Chapter 158: 32nd Floor. Dwarf Kingdom (3)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 158: 32nd Floor. Dwarf Kingdom (3)
"Absurd!"
The demons' faces twisted in immediate fury.
"A mere human dares to say he’ll help us?"
"Die!"
They lunged at him, their bodies shrouded in thick demonic energy. Kang Jun-hyeok didn't flinch; he had expected exactly this reaction.
Humans and the demon race were mortal enemies.
It was an ancient conflict, one as old as the history of the universe itself. Even if he offered a helping hand, there was no way they would simply accept it.
But it didn't matter. He would simply force them to accept.
As the demons rushed him, Jun-hyeok moved his hand with deceptive slowness.
Crack!
With a casual gesture, the demonic energy surrounding their bodies shattered like glass. The demons' eyes widened in shock. He delivered a light strike to the first one's chest, knocking him unconscious instantly.
"You—!"
Another demon threw a heavy punch. Jun-hyeok didn't even bother to dodge. An attack of this caliber couldn't hope to pierce his defense. He caught the demon by the head and slammed him into the dirt.
Boom!
"Gah!"
"W-what is this?!"
The commotion escalated. Demons from inside the outpost came rushing out in a frenzy. Seeing Kang Jun-hyeok standing over their fallen kin, they immediately dropped into battle stances.
"A human!"
"A human is attacking the camp!"
"Do I really have to explain myself again? This is getting tedious."
Frowning, Kang Jun-hyeok raised his voice.
"I came here to help you. If you agree to a simple trade, I'll tear down that castle for you."
"What are you talking about...?"
Jun-hyeok stomped his foot, done with explanations.
[Earth Shake]
Rumble!
The ground quaked violently. The demons staggered, flailing to maintain their balance.
"Enough small talk. Are you going to accept or not? It doesn't matter to me if you refuse. It just means you'll become my enemies instead."
"..."
The demons couldn't find their voices; they simply swallowed hard, paralyzed by the pressure.
With a single stomp, he had shaken the earth enough to upend an entire squad. It was the effect of a skill, but to the demons who didn't know that, he appeared as a powerhouse far beyond their reach. And they weren't exactly wrong.
After a moment of agonizing deliberation, one of the demons spoke up.
"...I will go call the captain."
"You should have done that from the start."
Kang Jun-hyeok gave a thin, cold smile.
* * *
A short while later, a new demon appeared. Unlike the others, a pair of wings sprouted from his back.
"Oh?"
Jun-hyeok’s expression shifted.
Having wings meant he wasn't just an ordinary demon. In the demonic realm of Hell, hierarchy was everything—and that hierarchy was determined solely by power.
A demon who surpassed a certain threshold of strength was granted wings directly by the Demon King and earned the title of 'Devil.'
Devils were formidable. Even the lowest-ranking Devil was comparable to a First Rank powerhouse, standing on the same level as a Swordmaster or a master of the Peak Realm.
A single pair of wings... so he's lowest-rank.
The more wings a Devil possessed, the greater their strength. The Devil looked at Jun-hyeok with wary, narrowed eyes.
"I am Asokan."
"Nice to meet you. I'm Kang Jun-hyeok."
"...You said you came here to help us. How can I believe that? You are a human. By nature, you are our enemy."
Beings of the surface and beings of the demonic realm could never coexist. From Asokan's perspective, trusting Kang Jun-hyeok was a logical impossibility.
"How annoying."
Jun-hyeok clicked his tongue and raised a finger. Asokan, fearing an attack, tensed his entire body, but then his pupils dilated in shock.
A drop of blood flowed from the tip of Jun-hyeok's finger. The crimson liquid, clearly under his absolute control, began to swirl around his body. It radiated an aura of the purest True Blood.
Asokan gasped, his voice trembling.
"The successor of the Vampire Queen!"
"I guess you're high-rank enough to recognize it since you're a Devil."
"P-please forgive my insolence!"
Asokan hurriedly bowed his head, his face turning pale with fright.
The Vampire Queen, Eldiria.
She was a mighty Transcendent, a being whose power rivaled that of a god. Even in the depths of Hell, there were few who dared to oppose her. The man standing before him was the formal successor of such a terrifying entity. He was not someone a mere lowest-rank Devil like himself could dare to resist.
Watching the trembling Asokan, Jun-hyeok withdrew the blood.
"In the name of the great Vampire Queen, Eldiria, I swear: I will help you. Do you still intend to refuse?"
"How could I possibly! You are most welcome, Lord Kang Jun-hyeok!"
Asokan nodded vigorously. Inside Jun-hyeok's mind, Eldiria let out a small, amused laugh.
[You certainly know how to make use of my name.]
Isn't that why you lent it to me? I should use it with gratitude.
Muttering quietly to himself, Jun-hyeok looked at Asokan.
"Then, I'd like to discuss the state of the war."
"Yes! Please, come this way!"
Asokan stood up immediately and led Jun-hyeok into the outpost. The other demons looked on in bewilderment, but they didn't dare question Asokan and quickly stepped aside.
Once they reached the strategy room, Asokan began his explanation.
"We are attacking the kingdom of those treacherous dwarves. We've had them under siege for over a month now. But to be honest... the tide of war is not in our favor."
Asokan grimaced.
"Their walls are far too sturdy. We've been laying siege and pouring on attacks, but bringing them down seems like a distant dream."
"Even with your strength?"
A simple wall should have been something a Devil could crush like a sandcastle. But it wasn't that simple. Asokan clicked his tongue in frustration.
"At the corners of the square fortress walls, four pillars have been erected. Those pillars resonate and disperse our power. Furthermore, all sorts of dwarven war machines are stationed atop the ramparts."
Cannons and ballistae. They were specialized dwarven weapons capable of tearing through demons like wet paper. Asokan spoke cautiously.
"...To be honest, as things stand, we have no chance of victory."
"I suppose so."
In reality, the 32nd Floor Quest usually ended in a dwarven victory even if the player did nothing.
Jun-hyeok spoke up. "The main problem is the pillars, right?"
The four pillars located on the outer perimeter of the walls dispersed demonic energy. Asokan nodded. "Yes."
"Draw the dwarves' attention. I'll destroy the pillars for you."
"Thank you!" Asokan bowed deeply, then asked tentatively, "...But if I may, might I ask why you are helping us?"
To be honest, Asokan was still baffled. They were demons, and Kang Jun-hyeok was a human. They were enemies who should never stand on the same side. Since he had sworn on the Vampire Queen's name, Asokan didn't think he was lying, but he couldn't fathom the motive.
Jun-hyeok gave a playful, enigmatic smile.
"That's none of your business. But I do have one request."
"Please, say the word!"
"Malabur's Hammer is inside that castle, isn't it? I'll be taking that."
"Ah."
Asokan's face stiffened. One of the primary reasons they were attacking the royal capital was specifically for that hammer.
Jun-hyeok asked in a low, dangerous voice, "Do you have a problem with that?"
"...No, not at all! The hammer belongs to you, Lord Kang Jun-hyeok!"
If they continued like this, they would have to retreat in failure anyway, so the ownership of the hammer was a secondary concern. Asokan answered quickly. Jun-hyeok smiled and stood up.
"Good. Then let's get ready immediately."
Asokan followed behind him, his steps slightly hesitant.
* * *
Preparations proceeded rapidly after that.
Asokan announced that Kang Jun-hyeok was the successor of the Vampire Queen and had come to aid them. Even ordinary demons knew the name Eldiria; they didn't even dare to make eye contact with Jun-hyeok. His presence was accepted without further question, and the next assault was prepared.
[Even if you helped the dwarves, there's no way they'd just give you the hammer. Is that why you're siding with the demons?]
"There's no problem with it."
[The goal of the quest is to settle the conflict. It never specified which side to take. It's an efficient solution.]
Having finished the battle preparations, Asokan approached Jun-hyeok.
"We shall begin now. ...But are you truly going to be alright?" Asokan asked carefully.
Jun-hyeok was Eldiria's successor. Since he had staked that name, his intent to help was clear. However, his actual strength had not been verified. To Asokan's senses, Jun-hyeok's power didn't seem all that great. Because of the unique nature of Players, beings of this world found it difficult to intuitively grasp their true strength. While he didn't doubt Jun-hyeok's lineage, he couldn't help but worry.
"It will be difficult to approach the walls alone. How about taking a demonic escort?"
"No need. Proceed."
"Hmm. Yes. Understood. Please be careful."
"Ah. Before that," Jun-hyeok asked as if he had just remembered something. "Why are you attacking that place so persistently anyway?"
"Because that land was originally ours." Asokan gnashed his teeth. "Millions of years ago, those treacherous dwarves dared to drive us from the surface and seize it. We are simply reclaiming what is ours."
"Is that so?" Jun-hyeok nodded. "Then start."
"Yes."
Asokan turned and signaled with his eyes. A demon blew a massive war horn.
"Attack the village of the arrogant dwarves!"
"Waaaaaaaah!"
Following Asokan's lead, the demons began their charge. The dwarves were quick to respond.
"Arrogant demons!"
"You've come again! Prepare to be torn apart!"
Boom! Rumble!
Shells and bolts rained down from the war machines. Asokan, leading the charge, raised his arm. Demonic energy surged, forming a massive pillar of darkness. He swung it, crushing the incoming projectiles mid-air.
Is that black magic that manipulates physical force?
Unlike human magic, black magic was an innate authority of Devils. The power of black magic differed for each individual and could not be learned by others. That was why the book of Lemegeton, said to be written by the Demon King, was so special—it allowed one to wield all the authorities of the Devils at once.
After watching the battle for a moment, Jun-hyeok moved. He slipped away from the main combat and headed toward the opposite side of the fortress walls. The Master of All Weapons spoke teasingly in his mind.
[The ones you are helping are demons—the enemies of the surface since the dawn of the universe. And your opponents are dwarves, the allies of humanity. You are currently helping the enemy to bring down your own kind's allies.]
One could certainly call him a traitor for this. The Master of All Weapons added, as if to comfort him.
[Well, this place is just a fragment of the past anyway. It's all over and done with. It's like a daydream, so you don't need to feel any guilt.]
"Are you trying to play word games with me?" Jun-hyeok let out a smirk. "You know that stuff doesn't mean anything anymore, right?"
Demons, dwarves, humans. Their history of conflict—none of it mattered. Because in the current world, an absolute evil existed that rendered these old grudges irrelevant.
The Master of All Weapons muttered as if bored. [You don't waver at all. What a dull fellow.]
Jun-hyeok arrived at the outer edge of the walls. There, a massive pillar stood, emitting a powerful, humming resonance. A strange sense of nostalgia washed over Jun-hyeok's face.
In my past life, I tried so hard to protect this.
Now, he was about to destroy it with his own hands.
"I suppose this is its own kind of fun. Not bad."
Humming to himself, Jun-hyeok drew his weapon.