Demon Realm's Mad Prince
In the Demon Realm, in the most remote corner of the outskirts, lay Dirke Village—a barren wasteland devoid of life. There, a man and a woman faced each other.
"Yaaawn~"
A handsome black-haired man with three thick horns sprouting from his head stretched lazily as he yawned. His skin was as white as snow, his features sculpted to perfection, his eyes a deeper red than rubies. Even his unkempt, wildly tousled long black hair only enhanced his striking beauty.
But the man was oblivious to the treasures he possessed. Or rather, he'd never cared to notice. Born a prince of the Demon Realm, he simply planned to live out his days as a slacker.
"...Are you even listening?"
Astaroth, a high-ranking demoness bearing the insignia of second-class nobility even among the Demon Realm's elite, asked with a quiver in her bloodstained lips.
The man, casually lounging on the ground and picking at his ear, was none other than the Demon Realm's First Demon Prince—no, the Seventh—Azid Devil. He replied,
"I told you I wasn't listening, so why keep yapping?"
Flames of fury surged within Astaroth. Crimson destructive energy rippled upward over her seductive black dress.
'This lunatic.'
She swallowed the curse she couldn't voice aloud. Truth be told, every demon who dealt with Azid called him a lunatic. The Demon Realm was little more than a gathering place for lunatics, after all. And among them, Azid was the craziest of the bunch.
Regaining control of her boiling emotions, Astaroth tried coaxing the prince once more.
"Azid-nim. Even the Demon King won't overlook your... antics forever. A thousand years ago, exile to this backwater was punishment enough, but if you keep this up, who knows what harsher penalty awaits. He's been incredibly patient already."
The words carried a clear threat, but Azid brushed it off with something utterly irrelevant.
"Anyway, got any food?"
Crack!
A thick vein bulged on Astaroth's forehead.
"If you're hungry, just hunt some magic beasts or low demons. Magic beasts have low nutritional value, so I recommend low demons."
"See? That's exactly the problem!"
Azid's berserk button had finally been pressed. He shot to his feet, arms flung wide, and bellowed,
"Why is the only food in the Demon Realm this crap? Come on, be real with me. You actually think that tastes good?"
This lunatic's off his rocker again.
"Do we eat for taste?"
"Then why eat?"
"To survive."
"No, if you're gonna eat anyway, shouldn't it at least taste good?"
"No demon cares about that."
Azid pointed at himself with an incredulous look.
'You're less demon and more lunatic.' The retort rose in Astaroth's throat, but she forced it down.
"Did you know humans invented something called farming? They grew their own food, cooked it up, and lived self-sufficiently."
"You think that's possible in the Demon Realm?"
"I've spent a thousand years trying to figure it out."
"...And?"
"Nope."
"...".
Astaroth felt like she was losing her mind. Demons were supposed to be wicked, ruthless, selfish egomaniacs driven solely by lust for power and strength—like racehorses charging toward the finish line.
'Why the hell is this guy obsessed with good food?'
No demon in history had ever been this bizarrely insane. The problem was, this lunatic was the Demon King's blood— the Seventh Demon Prince. She couldn't treat him lightly.
'Half-breed or not... that's probably why he's like this.'
Though hushed up, it was common knowledge that Azid had human blood from his mother. In any case, Astaroth gave up persuading him for the day.
"I'll be going now. I did ask you to return to the castle."
Azid waved her off lazily. Baring her pearly whites, Astaroth vanished like smoke.
Left alone, Azid's gaze turned to the low demons peeking warily from afar.
"I'm not gonna eat you idiots. You taste like shit... Damn, there's really no way to get good food around here."
Gurgle.
Since adulthood, he'd only eaten magic beasts. But higher-ranking demons required massive energy. The Demon Realm's hierarchy ran: magic beasts, low demons, common demons, high demons, high officials, Demon King, Demon God.
Low demons grew by eating magic beasts. From common demons onward, they devoured both magic beasts and low demons—essentially, the latter were livestock. Common demons and above avoided becoming food.
They sustained themselves on magic beasts and low demons. But magic beasts offered far less nutrition than low demons. So even if a prince like Azid gorged on them, it wasn't enough. He needed low demons for proper energy.
Refusing them, his body was weakening. Even his princely authority could only maintain his health so long. Normal demons couldn't last a day hungry. Yet he stubbornly stuck to magic beasts.
Lunatic through and through. Thanks to him, the spared low demons prostrated themselves en masse. Azid eyed the scene gruffly.
* * *
The magic beasts were grotesque and chaotic in appearance. Every one was a nightmarish mess of features. Their faces were a jumble, like four-way intersections without signals. And their drool clung like sweet-and-sour sauce.
"Whoa, this is rough."
Pao's face had been his benchmark for grit tests, but it did nothing here. On the Pao scale, these beasts clocked in at about 87 Pao.
Most would panic. But Han Ji-woo, kidnapped to the Hidden Space and hardened by trials, thought differently.
'Scary as hell—kill 'em quick!'
With that resolve, he swung his twin blades. The icy gleam of the single-horned steel sword and the dark trail of the blackened dao left neatly bisected beast corpses tumbling in their wakes.
Keruk! Kieeek!
"Hm?"
These guys were weaker than expected.
"Ah, all-in on stats for intimidation, huh!"
They were one-trick visual terrors. Wary of hidden aces, he kept slashing relentlessly.
"...".
In five minutes, every beast was dead.
Hunting magic beasts with weapons acquired in the Hidden Space applies some Dungeon Laws.
Enemies slain by Han Ji-woo drop spoils.
The beasts' corpses vanished, leaving loot behind. Han Ji-woo scanned it casually.
◈ When crafted into gear: Adds poison attribute.
◈ When crafted into gear: Adds fire immunity.
◈ When crafted into gear: Adds attack power.
"Well, well?"
Each piece was perfect for crafting gear. He already needed weapons for the dungeon folks. Maybe the Demon Realm held answers.
"Hidden Space had a plan all along."
At first, the sudden dispatch seemed random, but the beasts were weak, and their drops were exactly what he needed.
"Gather enough and head back."
One issue, though. He reopened the quest window.
Quest: The Seventh Demon Prince of the Demon Realm Was a Ruffian. 1
📍 Objective: Resolve Dirke Village's mission.
🎁 Rewards: Increases Dirke Village revival level. Strengthens Dimensional Gate to Demon Realm.
❌ Failure: Dungeon Tree growth -10%.
*You can return to Hidden Space anytime from Demon Realm. However, this counts as quest failure.
'Resolve Dirke Village's mission.'
That was the clear condition.
"This Dirke Village?"
It had to be. If Hidden Space had a shred of conscience, yes. Otherwise, at least give a map.
Either way, unable to pinpoint his location, he pondered clearing the quest when a flock darkened the sky, diving in.
"What the hell are those?"
Dozens of black-furred figures with massive wings flapping rapidly—common demons. Higher than magic beasts or low demons, but below high demons or high officials. The bridge class.
Elite common demons often became soldiers for high officials. Unlike others, they had proper gear. These landing before Han Ji-woo wore varied weapons—swords, spears, axes, hammers, bows, whips, gauntlets—and unified red armor.
Facing them, Han Ji-woo tensed, gripping his sword tighter. Better-looking than beasts, but surely far stronger.
Clang!
Their weapons trained on him in unison. He raised his blade, ready for battle.
"Hold."
From their midst stepped a particularly huge-headed one—a high demon. While common demons were grunts for high officials, high demons were generals. This one served some high official.
Han Ji-woo's Observation Eye revealed the name floating above: 'Adgis'.
The high demon exuded an extraordinary aura as he tilted his head.
"A human?"
He scanned around. Beast corpses gone, but blood soaked the ground.
"Came 'cause of the thick magic beast blood stench, and it's just one human standing here... Your doing? Wait, how's a human even in the Demon Realm?"
"Curious? Ask him yourself."
With that, Han Ji-woo activated his skill.
Kerberos's Hellfire!
Before Adgis materialized the three-headed gatekeeper of the Demon Realm, Kerberos.
"Ke-Kerberos!"
Adgis's face twisted in shock at the menacing form. Unsure of its strength, Han Ji-woo summoned first. But the demon's panic suggested Kerberos outclassed him.
Adgis stared in disbelief.
"He vanished centuries ago, they said... Why...! D-Did that human enslave you? Is that why you opened the Demon Realm's gate for him?!"
Kerberos answered with hellfire from its gaping maws.
Kwaaaaaaargh—!
"Gah! W-Wait! Uwaaaaaah!"
"Gaaah!"
"Keurk!"
Everything touched by the infernal beast's flames turned to ash—Adgis, his dozens of soldiers. In one minute, the threat was obliterated.
"Nice one, Blackie! You're stronger than before?"
Han Ji-woo praised, tossing a hunk of meat from his Inventory.
Kerberos, who'd normally devour it instantly, ignored it this time, jaws still working.
-Of course. This is my home turf. My power amps up here. But...
The beast asked with a puzzled tilt.
-How the hell did you get here?
"Well, see..."
Han Ji-woo briefed it briefly. Kerberos chewed as it listened.
But eyes watched secretly from afar.
Grrr rumble!
Gulp! Gulp! Gulp! Gulp!
Low demons, bellies growling, salivating. Spotting them, Han Ji-woo raised his sword to hunt—
Mission: Fill the satiety of low demons residing in Dirke Village.
A mission popped up suddenly, satiety gauges appearing over the low demons' heads.