Chapter 104
Chapter 104
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Translator: crow
Chapter Title: Devilish Scheme
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"Damn it, Gaderok!!! Stop! Foran! Foran!!!"
The ruler of the south, Dejong, paced anxiously before his subordinate engulfed in black flames.
Dangaleon explained why, out of all these people, he had singled out the woman named Foran.
-That worm called Foran! She seems to be that scum Dejong's bodyguard, but it felt like more than a mere contract. I sensed that distinctive vibe from humans who've been intimate!
-That's why I chose that worm! Even the coldest bastard cracks when their fuck buddy's under attack! The limit of beasts enslaved by their flesh, you see!
Rishir nodded along, feeling a mild headache from the demon's vocabulary that denied human dignity.
"Wait! Dejong, hear me out! Something's off—"
"Shut up! Put out this goddamn fire first!!!"
Gaderok and Dejong had successfully seized control of the venue.
All that remained was to steer events their way, leveraging their numerical superiority.
In such a situation, Gaderok had no reason to betray Dejong.
Even if there was a reason, there'd be better timing and methods.
Dejong, who lorded over vile, calculating criminals, knew that full well.
"Shit, damn it! I knew teaming up with you was a mistake…!"
Yet Dejong let his emotions consume him, grilling Gaderok one-sidedly.
"Aaaahhh!!!!"
The woman's screams beside him, combined with Gaderok's reputation, thoroughly disrupted his thinking.
The boss's resentment spread to his men.
Dejong's subordinates, who had boldly surrounded the round table, now eyed Gaderok's crew warily.
Dangaleon's scheme had worked perfectly.
'Unbelievable…'
-Unbelievable!!! What an extreme compliment!!! My lord! This Dangaleon is overwhelmed by your praise!!! Indeed! Only I could pull this off for you, my lord!!!
Thrilled by Rishir's praise(?), Dangaleon eagerly outlined the next step.
-Now, publicly condemn that worm to highlight how foolish and dangerous it is to follow him!!! That'll spark infighting among them and let you sway some of his men!
How many times had this immortal being pulled this stunt over eons?
Feeling a mix of awe and not-awe, Rishir prepared to join the devilish plan.
"Dejong, you didn't know?"
But Gaderok beat the demon's scheming by a beat, taking charge.
He masked his emotions and spoke calmly.
"What that bitch did."
"What do you...?"
Instead of explaining, Gaderok glared at Dejong.
He judged that excuses would backfire now.
So, he fiddled with his earring instead—the black pearl stud, the Eye of Black Flame, a demonic relic.
"...!"
It was a signal.
Dejong knew the fate of those who missed it.
The emotion dominating Dejong was swallowed by an even greater one: fear.
"Ah... Ah..."
Dejong tore his gaze from Foran, who no longer had the strength to scream.
He signaled his men.
Thus, Dejong's group tolerated Gaderok's sudden move.
Gaderok of the Black Flame.
Back-alley criminals could never escape the terror his name evoked.
Gaderok knew exactly how to wield that terror.
-That worm's tougher than he looks!!! Before meeting you, my lord, I'd have wanted to enslave him!
Tensing at the demon's high praise, Rishir agreed: Gaderok seemed more dangerous and underhanded than expected.
The fractured atmosphere was reconverging around Gaderok.
'And his men didn't even flinch.'
When Dejong's woman was consumed by black flame,
Gaderok's men were briefly startled but quickly checked Dejong's crew.
Absolute loyalty.
Rooted in fear, no doubt.
'Can we really spark infighting against guys like that?'
Rishir scanned the room.
Gaderok and Dejong's combined forces.
Too many, space too tight—battle would mean casualties.
Even with 'Saint' and 'Master' as allies.
All-out war wasn't viable.
Like Dangaleon's divide-and-conquer, they needed another ploy.
Rishir observed Gaderok carefully.
Gaderok eyed Rishir similarly.
'No idea how, but it's him. He controlled my black flame.'
Gaderok felt the urgent need to eliminate him.
But haste was unwise.
'What the hell is this guy...'
Something controlling black flame.
Gaderok warily eyed Rishir's unknown power.
Fighting before it fully revealed was premature.
Considering the backlash from seizing this back-alley meeting, he couldn't waste manpower.
Luckily, plenty of expendables here to fight Rishir first.
He signaled Dejong.
"..."
As Dejong gritted his teeth resentfully but prepared to obey—
"Gaaahhh!!!"
Dejong's gaze snapped somewhere.
-Let's see how you like this, worm!
Spurred by Gaderok's challenge(?), the demon devised a counter.
Maximizing his sealed, weakened power: target the weakest among Dejong and Gaderok's men.
That way—
"Fuck off, stay back!!!"
"Lord Dejong!!! My body's—"
"Grahhh!!!"
"Lord Dejong! This is too suspicious!!!"
"Lord Gaderok, why...!!!"
Even in his sealed state, he created chaos.
Parts of Dejong and Gaderok's men's bodies—gloves, swords, clothes—burst into black flame simultaneously.
Not lethal, but enough to sow confusion.
"Lord Dejong!!! Gaderok's definitely suspicious!!! We can't just stand here!!!"
"Gaderok, you mad bastard! You trying to kill us all?!"
Some of Dejong's men cried out with glazed eyes.
The 'Master's' dominion power aided Rishir and Dangaleon's plan.
"Fuck this, Gaderok! What the hell are you doing!!!"
Dejong finally exploded.
Gaderok couldn't respond.
Enraged, he glared at the council proxy.
Then, pointing at Rishir, he yelled.
"Everyone, snap out of it! It's him! He's behind this! Attack him now!"
Gaderok's command held absolute authority over back-alley criminals.
But they couldn't obey blindly.
"Bullshit, Gaderok!!! This is your power!!!"
Someone under the Word's dominion voiced what all felt.
Gaderok had ingrained fear via black flame.
Now claiming it was someone else? Unlikely to buy it.
-My lord, now! This is the moment!!!
The demon reveled in the worms' squirming, advising his great master.
As he said: use the burning worms' screams to corner Gaderok.
-My lord!?
The demon faltered.
His great master acted unpredictably.
"Huh!?"
"It, it's out!?"
The chaos halted.
The black flames on them extinguished suddenly.
Gazes turned to the council proxy.
He stood, gesturing toward fallen Foran.
Dejong rushed to check her.
"Foran!!!"
The black flame consuming her was gone.
"Come here."
The Saint beckoned Dejong.
As Dejong approached with Foran in his arms, the Saint extended a hand.
Holy light from the Saint enveloped Foran gently.
Her black-flame-tainted skin rapidly restored.
-My lord, why...!
Dangaleon panicked as the chaos normalized.
Ignoring the demon, Rishir spoke.
"I don't know what's going on, but that's enough, Gaderok."
Confirming all eyes on him, he continued.
"The back alleys aren't yours alone."
"...!"
The room stirred.
Rishir's actions—contrasting Gaderok's—shook them.
They wondered:
-Should I side with that psycho?
-Or the council proxy?
The thought didn't last.
Gaderok's inflated presence, unchecked, was overshadowed by this new figure.
"Lord Dejong..."
"Foran!?"
"N-no, it's..."
"Don't—don't force yourself to talk!"
"I... I didn't betray you, Lord Dejong... You know... my feelings..."
"...!"
Foran, recovering, spoke weakly but clearly.
Dejong glared at Gaderok with burning eyes.
He stepped away from Gaderok toward Rishir.
Others followed.
Eventually, all but Gaderok's inner circle turned hostile to him.
The tide had turned.
"...Hahaha!!!"
Gaderok laughed madly at them.
It was a clusterfuck, plain and simple.
But no problem.
Gaderok of the Black Flame.
Back-alley criminals could never escape the terror his name evoked.
Gaderok knew exactly how to wield that terror.
They had turned from him.
Why?
The council proxy.
His presence freed them from Gaderok's shadow of fear.
So, reeling them back was simple.
Remind them of the fear they'd forgotten.
Gaderok rolled up his sleeve, touching the gold bracelet on his arm.
Another of his relics.
The desperate result of Gaderok—once Blue Tower Master, broken by the 7th Circle wall—striving to surpass it.
He infused the bracelet with power.
Not mana, but his life force.
A red pattern appeared on the gold bracelet.
It spread across his body.
"Aaaah... Aaaah..."
Gaderok groaned.
The price: half his life force.
Half his remaining lifespan.
No regrets.
It shattered the 7th Circle wall he'd craved.
Temporary power, but fine.
The sensation and insight would linger.
And without it, he couldn't turn this around.
Gaderok unleashed his aura full force, laced with killing intent and mana.
A superhuman mage's presence crushed the room.
"Ugh—"
"W-what is this..."
They felt it clearly.
Their forgotten fear resurfacing.
Gaderok fiddled with his right ear's black pearl earring.
A final warning.
Him or the council proxy.
"..."
"..."
Death's terror sharpened their reason.
Under Gaderok, death could come anytime.
Opposing him now? Immediate dog death.
'If we all gang up, maybe?'
But—
'...Nah, can't trust those fuckers.'
They were criminals.
Poor candidates to stake life and limb on.
One by one, they eyed Gaderok and re-encircled the council proxy.
Thud. Thud.
In the sharp, uneasy silence, footsteps rang loudly.
Suddenly, a roar echoed.
Gaderok, exuding absolute confidence, faltered.
The source: his earring.
[Great Demon, Burning Black Flame Dangaleon, in whose name your wish is granted!!!]
"?"
[Rejoice! The power you've longed for!]
"???"
[Don't forget the price! Now, burn their flesh with the 'black flame' I granted! Offer their souls to me!!!]
The demon's tone was oddly theatrical and explanatory—but they'd never heard a demon before, so no frame of reference.
They took it at face value.
Demon and demon worshipper(?) conversing.
"Fuck! Gaderok, you really a black mage!? Sacrificing us to a demon!?"
Dejong shouted.
The room buzzed.
Those drifting back to Gaderok's shadow recoiled.
"No..."
Gaderok, forgetting the power filling him, felt hollow.
-My lord!!! Look at those worms' faces!!! Everything's going according to your plan!!!
Returning from his task, Dangaleon crowed excitedly.
-What brilliance! What genius!!! This Dangaleon feels awe for you once more, my lord!!! Such ruthless, vile scheming!!! I could never conceive something so horrific!
'That big a deal?'
Rishir's thoughts grew complicated at the demon's effusive praise.