Chapter 75
Chapter 75
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 75
Chapter Title: It Hurts More If You Dodge
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The demonkin that the man had been stepping on until moments ago vanished without a trace. He knew the reason. He knew it all too damn well.
As if stepping in to replace the demonkin, a sinister energy filled the room.
It wasn't just energy. He could see it. Something black. Something like mist surged and coalesced into a tangible form.
And then he heard it. It wasn't audible, but it rang out all the same.
"The first wish has been granted by voice."
A voice impossible to distinguish as male or female. No childish tone reached his ears.
The voice hammered directly into his brain like a nail, making the man grimace without realizing it.
"I warned you to beware the vampire. And you let your wish get stolen like a fool, kid."
The black something's form shifted. It flickered wildly, dizzying the mind. Just watching it brought on vertigo.
"Now it's gone. Did you burn your last life to seal the contract?"
At last, the form solidified. It was a man dressed in a sharp black suit. Two pairs of red horns protruded from his head, demanding attention.
The man's pitch-black eyes, devoid of whites, fixed on him. He made no other move. Just that gaze buckled the knees. Clinging to his slipping sanity, a sound came from behind.
Thud—
Everyone but him had already passed out. The sheer pressure from a single glance stole their consciousness.
Even gazing upon it was forbidden. Not even a human who had once dominated an era was exempt.
"Fuck... we're screwed..."
Those were the final words of the man known as the "Ice Knight."
"You held out a little."
In the space where all had fallen, the demon pondered briefly.
The instant a demon manifests in the mortal realm, it must grant the wishes of its summoners. That is both the reason it can descend and the chain that binds it.
The constraint allowing a being beyond divine order to exist in the human world.
"Two remain."
But a problem arose. The summoners were all dead. The demonkin to that white-haired man. The vampire was unknown, but her presence was gone.
What to do—
Pondering, the demon snapped its fingers.
"One should fulfill the earnest desire of the kid who summoned me."
It was clear. Summoned with the thought of "kill them all."
"No helping it, then. If I blow the whole building sky-high—"
The demon preparing its spell froze. Its eyes wavered. Following its gaze, there was one—no, two women.
A woman confidently looking down, cradling a girl still small enough to be called a child.
How? I clearly emanated demonic ki?
As if answering that question, just seeing her raised goosebumps across its entire body. Like beholding two irreconcilable existences with one's own eyes.
"What are you doing? Everyone just dropped like flies."
[Who's that guy?]
"Not a person. Trash."
[Trash? Dispose of it?]
"Yep!"
Saying that, they drew closer step by step. The little one perched above chattered excitedly with things like [Cleaning! Trash cleanup!]
What the hell is that? How is she even standing? What is she?
Such coherent thoughts wouldn't form. It sensed it instinctively. A feeling unlike any since birth.
'I'm trembling?'
It was terror. The sensation of facing a higher existence.
'I didn't shake like this even before the Lords.'
The seven lords of hell. Not even they had made it tremble so. What was this? Why was something like that in the human world?
"Huh? Don't run away. It hurts more if you dodge."
The demon looked up at the girl, terror filling it. The thought of fighting never crossed its mind.
Gulp.
"What the hell is this?"
I muttered in the passage leading to the nightclub basement. Of course it was weird. If the demonkin countermeasures team had breached, this mess wouldn't have happened.
When demonkin die, their body and soul get reclaimed by a demon. That's the price for transcending humanity, so what?
They lay sprawled on the floor like they'd been beaten to a pulp by someone.
"Knocked 'em out without killing and just left?"
Impossible. Demonkin are the type that go berserk and kill everything.
[Quit the idle thoughts and move already.]
"Ah. If a demon's manifested, you handle it. You're the only one who can stop it, right? Fighting in a maid outfit isn't embarrassing? After getting your ass handed to you once, wouldn't it sting coming out?"
[..... Can't recover enough to go out yet. Plus, if I show up, a powerful demonkin—]
"Yeah, yeah~ Heard your excuses loud and clear~"
[I'll deal with you when you're out.]
Truth is, she couldn't come out. I was just poking because I was antsy.
I hopped lightly over the increasing number of demonkin as I went, arriving before a massive door. What kind of nightclub door is this grandiose?
"Lachesis, this the spot?"
Confirming the cat on my shoulder nod, I swallowed hard. A demon had emerged, contrary to expectations.
In the worst case, I'd considered calling Benia as I reached for the door—
"Grrrrr!!! Why the hell is this so hard to open!!"
It was ridiculously heavy; prying a gap open revealed something pretty damn bewildering.
People collapsed everywhere. Julia, her assistant, the mask shop guy.
And the demon.
I could tell at a glance. Its form kept shifting. Tall man, then little girl, then pretty big sis, then grandpa.
Traits of a lesser demon. It changes to whatever form the contractor desires for convenience.
I quickly pulled the [Skeleton Mask] from [Inventory] and equipped it. Its form locked in place, and a blue window popped up.
I got it. No choice but to get it.
"What're you doing?"
"Ah! Seong-hoon!"
The blonde turned at my voice with an innocent smile. Kinda weird considering she'd just been pounding the demon like a rag doll.
[Daddy!!]
Levatein, who'd been clapping happily from above, came running too. Looked like she wanted a hug, so I picked her up for now.
"Just till today."
[Huh?]
"The hugging."
Can't have her suddenly acting up here. Levatein floated a bunch of question marks over her head, but I ignored it.
I slowly approached Raphael. At her feet lay a demon with a face swollen like a balloon from all the punches.
This the angel punch? Solid performance.
"How hard did you hit it?"
"Was gonna beat it till it died, but it just won't."
This thing's pure muscle brain. Demons don't die like that?
"Do demons in your world die from that?"
"Nope. But it begged me to kill it."
"Heh."
I peered down at the demon in disbelief. Female form. Dressed provocatively like a demon should, two pairs of horns on her head.
Covered her eyes so Levatein wouldn't see, but then it hit me—lesser demons show whatever form you want.
[What'd you do?]
"Nothing. What does that demon look like to you?"
[Huh? Fire!! Fiery person!!]
Fiery person? Kid vocabulary's tough; guess it means someone on fire.
"Seong-hoon. What do we do with this one? It's behaving now, but earlier it tried to blow this place up."
I wanted to ask why Raphael was here, but the demon was priority, so I nodded.
I approached the one meekly sitting seiza-style before the blonde and squatted down.
"Hi."
"A mere human dares—"
"Raphael."
Crack—
Raphael flexed her hand with a sound. The moment it heard, the demon's face drained of color and it clung to me.
"Hi!! Hello!! Please hold that woman back!!"
"Yeah. Answer nicely from now on. Or else."
"You know what it means when dust flies on a rainy day?"
At that, it looked at Raphael again, then me. With teary eyes, it stared up for about three seconds.
Then nodded frantically.
"Now that's a demon ready to talk."
I grinned, about to start questioning, when a sudden thought hit me.
"Raphael."
"Yeah?"
"Don't tell me you took out those demonkin at the entrance?"
"They were annoying, so I gave each a smack and they dropped."
Got it. No more messing with Raphael from now on. She's the ultimate in anti-demon brawls.
Today marks the dawn of the angel punch era.
"Hey. Demon."
"What."
"How many wishes left?"
"What is this."
The lesser demon Lily trudged forlornly back to hell. The reason was simple.
She'd gotten tangled up with the wrong crowd.
Excited for her first human world outing in ages. Gotta snag lots of contracts, harvest tons of souls.
Pondering how to torment humans, when—
—First wish.
—Hand over all your souls. All of them. Not a single one left behind.
—What? No way? You've hoarded them for centuries, so what. Hand 'em over. Won't? Raphael~
"......"
In seconds, centuries of soul-hoarding went poof. To a human, no less. What human wields a soul-reaping scythe?
That alone made Lily suicidal, but the reason her shoulders slumped even more was separate.
—Second.
—Contract with me. Then return to hell. Come when I call. You bear all the contract risks.
—Why? Don't like that either? Raphael~
"......"
Lily silently touched her neck. Nothing visible, but she felt it. Connected. To that trash.
Had to go when he called. How unfair. Took all the souls for the contract, then tells her to shoulder the risks.
"Is this the feeling of a woman who picked the wrong guy?"
Situation she'd seen plenty. Hell, she'd orchestrated many herself. Women's emotions in such spots were delicious.
But in her own shoes? Words failed her.
From now on, Lily had one task: farm souls in preparation for his summons.
Life. No, demon life.
Tragedy up close, comedy from afar.
Tears in her eyes, Lily opened a door. Beyond lay the interior of a grand palace.
Her legion's domain. She walked to a certain room.
A man waited there. One with dark red horns.
Lily pleaded tearfully.
"I met with mishap in the human world. A guy named Lee Seong-hoon—"
Kill Lee Seong-hoon, and her contract voids.
In some shadowy building.
Three figures sat at a round table. A red-haired woman, a massive black silhouette, and a robed man whose face was hidden but whose hands were near-purple.
"One branch got wiped. They got cocky summoning a demon, but I didn't expect the demon to get taken down too."
"Argh. We sent our progenitor trusting you lot, and only he died. You kidding? Jeyden was such a cute kid!!"
"...My apologies."
The redhead laughed at the robed man's apology. No big deal, really. Progenitors could be remade.
"Anyway. The demons sent word. They know who beat their demon."
"Just so you know, we half-demons can't lend power. Not in a position to help anyone. Plus, we're targeting someone ourselves, so hits are tough."
"Everyone's got their own targets? Me too! A cute boy~"
As they each vented, the robed one waited for them to finish.
No point slamming the table or yelling; they wouldn't stop.
In the quiet that followed, the robed one spoke.
"Count to three, then say the name together."
Once one started, they'd all chime in chaotically.
Hard-earned survival tip from years working with them.
—One. Two. Three.
At the countdown from behind, they spoke in unison.
Shockingly, all said the same.
Lee Seong-hoon.
"No way. Why are you after our Seong-hoon?! Don't kill him. I warned you."
"My apologies. The demons' word is absolute."
"We have our reasons too—"
Can't enter the Academy for a while. Don't touch him. We need to unite forces. Words flew back and forth.
As the three factions plotted to take his life.
"Haaah~"
Lee Seong-hoon yawned lazily while watching TV.