EP8. The Incomplete Demon King

The relentless downpour continued all day ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠long.

And in just one day, the desert landscape ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠began to change bit by bit.

Tiny leaves started sprouting in places that hadn't had a single dry leaf before.

Seeds that had stubbornly endured between the sands had met water and finally germinated.

Shh shh shh!

By the next day, water had pooled in the desert, forming small puddles.

Animals and monsters seeking water began gathering here.

Little by little, the desert's ecosystem started to recover.

Several changes had appeared in the Demon King's Castle window.

First, the monster count had increased fivefold.

More monsters meant that much more viable land had emerged here.

And the demons' loyalty had surpassed half, reaching 53%.

It seemed many demons had been awed by Jae-jun's Aqua Punishment.

Citri alone had knelt the moment their eyes met, shouting "Demon King!"

Yet despite the improving situation, the territory status remained at risk.

'The problem is food.'

Finding sustenance in what had been a desert just days ago was no easy task.

Hunting monsters for food had its limits, and it would only lead to a vicious cycle.

"Hmm."

"Headache."

The subordinates overheard his indifferent mutter and approached—The Big and Weger, taking postures of submission.

Since yesterday, Jae-jun had let his kin roam freely in the Demon King's Castle, and they'd adapted surprisingly well.

Lately, they even mimicked Citri's actions, which Jae-jun seemed to approve of.

'Sigh.'

His kin didn't even feel hunger, so they had no need to worry about this.

Jae-jun let out a sigh laced with complaint.

As he muttered to himself, realization dawned, and he looked at his kin.

"Weger, The Big!"

"What food do you guys eat?"

Mana is enough, huh?

A good idea struck Jae-jun.

"Citri!"

"Yes, Demon King!"

The round, cat-like face appeared immediately from somewhere.

"How do demon kings take demons as kin?"

'He who already has kin should know this already. Why ask?'

Citri found it odd inwardly but bowed politely on the surface.

"By sharing blood."

"Blood?"

It was different from Jae-jun's method.

He had been using the system on slain foes to make kin, so this was unfamiliar.

"Yes. Even a single drop of your blood contains immense mana, so demons form kin bonds in exchange."

"So it's all about mana in the end?"

"...Yes, that's correct."

Jae-jun rose from his throne.

As he slowly approached Citri, he spoke.

"Then, Citri. I'll give you my mana directly. Will you form a kin contract with me?"

Citri snapped his head up, met Jae-jun's eyes, then bowed it low again.

"But not with the old demon kings' way—my own method."

A clump of mana shone like a glistening orb in Jae-jun's palm.

It bobbed enticingly before Citri's eyes, like a temptation.

Citri's gaze chased the mana orb obsessively, as if mesmerized.

"Of, of course!"

He'd worried the system might not respond, but fortunately, the desired window appeared.

After becoming a demon king, it seemed possible without killing first.

'If it hadn't worked...'

He'd have killed them all and made kin anyway.

Citri shuddered unknowingly, feeling a chill.

"Here. Take it."

Citri stared blankly at the mana orb floating down to his palm.

Small as a quail egg, but packed with concentrated mana power.

'Th-this is the Demon King's mana!'

Citri swiftly swallowed the orb.

Done!

Citri trembled as Jae-jun's mana enveloped his body.

A sense of fullness filled him completely.

When he opened his eyes again and saw Jae-jun, infinite loyalty welled up unbidden.

'This is the one I must devote my life to!'

It felt like a voice in his ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠head kept shouting it.

"Demon King! Your new kin Citri vows to serve with his life!"

"Good! Spread the word to all the other demons!

Any who wish a kin contract via my mana should come to the Demon King's Castle!"

"Understood!"

Citri spread his wings without delay and flew out.

Soon after, demons began arriving in a line.

All wore skeptical expressions, wondering if it was true.

But when Jae-jun formed a mana orb before their eyes and handed it over, their eyes widened, and they knelt in submission, awaiting their turn.

...

'Sigh.'

All the demons who came to the Demon King's Castle had formed kin contracts.

'5 demons left out. Why?'

Jae-jun frowned.

Even if just 5, refusing to become his kin sounded like they served another demon king.

'Spies?'

"Citri! Find the demons who didn't become kin."

"Yes, Demon King!"

Citri spread his wings and scattered with the other kin.

Demon Baphula fled from pursuing demons, heading somewhere.

His abnormally long legs propelled his body forward with each scrape against the ground.

Thud thud thud!

'Those guys! Changed so much after becoming the new Demon King's kin!'

They should barely reach half his speed, yet they'd closed in in moments.

"Stop!"

"Tch! Get lost! I won't become kin to some human demon king!"

Whirr!

Baphula spun, hurling sharp quills.

They looked thin and weak at a glance.

But once inside, they traveled veins to the heart and exploded—a fearsome attack.

The pursuing demons, knowing this, scattered like leaves in the wind.

But their gazes relentlessly tracked Baphula.

"Don't let him escape!"

Baphula dove into a small tunnel in the ground.

Normally hidden by sand, but the ongoing rain made it visible to the naked eye.

'If I just get in there!'

Baphula pushed his legs harder, speeding up.

Shhh!

But someone blocked the tunnel entrance.

"Out of my way!"

Baphula fired quills again.

The foe didn't dodge the flying quills.

'Hah! Idiot! May your heart explode!'

As Baphula sneered and tried to pass, a heavy grip seized his nape.

"Krrk!"

'Wh-what?! Why isn't he dead!'

Only then did Baphula notice his quills stuck to the foe's skin, failing to penetrate.

"You ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠won't become kin the nice way, it seems."

Jae-jun's eyes blazed fiercely.

Baphula slashed with sharp claws at Jae-jun's hand.

Thud!

Instead, Baphula's claws shattered from the recoil.

Crack crack!

Jae-jun's grip tightened, snapping Baphula's neck like a twig.

He tossed the limp corpse to the ground.

'Yes!'

'Sigh.'

Now all demons in the Demon King's Castle were his kin.

Baphula's corpse on the ground rose with a creaking sound.

"I greet the Demon King!"

No trace of his earlier aggression as he took a submissive posture toward Jae-jun.

"Good."

Jae-jun glanced at the tunnel Baphula had desperately tried to enter.

'Unlike the others, this one had a destination.'

"What's inside here?"

"...Treasures and monsters left by the previous demon king."

"Treasures and monsters?"

"Yes."

Jae-jun's eyes lit up.

Understanding, Baphula led the way into the tunnel.

"I'll guide you, Demon King."

Jae-jun followed Baphula inside.

The tunnel widened inward, forming a bottle shape.

'Hmm!'

A foul smell wafted from deeper in.

Poison?

A sharp aura thrust out, warning not to approach further.

"Demon King. This is the hydra's territory from here."

"Is it? Then why were you fleeing here?"

"...I planned to lure them by sticking to the tunnel walls."

'I see.'

"You stay here."

Jae-jun strode boldly deeper without hesitation.

'Incredible.'

Finally emerging from the tunnel revealed a vast cavern.

As large as the Demon King's Castle throne room.

And occupying half of it was a colossal monster.

'Can this even be called a monster?'

The hydra was overwhelmingly massive but not intact.

Of its 9 heads, 8 were smashed, brains leaking endlessly.

Not enough—huge spikes pinned it, immobile.

The sole intact head barely breathed, crushed under a massive boulder.

Roooaaar—

Poisonous breath spewed from the hydra's maw with each exhale.

'The air's poison was the hydra's breath.'

Its body was just bones and skin now.

Behind the hydra loomed a huge dais.

Atop it gleamed a massive, blood-red jewel.

Roooaaarrr—

Jae-jun whipped his head around at the sudden voice.

The boulder-crushed snake head opened jade-green eyes, staring at him.

Rumble rumble rumble!

The cavern shook from the hydra merely shifting.

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