CHAPTER 30: TWISTED WORLD

―The warrior party’s porter, Karl Damian, looked ahead with his characteristic empty eyes.

Huge horns reminiscent of those of a mountain goat. However, other than that, it was difficult to find any difference from the race called humans. If one had to pick something, it would be his outstanding physical ability.

The horned man gasped and grabbed his sword with a contorted expression of pain.

Rather than taking care of himself—his entire body covered in blood—he was acting to protect his subordinates, who were already unable to fight.

It was foolish. As a result, the range of options available to him grew narrower, and as time passed, the battle became increasingly worse.

Demon King, Deamon.

That was the man’s name. He possessed great military power, enough to withstand an all-out attack from a warrior’s party alone.

But his subordinates caught up with him.

The group of warriors, who knew from the beginning that they would not be able to defeat the Demon King in a head-on war, decided to gradually strangle him rather than fight him directly.

They had received information that he cared deeply for his subordinates.

It was a plan so cunning that even Karl Damian—who would later become the master of the Demonic Cult—was speechless.

At this point, it was almost confusing who was the devil and who was the hero.

They poisoned, kidnapped, and tortured his followers, entered the devil’s castle through a secret passageway, and easily subdued the executives.

The Demon King Deamon, who discovered this too late, attacked them, but was unable to demonstrate his full strength because his subordinates were severely injured.

The Demon King’s fiercely loyal followers pleaded with him, knowing they were holding him back.

—"Don’t worry about us. Please show your true strength. If it’s for you, it wouldn’t be a waste to give up our lives."

But nevertheless, Deamon said:

"How could I abandon you? This is a country built through your sweat and effort. And I am the head of that country. There is no future for a lord who abandons his subjects."

Honest and foolish. However, Karl Damian did not dislike that.

I like it.

He was closer to a true warrior than any other human Karl had seen in this world.

That foolishness will save you.

A multicolored light emanated from the entire body of the warrior Ras.

It was a sacred technique that could only be used by warriors chosen by the goddess.

"It’s over now. Damn you, devil bastard. The warrior Ras will kill you and save humanity from evil."

The Demon King Deamon smiled bitterly. It was an obvious ridicule.

"That’s not even funny. You humans always treat us as ’evil,’ but don’t you know full well that you are actually closer to evil than anyone else?"

"You’re talking nonsense because it’s your time to die."

"Am I wrong? Even in the long history of the demon race, we have never once invaded your human territory first! It was always you humans who invaded our land! You arbitrarily define us as evil—all in the name of doing it for the sake of humanity! Our people—aren’t you the ones who brutally slaughtered them?"

It was a cry that was almost a scream. However, the warrior looked at him with emotionless eyes, completely unshaken, and spoke.

"What can you do? Blame yourself for being born as a demon. Demons are the enemies of humanity. Therefore, they are evil. That is the law of the world and the will of the Goddess."

Saint Lia and the mage Lin Mage assisted him.

"You are correct. There is no need to listen to the wicked, Hero."

"Exactly. Do you think we’ll blink an eye at the fancy words you make up to survive? It’s like watching a brat appeal for mercy when he’s essentially a demon lord."

Only Teresa, the knight commander, looked at him in silence.

Deamon held his sword in resignation. He knew he could not defy his fate, but he was still willing to burn his life until the very end.

"... It will definitely come back."

The moment the warrior’s sword, glowing with golden waves, was about to pierce Deamon’s heart—

"Stop."

A sharp voice echoed throughout the hall. Everyone’s attention turned to the owner of the voice.

The warrior Ras burst into laughter when he saw who it was.

"What? Stop? Hah... Now all the idiots are getting involved?"

This was because the owner of the voice was none other than Karl Damian, the porter of the warrior party.

However, he stared at the Demon King Deamon, ignoring Ras standing before him.

His red eyes twinkled quietly, as calm as a still lake.

"Demon King, Deamon."

It was no longer the voice of the warrior party’s porter, Karl Damian.

"Are you really crazy, this guy? Do you really want to die...?"

"Do you want to live?"

It was the voice of the Little Heavenly Demon, Cheonakcheon, the lord of all ten thousand demons and the only disciple of the Heavenly Demon who once ruled the entire world.

The moment his voice rang out, no one there could open their mouth.

Even the warrior Ras, who had been so enraged just moments ago, froze in place.

An incomprehensible fear—one they could not possibly resist—washed over them like a wave.

Karl Damian smiled.

"I will ask you again, King of the Demons. Do you want to live?"

A smile that was truly arrogant and relaxed, yet full of dignity.

When Demon King Deamon saw this, a shiver ran through his body—just like when he had once encountered the Demon God, [Orbas], whom he served.

"I... I..."

Deamon’s voice trembled.

"I want to live! I want to live intensely! I don’t want to die like this!"

A near-screaming cry.

The group of warriors, realizing something was wrong, quickly prepared for battle.

"Lin! Knock that bastard out first!"

"Don’t give orders! It’ll happen even if you don’t say anything! I look forward to the burning light of flame...!"

Their judgment wasn’t bad—but it was a meaningless struggle.

Something like a haze began to swirl around Karl Damian’s entire body.

At that moment, a thunderous roar burst from his mouth.

The sound was so loud that even Lin Mage, who was chanting, lost her concentration and covered her ears.

"Good. In the name of Karl Damian, I declare that from this moment on, this is the territory of the Great Heavenly Demon Religion!"

At the same time, he stomped his foot onto the ground.

Bang—!

"Everyone kneel."

Cracks appeared in the ground where Karl Damian stepped, and the bodies of the warriors stumbled.

As they struggled to keep their balance, an invisible, intangible force pressed down on their entire bodies.

They resisted with all their might, but the power gap between them was as vast as that between an elephant and an ant.

The group of warriors fell flat on the floor, barely breathing.

Only Karl Damian stood tall, looking down at them.

On the night of the full moon, the moon turned crimson.

The second coming of the Heavenly Demon.

It was the starting point of a twisted world.