Chapter 109
Chapter 109
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 109
Chapter Title: Satan's Jest
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Park Gyuhwan and Gawain did not lower their swords. I observed their movements while scanning the surroundings.
Fortunately, the other summons were in their right minds.
“…… So, you’re saying one of you two is Satan?”
Both answered in unison.
-Yes.
I couldn’t understand why Satan would suddenly attack me when there was no reason for it.
He had clearly said he would join hands with me to deal with Leviathan. Could he have noticed that the creature had vanished?
No.
How could he know when not even a trace remained? He wouldn’t even know that I had eliminated Leviathan on my own.
I looked into their eyes.
‘Satan, huh….’
Then, while checking the summon window, I issued a command.
“Both of you, take one step back.”
Gawain stepped back first. Park Gyuhwan followed slowly, extending his foot behind him.
The summon window showed both as awaiting orders, so there didn’t seem to be any issue.
So why were they accusing each other of being Satan?
“…… Park Gyuhwan, where did you and I start traveling together?”
He answered without hesitation.
“The subway.”
“Then Gawain, where did you and I start traveling together?”
“From the Conqueror’s Tomb. My lord, do not approach that guy. You never know when he might thrust his sword at you.”
Jealousy or envy couldn’t create a situation like this. They were emanating killing intent strong enough to kill each other, yet they moved within my commands, so something must have happened.
After making them lower their weapons, I asked again.
“Gawain, tell me what happened while I was away.”
“…… Suddenly, Satan appeared among the demons, transformed into Park Gyuhwan’s form, and attacked me.”
“Then where is the real Park Gyuhwan?”
“I don’t know. The moment he transformed, Park Gyuhwan vanished.”
Satan transformed into Park Gyuhwan,
And Park Gyuhwan disappeared.
“…… I see. Then Park Gyuhwan, you explain what happened earlier.”
Park Gyuhwan removed his goblin mask as he spoke. A bullet hole was visible on his forehead.
“First, I’ll prove that I’m the real Park Gyuhwan. This hole on my forehead—it’s a wound from a bullet fired by a fellow soldier back on the subway.”
“…… And?”
“Something even Satan wouldn’t know—one of the facts about Leviathan’s whereabouts.”
I widened my eyes in surprise.
“Leviathan’s whereabouts?”
“Yes. Since Satan doesn’t know that, Leviathan’s whereabouts can prove I’m the real Park Gyuhwan.”
I fell into thought.
No matter the outcome in this situation, it wouldn’t be good.
After all, one of them was Satan.
Why was that bastard acting like this? He had clearly said we’d join hands.
“…… Gawain, can you tell me Leviathan’s whereabouts?”
Gawain shook his head.
“I’m sorry.”
“You don’t know?”
“No. I know, but I can’t say.”
Park Gyuhwan gave a bitter smile.
“He can’t say because he doesn’t know.”
“……”
“Filthy tiger bastard.”
“……”
I gripped the scythe’s handle tightly and asked Park Gyuhwan.
“Park Gyuhwan.”
“Yes.”
“…… Die.”
Whoosh-.
Clang!
Park Gyuhwan caught my swung scythe with his bare hand.
‘As expected.’
Park Gyuhwan, a master swordsman, catching a blade with his body?
“Why, why are you doing this!”
“……”
I kicked his shin, then struck his jaw with my elbow. Park Gyuhwan lost his balance and staggered. Unable to withstand the barrage of punches that followed, he released the scythe’s blade and leaped backward.
Gawain swung his greatsword at his neck.
Park Gyuhwan dodged the attack with agile movements and jumped down the stairs.
“Target switch!”
I pointed my index finger at Park Gyuhwan.
[All summons under player ‘Kim Cheonjae’ have switched targets.]
The skeleton archers fired arrows at Park Gyuhwan. The skeleton mage tried to freeze the ground to bind his feet.
Park Gyuhwan deflected all the attacks as if they were a joke, swinging his sword.
Clang! Clang clang!
Park Gyuhwan wiped the blood trickling from his mouth with the back of his hand. Then, a vile laugh echoed.
“…… Kuhahaha!”
I aimed my scythe at him and said.
“Satan, what is the meaning of this?”
Park Gyuhwan’s body twisted like clay, changing form into Satan with black wings.
“How did you know I was fake?”
“Answer my question first. Why are you attacking me?”
“Attacking you? I never attacked.”
“…… What?”
“I was just playing a prank. Just kidding—one of the demons’ games.”
My brow furrowed involuntarily.
Normally, no one jokes about matters of life and death. Not by human common sense, anyway.
Gawain emanated an aura and advanced toward Satan.
I extended my hand to stop him, then said to Satan.
“Where is Park Gyuhwan?”
“Answer my question this time. How did you know I was fake?”
“…… Simple. Park Gyuhwan isn’t foolish enough to speak out of turn beyond my orders.”
Satan shrugged.
“An undead that thinks?”
“Of course. The soul inside him is intact.”
“…… I underestimated him.”
“So, where is Park Gyuhwan?”
Was it a battle of nerves? He glared at me without answering. I met his gaze without flinching.
The evil energy emanating from him seemed to swallow the surroundings.
He wasn’t even among the top combat demons among the archdemons, yet an ominous aura pressed down strangely.
For some reason, I felt like I might lose.
Satan took one step forward.
At his movement, Gawain flinched.
“…… Puhahaha! Was my prank too much?”
“What?”
“I told you it was a prank. Here, your subordinate. Park. Gyu. Hwan.”
Satan drew his hand from above downward, opening the ‘Room of Mirrors,’ from which Park Gyuhwan emerged.
He had no wounds, so no battle had taken place.
Incomprehensibly bizarre behavior.
Why on earth had he done this?
Satan flew into the sky and said to me.
“So, where is Leviathan now?”
“Didn’t you say you knew earlier?”
“That…. In human terms, it’s exactly that.”
“What.”
“A. Lie.”
A lie? For a moment, I wondered what ‘gura’ meant. I’d heard and used it often, but coming from a demon’s mouth, it felt unfamiliar.
‘Gura….’
Lie.
“Are you kidding?”
“I’ve been saying it from earlier. It was a prank.”
“You…. Bastard.”
At my signal, the skeleton archers loosed arrows at Satan. He laughed, clutching his belly, and let them hit.
Even in steel mode, the top-grade skeleton soldiers couldn’t scratch him.
“It tickles!”
“…… You, you received new power from Lucifer, didn’t you?”
Satan tilted his head.
“Hm? How did you know?”
“Your body. It’s completely different from before.”
“…… You’re a sharp one.”
-Kuwek, kueeek! Kuwek!
One of the demons swarming toward the shrine vomited entrails and collapsed to the ground.
Thud!
Satan glanced at the demon soldiers falling one by one and said to me.
“Hand over the shrine. You’re after Michael too, aren’t you?”
He still believed that?
“No, I won’t hand over the shrine. Our contract is only about Leviathan. I’ll handle Michael myself.”
“I know the contract terms. But you’re violating it by not telling me Leviathan’s whereabouts.”
“Because I don’t know.”
“Don’t lie.”
“It’s true. I don’t know where he is right now. I said I’d let you know when I hear from him.”
I really didn’t know.
Since he was dead, only the ‘gods’ could know his whereabouts.
The gods—the ones called the operators in this game.
[System Message]
[‘Satan’ peers into your thoughts using Mind’s Eye ability.]
I pretended ignorance to taunt him, digging in my ear.
“…… It’s true.”
“Right? You can confirm it with your ability, ‘Mind’s Eye.’”
“……!! H-How did you know about Mind’s Eye?”
“…… Who knows.”
I wondered what he’d think if I said the system told me.
“Kim Cheonjae, put aside the Leviathan contract. Hand over the shrine, and I’ll give you Meconia, currently ruled by Titan. How about it? My offer.”
“No need.”
“Then what do you need?”
“…… Everything.”
I extended my hand toward him.
[Cast ‘Iron Maiden.’]
Transparent thorns flew up, embracing Satan’s body. He shook them off with a bewildered expression.
A reflexive reaction.
Everyone who fell for this ability reacted the same.
“W-What is this?”
As expected, he knew nothing about my curse.
‘…… Confirmed.’
I didn’t know how much they had changed during the five years unknown to players.
But one thing was clear.
Pure evil, the weakest among demons, knew nothing of my curse.
The other archdemons wouldn’t know either.
I was the first ‘Necromancer’ player to arrive here.
“Everything?”
“…… Well, I’ll keep my promise about Leviathan, so get lost for now. Your face makes me sick just looking at it.”
* * * * *
Satan left without achieving anything.
I fully understood why he had come.
The shrine and Leviathan.
He obsessed more over Leviathan’s whereabouts. Why was he moving so hastily?
He knew I couldn’t break the hell contract.
‘Maybe because of that guy?’
Among the seven archdemons, Leviathan’s sworn brother who shared resentment toward Lucifer.
‘Beelzebub.’
He was rushing to settle things before those two joined forces.
“Park Gyuhwan, any issues with your body?”
“None.”
“Good. Then move out with the demons again.”
“…… Yes, sir.”
Park Gyuhwan gave a nod to the blankly standing Gawain, then mounted the demon.
Gawain returned the greeting with a nod and organized the skeleton soldiers.
“Dense formation!”
At his shout, the skeleton soldiers clustered tightly together.
Perhaps because the first boss round had begun, the types of monsters coming to the shrine had changed.
Up until now, it had been mainly imps and hellhounds following Balrog’s orders, and gargoyles under demons.
The ones approaching from afar now were even stronger beast-type demons.
Winged vampire monkeys.
Three-headed eagles.
A bull walking on two legs with a massive warhammer slung over its shoulder.
Even pigs wearing straw hats and carrying farming tools.
“Don’t let your guard down!”
At my command, everyone responded with a roar.
[‘Asmodeus’ has arrived near the shrine.]
[Players, please prepare to face ‘Asmodeus,’ one of the archdemons, the Demon of Lust.]
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