Chapter 9: Even the Absolute Being Is a First-Time Dad
Absolute One, First Time Being a Dad - Episode 9
For a brief moment, the gaze of the Hunter from the Anti-Management Bureau Union and Kang-jun intersected in midair.
The man struggled to open his mouth and continued speaking with difficulty.
"I-I was wrong..."
"And?"
"P-please spare me..."
Kang-jun nodded a few times before slowly trudging toward him with deliberate, heavy steps.
"Honestly, I'm sick of everything and just wanted to live normally. No unnecessary attention, avoiding standing out, just quietly..."
Soon reaching the man's face, Kang-jun crouched down to his level.
Then he grabbed the trembling man's chin with a firm "Squeeze."
"What's so difficult about that to make you whine already..."
Simultaneously, Kang-jun's eyes began to tinge red.
Demon Eyes.
A high-level illusion magic that manipulated the minds of those who met his gaze, forcing them to witness 'horrifying visions.'
Of course, it had the critical limitation of only working on those with an overwhelming power disparity...
"Ughh, ugh, kkhh..."
The Anti-Management Bureau Union Hunter suddenly rolled his eyes back, foaming at the mouth as he began writhing on the floor.
Only faint breaths and pained moans escaped his parched lips.
Right now, he was trapped in an illusion—surrounded by twelve demons, being stabbed repeatedly in the abdomen for days on end.
Kim Bong-gu, who had been silently watching the scene, unconsciously swallowed dryly.
'W-what the hell is even happening here...?'
From his perspective, it was an utterly incomprehensible sight.
All that had happened was a brief moment of eye contact.
If that alone was enough to subdue an 'A-rank Hunter'...
'W-what kind of person is he...?'
Just then, Kang-jun turned to Kim Bong-gu and asked:
"Wow, you're holding up pretty well without collapsing?"
"......"
"You don't wanna end up like that too, right?"
Answering was impossible in this situation.
Kim Bong-gu could only slowly nod in response...
"Then keep your mouth shut."
Crabsley cautiously interjected:
"My liege. With utmost respect, would it not be better to simply kill him and ensure his silence completely?"
"Nah, I placed a Geas on him. He'll be fine."
"Then all that remains is summoning the demon and finding a way out of here."
"Yeah, if negotiations fail, we'll just kill that 'demon' too and figure our own way out."
As Kang-jun gestured lightly toward the altar, two skeletons lumbered forward.
They seized the writhing Hunter—still screaming in agony—by both arms.
Dragging his flailing body across the floor, they unceremoniously dumped him onto the altar.
"Kill him."
One skeleton raised its sword high—
Stab!
Thud!
Stab!
—and plunged it repeatedly into the Hunter's chest.
As thick, viscous blood began soaking the altar...
Whoosh—!
The final candle's wick burst into black flames, roaring violently.
RUMBLE—!
The entire chapel shook as if on the verge of collapse.
"Quite the dramatic entrance."
Muttering in displeasure, Kang-jun stared up at the massive demon statue.
From its base, a sinister energy began radiating outward.
Soon, a poisonous mist-like black fog filled the chamber.
From within it came a voice so unnervingly repulsive it made one's skin crawl:
「"For hundreds of years, not a single day passed where I forgot that humiliation. That day, I could only watch helplessly as my brothers died..."」
The fury in the voice grew palpable.
「"With the few brothers who survived, we scattered across dimensions, clinging to the hope of reuniting someday for vengeance..."」
The voice dripped with such grudge it threatened to overflow—a desolate echo that refused to fade.
「"After losing my power in battle against him, I endured disgraceful days. A weak fugitive drifting between dimensions, surviving solely to one day exact revenge..."」
CRASH—!
The chapel trembled violently as the voice continued:
「"Now, having regained some power, I answer your summons to this unfamiliar dimension."」
Then—
「"WHO DARES—?"」
A booming voice echoed as piercing red eyes glowed through the fog.
「"WHO DARES SEEK A PACT WITH MARBAS—ONE OF THE 72 DEMONS, HOLDER OF THE TITLE 'GUARDIAN OF HELL'—?"」
The fog dissipated, revealing the owner of that grotesque voice.
Standing at least 4 meters tall—a dog's head mounted on a hulking humanoid body.
The demon spoke again:
「"You've brought me to a place perfectly suited for rebuilding my strength and forces for vengeance. I shall gladly accept your bargain—!"」
The archdemon Marbas threw back his head in uproarious laughter—
"Ah, I remember now."
—which died instantly at the voice beneath his feet.
'Huh...?'
A voice etched into his memory despite centuries passing.
Marbas gulped audibly, slowly lowering his gaze to his feet...
"The first one who ran away."
He locked eyes with Kang-jun, who smiled brightly in greeting. Simultaneously, Marbas' eyes bulged to the size of lanterns.
「"I-Immortal...?"」
Meanwhile, Kang-jun acted like he'd just reunited with an old friend.
"Man, you really do live long enough to see everything, huh? How'd you and I end up meeting here? Seeing your face actually kinda makes me happy..."
Marbas gaped soundlessly, lips twitching—
「"H-how could you be in this insignificant outer dimension...?"」
"This is my hometown."
「"Ah, now that I think about it, what a magnificent dimension this is!"」
Marbas trembled violently, muttering "F-fuck..." under his breath.
He wiped the cold sweat beading on his forehead with the back of his hand.
'I'm f-fucked...'
Even at the peak of his power, he'd barely lasted a few exchanges before fleeing.
Now, without having fully recovered that strength, his chances against Immortal were effectively zero.
No...
This was the man even all 72 demons combined couldn't defeat.
His only option was escaping this immediate crisis by any means, then regrouping with his scattered brothers to plan...
A distant future revenge seemed the sole possibility.
'Right—this can't be the end!'
The next instant—
THUD—!
The massive demon dropped to his knees, pressing his forehead to the floor in groveling submission.
「"O great King of Death—!"」
"Just speak normally."
「"SPARE THIS LOWLY ONE'S LIFE!"」
He continued in the most servile tone:
「"I was merely summoned here against my will! I would never dare invade your glorious home dimension!"」
"Yeah?"
「"If you grant me this mercy, I swear to disappear into some distant dimension, living out my days in obscurity—!"」
As Marbas rambled on—
"Sure, got it."
「"Eh...?"」
"Go ahead."
This wasn't someone Kang-jun particularly resented, and seeing him grovel without any fighting spirit...
'Just send him off and go home.'
He figured he should call his sister once he got outside.
Marbas slammed his forehead against the floor again BAM—! and bellowed:
「"T-THANK YOU FOR YOUR MERCY—!"」
Standing up, he cleared his throat Ahem and cautiously added:
「"Immortal, might this humble one take his leave now...?"」
Kang-jun nodded, turning to pick up his discarded backpack.
"Oh, right."
He murmured and added:
"Hey, hold up."
A passage from the Parenting Encyclopedia he'd been reading came to mind:
[Pets significantly aid children's emotional development.]
And what else was it?
[Children raised with pets show higher IQ and markedly better empathy compared to those without...]
The gist seemed roughly along those lines...
After brief contemplation, Kang-jun turned to the frozen Marbas:
"Hey, bark for me."
「"Pardon...?"」
"I said bark."
Marbas ground his teeth audibly.
'Immortal—I shall never forget today's humiliation!'
Then he poured his soul into barking:
「"WOOF! WOOF! BARK BARK! GRRR—!"」
"Put more effort into it."
「"GRR! GRR! GRRRR—!"」
"Damn, you're good at this."
「"I-I'm honored..."」
Kang-jun shook his head.
"No, seriously—you sounded exactly like a dog."
He glanced at Crabsley for confirmation "Right?", who nodded vigorously:
"Indeed. It's astonishing how perfectly canine that was."
Marbas shut his eyes tightly in despair.
'That I, one of the 72 demons who once ruled the underworld, would come to this...'
Then Kang-jun declared: "Pass." and asked:
"You can shapeshift, right?"
Most demons were known for their transformation abilities.
Historical records showed demons appearing in various forms before humans.
Especially transforming into species resembling their usual form—they could do that freely.
「"Y-yes? Into what...?"」
Marbas asked nervously.
"What kind of dog would a three-year-old girl like?"
His face turned ashen.