Chapter 138
Chapter 138
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 138
Chapter Title: Lucifer's Release
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Kim Jeongjae flinched upon hearing my voice up close. The guy who had been trying to devour me like a beast just moments ago.
He slowly withdrew his hand and spoke to me.
“……Kim Cheonjae.”
Even with that appearance, he could still speak human words.
“Yeah.”
“Grrr…… So you’ve finally made it here.”
“……Villainous line, huh?”
The word “villain” seemed to irk him, as he furrowed his brow. The two scales touching let out a screeching *kiiik!*
“How did you get here?”
“Walked.”
“……Don’t play word games.”
“It’s true. Did you think I flew?”
“……”
Kim Jeongjae glared at me. I continued with an innocent expression.
“What about you? What brings you here?”
Judging by the aura emanating from his body, he’d become a demon.
It wasn’t just dark—it looked sharply ominous.
“‘The Opener’—what else would bring you here?”
I shrugged.
“……Beats me?”
“You idiot.”
“Fine, let’s say so. I don’t want to trade barbs with you, so how about we cut to the chase and wrap this up quick?”
“……”
A subtle tension flowed between us. It felt like we were enemies, but not quite—an ambiguous situation.
If he’d become a demon, he was clearly an enemy I needed to deal with.
But Kim Jeongjae was supposed to be the main NPC who’d behead Beelzebub in the final battle of this round.
After glaring at me for a long while, Kim Jeongjae slowly spoke.
“Kim Cheonjae.”
“Yeah?”
“Did you come to take Lucifer’s head?”
I wasn’t sure how to answer. It was true I planned to take Lucifer’s head, but not in this round.
“……Yeah. No.”
“What?”
“I do plan to take his head, but not right now. It’s impossible.”
Kim Jeongjae nodded, grasping my meaning. I pointed at his dragon-transformed body and asked.
“Why’d you end up like that?”
“……”
“You look like a total monster.”
“Even to you, do I look like a monster?”
“What else? Covered head to toe in scales, looking like……a chimera that botched its mods.”
He flared up briefly, aura flaring, then calmed and answered.
“This body isn’t what I wanted.”
“……Then?”
Kim Jeongjae looked up.
“You’ve made it this far, so you know. Right now, two archdemons are lying in wait inside this castle.”
“……So?”
“Who do you think did this to me?”
I tilted my head.
“……How should I know?”
“You idiot.”
“……Kim Jeongjae, stop calling me an idiot and spit it out straight. Beating around the bush is a skill, sure, but I don’t have time right now.”
He took a step toward me.
*Thud!*
I stepped back, palm extended toward him—just in case he lunged suddenly.
“Kim Cheonjae, I have one favor to ask.”
“……What?”
With a grave expression, he suddenly bowed his head.
“Kill me. Do it yourself.”
[System Message]
[New story discovered]
[You have encountered the main NPC of the eleventh round.]
[Activating a fragment from ‘Hero Kim Jeongjae’s’ memories to replay the story video.]
“W-Wait. Kill you?”
Kim Jeongjae muttered something, then white mist spread before my eyes, blocking my view.
‘……Sigh.’
How many times have I seen this guy’s story video? Even his past I’m not curious about.
I flopped back onto the ground. My body floated weightlessly like an astronaut, letting me relax.
Time was stopped anyway—this was the perfect time to rest.
I closed my eyes and dozed off briefly.
*Shrrr!*
Suddenly, the mist curtain parted rapidly.
“……That’s Kim Jeongjae?”
It was young Kim Jeongjae.
He was swinging a wooden sword through the air, training his body. I floated over to him and looked around.
Deep in some unknown mountain. Were there still people doing this kind of training in the 21st century?
And he looked barely ten years old.
After swinging diligently, Kim Jeongjae wiped the sweat from his brow.
“Phew—.”
As he sat on a rock to rest, a white-haired old man popped out from nowhere, yelling.
“Resting again!”
That face looked familiar.
‘……Who is it?’
Kim Jeongjae jumped up in surprise.
“M-Master!”
“You brat, didn’t I tell you a thousand swings?”
“I-I already did a thousand.”
“……Oh?”
The white-haired old man suddenly smiled and patted Kim Jeongjae’s head.
It was a sudden turn like a third-rate comedy. I let out a baffled chuckle as I listened to their conversation.
“Jeongjae, one day you’ll have to save this world.”
“……Me?”
“Yes. Destruction will soon come to this world. When it does, people will seek you out. You must become the hero and defeat the monsters.”
Looking at the blue sky, destruction by Lucifer hadn’t come yet—but someone had already noticed and prepared?
‘Hoo……’
“Monsters……? Where are those?”
“Not yet, but they will appear later.”
“You’re lying.”
“Lying?!”
“Can I tell Mom?”
The white-haired old man stroked his beard.
“No, you can’t. This must remain our secret.”
“Heh…… What if I break the promise and tell others?”
“Then you won’t become a hero.”
Kim Jeongjae tilted his head innocently.
“……Huh? What’s that mean?”
“A hero is a position only one person can hold. If someone else defeats the monsters, you won’t be the hero, right?”
“Uh…… But I don’t want to be a hero?”
The white-haired old man flicked his forehead hard.
*Thwack!*
It was strong enough to make a dull thud. Kim Jeongjae grimaced, clutching his head.
“Owww!”
“You were born to become a hero. Never think like that again.”
“……I was born to be a hero?”
“That’s right. Who’s your father? Don’t people all over the world call him a hero?”
Kim Jeongjae’s father?
First I’d heard of it. Not even mentioned on the ‘Land of Ruin’ official site.
The story was getting interesting.
The man called ‘The Opener’ and the hero of this game—his father.
‘Who could it be?’
Kim Jeongjae hung his head.
“……”
Regretting the flick, the white-haired old man cleared his throat awkwardly.
“Jeongjae, you can become a hero like your father too. Just endure a bit longer and grow stronger until then.”
“……Okay.”
With Kim Jeongjae’s final reply, white smoke drew the curtain again.
If the system mentioned his father, it had to tie into the story somehow.
I pondered their conversation, deep in thought.
‘……’
I kept thinking until the next scene, but no clue. Maybe the answer was in scenes I hadn’t seen yet?
*Shiiiik—!*
The mist cleared, revealing a familiar cityscape.
Cars flew in the sky, and robot animals and insects worked on the ground.
Kim Jeongjae walked through it with the white-haired old man, conversing.
“This is Mechania?”
“Yes, nearby is where the demon your father told me about is hiding—the one alive in his time.”
“Demon……”
“Soon you’ll believe me. That you’ll become a hero.”
Kim Jeongjae eyed the white-haired old man suspiciously.
“Hmm……”
They crossed Mechania, passing through a massive mechanical gate. Outside, a forest utterly unlike the city greeted them.
Pushing through trees nonstop, they reached a cliff.
What they’d thought was the mountain base—Mechania—was actually at the peak.
A misstep would mean instant death from the height.
Kim Jeongjae stuck close to the old man and asked.
“Th-There’s no path.”
“……There is.”
“Huh?”
“Follow me.”
The white-haired old man closed his eyes and stepped into empty air without hesitation.
Young Kim Jeongjae thought the old man had gone mad.
*Step. Step. Step. Step.*
“……Huh?”
“What’re you doing? Come on.”
Kim Jeongjae rubbed his eyes. An impossible sight unfolded before him.
The old man was walking through the sky.
“Gr-Grandpa.”
“Yeah?”
“How’re you doing that?”
“Doing what?”
“……You’re flying through the sky!”
Even looking again, nothing was under the old man’s feet. A strong gust could send him plummeting.
The boy was terrified.
The old man, however, smiled warmly.
“It’s because this path isn’t visible to your eyes.”
“……A path?”
“Yes. Close your eyes. Put your hand on my waist and follow.”
“……”
“Got it?”
“……”
Kim Jeongjae looked scared. As he hesitated, the old man shouted.
“What’re you doing?! Hurry!”
“O-Okay!”
Kim Jeongjae grabbed the old man’s waist with trembling hands. Then they walked forward together.
They crossed the sky to the opposite mountain. Every gust made Kim Jeongjae scream. The old man chuckled at the sight, pressing on.
“Done. We’re here.”
“Can I open my eyes now?”
“Yeah.”
Kim Jeongjae slowly lifted his eyelids.
‘Whoa…… What’s this?’
The mountain they reached had a large hole. Not big enough for a giant, but like a den for a massive bear-like beast.
“Follow me.”
“……Okay.”
Kim Jeongjae followed the white-haired old man into the cave. A powerful aura emanated from within.
The evil aura I’d felt recently.
‘What is it?’
I followed them inside. Unease enveloped us the whole way.
This ominous presence wasn’t ordinary.
*Clack. Clack. Clack. Clack.*
At the cave’s end, I couldn’t hold back my shock.
‘……Lucifer!’
Lucifer lay there, limbs torn, shackled with iron restraints.
Dozens, hundreds of yellow talismans plastered around him,
and iron bars warded with a barrier imprisoned him like a cage.
The white-haired old man approached and reached out.
*Zzzt!* His hand bounced back.
“Urk……”
“Grandpa!”
“I’m……fine.”
“What was that?”
“……A barrier. One of the devices I made to seal someone, as I told you before.”
“Barrier……”
Kim Jeongjae nodded. He seemed to already know about this power.
“Jeongjae, you need to undo this barrier.”
“……Who’s inside?”
Anyone could see it was no ordinary figure. Even without seeing the aura, the killing intent was visceral.
“The one who’ll make you a hero.”
“Make me a hero?”
“Yes. In the past, your father became a hero thanks to him.”
“……My father?”
The white-haired old man smiled meaningfully.
“Of course. Remember how to undo the barrier?”
“……I do.”
Young Kim Jeongjae stared blankly at the old man, then slowly approached the barrier.
He pulled a short dagger from his inner pocket.
‘Longinus?’
I floated close to Kim Jeongjae to check the blade.
Yes.
Longinus.
The mythical spear stained with the blood of God’s son, Jesus.
“……Grandpa.”
“Yeah?”
“Really undo it? It……feels weirdly scary.”
“What’s to fear?! Undo it quick. Then you can become a hero and avenge your father against his killers!”
“……”
Kim Jeongjae hesitated.
The white-haired old man berated him, pushing.
Staring at the dagger, breathing slowly.
As if resolved, Kim Jeongjae hurled it at the barrier.
*Shiiik—!*
The dagger spun through the air. Kim Jeongjae extended both arms forward and chanted.
“Through Jesus Christ, united in the Holy Spirit, allow us to approach the Father……”
The dagger struck the barrier.
An explosion roared. Gray smoke filled the cave, thick enough to blind.
I parted the smoke and advanced.
There, I witnessed Lucifer’s seal breaking.
“Grooooar…… How long has it been……”
His shredded skin regenerated in seconds. The shackles on his limbs shattered,
and the yellow talismans burned black.
Lucifer rose.
The white-haired old man’s body twisted, skin peeling to reveal Satan smirking vilely from within.
Bewildered young Kim Jeongjae trembled before them.
Spotting the fallen boy, Lucifer approached slowly, extended a hand, and said.
“……Thank you. I’ll make you the hero of this world.”
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