EP8. The Incomplete Demon King
[Prevent the Fall of the Demon King's Castle!
Quest completed!]
Prevent the Fall of the Demon King's Castle!
Whew.
He'd barely managed to stop it.
Making all the demons his familiars had been a good call.
Choi Jae-jun grinned as he eyed the 1,000,000 gold he'd gotten as a reward.
1,000,000 Gold acquired as reward!
1,000,000 Gold moved to inventory!
[Master.
Something good happen?]
Jae-jun turned his head.
A woman with black hair and an instantly captivating intellectual allure stood there.
She wore form-fitting clothes, and her black eyes drew you in deeper the longer you looked, giving off a strange, mesmerizing vibe.
"Ah.
It's nothing.
By the way, what should I call you from now on?
Can't keep saying Hydra forever."
The woman before him was the mythic-grade monster Hydra, who had become his familiar just a few days ago.
When her massive size had him wondering what to do, she'd polymorphed into human form.
He'd worried she'd still have nine heads even in human shape, but fortunately, she had just one.
[A name?
Call me whatever.
Some humans called me Queen.]
...Queen?
It suited her image, sure.
But Jae-jun calling her "Queen" every time felt weird.
Ahem.
"Then I'll call you Tarasa from now on.
It means 'ruler of water.'"
Tarasa paused thoughtfully, then nodded.
[Not bad.]
Lined up like a wall beside Tarasa were Jae-jun's other familiars.
At some point, they'd started competing over their lineup order like it was a hierarchy.
Tarasa was so overwhelmingly dominant that no one dared challenge her spot, but below her, things were close enough that positions shuffled daily.
At least the first five he'd taken as familiars managed to hold top ranks.
Citri stood by Jae-jun's throne, thanks to his steward title.
This is kinda awkward too.
The way they tried so hard to catch his eye was cute, if he was being generous.
But their numbers were growing too fast.
At this rate, wouldn't all 295 demons end up trailing him everywhere?
Only four days left until Hestia finished growing.
Desperate times—he half-hoped some quest would pop up before then.
And right on cue, as if reading his mind, a quest window appeared.
Ding.
The True Demon King's Castle!
📍 Conditions:
1. Demon count: 10,000+
2. Build relational facilities in Demon King's Castle
🎁 Reward: Demon King's Castle territory expansion
It had been a while since he'd seen a linked quest window.
His brow furrowed at the demands for more demons and relational facilities.
The reward? Useless territory expansion for the castle.
It's already huge. Do we really need more space?
Monster numbers are surging exponentially.
Demons are too few by comparison.
Increase demon count and expand facilities.
The castle window echoed the same complaint about lacking demons.
Probably because the swamps had spawned monsters in geometric progression.
Guess we do need more demons.
"Citri."
"Yes, Demon King!"
Citri snapped into a subservient pose and replied.
"How do you make more demons?"
A faint flicker crossed Citri's face.
"...You mean chimeras?"
"No.
Pure demons."
Citri visibly relaxed.
"Monsters evolve into demons upon growing strong, or demons breed naturally."
"I see.
Then why so few demons in the castle?"
"..."
Not just Citri—all the demons' faces fell.
"...We lack female demons."
"What?"
It was the last problem Jae-jun expected.
"...There is another way.
But only you, Demon King, can do it."
"What?"
"Demonize monsters directly."
Come to think of it, The Big and Weger used to be monsters.
Not a hard method.
Especially with monsters overflowing.
Hmm.
Jae-jun rose from his throne.
He figured he'd hunt, make familiars, kill two birds.
Glancing back as he headed out, he saw every demon trailing him.
"Citri!"
"Yes, Demon King!"
"I'm stepping out briefly.
Don't follow—do something productive."
He spat it out and left the castle.
Only Tarasa followed.
The area around the Demon King's Castle had totally changed since his arrival.
A barren desert without a puddle—now a humid swamp.
Tarasa's power had sprouted trees into vast forests and valleys, exploding local flora and fauna.
Grrraaah!
Monsters roared from all sides the moment they entered the swamp.
Female monsters, huh. What've we got?
Shadow Move
Jae-jun shadow-jumped around the swamp with Tarasa.
Grrowl!
Right then, an ogre lumbered by, scanning the area.
A fresh arrival to the swamp.
Hand outstretched to demonize it, Jae-jun froze.
...How do you even tell male from female monsters?
Roars all sounded like guttural screeches; bulky builds looked the same.
Should've brought Weger.
Fellow ogre might know.
Couldn't strip and check each one—especially big ones.
Demonize a male by mistake, and it'd just worsen the sausage fest.
Stick to confirmed females.
He headed swampward.
―
A flock approached cautiously from the desert border.
Harpy—weakest demons, women's bodies with massive bird wings.
Whoosh!
The harpy folded her wings mid-flap and perched on a tree.
Dozens more trailing her settled on branches too.
...So quiet.
She scanned warily.
Weakest even in the demon world, harpies were used to nomadic life fleeing strong monsters and demons.
Nests clung to cliff edges or treetops predators couldn't reach.
Harpy homes: high trees in swamps.
Then Barak turned swamps to desert—harpy hell began.
No escape in the sands; hunted as prey by demons and monsters.
When did this place appear?
She didn't know the Demon King had changed.
Or that Hydra made the swamp.
Constant flight had drowned her in despair—but this swamp was new hope.
Krrree!
Other harpies chirped happily atop trees—all but the leader.
"Quiet!"
The leader snapped sharply.
Last drake raid devoured most of the flock; barely 50 left.
Worse: all combat males dead.
Predator now? Fatal.
Then.
Bushes rustled; thick musk wafted.
Grrowl?
Yellow eyes pierced the foliage.
A massive saber tiger.
"Everyone, fly up!"
Leader launched skyward, shouting.
Saber tigers: harpy nemeses.
Thick hide defied sharp beaks.
Leap power reached treetop heights.
The tiger bounded nimbly up the tree, soaring into air.
Horizontal swipe flashed claws.
Slash!
Blood sprayed like a fountain midair.
―
[Many lifeforms that way.
All female-shaped.]
"Where?"
Jae-jun shadow-moved to the direction Tarasa indicated.
Harpy flock on trees.
Appearance, builds—pure female demons.
Jackpot.
Harpy looked ragged, exhausted.
[Dangerous.]
No sooner said than a saber tiger burst from bushes.
Drooling clear saliva, eyeing harpies.
Harpy wings flared, fleeing skyward—but.
Feline agility: tiger leaps closed the gap fast.
Can't let them die!
Jae-jun blurred in between harpy and tiger.
Space Slash
Jae-jun's sword lightly grazed the saber tiger.
Result? Far from light.
Spluuurt!
Space itself tore where the tiger stood, blood erupting.
"You okay?"
Jae-jun checked the wide-eyed, stunned harpies.
She nodded blankly.
As he pondered what to say, the leader harpy bowed before him.
"...Thank you for the aid."
Weakest demons, but survivors honed sharp instincts and senses.
One glance at his combat prowess screamed powerhouse; she bowed low.
"Not helping for free."
She eyed him tensely.
"Be my familiar."
―Author's Note―
Thank you.