Demon God's Armor (8)
“Ugh... ah... aaah. P-please... st-stop... th-that...”
In the dim passage, illuminated only by the faint flicker of torches mounted on the walls, a groan that sounded like it could snap at any moment echoed from below.
The source of that groan, Hendrick, was in a state so wretched that even the word “miserable” fell short. His fingers and limbs twisted at grotesque angles. His face was marred with bruises. His body looked as if it had been hacked apart by sharp blades. Hendrick writhed on the floor, covered in wounds so horrific it was a miracle he was still alive.
“Hmm, I didn’t get as much information as I’d hoped.”
Yeong-sik murmured calmly as he gazed down at Hendrick, who resembled a lump of meat more than a human.
He had wanted details from Hendrick about the Demon God’s Armor, which the Ingrium Empire had excavated. But Hendrick didn’t know much about it either. The armor had been discovered by chance in the central continent, the site of the great war between the ancient Ingrium Empire and the northern monsters. No one knew its original owner. However, according to testimonies from the few survivors of that war, this so-called Demon God’s Armor had been one of the key factors in the Ingrium Empire’s downfall.
Intrigued by that, Hendrick had ordered the kingdom’s top magical scholars to research how to use it. Naturally, scholars versed in magic had no way to decipher an armor devoid of any magical properties. But Hendrick didn’t give up. He tried every method imaginable to wield the Demon God’s Armor, and in the process, his oversight of the captive Erman Duke grew lax. That was why Tiriya’s family had died so miserably in prison.
“Ahh... ah...”
Yeong-sik clicked his tongue as he looked down at the pitifully writhing Hendrick. It wasn’t hard to guess why he had become so obsessed with the Demon God’s Armor. Piecing together the survivors’ accounts, it was likely an SS-grade or even SSS-grade artifact—far more powerful than the S-grade national treasure Grace of the Archangel or the hero Andras’s weapon, Luminas.
An S-grade item was already worthy of being a national treasure. Anything beyond that was priceless. For Hendrick, who couldn’t even wield Luminas despite his status, it was inevitable that he’d grow greedy for the armor’s power.
‘In the end, this suit indirectly caused Tiriya’s family to die.’
Yeong-sik gazed at the Demon God’s Armor with a complicated expression. He wanted to use skills like Structure Analysis or scan it right then, but there was no time.
“Well, you weren’t much help, but good work anyway, Hendrick.”
Yeong-sik squatted down, grabbed Hendrick’s hair, and yanked his head up. Terror flooded Hendrick’s eyes as he began shrieking hysterically.
“Hiiik! Hic! St-stop! P-please, stop!”
Hendrick screamed in a frantic voice, as if he’d lost his mind. His wounds were so severe that dying from shock wouldn’t have been surprising. Yeong-sik had been force-feeding him potions that boosted mental strength whenever the pain worsened, keeping him alive against his will.
“P-please... spare my life at least...”
Even in a state where the agony should have killed him without the potions, Hendrick begged for his life. Yeong-sik looked down at him with disbelief. In a way, it was impressive mental fortitude.
“I have one last request. Fulfill it faithfully, and as promised, I’ll spare you.”
Yeong-sik spoke leisurely, pulling a recording crystal orb from his pocket.
“Just say into this, ‘The palace raid was Ruan’s doing.’ Simple, right?”
Hendrick’s face stiffened at Yeong-sik’s words. Incompetent as he was, he wasn’t dumb enough to miss the implication.
“N-no way...”
He stared at Yeong-sik in horror. Yeong-sik smirked, pressing the Blade against his throat.
“Your life or your son’s safety—which will it be?”
“...I-I’ll say it.”
The deliberation was brief. Nothing mattered more to Hendrick than his own life, not even his own flesh and blood.
Yeong-sik nodded as if he’d expected as much and held the crystal orb to Hendrick’s lips.
“The palace raid was Ruan’s doing.”
Thwack!
“Kuhuk!”
“Put a bit more desperation into it. Should I read you a book to practice?”
Yeong-sik slammed his side, prompting Hendrick to nod frantically through his agonized grimace.
“Th-this palace raid was all Ruan’s doing! That bastard tried to kill me to seize the throne!”
Hendrick shouted with all the desperation Yeong-sik demanded. Satisfied, Yeong-sik nodded and slipped the recording orb into Hendrick’s pocket.
“N-now... you’ll keep your promise and spare me, right...?”
Thud. Thud.
Footsteps echoed through the passage, cutting him off. Hendrick turned toward the sound and saw Tiriya approaching with a cold expression.
“Y-you bitch...! So it was all your doing!”
Hendrick screamed at her in rage. Tiriya ignored him and turned to Yeong-sik.
“...Thank you for handling this in my place, Yeong-sik.”
“No problem. It was... informative.”
Yeong-sik replied, thinking of the black suit he’d found in the palace records. He’d gleaned some details, at least.
“How’s the other plan going?”
“Just as you instructed. Yuna and Gil-su... weren’t thrilled, but it’s proceeding.”
“Can’t be helped.”
Yeong-sik gave a wry smile and stepped back from Hendrick. Hendrick looked up at Tiriya, pale as a ghost.
Tiriya gazed down at him with contempt.
“I’d love to make you writhe in agony for the rest of your life, but seeing you now, you’re not even worth the time.”
She raised her right hand. White lightning crackled around it.
Crackle! Zap!
“Hi-hiik! W-wait, that’s not the deal! You said you’d spare me if I did as told...!”
Hendrick cried out desperately. Tiriya’s face twisted at his shameless plea.
Spare your life. Those were the exact words he’d once said to her.
But they all died. Father... Mother...
Recalling their corpses in the underground prison erased the last flicker of hesitation. Tiriya swung her hand at the flailing Hendrick.
Zzzap!
“Aaaaaagh!”
The white lightning from her hand pierced his chest. His heart crumbled to black ash and scattered in the air.
Tiriya closed her eyes, looking down at his cold corpse. Transparent tears traced down her cheeks.
‘So that’s the angelic power she wields.’
Yeong-sik glanced at the silver pendant around her neck—the Grace of the Archangel he’d given her before coming here.
With it equipped, Tiriya could now channel the angelic power flowing within her. She emanated mana so intense it made Yeong-sik’s skin tingle.
‘Not for nothing did Han-seong say she could rival a level 103 ranker.’
He recalled Bae Han-seong’s words and waited patiently for her to compose herself.
“Let’s head back.”
“Feeling better?”
“...No. It won’t be that easy to sort out.”
Tiriya gave a bitter smile. Yeong-sik nodded gravely. What she’d endured would have driven an ordinary person mad. Revenge didn’t erase that pain.
“You’ll overcome it, Tiriya.”
His calm voice held a soothing power. She stared at him, lips pressed tight, then unconsciously reached out. Her hand touched his cheek.
‘...So soft.’
She’d seen his right arm launch as a Rocket Punch in battle, and a grotesque black object burst from his back. She didn’t fully grasp what he meant by “machine,” but it implied his body was metal, not flesh and blood.
‘He doesn’t feel like it at all.’
Tiriya thought, feeling the warm touch through her hand. His steady, gentle voice. His eyes that seemed to bind the soul. Her heart pounded as she gazed at him.
‘? Why?’
She placed a hand on her chest, confused. Her heart shouldn’t race now. After finding her family’s bodies in the dungeon today, she’d felt an emptiness like a gaping hole—one time couldn’t fill.
‘No, maybe that’s why.’
She’d collapsed under unbearable grief and despair today. Yeong-sik was the one who’d lifted her up.
“...Tiriya?”
Yeong-sik called her name, puzzled by her sudden action. She bowed her head, voice barely above a whisper.
“...Please.”
“Pardon?”
“C-call me Tiriya... casually.”
“...No, that might not be appropriate.”
Yeong-sik looked troubled. Addressing the guild master informally disregarded her position. Yuna and Chae-rin called her “sister” affectionately, but he was different. None of the male guild members used casual speech with her—doing so alone might make them look like lovers.
“Then... just when we’re alone.”
“...Ugh. Fine.”
Yeong-sik relented with a nod. A faint smile touched Tiriya’s lips.
“Let’s go.”
Yeong-sik turned and walked down the passage. By now, the guild members should have completed their tasks and headed to the Sirenchium Mountains.
‘Once we’re far from the palace, join the Dragonian subjugation...
Yeong-sik planned his next steps calmly.
‘And investigate the Demon God’s Armor.’
The image of the jet-black suit flickered in his mind.