[Translator - Kiteretsu]

[Proofreader - Kyros]

Chapter 406

“Damn… at this rate, the channel’s going to die…”

Jang Dae-hwi muttered to himself, chain-smoking cigarette after cigarette.

HoneyTube, with its 4.72 million subscribers.

It had once been climbing rapidly, but now it had hit a wall.

The reason was simple—there hadn’t been a single livestream, let alone any new videos uploaded.

No wonder he’d been hounding Hajin so hard.

Bzzz—

Right then, a call came in from Hajin.

Dae-hwi quickly stubbed out his cigarette and picked up the phone.

“Hajin! What did Hoon say?”

[Hyung, looks like we can get back to making content!]

“Right now?!”

[Yeah!]

The corners of Dae-hwi’s mouth curled upward.

So all that nagging had finally paid off.

“Good. Is it a livestream?”

[Ah, not a livestream. I’ll just record it and upload the video.]

“That works too! So what’s the topic this time?”

[Arandis.]

“Arandis?”

Arandis.

The zone that came after Atlas, and as far as he knew, only a tiny handful had managed to break through into it.

And Hajin was saying he was going to make content on that?

[I think I’ll be able to clear into Arandis soon.]

“…You?”

Dae-hwi almost dropped his smartphone on the floor.

Just what the hell had Hajin been doing that he was already close to reaching Arandis?

Even the world’s top-ranked players were still struggling in Atlas.

[Anyway, I’ll start in a few days, so just be ready.]

“Ah… alright. Then what about Hoon?”

[Hoon said he’s busy. So I’m going to take over as HoneyTube No. 1.]

“What kind of bullshit is that…?”

[Hey! Are you looking down on me right now?]

Look down? Please.

HoneyTube had grown into the giant channel it was now thanks to Jeong-hoon—at least ninety percent of it was his work.

And now Hajin was saying he was stepping out of the picture? How could anyone take that lightly?

“Listen, it doesn’t work without Hoon.”

[Hoon promised he’d help as much as he could. If the next video bombs, we’ll bring him back in right away. So just trust me this once.]

“No matter what, still—”

[Anyway, I’m busy, gotta hang up now!]

“Hey!”

The line went dead before Dae-hwi could get another word in.

“…Goddammit. This is driving me insane…”

Jeong-hoon leaving HoneyTube.

That was no different than a bun without filling.

But that didn’t mean the channel could just shut down either…

“In the end, I’ve got no choice but to trust Hajin…”

Now the channel’s fate rested in Hajin’s hands. The source of this content ɪs NoveIꜰire.net

With lingering regret, Jang Dae-hwi returned to his room, quickly put together a list of filming tips, and sent them over to Hajin—praying that the tower they had so painstakingly built wouldn’t come crashing down.

* * *

At that same time.

‘Master, but why couldn’t they recognize you?’

Mukho questioned Jeong-hoon, who was sitting alone in his chair.

Why he couldn’t receive whispers, and why no information window appeared.

“It’s because I’ve ascended to a demi-god.”

‘Demi-god?’

“Yeah. It might be because I gathered all seven Heavenly Lines, but one thing is certain— I’m no longer just an ordinary player.”

‘Hmm… then that means even the ones in the Demon Realm might not recognize you easily?’

“Exactly.”

Jeong-hoon’s next destination was the “96 Demon Realms.”

With his levels and stats fully restored, and by harnessing divine energy, he had ascended to a demi-god.

Now that he had destroyed the core writhing inside Myuran, there was no longer any reason to remain in New World.

‘But once you get to the Demon Realm, what exactly do you plan to do?’

‘Isn’t it obvious? He’s going to sweet-talk Baal into switching sides again.’

Harnion, overhearing Mukho and Anima’s conversation, wore a conflicted expression.

‘Sweet-talk Baal…? What on earth are they talking about?’

When he demanded an answer, Jeong-hoon gave a different response.

“I destroyed the core. Which means they’ll be expecting me to cross over into the Demon Realm.”

‘Then you’re saying the Named could already be hiding in the Demon Realm?’

“I’d say the chances are very high.”

‘Hmm… then we’d better make thorough preparations before we head over, right?’

“What more is there to prepare?”

He had ascended to a demi-god, gathered all seven Heavenly Lines, and claimed the Holy Sword.

Jeong-hoon had already brought every possible power to his side.

With his strength at full capacity, now was the perfect time to strike.

‘Still, wouldn’t it be wise to at least consult with the Celestial Realm…?’

Harnion cautiously offered his opinion.

“The Celestial Realm?”

‘Of course not. What would be the point of opening it now?’

‘True, since the core has been destroyed, they can freely share their opinions—but Master isn’t going there to fight on their behalf.’

Anima’s words weren’t wrong.

But it was also true that being prepared was never a bad thing.

Without hesitation, Jeong-hoon, now a demi-god, opened the gate to the Celestial Realm.

At once, Uriel—who had clearly been waiting—popped out.

“Took you long enough to finally open it.”

“Have you been waiting?”

“Well… since you’ve gathered all Seven Heavenly Lines, I figured it was about time you’d come looking for me.”

“Is that so?”

He hadn’t actually gone looking— but Jeong-hoon didn’t bother to deny it.

“And the Holy Sword?”

“As you can see, I’ve drawn it.”

Jeong-hoon revealed the Holy Sword.

At the sight of its elegant form, Uriel nodded with a look of satisfaction.

“Good. So now, you’ll be heading into the Demon Realm, won’t you?”

“My first destination will be the Ninety-Sixth Demon Realm, the one Beelzebub created.”

“The Ninety-Sixth Demon Realm? Why there?”

“I plan to take control of it first.”

Jeong-hoon had ascended to demi-godhood.

Using divine power, he could now establish new domains, and with that ability, his plan was to consume the Demon Realms one by one.

Of course, along the way, there was a very high chance he would clash with the Named.

“Hmm… not a bad plan. By seizing territory, you’ll draw them out.”

Rather than immediately crossing into the Demon Realm and starting an all-out war, it was smarter to expand his influence by taking territory first.

It wasn’t as if capturing low-level realms would bring much benefit in and of itself— but the true objective was to draw out and capture one of the Named.

“Yes. That’s why I’ll be grateful if you can block their interference along the way.”

“Block them?”

“You didn’t entrust me with the Heavenly Lines for nothing, did you? Once I enter the Demon Realm, doesn’t that mean the Celestial Realm can intervene there as well?”

“…Sharp of you.”

That was the correct answer.

Wherever Jeong-hoon carried the Heavenly Lines, that place became sanctified ground.

By cleansing the tainted lands, he opened the way for the Celestial Realm to intervene.

That was Jeong-hoon’s role.

“So, it’s possible, right?”

“I’ll do everything I can.”

“Understood.”

* * *

The Ninety-Sixth Demon Realm.

Lord Baal had stepped down from his throne, trembling.

After his synchronization had failed so miserably, the master he served had been captured by the Celestial Realm.

Now abandoned and without anyone’s orders to follow, Baal was left wasting away in this place.

That was when his overlord, Beelzebub, paid a visit to the Ninety-Sixth Demon Realm.

“L-Lord Beelzebub, I greet you.”

“Hm. Just as I thought—your stench is the strongest.”

“S-Stench, my lord?”

“Should I simply kill you here and now?”

Beelzebub scanned Baal up and down, muttering as he did.

That foul, repulsive odor radiating from Baal.

He didn’t know why, but he couldn’t just leave that thing alone.

“I-I’ll do anything if you just spare me…!”

Baal, bowing his head in desperation, was nothing more than a fragment that had split off from Beelzebub.

Which meant, if Beelzebub so desired, he could erase Baal in less than a second.

“Tell me, why should I spare you?”

Beelzebub asked with a crooked smile.

‘I… I must live.’

The killing intent in his voice was suffocating.

If Baal’s answer wasn’t good enough, his life would be snuffed out on the spot.

“Lord! An intruder!”

That was when Baal’s savior appeared.

It was one of the Demon Lords beneath him—Ban.

Before Jeong-hoon’s regression, Ban had been the very first Demon Lord to fall by his hand.

At Ban’s words, Beelzebub’s gaze shifted from Baal to him.

In that instant, Ban’s body went rigid, his face drained of all color.

Even Baal trembled simply from Beelzebub’s gaze—how could a Demon Lord possibly endure it?

“An intruder?”

“Th-the thing is…”

“Tch.”

Clicking his tongue at Ban’s trembling form, Beelzebub flicked his hand downward.

Ban’s body instantly crumbled to dust and scattered away.

‘With just a single gesture… a Demon Lord was annihilated.’

Annihilation.

Seeing Ban return to nothingness, Baal felt a fleeting pang of pity.

But it lasted only a moment.

Beelzebub’s eyes turned back to him.

“Find out.”

“Yes, my lord.”

Baal hurriedly rose to his feet.

If he hesitated and drew Beelzebub’s ire like Ban, he would meet the same fate.

“Five minutes.”

“Yes!”

Baal fled the throne room and quickly sent signals to the Demon Lords.

‘There’s an intruder. Find out who it is within three minutes. If you exceed that time, I’ll kill you all with my own hands.’

‘Understood.’

Fortunately, after two minutes, he received word from the Demon Lord Valros.

“M-my lord! They say it’s from the Celestial Realm!”

The Celestial Realm?!

No—why would they come here?!

‘For what purpose?!’

‘They said… to seize the Demon Realm.’

‘Damn it all…!’

Clutching his throbbing head, Baal rushed straight back to Beelzebub to report.

“Oh-ho… to think they’d come here. So that’s why your stench was so foul.”

“What? What do you mea—!”

Baal couldn’t finish his words.

Beelzebub flicked his fingers, and Baal was annihilated on the spot.

Where he had stood, only a single shard remained, glimmering faintly. Beelzebub retrieved it.

“Rotten things should be cut off in advance.”

After tidying up, Beelzebub stepped outside.

And there, before him, stood a human.

In his hand gleamed the Holy Sword.

‘So that’s the creature who opened the Celestial Gate?’

Beelzebub tried to send a signal to those within the Demon Realm.

But the signal was abruptly severed.

‘Hah… so they’ve rigged the field already?’

He had half-expected it, but tricks right from the start?

A vein bulged across Beelzebub’s forehead.

“Beelzebub.”

At the mere fact that a lowly creature recognized him, Beelzebub’s eyes went wide.

“Oh? What’s this? You know me?”

“Know you? I know even the grotesque form you once had.”

At the human’s mocking grin, Beelzebub’s face turned cold in an instant.

The grotesque form.

He meant the time when Beelzebub had fallen and been cast down into the Demon Realm.

How could he possibly know that?

Did those bastards in the Celestial Realm show him everything?

“It seems you’ll have to die here.”

Beelzebub’s lips curled into a smile.

“You? Kill me?”

That smug, dismissive laughter—he wanted to tear it off that face.

If he couldn’t send signals, it could only mean the Celestial Realm had already intervened in the Ninety-Sixth Demon Realm.

If he let rage consume him and lashed out blindly, there was a chance he’d be the one caught.

So then, how should he handle this situation?

‘Psyche must have foreseen it.’

Psyche, the one who could read fate—surely she had already seen that he would be trapped within the Ninety-Sixth Demon Realm.

If so, then he only had to endure for a while, and everything would be resolved.

Of course, this human would still die by his hand.

Beelzebub gave a casual wave of his hand.

Instantly, every demon within the Ninety-Sixth Demon Realm let out shrill screams as they were extinguished.

Every being within his domain rotted, their life force corroded, their souls defiled—reborn as Fallen Warriors.

In that process, all intelligence was erased.

They became loyal servants, obeying nothing but Beelzebub’s commands.

The Fallen Warriors began gathering around him in droves.

“I gave them intellect so they could guard the Demon Realm… but once it’s stained with filth, there’s no reason to let them keep it.”

And so he stripped the demons of their reason, using them as Fallen Warriors instead.

“As expected—living down to your appearance. That saying suits you perfectly.”

As anticipated, even within his corrupted domain, the human stood unaffected.

“Human… do you even know who you’re daring to speak to?”

“Why should I care? You’ll be dead by my hand soon enough.”

“…Hah.”

So, emboldened by the Celestial Realm at his back, his arrogance pierced the heavens.

Very well.

Then here and now, I’ll tear you limb from limb.

[Translator - Kiteretsu]

[Proofreader - Kyros]