demon energy began to gather around it, the red jewel absorbing demon energy and emitting light. The light was condensed in one place to become a powerful energy beam. The target was a small mountain in the distance.
"Ooh!"
"So this is Arcron…"
The Demon Kings were amazed. Jin-woo stepped back a little.
'If the power source is insufficient….'
It was usually supposed to stop working. The moment it was just about to be launched…
Whoosh!
Arcron's legs bent with the sound of the power is turned off. It fell over Digent, who was spreading his arms. The mana gathered in the Arcron scattered and hit Digent, expelling out into the surrounding area.
Boom!
Digent bounced off the mana and rolled on the ground. The plating of the power source on Arcron's body was peeled off, revealing its poor interior. Digent, vomiting blood, stared blankly at the power source.
"T-the power source…"
"How come?"
"I-is it fake?"
All eyes of the Demon Kings turned to Sarah Vriac. Sarah Vriac, who had taken a step back, avoided the gaze of the Demon Kings. She was sweating coldly, but she still put on a poker face.
"Fu…Fufufu."
Like she was saying, 'Everything went as planned!'
It was then.
Whoosh! Bang!
The mana gathered by Arcron wasn't scattered. Mana started to gather to the fake power source once more; then, there was an explosion. A red light erupted from Arcron again. It swung its blade-like legs and blew away everything around it.
The demon soldiers were thrown aside.
Shhhh!
Arcron's legs trembled and then shrank. Mana spewed out to one side as it started spinning like a top.
"Keargh!"
"Eaaaargh!"
Arcron stormed past the demon soldiers, approaching the nearby Demon Kings. The Demon Kings hurriedly generated their mana to block it, though Sarah remained frozen in the distance.
"Kugh!"
"Uhg!"
"Keeuugh!"
The three Demon Kings barely deflected Arcron's attack. Arcron changed its direction and quickly approached Jin-woo. It even created tornadoes made of mana, showing off its tremendous power. Digent and the other Demon Kings looked at Jin-woo in astonishment.
There was plenty of time to avoid it, but there were fallen demon soldiers around Jin-woo.
'I have to stop it.'
Could he stop it? It seemed that he somehow could with dark mana. Jin-woo gathered all the dark mana around him, causing a massive current of black air to gush out and cover his surroundings. It was when Jin-woo reached out his hands nervously that the mana that was released to stop Arcron began to be sucked under the ground.
There seemed to be something resonating with him. A vibration resounded from below.
"Huh?"
Drrrrrrrrrrrr! Bang!
The ground in front of Jin-woo split, and something huge soared up.
Bang!
Arcron collided with the huge being that suddenly soared up. Arcron bounced aside and attacked the Demon Kings again, who desperately blocked it once more. Its power was similar to that of a dragon's breath, and its legs spinning was difficult to block even for the Demon Kings who combined their forces.
They could barely turn their heads to look at the Emperor. The Emperor, engulfed in darkness, held up his holy right hand.
"That's…"
The huge thing that rose through the ground was like a dragon. No, it was like looking at the bones of a dragon. The earth collapsed as the bare body raised itself.
"Bo-bone dragon?"
One of the Demon Kings shouted.
It was strange to call it bone as it seemed to be made of hard minerals, but the bone dragon twice as large as Arcron rose to its feet. The black airflow from the Emperor's right hand vibrated like a flame and began to dwell in the bone dragon. Then, the bare body of the dragon disappeared, and scales made of black flames appeared.
Digent, who barely made it to his feet, had no choice but to stare with his mouth agape.
Gwooooooooo!
The black dragon roared, spreading its wings of black flames. Digent had seen it before. The trauma that had barely been sealed came back to his mind.
It was foolish. He had forgotten how great the existence of an Emperor was.
"The Emperor…of Greed."
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Although small in size, it was like the Emperor of Greed. No, it was him, engulfed in black flames and reborn as a Black Flame Dragon. The Emperor of Gold didn't simply defeat the Emperor of Greed.
He killed it and made it his slave.
[Ugh?! What is that?!]
The Emperor of Gold spat out a terrible language covered in black energy and shook off his hand. It looked as if he were shaking off a small bug.
The Black Flame Dragon flew over the Emperor of Gold.
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Ranobes » Updates » The Novel's Villain » Chapter 81
           
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Chapter 81
The Novel's Villain
21. Subordinates (5)
Jin-woo was terribly confused. He had been through a lot, but this was the first time he had been as confused as he was meeting the Emperor of Greed. He could hardly comprehend the scene unfolding before his eyes. He only reached out to stop the giant weapon. But suddenly, the ground cracked open, and the bones of a giant dragon appeared.
To that extent, he would have tried to understand somehow.
[The Emperor of Gold and the Incarnation of Evil have absorbed the Black Flame Dragon.]
[The Black Flame Dragon resides in your right hand by resonating with your dark mana.]
The Emperor of Gold and the Incarnation of Evil, which had been quiet for a while, were activated, and a technique was engraved on the huge bones. Dark mana began to escape in large quantities. The Dark Ego filled it up in a hurry, but the mana was still empty. Scales began to attach to the giant skeleton, very evil and beautiful black flames engulfing each one.
It was an indescribable sight. The Dark Ego was replenishing mana with all its power, which was causing issues for the Realm. As a result, the sun of the Demon Realm, which was burning demon energy and emitting light, gradually darkened. As if the end had come, the sun turned black, and the light completely faded.
A black flame came out of Jin-woo's right hand with tremendous force. The temperature suddenly increased, growing excruciatingly warm. He tried to wave his hand to extinguish the flame.
Guoooooooooo!
The Black Flame Dragon roared and flew up. Every time it flew, a rain of black flames fell and burned the surroundings. Fear and despair descended on the Demon Realm under the darkened sky. The Demon Kings screamed their astonishment as they watched the scene. They didn't even care about the giant weapon now. Jin-woo understood how those Demon Kings felt.
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Because Jin-woo also felt the same.
The Black Flame Dragon, who flew above Jin-woo, looked at the giant spinning weapon. It followed Jin-woo's will too well. It knew it had to stop the giant weapon. The flying Black Flame Dragon descended on it like an eagle, whipping up a huge storm of black flame as it fell.
The Black Flame Dragon and the giant weapon collided.
Bang!
The giant weapon's stopped spinning. The surface simmered and began to bend wildly, burning red like a crab drowning in boiling water. The Black Flame Dragon bit the giant weapon and threw it into the air. It looked light as if it were a puppy playing with a toy ball. The moment the Black Flame Dragon opened its mouth, the surroundings vibrated. Dark mana was concentrated in front of the Black Flame Dragon's mouth.
The Emperor of Gold and the Incarnation of Evil created a very evil and beautiful magic circle.
Kwaaaaang!
A jet of black flames spewed out. It hit the giant weapon and stretched out into the sky, colliding with the small mountain that was originally the target.
A hot wind blew past them. It exploded, creating a hole in the small mountain. It didn't end there, however. It fired off that violent breath as many times as Jin-woo waved his hand. The mana consumption was extreme. The mountain was neatly reduced to dust. The dust was all burned out, so the results could be seen well.
The breath was very powerful, but about 60% was consumed to take the form. Much mana was also consumed to draw beautiful lines, produce an evil sound, and create a cinematic explosion. Thanks to that, it seemed more powerful than it was. The Black Flame Dragon's character was a combination of the Emperor of Gold and the Incarnation of Evil, after all.
The Black Flame Dragon soared into the sky and moved behind Jin-woo. Its shape grew blurred as it continued to consume mana. It was connected to the dark mana emitted from Jin-woo's right hand, but then it gradually grew smaller and was absorbed by his right hand. The huge head and wings still floated behind Jin-woo.
'This….'
The mark on the right hand now actually contained a real Black Flame Dragon. He didn't know why, but the Black Flame Dragon created the dark mana itself. It was as if it had a power source with great energy.
Thud! Boom! Kwang!
The remains of the giant weapon that was swept up by the breath and flew up to the sky fell around the Demon Kings. Most of them were melted and stuck together, making it difficult to recognize the shape. It was the result of the Dark Ego pouring mana into Jin-woo like crazy.
The Demon Kings had their eyes half protruding from their skulls. Even Gallord, standing behind Jin-woo, fared a little better.
Jin-woo controlled the dark mana. The shape of the Black Flame Dragon remained like smoke, making it even more terrifying, but he barely maintained his composure as he looked at the Black Flame Dragon with the Magic Eye of information.
[S] Black Flame Dragon of Gold and Evil
'A masterpiece created by chance and luck!'
It is a masterpiece created by the Dark Craftsman Degurron and the Dark Dwarves. It can be materialized by consuming an enormous amount of mana. The power is certain, but the Emperor of Gold and the Incarnation of Evil are active, so mana consumption is extreme.
*[C] Maintenance cost: 66.6% of mana is used for evil and beautiful effects.
*[S] Dark Mana Power Source: Supports dark mana.
*[S] Materialization: Can be materialized into various shapes depending on the size and type of mana.
For now, he somehow understood why the Black Flame Dragon appeared. There was a lot of support, but there were likely some misunderstandings.
No, this was a very serious misunderstanding.
When Jin-woo stood still, thinking, everyone remained silent. Jin-woo thought that the first thing to do was to fix the situation. It was supposed to stop the giant weapon from going rampage, so there was no big excuse. Rather, it was fortunate that the demon soldiers could be saved.
Jin-woo approached the Demon Kings. Digent and the others looked up blankly as he approached. Jin-woo was at a loss. The place where they came to negotiate had exploded like this, so he didn't know what to say. Judging from the Demon Kings' conditions, it wasn't a situation to proceed with negotiations.
"Are you all right?"
"U-ugh."
He had a lot of potions since he bought everything he saw in the Dimension Store. It hadn't been up lately, but he still had plenty of them. Jin-woo took out a box full of potions from the subspace. Their eye's widened when they saw the potions. The expression of the Demon Kings became serious. The potion was a bit expensive, so it could be that they felt burdened about it.
"Don't worry about it. Now that the situation is like this, I think it would be better to negotiate again later. The soldiers were injured, too…"
The Demon Kings stared blankly at Jin-woo and nodded. They had no choice but to do so. It was because the Black Flame Dragon, who became a black stream behind Jin-woo, opened its big mouth while glaring at them. It felt as if it wanted to grab and eat them. It was the moment when the Black Flame Dragon smacked its lips…
"M-my Lord Emperor, please leave it to me."
Gallord, who came to his senses, rushed in front of him and said so. Jin-woo nodded. It would be better for the Demon King Gallord to patch things up rather than himself. It was something to do in this present situation. For now, he wanted to quickly seal this crazy dragon head. It kept trying to pop out.
"That would be better. Then please take care of it."
"L-leave it to me!"
Jin-woo politely asked Gallord to do it. He nodded fervently. No matter how much Jin-woo thought about it, he was the one who drove the case. He didn't know if it was because he was the villain or something that couldn't be quantified in the equation. Still, he thought it was very fortunate to have Gallord with whom he could share his worries.
Jin-woo went back to the Sanctuary. The Emperor opened a portal that seemed to have been made from darkness itself and disappeared. Gallord gulped as he looked at it, barely breathing out a sigh of relief.
"Gallord…y-you!"
Digent shouted. Though, since his magic core was damaged, he was no match for Gallord. The same was true of the other Demon Kings. Only Sarah Vriac stood a little farther away with an arrogant expression on her face. She didn't even move as she watched the whole situation.
"Then why did you offend the Emperor? Are you crazy?"
"Kugh!"
"If it weren't for me, all three of them would have become like Hallas."
Gallord's voice was filled with anger and sorrow. Digent and the Demon Kings couldn't say anything. They were definitely on the verge of being eaten.
Digent clenched his teeth.
"From where…from where did he plan this?"
"It's hard to guess. I am nothing but his puppet."
Gallord said so. The tectonic fluctuations in the Demon Realm had dealt a huge blow to the largest potion production area. Not only would advanced potions not be able to be produced for the time being, but all the potions in the warehouse had been destroyed. Then, all the items for sale in the Dimensional Store were purchased by the Emperor.
Exploiting the Succubus Queen, who once used to be helpful, was now useless. She no longer sold potions to the Demon Realm. What could they say if she only sold to the Emperor?
Digent stared at Sarah Vriac.
'Then that bitch…!'
It was meticulous and deadly. It was the Demon King of Fear that made him attack the Emperor with the giant weapon. Come to think of it; she was the only one with a strange smile on her face when the Demon Kings mentioned the giant weapon.
"Ugh, you are…you were on the Emperor of Gold's side from the very beginning."
Sarah Vriac flinched slightly when Digent said so. However, she looked at Digent and the Demon Kings with the same expression as usual.
"Fu, fufu."
Sarah Vriac laughed. It was a charming but sinister laugh like a black curtain had been lifted to reveal the true nature that she had been hiding.
"R-right! I am the Emperor's faithful left arm, the most favored high-ranking executive. Fu, fufu, you fools! Everything went according to plan."
"Kugh!"
"Is that so…!"
Sarah Vriac uttered those words to save the situation. Her back was wet with a cold sweat, but she couldn't help it. After all, she was trapped in the bad image she created herself.
'Sarah Vriac…I see. So…'
Even Gallord, who was listening, was startled. Sarah Vriac was on the Emperor's side from the beginning, and he played in their hands. Sarah Vriac had pressured him from a long time ago, putting him into debt. It was all already planned. Then there was Hallas, an arch-enemy to Sarah Vriac.
It was only then that everything made sense. He got goosebumps. The Demon King lost their giant weapons, and most of their elite demon units were also severely wounded.
These Demon Kings were already cornered.
'He must be aiming for something.'
It wasn't just to build an army. Gallord was horrified, but for now, the Emperor's favor was his priority. Gallord took the initiative on his own because of his attachments, so he was in trouble if he didn't give back results.
"Isn't the priority to recover? With that serious wound, you'll need to consume a lot of the finest potions. There may be some finest potions in the Demon King Castle, but they are not in front of you right now."
Gallord had already made a decision. The Mana of Extinction erupted from his hand. Digent took a deep breath and nodded.
"I'll hand over some of my territories and residents."
Gallord looked at Sarah. Sarah was a high-ranking executive of the Emperor; perhaps he told her something. Digent said that he would hand over his territories, but Sarah was just watching.
Digent's expression grew distorted.
"Thirty percent…"
"Umm?"
"Ugh…forty percent, more than this is…"
Sarah didn't know what to say, so she stayed still.
"Okay, I'll give you half. Is it still not enough? Sarah Vriac, the evil left hand of the Emperor."
"T-that's enough….well…"
Sarah Vriac nodded.
"The Evil Left Hand of the Emperor"
As she heard that, she thought it was cool. The Demon Kings paid a very high price to buy potions. They even had to write a contract before they could take care of themselves. Gallord thoroughly ripped them off. He chose the best territories and carefully wrote them in the contract.
In front of Daront, which was called the capital of the Demon Realm, they signed a humiliating contract while their high-ranking demons and elite soldiers were watching. The Demon Kings trembled at the Emperor's wickedness. They lost their honor, pride, territories, and residents.
It was complete submission.
Gallord, who was fully aware of the circumstances of the Demon Realm, was also in the hands of the Emperor so that he couldn't be deceived. He accepted the contract with trembling hands.
"Sarah Vriac, is this enough? Even if you don't take their power away…"
"R-right! T-the Emperor doesn't even care about the powers of petty Demon Kings."
"I see. As expected…"
Gallord nodded. It was a bit disturbing to let them go without follow-up, but they were in the hands of the Emperor anyway. The Demon King of Fear smiled as she looked at the Demon Kings. She looked like a beast staring at prey.
'Indeed, it's hard to guess what she is thinking. Do I have to be at that level to become a high-ranking executive?'
He was already in the same boat. Not only Sarah Vriac, but Arina must be a high-ranking executive.
Gallord had a new goal! He thought he had to work harder. After a while, a huge territory was created around Sarah Vriac's estate. The Demon King, who now possessed more than half of the Demon Realm, was called the Demon Emperor.
[Sarah Vriac became the Demon Emperor.]
[The Warlocks of Middle-World are astonished.]
[A surprised Goddess has put down an oracle in the Middle-World during her bath.]
'W-what should I do?'
Sarah Vriac trembled. She suddenly became the Emperor's loyal servant, the Emperor's evil left hand, and the official Demon Emperor. It happened all while Jin-woo was absent from the Demon Realm for a while. Only Arina's estate was as peaceful as always, her mind distracted by the dimensional gold coins settling in from the Earth.
* * *
Jin-woo looked around the Dimensional Store and paid a lot of money to buy a white bandage full of light attributes. It was an item called 'Goddess' Blessing' that appeared in the VIP Luxury section. He had been looking for seal items for a long time, but this white bandage was the simplest. It had an excellent fit, but it looked a little strange in appearance.
Jin-woo painstakingly enhanced and applied many things to it. Thanks to that, he was able to seal the dragon perfectly.
"Hmm…"
For the time being, he thought it would be better to keep it sealed until he could control it completely. Jin-woo sighed.
The last puzzle was completed, becoming the perfect, unrealistic combination. Golden Magic Eye, evil incarnation, dark mana, white bandage, and the sealed right arm with the Black Flame Dragon.
'The good news is that…'
Whether it was a mixed influence of the world or not, unrealistic concepts didn't exist clearly. He could breathe a sigh of relief. The Emperor of Gold was working, so it just looked like that without him knowing. The Emperor of Gold was an existence far beyond unrealistic, after all.
He also met with Choi Hee-yeon to discuss the Choi Family's Sword School due to the international competition.
"There are suspicious movements in Japan."
"I see."
"This international competition is unusual."
According to information, the situation in Japan was better than in China during the Demon King crisis. Still, it was a difficult time in many ways.
"Isn't the international competition always dangerous?"
"Yes. The international competition…always needs us to put our lives on the line…"
Choi Hee-yeon nodded at Jin-woo. Choi Hee-yeon was worried since it would be her first appearance, but Jin-woo didn't care about international competitions. He was confident he would do just fine if it were held normally.
"Are you hurt?"
Choi Hee-yeon looked at the bandage exposed under his sleeve. Upon closer inspection, it appeared that his entire arm was wrapped in it.
"You are too harsh on yourself."
"It's nothing."
Choi Hee-yeon approached Jin-woo and tightened the loose bandage. The atmosphere grew quite awkward, but just then, Yoo-na arrived.
"Young Master, huh? Are you hurt? As expected…."
When Yoo-na talked as if she knew something, Choi Hee-yeon looked at them with a question mark over her head. Jin-woo didn't know what to say.
'Actually, there is a Black Flame Dragon in my right hand…'
He wouldn't say that it wasn't a wound but a black flame dragon asleep in there even if he were on his dying breath. Yoo-na looked serious. Wearing a bandage despite having the potions meant that he was seriously injured.
'After all, the real Demon King…'
Yoo-na vowed to follow him no matter what happened next time. Choi Hee-yeon and Yoo-na's eyes felt increasingly uncomfortable. Glances passed between them.
Jin-woo quickly fled.
* * *
Jin-woo, arriving in Arina's estate, barely stopped the dwarves as they started making things again. Arina wasn't in the estate due to the construction and work of expanding the Sanctuary. To her, her estate was more like a studio and a bedroom.
He went to Gallord's estate next. He was already there to meet him like he knew he was coming. Gallord's estate was crowded. For some reason, it seemed like the residents had increased significantly.
"Has everything been taken care of?"
"Yes, I will give you the report inside. It just happens that your evil left hand is on her way here."
"Umm?"
The flower petals flew on the way to the castle. It was truly a great parade. Jin-woo tilted his head but entered the castle anyway.
He listened to Gallord. The more he listened, the more he didn't understand. It was said that 50% of the territory of the Demon Realm was now under the control of Sarah Vriac, his evilest left hand, who took the throne of the Demon Emperor.
Jin-woo blinked and looked at Gallord. How could 50% of the Demon Realm…and that many demons…?
'What is this? Why did this result come out?"
He didn't know where it came from.
"Sarah Vriac has arrived."
The maid said so. Sarah Vriac walked in hesitatingly. She was dressed in flashy clothes and a huge crown. Perhaps because of her younger appearance and her small body, her clothes and crown looked unusually big.
Jin-woo looked at her, and she met his gaze.
"…"
"…"
Sweat beaded on Sarah Vriac's face. Gallord was amazed; it was the first time he had seen Sarah Vriac like that.
'That Sarah Vriac…how can she be so scared?'
Gallord swore he would never rebel against the Emperor. Judging from the atmosphere, it seemed that the Emperor and the high-ranking executive had something to talk about. It was obviously about their important plans.
"Then I'll leave you alone."
Gallord tactfully slipped away, quietly promising himself that one day he would rise to that position.
The silence was laid plainly between them. Sarah Vriac rolled her eyes around. Up until now, luck and fortune had somehow overlapped so that she managed to survive, but it didn't seem like it would work against the Emperor. The Emperor had something huge beyond her good fortunes.
"So…."
Jin-woo opened his mouth, causing Sarah Vriac to jump. Her body quickly folded in mid-air and fell straight to the floor.
"I'm wrong! I'm sorry! I have sinned to death! I-it just somehow happened! Help me!"
Sarah Vriac began to cry, and snot dripped from her nose. Jin-woo looked at her information as she wept.
Lv. 66
[C] Sarah Vriac
Titles: The Emperor's Evil Left Hand, the Demon King of Fear, the Ruler of Iron Blood, the Goddess' Enemy
Position: Demon Emperor
Age: 142 Years Old
Favorability: 5%
Possessed Technique: [D] Black Magic, [C] Political Art
Special Technique
[A+] Power of Bluff
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The power to make something that doesn't exist seems like it exists. It is a power that has been handed down from generation to generation in the Vriac family. It is almost impossible to find out because it deceives even the Dark Ego. It has become even more powerful since she became the Demon Emperor.
However, if an existence that surpasses her fortune appears, the façade will collapse.
*[A] Luck
"Umm…"
Jin-woo realized the importance of conversation. The thought of fixing it gave him a headache. No, could he fix this?
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Ranobes » Updates » The Novel's Villain » Chapter 82
           
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Chapter 82
The Novel's Villain
22. What Is an Emperor? (1)
The situation of Japan Gate was better than the China Gate crisis. This was because the experiment wasn't conducted in front of the Gate like in China, but near the Gate. Although the warehouse with many artifacts and relics disappeared, the way to the Gate was still secured. However, many Knights and competent people were sacrificed in the process of rectification. Though the situation was better than in China, it was difficult to expect good results in the international competition.
Even though it was a national disaster, they took care to hide it. Japan had artifacts that could reverse its situation. It was a black book written in a strange language, an artifact that was excavated when Japan Gate was built long ago. It was Japan's greatest treasure and a secret that allowed for the mass production of competent people.
Japan had exceptional senior officials and high-ranking young knights, their abilities similar to that of Blacksnake. Other countries had separate governments and Associations of Competent People, but not Japan. The government took the initiative and created competent people from those who fit their tastes. However, there were side effects such as deformation. This wasn't disclosed to the international community because of the need for sacrifices to mass-produce competent people.
Yet, it was thanks to this artifact that Japan surpassed China in the last international competition.
[For Advanced Black Magic Experts (Beginners Are Not Allowed!)]
It was the name of the artifact. Recently, a competent Japanese person, a shaman lady who was one of Japan's most powerful, had deciphered everything through her abilities. It took a lot of sacrifices, but she managed to translate it. The appearance of the shaman was now bizarre, not even a trace of her original face to be found, which was once that of stunning beauty. It was a side effect of excessive artifact detoxification.
What kind of power could it produce now that it was completely deciphered?
The shaman and senior Japanese officers gathered at the temple in front of the Gate. The temple was built to honor the souls of Japanese ancestors and to nurture competent people. Japanese politicians used to visit regularly.
"In exchange for many lives, we can make a contract with the Demon King. As a result of examining it with the Magic Eye, it is a technique that exists. The Gate allows us to go beyond dimensions and call on great things."
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The shaman also had clairvoyance. She could sense that the dimensional flow led to the hell where the Demon King lived.
"Prepare for sacrifice."
"It can't be helped if it's for the national interest."
"Let's proceed. The work has already been done."
A senior Japanese officer recalled the existence of the Demon Lord. Frankly, they wouldn't have tried if it weren't for the situation in China. The real Demon King had descended in China.
"The sacrifices…will be working as subordinates to the Demon King for eternity…"
"It doesn't matter. The international competition is just around the corner, and Japan's power is very weak. If we could borrow the power of the Demon King…the international competition won't be a problem. Wouldn't it be possible to take all the Gates?"
A senior officer said so at the shaman's words. In the meantime, they had made more competent people with the artifact. But what if they could borrow the power of the Demon King itself?
The senior officer nodded. It would take sacrifice, but if they could borrow the power of the Demon King, it would be worth it. Besides, it might be able to calm down this terrible Gate situation.
They learned of the phenomenon when the Seven Dragons Association sold their souls to the Demon King. The subsequent investigation found that to be true. China pretended to join hands with Japan and stabbed them from behind. The Federation took the initiative to resolve the situation in China, but Japan continued to question the case and refused the Federation's help.
'But we are not like them.'
Those created based on the power of artifacts were able to endure for a while within the Black Land. That meant there was a way to trade on an equal footing with the Demon King. According to the artifact deciphered by the shaman, Japan would build a good relationship with the Demon King with its power.
The senior officer turned his head and looked towards the center of the temple. Many people were tied up there, all of them young and healthy students. They were the cleanest offerings selected through inspection. The students went on a field trip, and when they opened their eyes again, they were tied to a temple-like this, paralyzed and unable to even scream. All of them had already been reported as dead due to an accident.
The shaman spread the artifact in front of the altar. She slit her wrist with her fingernails and activated the technique with the blood that flowed down. The senior officers stood back and watched her. All the hard-earned Magic Crystal and artifacts were melted down.
"O, Great being!"
The shaman opened her arms wide and shouted, her blood splattering around the temple. The senior officers turned their gaze slightly. After all, it was a terrifying sight.
"O, King of Hell! I offer the great you a sacrifice. Please answer me!"
The mana emanating from the temple passed through the Japan Gate. The red blood blackened.
"Oh, ooh!"
"It worked! As expected…"
Demon energy was different from that of mana. The senior officers stepped back as it grew harder to breathe. Only the shaman remained still as she unfolded the technique, spraying blood. It seemed impossible to summon a great being, but the shaman wouldn't give up.
Could it be through the sincerity of the shaman? The Demon King appeared. It was fuzzy as it was shaped by mana, but the summoning was a definite success.
"Oh, ooh! King of Hell!"
The Demon King, engulfed in demon energy, was a woman with a smaller body than expected. She did, however, wear a shining crown, and she was full of majesty. Just looking at her made them bow their heads down. She possessed great charisma.
[Huh? W-what is it?]
"King of Hell! Thank you for responding!"
[Uh, huh? Oh…right! I am Sarah Vriac! I am the evil left hand of the great Emperor and the Emperor of the Demon Realm!]
"I offer you sacrifices! Give us your strength!"
[Contract? Ah…well…wait a minute!]
Everyone blinked and looked at the Demon King. The Demon King took a book out of her arms and looked through it quickly. Then she nodded.
[Right! I will give you my great power! Well, according to the contract…mhm…ah! Instead, I will take your ability!]
"I'll make sacrifices, too!"
The shaman pointed to the sacrifices. The Demon King looked at the people who were tied up. Each one of them was trembling with fear. The Demon King turned her gaze.
[Huh, hmm, I don't need such a trivial thing. Rather…you are bleeding…]
"Do you need more blood?"
The shaman slit her wrist further, causing more blood to spurt out. The Demon King flinched and turned her eyes. It wasn't visible, but her face seemed to have turned blue.
[Oh! The contract is complete! Then I-I'll just leave!]
The contract was made. The abilities of the shaman and senior officers were gone, and that sudden vacancy was filled with the power of the Great Demon King.
"This···!"
"Is this the power of the Demon King?"
The senior officers were moved by the pure demon energy that they felt surge through them. One senior officer, a Rank A competent person, stood up and used the power coursing in his veins. He was also a participant in the international competition.
What manifested was evil transformation magic. It was clear that he would turn into a mythical creature. However, contrary to his expectations, his body became smaller and smaller as he was enveloped in demon energy.
Wiggle!
"Huh…?"
"W- what…"
The senior officer became an earthworm. The Shaman looked at the wriggling earthworm.
"…Huh?"
The shaman was also perplexed.
Slurp!
The shaman tried to use her dark magic, and a tongue appeared on her palm.
Sarah Vriac, the great Demon Emperor of the Demon Realm. Her dark magic was Rank D. She hadn't even learned it all but only picked out the easy ones. With that strange magic alone, she eventually managed to achieve Rank D.
Wiggle, wiggle!
The senior officer wanted to return to his original form, but he couldn't. Earthworm transformation magic was unconditionally maintained for two days, so it was easy to learn. It was then…
Bang!
There was an explosion. Just in time, they finally arrived in Japan after spending weeks adrift at sea. No. 21 and Second Generation cadets, who were chasing evil, appeared. They saw a lot of blood, sacrifices, and students tied up on the altar.
"…As expected, they were practicing evil magic."
No. 21 spoke as he watched the horrific sight. It was such incredible timing. Senior officers were startled and used their abilities to defend themselves.
A man with a huge head. A man with an ability to change his gender. A man with the ability to turn all of his hair into nose hair. A man with the ability to change the position of his mouth and anus.
It was a crazy party.
* * *
There were once seven Demon Kings in the Demon Realm, but no longer. Digent's expression distorted. He managed to restore his magic core, but he looked old. The youth he had maintained with mana had been shattered.
"Hallas, Sarah Vriac, Gallord…"
The three of them disappeared. Hallas became a slab of meat, and Gallord became a loyal dog of the Emperor. Sarah Vriac was the Emperor's evil left hand from the beginning, so her strength was now understandable.
"Lord Digent, wouldn't it be better if we took care of the remaining territories?"
"Maybe this is better."
'I-isn't the Emperor also satisfied?"
"For now, we must maintain the status quo…no, if we pay tribute to the Emperor regularly…"
The Hall of Glory, where the great ancestors commanded the operation during the great war of angels and demons. It was an ancient site near the desert where the Emperor of Maze was said to be sleeping.
Digent hosted the meeting under the pretext of taking measures. He looked at each of the Demon Kings. They were deprived of a lot, but the thought of rebellion was far from each of their minds.
What could he do with such weak Demon Kings?
'These fellows are called Demon Kings….'
He didn't understand why such fellows became Demon Kings. Only Gallord, Sarah Vriac, and Hallas were the Demon Kings he recognized.
'They…and I, are no longer Demon Kings.'
They lost half of their territory, and what was left was almost barren. Even the high-ranking nobles were divided as they shouted for independence. They couldn't be called Demon Kings any longer. The end of the Demon Realm had already been decided. Their remaining territories would be slowly absorbed.
The outcome is set, so why didn't they give it up before it happens?
Digent chuckled. The Demon Kings who drank the alcohol he gave dropped their glasses. Their bodies were suddenly struck with paralysis.
"Kugh…what the…"
"Ugh…"
The Demon Kings' bodies weren't normal, but the paralyzing poison worked well. Digent took the powers of the Demon Kings with a key-shaped artifact, one of Hallas' treasures. It was an item that Digent had brought directly from Giganter, which had fallen deep underground.
He smiled with confidence as he regarded the artifact. As the balance in the Demon Realm was broken, there was no need to worry about the other Demon Kings. It would normally be taboo, but it didn't matter in this situation.
'This is enough…'
The power soared through him. He was convinced that he had surpassed even Sarah Vriac. Through that power, he could feel the force of the Dark Ego throughout his body. It had become possible to borrow power directly by connecting himself with the Dark Ego.
At this rate…
'The Emperor will also use me in important places.'
He might also get a position like Sarah Vriac. He felt sorry for the other Demon Kings, but they were only united as things became like this. Originally, they were his enemies. Frankly, it was generous of him not to take their lives.
He left the Hall of Glory with a satisfied smile, walking across the desert. He took off his robe and tried to use the portal stone. By borrowing the power of the Dark Ego, he was able to travel a long distance at once without using the portal stone. Using the power of the Demon King, the Dark Ego responded to him.
It was that moment.
Whoosh!
Something grabbed his foot. He looked down and saw black tentacles rising from the ground around his feet.
"W-what…!"
He tried to pull them off, but more tentacles soared and surged around him completely.
"Ugh!"
Whoosh!
His body was sucked down as if in a swamp. After barely coming to his senses moments later, Digent saw a huge structure.
His powers and mana were absorbed into it.
'T-this is…!'
The Maze…!
The power of the Demon Kings couldn't awaken the Emperor of the Maze. It was such an arrogant idea. The power of the Demon Kings was only bait to attract the Dark Ego.
Ggggrrrrrr!
The Maze devoured the Dark Ego and began to awaken.
* * *
Jin-woo sighed. Sarah Vriac accidentally became his subordinate. She was squeezing him with tears and a runny nose, so he couldn't help but accept it. The Demon Realm would probably become more chaotic if he threw her away, now she was the Demon Emperor. She wailed even harder when he said that he would accept her.
When the news that Sarah Vriac had shed tears in front of the Emperor spread out, many demons were astonished and praised his wickedness. With painstaking effort, Gallord completed the Emperor System. He gave up his position as the Demon King and became the Prime Minister of the Demon Emperor. Even now, he was working all night because of the tribes that came from each region of the Demon Realm.
Although Gallord was there, could a demon-like Sarah Vriac rule the Demon Realm well?
'It's amazing that it's going well…'
Sarah Vriac was simultaneously incompetent and competent. All the power she had was only Rank D Dark Magic, and even that was full of useless and bizarre things. However, she was recognized as the perfect Demon Emperor by the high-ranking demons and tribes. Since she became Jin-woo's real subordinate, she would now say that she was the Emperor's evil left hand as it was habit.
The Demon King of Despair. The Deep Darkness. The Goddess' Enemy. The End of Light.
It was all referring to her.
Since many demons said it was much better to live than before, shouldn't Jin-woo just move on? He was right to think so because it was also hard to fix. After all, the situation was good.
"Umm…"
This incident had a great impact on Jin-woo as well. When Sarah Vriac became his subordinate, his Influence rank rose like crazy.
[B+] Influence
As the de facto ruler of Elonti, the center of the dimension, the orc tribe, the Demon Realm, and his position on Earth, his influence has greatly increased. However, he put all dimensions except Earth into great tension as the Incarnation of Evil.
It was slightly lower than the Emperor of Greed. The Ordeal of Greed was to raise both Honor and Influence to Rank A. Honor was Stage 1, and Influence was Stage 2, but the order didn't seem to matter.
'I think I will get something at each stage.'
Looking through the Magic Eye of Information, it took a huge influence to go from B+ to A. It seemed possible only by causing a huge event that could impact the entire planet or shake dimensions. As expected, the ordeal wasn't something that could be easily broken. It wasn't likely that something like what happened in the Demon Realm would often happen, so it would probably take a while.
'It shouldn't happen.'
It was best to just raise it slowly without further incident.
Jin-woo was currently in Arina's estate. He looked at the Demon Realm that was changing with great momentum after arriving to escape a different misunderstanding. When Arina heard the news, she was half carried away.
"What the hell happened?"
Jin-woo honestly didn't fully understand either. Arina desperately rolled her brain and gave up as Jin-woo did. She just decided to accept the reality. She was just doing her job faithfully, but without realizing it, her master had swallowed 50% of the Demon Realm. Anyway, that was a good thing.
"C-Congratulations! A-anyway, you have become the ruler of the Demon Realm!"
Was it something to be congratulated on? Jin-woo shook his head.
"By the way, why can't I see Hallas?"
"There is an artifact that I received as a gift from Callarice. Shall we take a look at it?"
Jin-woo nodded. Callarice had now declared that she would no longer make predictions or observations. She passed out from worrying, and she had just declared that she had come to her senses not long ago. It was said that she made the last prophecy in tears.
'A great fear soars.'
After hearing Arina's words, Jin-woo guessed that it was probably the Black Flame Dragon. After that, Callarice offered her treasure, the crystal ball, to Arina. Arina wasn't as skilled in prediction as Callarice, but she could use it to some extent. It would be easy for her to find a Demon King with an abundance of mana.
"I'll try."
Arina brought out the crystal ball and infused it with her mana. She searched for a long time, but she couldn't find him. Arina tilted her head and blew almost all her mana into it. Then a screen appeared from the crystal ball. Jin-woo and Arina looked closely into the crystal ball.
It was a very dark space. They saw a demon trembling in the corner. As a dwarf passed by, he flinched and went deeper into the corner.
Jin-woo and Arina stared blankly at the scene.
"That…"
"Hallas?"
Come to think of it; the dwarves did bring a demon. They thought that he was a slave trader, so he had placed him as a worker. Jin-woo didn't feel any mana from that demon, so he thought he was low-ranking, but he didn't expect it to be Hallas.
The two were at a loss.
"Uh, um, well, he was a bad guy after all. He violently killed slaves and also the demons…"
"Right! He deserves it."
Jin-woo and Arina looked at each other. They nodded with serious expressions on their faces.
"Let's keep it a secret."
"Yes."
They decided to keep it to themselves in case there would be another misunderstanding. Arina completely changed Hallas's face. It was now a complete crime. However, neither Jin-woo nor Arina knew that there was a bigger misunderstanding.
Now the truth was forever buried in that deep darkness.
'Well, without Hallas, the Emperor of Maze will never wake up.'
Jin-woo thought so. Hallas was the final black screen in the Demon World season. Come to think of it. There was no need to intervene in the Demon Realm if Hallas was captured.
"The Emperor of Maze has been resolved."
"I see."
"Can we live in peace from now on?"
"After all, peace is the best! Everything went according to your plan, Master."
Arina nodded. It didn't go as planned, but anyway, it did work out.
In the legend of the Demon Realm, there was a saying that the power of the Demon Kings could awaken the Emperor of Maze. There was even a warning to never gather the power of the Demon Kings as one. It was a legend, but every Demon King knew about it.
Jin-woo and Arina shared a smile. Many things had happened, but it was a happy ending. The original story ended here. It was really unfortunate that so many pieces were blown away.
Callarice's crystal ball trembled. A video of something collapsing appeared, and something like a giant pyramid soared through the ground.
Dddrrrrrrr!
There was also a small earthquake in Arina's estate.
[Congratulations. You have a serious impact on all dimensions, and your influence became Rank A.]
['That crazy…!' The Goddess is astonished.]
[A new power is unlocked by passing one ordeal.]
It couldn't become Rank A at once unless Jin-woo caused a major incident. However, Jin-woo just reached Rank A.
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The earthquake grew stronger, and the crystal ball fell to the floor.
'This….'
Jin-woo could feel the presence of an Emperor from afar.
[The Dark Ego asks for help.]
It was the Emperor of Maze.
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Each book is a new life filled with new adventures.
Wuxia, Xianxia, XuanhuanCompleted novels