Overpowering the Demon Officer

[If even one low demon from Dirke Village dies, the quest will be considered a failure.]

The moment he confirmed that message, Han Ji-woo cast his skill and charged forward.

[Pet Physical!]

In an instant, all of his pets' stats were copied and added to Han Ji-woo's own.

Thus, his current stats were as follows.

Han Ji-woo – Pet Physical Active

A monstrous figure where his physical stats—excluding Magic Power, Cooking, and Mana—averaged over 1,560! This state would last for one minute.

Han Ji-woo had no idea how strong this guy called Andromalius was.

But he had to save the low demons, so he charged at full power from the start.

'Please just drop in one hit!'

He poured that wish into his sword and swung.

But—

Clang!

Suddenly sprouted claws from Andromalius blocked the Black Hwado blade.

Thanks to drawing the guy's attention, the low demon escaped death, but the problem was—

'Can I win this?'

Even with Pet Physical active, the ambush was blocked. Proof that his agility was on par with Han Ji-woo's.

And yet.

"......What the hell is going on here?"

Andromalius's voice trembled slightly as he spoke.

Moreover, the hand that had blocked the Black Hwado was slowly being pushed back.

In other words, Han Ji-woo had the edge in strength!

"Beats me what the hell's happening."

With that, Han Ji-woo overlaid his Steel One-Horn Sword on the Black Hwado's blade and pushed with both hands.

Kagak!

"......!"

Overwhelmed by the bulldozer-like force, Andromalius's body was shoved backward.

Sensing he was in danger if this continued, Andromalius tossed aside the low demon he was holding and countered with both hands, but the situation didn't change.

Shocked by the sight, the hundred soldiers charged at Han Ji-woo all at once.

Andromalius, a high official demon, blocked the front, while common demon soldiers and high demons from the rear and flanks surrounded him.

Completely hemmed in by enemies on all sides, he was in a position to get beaten to a pulp!

But.

"Perfect!"

Han Ji-woo, who had been scanning his skills, shouted loudly.

[Dragon Scale!]

He activated Dragon Scale. Boiling mana surged from his body, materializing to envelop him entirely.

It soon transformed into dragon scales, boosting his Defense and Magic Defense by a whopping 800 each.

In other words, his physical Defense now exceeded 2,100.

Of course.

Tat tat tat tat tat!

The soldiers' and generals' weapons couldn't leave even a scratch on Han Ji-woo's body.

Dragon Scale originally raised Defense and Magic Defense by 350.

But with Pet Physical boosting his Magic Power and thus mana-based skills, its power ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠had temporarily surged.

Thanks to that, the bonus from Dragon Scale had skyrocketed, and its duration stretched from 10 minutes to 55.

Seeing their attacks futile, the demon soldiers panicked.

Andromalius was just as shocked.

"You...... are you really human?"

Han Ji-woo's body emanated a jumble of miscellaneous auras all at once.

Copying his pets' stats had let their auras seep in like lingering echoes.

It felt like facing human, cat tribe, goblin, orc, and more all at once.

And among them, the most dominant aura was—

"D-dragon!"

It was the chubby one's energy.

He'd properly experienced how terrifying dragons were during the war with the mid-realm a thousand years ago.

Andromalius's mind raced in shock.

"A dragon polymorphed? That explains it."

Then it made sense why all those mixed auras were present.

'It must've eaten them!'

This dragon had barged into the Demon Realm after devouring various races, not fully digested yet!

And it had disguised itself as human to hide its power and toy with them!

He was pissed at being played by a dragon's scheme, but survival came first.

If he could think rationally, that's what he'd do.

But demons were often ruled by instinct.

'You bastard!'

Andromalius was one of the only 72 high official demons in the entire Demon Realm!

Sure, he was at the bottom of ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠their ranks, but that still meant he held the 72nd spot across this vast realm.

The fact that this thing had toyed with him ignited his rage.

"Raaaaagh!"

Andromalius roared, squeezing out every ounce of power.

At that moment.

[Undead Master!]

[Undead Master!]

[Undead Master!]

[Undead Master!]

[Undead Master!]

......

Han Ji-woo cast Undead Master a whopping 20 times in a row.

With his pumped-up Magic Power, the skill's effects were now:

Casting the skill to summon 60 undead for 70 minutes 20 times.

The result?

Grooooaaar— Kooooo!

Han Ji-woo's surroundings were instantly filled with a legion of 1,200 undead.

"......!"

Andromalius's face drained to the color of dirt, his rising momentum shattered.

Seeing this, Han Ji-woo grinned.

"Every one of you who bared your teeth at me—off with your heads."

The moment the undead monsters received their master's command, their red eyes gleamed.

Shwaaack—!

"Kraaak!"

"Kek!"

"Agh!"

The hundred demons screamed in unison, turning into chunks of sliced meat.

Black blood rained down, soaking into the muddy ground.

Watching his subordinates wiped out in an instant, Andromalius's eyes rolled back.

"You bastaaaaards!"

Kwaaaaa!

Black demonic energy erupted from his entire body like tentacles in a torrent.

It pierced the undead monsters mercilessly.

Pew pew pew pew pew!

In a flash, hundreds of undead turned to black ash and scattered.

Feeling the terrifying power firsthand, Han Ji-woo realized he couldn't drag this out.

'If Pet Physical ends, I'm screwed—what now?'

Kakakakang!

He swept away the incoming black tentacles from all sides and thrust the Black Hwado toward Andromalius's heart.

Shweeee—!

Like a flash of light, the black blade shot forward at horrifying speed, and Andromalius couldn't block it.

'Damn!'

Puuk!

A gruesome sensation and agony exploded from his left chest.

The Black Hwado's blade had pierced flesh and stabbed Andromalius's heart.

"Guhk!"

If it fully pierced through, the guy was done for.

But.

It stopped.

The inky black blade halted just short of fully impaling the heart.

One minute was far too short.

He'd seized the perfect opening, only for it to vanish before his eyes.

"......?"

Andromalius, vomiting black blood, tilted his head.

The complex auras from Han Ji-woo had vanished like a lie.

'Why only human energy now?'

No time for questions—with survival on the line, he unleashed his demonic energy.

Puaak!

Struck by the burst of demonic energy, Han Ji-woo flew backward.

"Huff. Huff."

Blood gushed like a fountain from Andromalius's left chest where the Black Hwado had been pulled out.

He'd survived, but the damage was massive. He could only output 30% of his true power now.

'Gotta recover.'

Andromalius glanced around and extended tentacles.

They seized a low demon hiding among the undead and dragged it over.

Meanwhile, Han Ji-woo, hit by the tentacles—

'......That should've hurt?'

Was totally fine.

Andromalius's Attack had dropped due to his fatal wound, and Dragon Scale was still active.

But with his Attack nerfed, it was questionable if his sword would even pierce now.

'If it doesn't go in, I'll stab the same spot again!'

Aiming only for the left chest, Han Ji-woo charged again, but Andromalius was focused solely on hunting the low demon.

Then, someone shouted from behind Han Ji-woo.

"That bastard heals if he eats low demons!"

‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠

No time to check who said it.

Andromalius already had the low demon's neck in his mouth.

'No!'

If he ate it, recovery wasn't the issue—the quest would fail.

[Dagger Throw!]

A dagger had replaced the Steel One-Horn Sword in his hand.

The dagger flew from his casually flung left hand like a streak of light toward Andromalius's forehead.

Clang!

But demonic energy blocked it, and Andromalius thought:

'Weak.'

It should've been thrown at full power, but something was off.

Just like how it hadn't fully pierced his heart earlier.

Suddenly, his power felt drained.

'Tch, no time to overthink!'

Eating this low demon would open a path to breakthrough.

"......!"

Crack. Snap! Crunch!

Hundreds of undead swarmed him suddenly, desperately trying to pry the low demon away.

"You......!"

Normally, he'd sweep away such vermin with a flick, but not in his current state.

To make matters worse, Han Ji-woo closed in.

"Hah!"

He shoulder-checked Andromalius's left chest.

Puuk!

"Guhk!"

It worked. The guy felt massive pain and released the low demon's neck.

The undead seized the chance, whisking the low demon far away.

"Black Ball! Help out, damn it!"

Han Ji-woo swung relentlessly at Andromalius, who blocked every blow despite looking half-dead.

'Black Ball?'

Andromalius's mind was a mess.

He'd seemed ready to kill him easily moments ago, now begging for help?

What was that power earlier?

Wasn't he a dragon?

And he had allies?

-Don't order me around!

Andromalius's gaze snapped toward the voice.

"Kerberos! You......!"

Kerberos flinched, trembling.

It made sense. Back in the Demon Realm, high official demons outranked and outpowered him.

Andromalius blocked Han Ji-woo's sword with demonic energy and yelled.

"You worthless mutt who couldn't even guard the Demon Realm's gates properly and vanished—now playing pet for another race?!"

Shamed, Kerberos growled.

-I've never been a pet!

"Shut up! After I kill this guy, you're next!"

With a warning roar, Andromalius concentrated all his demonic energy for a decisive strike.

Shwaaaaa—!

A massive wave of domineering energy unlike before hurtled toward Han Ji-woo's head.

Block or dodge? In that split-second dilemma—

Kwang!

Something blocked in front, taking the hit instead.

It was Kerberos, biting the needle-like demonic energy with sharp fangs.

-I move by my own will.

"You......!"

As Andromalius raged, Han Ji-woo's twin blades moved again.

He punched Kerberos away, then swung demonic tentacles to counter the swords—but.

[Piano Sword Opening]

[Staccato!]

"......?!"

Suddenly, Han Ji-woo's swordplay changed.

The previously fluid combos now struck with sharp tak! tak! tak! tak! interruptions, flicking away the demonic energy.

Andromalius panicked but adapted his defense—

[Piano!]

Now the sword flowed like water, smoothly deflecting all the demonic energy.

"What the......!"

As Andromalius floundered amid the shifting sword techniques—

[Forte!]

Shweeeee—!

Puuk!

"Guhk......!"

The sword, swaying like a spring breeze, turned lightning-fast and plunged into his left chest.

Like the forte technique signifying intense performance, the blade struck more destructively and powerfully than ever, and Andromalius couldn't block it.

The gaping wound fully accepted the Black Hwado.

But piercing the heart completely wasn't easy.

That was when a handsome man approached from behind Han Ji-woo and flicked the sword's hilt with his index finger.

Then—

Puuk!

"Guhk!"

The blade pierced Andromalius's heart like tofu.

"D-Demon Prince...... why......"

With those final words, Andromalius's head drooped.

Stunned, Han Ji-woo turned to see a pale-skinned man with movie-star looks grinning and pointing at him.

"I've become the object of that delinquent Demon Prince's favor, you see?"

"......Huh?"