Chapter 429: Part 2, Prologue: A Council of Devils.
Chapter 429: Part 2, Prologue: A Council of Devils.
Devils and Demonkin.
Devils were beings who represented evil, opposed God, and sought to corrupt humanity.
Demonkin were the creations of devils, beings who obeyed their commands and carried out their will.
The devils' hierarchical structure was as complex as a spider's web, but the most important factor was, without a doubt, 'power'.
The law of the jungle, survival of the fittest, winner takes all. A brutal competition for survival where the weak were devoured by the strong, and only those who adapted to their environment survived.
The superior were victorious, and the inferior were defeated. The vanquished had no choice. Whether it was death, annihilation, or servitude, all rights of the loser were transferred to the victor.
These were the laws that governed the Demon Realm.
If ranked by 'power', Demonkin could be classified as low-grade, mid-grade, high-grade, and top-grade.
The beings who ruled over these creations were, of course, the devils. There were fourteen devils who ruled the Demonkin, and they were called the 'Fourteen Demon Lords'.
Above them were archdevils who controlled the Fourteen Demon Lords. They divided the Demon Realm into seven parts, each ruling their own domain. They were known as the 'Seven Great Demons', and their names and titles were as follows:
Satan, the 'King of All Demons' and the 'Adversary'.
Baal, the 'Cruel Destroyer' and the 'Queen of the East'.
Asmodeus, 'Lust'.
Lucifer, the 'Fallen Angel'.
Astaroth, the 'Demon of Wrath'.
Lilith, the 'Queen of the Night' and the 'Great Harlot'.
Beelzebub, 'Gluttony' and the 'Sovereign of Greed'.
As creations of the devils, Demonkin possessed a blind loyalty to their creators. If ordered to "Die," they would offer up their own lives without a moment's hesitation.
The role of creating Demonkin originally belonged to the Fourteen Demon Lords, but it wasn't always that simple. The Fourteen Demon Lords were under the influence of the Seven Great Demons, and depending on the strength of each faction, some of the Great Demons might not have any Demon Lords under their command.
For example, Lilith, the 'Queen of the Night' and 'Great Harlot', was the weakest of the factions and had not a single Demon Lord beneath her, so she created Demonkin herself. In contrast, Satan, the 'King of All Demons' and 'Adversary', was the strongest and had four Demon Lords under his command.
The Demon Realm.
A natural world like a jungle, governed by the unchanging law of the strong preying on the weak. A world devoid of life and vitality, where only a bleak and ominous aura lingers.
The sky was a dark, bluish-purple, and the cracked earth resembled a desolate wasteland. Of course, not all regions were like this, but every place shared at least one common trait.
The complete absence of 'light'. The trees and grass glowed with a ghastly blue, and the water flowing in the rivers was pitch-black.
The same was true for the occasional buildings erected on the barren land. It wasn't quite a wasteland, but it was a chaotic place, overgrown with weeds and so complex it was impossible to tell one area from another.
The only thing that stood out was an ancient castle that looked to be on the verge of collapse. If there was one remarkable thing about it, it was the castle's sheer scale. Soaring as if to pierce the heavens, its towering height was visible at a glance even from a distance, boasting an overwhelming size.
“No matter how many times I see this place, it never grows on me.”
A young man walking down a dark corridor of the castle smiled faintly. Or perhaps, based on his appearance, it would be a stretch to call him a complete young man. From his face to his toes, he looked no different from any other youth, but one thing set him apart.
A sharp, dark-red horn protruded from the crown of his head. He was not a young man, but a devil in the form of one.
The devil leisurely strolled down the corridor toward a wide-open door ahead. Though the door was open, the interior was filled with such darkness that nothing was visible.
As the devil reached the door, two Demonkin guarding it on either side bowed respectfully. Their appearance and the aura they exuded revealed them to be top-grade Demonkin.
“Welcome, Astaroth-nim.”
“Yes. Has everyone else arrived already?”
“All but the Queen of the Night-nim are inside.”
“Queen of the Night? Just call her a whore. A whore. She's the official whore of the Demon Realm, isn't the title of 'Queen' a bit too much for her? 'Great Harlot', maybe.”
At Astaroth's blunt words, the two Demonkin stood still, their mouths agape. He wasn't wrong, but devils and Demonkin were fundamentally different beings. They had to be even more cautious when the subject was one of the Seven Great Demons who stood at the apex.
“Lucifer's followers are so boring. Not like Asmodeus's or Beelzebub's lot, who know how to play along.”
“…Our apologies.”
Astaroth clicked his tongue, watching the Demonkin bow respectfully again.
“No need to apologize. Anyway, I'm going in.”
“Glory of Corruption to the Demon of Wrath.”
Astaroth shuddered.
Lucifer was originally an angel who had fallen and become a devil. It wasn't that he was ostracized for having been an angel, but there was one thing Astaroth couldn't stand: a habit Lucifer had picked up back in his angelic days.
Whenever he addressed someone, he would add the phrase, "Glory of Corruption." No matter how easygoing Astaroth was, he found such formality unbearable.
“Glory, my ass.”
Astaroth muttered quietly to himself and entered the doorway.
Inside was a pitch-black darkness that the naked eye could not penetrate. The Demon Realm was already a place without light, but this place was especially severe. Not a single color could be found aside from jet black, making it seem like a space where only darkness existed.
But Astaroth was perfectly at ease. As if he had been here many times before, he walked as leisurely as he had in the corridor.
After walking aimlessly for about five minutes, a quiet voice suddenly echoed through the darkness.
“You're late, Astaroth.”
“That voice… Lucifer?”
Astaroth stopped walking and stared straight ahead.
“Well, it's a long way. And this meeting was called on short notice, wasn't it? So, being just a few minutes late…”
“The notice for this meeting was sent six days ago. Did you not receive it?”
“Ah, you're so damn annoying. You really…!”
“Lower your voice, Astaroth. You may be the Demon of Wrath, but I am the master of this space. Only I have the right to raise my voice here. So, if you wish to unleash your anger, you must consider the time and place…”
“Sorry.”
Astaroth apologized immediately and shook his head. He figured it was better to offer a clean apology than to argue with that inflexible, single-minded blockhead.
“I accept your apology. I commend you for admitting your fault so readily, despite being an archdevil.”
Astaroth trembled all over. The words "Just shut the hell up" rose to the tip of his tongue, but he barely managed to hold them back.
The 'Demon of Wrath' shrank back and sat down. Although it was a space where nothing could be seen, that didn't mean nothing was there. An invisible chair had appeared behind Astaroth.
Astaroth took a breath and sensed the auras flowing in from all directions. Adversity, destruction, corruption, lust, greed. He could feel the curious gazes from five distinct auras. He didn't like their gazes, but in any case, including himself, there were six of them.
Astaroth sank deep into his chair and crossed his legs.
“Alright. Now then, shall we hear what this meeting is all about?”
“Not yet. One more. Lilith.”
A voice, that of a young girl yet cold and monotone, cut Astaroth off. The 'Demon of Wrath', who had been taking out a cigarette, glanced to his left and slowly began to raise his demonic energy.
Soon, his eyes fell upon a small girl sitting in a large chair, tightly hugging a teddy bear. Her large eyes were also fixed on Astaroth.
Her platinum-blonde hair was cut short in a bob and neatly arranged with a headband. She had a small, round face with chubby, baby-fat cheeks. Her sunken blue eyes were her only flaw, if one could call it that. Based on looks alone, she was so small you'd want to scoop her up and set her on your shoulder.
Astaroth grinned. He lit his cigarette and took a deep drag.
“Baal. You've gotten much cuter since the last time I saw you.”
“Joke. Funny.”
“Haha. It's not a joke, I'm serious.”
“Serious. I'll blow you away.”
In an instant, a destructive demonic energy erupted from the girl—no, from Baal, the 'Queen of the East'. Astaroth, looking terrified, threw his hands up.
“Actually, it was a joke. Funny, right?”
The destructive demonic energy that had surged subsided in an instant. Astaroth mumbled around his cigarette and shook his head.
“Phew. Anyway, I know I'm the one who was late, but let's just get this started.”
“We cannot. Besides, Lilith is a lady of the dark. It is a gentleman's duty to wait for a lady to prepare herself.”
The quiet voice spoke again, but Astaroth responded with a snort.
“Lady, my ass. You think the official whore is going to show up after primping herself? She's probably forgotten all about the meeting and is getting fucked somewhere, begging for demonic energy like a pathetic dog. ‘Oh, Astaroth-nim~. I'm so sorry~. Please, forgive this lowly whore just this once~.’ I thought I was going to die laughing back then.”
Astaroth mimicked someone's voice in a high-pitched tone. He even writhed his body, causing two of the devils who had been silent until now to burst out laughing.
“Kekekekeke!”
“Krrk-krrk! Krrk-krrk!”
It was laughter stained with vile lust and filthy greed.
It was then.
—BOOM!
With an explosive sound from an unknown source, the vile laughter abruptly ceased. It was clearly a massive explosion, yet the devils remained unfazed.
Astaroth took a hard drag on his cigarette, and it instantly turned to ash, crumbling away. Then, the 'Demon of Wrath' opened his mouth, his face a mask of nonchalance.
“My, my. Our Great Harlot has graced us with her presence. And what, pray tell, made you so late this time?”
It was, without a doubt, the arrival of Lilith, the 'Queen of the Night'. The sound of clicking heels echoed through the space, drawing closer to where the six devils were gathered.
Astaroth finally exhaled the smoke through his nose and spoke softly.
“Perfect timing. I was just telling them the story of when you lost the war against me. As someone who experienced it firsthand, why don't you tell the story yourself?”
“Kekel, kekekekeke! I want to hear it! I want to hear it!”
The lust-filled voice chimed in.
Lilith said nothing. She simply moved to her spot and quietly sat down.
Astaroth stared at the black silhouette as it swept its hair back once. Then he let out another vile laugh.
“Wow. Looks like you really were late because you were getting ready. What's with that look? It doesn't suit you. Are you planning on abandoning your title as the official whore?”
“Astaroth. Cut the crap. I didn't come here to deal with your taunts.”
Lilith finally spoke. Her voice was sultry and seductive, yet her intonation was flat, giving her a listless tone. Astaroth's eyes narrowed.
“Ooh~. Showing a little temper now, are we? Did you manage to snag a good devil? Who is it? Which of the Seven Great Demons has fallen for Lilith's charms?”
Astaroth raised his hands in an exaggerated gesture, and the laughter that had died down started up again.
Lilith still said nothing. She simply waited quietly for the laughter to stop, then chuckled and spoke.
“What a pathetic bunch. This is hardly the time for this, is it?”
“Oh? And what do you mean by that?”
“I've heard the news. Wasn't this meeting called because of you lot in the first place?”
“…What?”
For a moment, Lilith's gaze swept swiftly over the three devils. The ones who had been laughing so heartily just moments before fell silent.
“One of you managed to screw up the entire Western Continent that everyone had worked so hard on.”
Beelzebub, the 'Sovereign of Greed', flinched.
“Another poured his strength into the hopeless Northern Continent only to lose a ton of his seeds. Oh! And I heard you lost one of the Fourteen Demon Lords recently, didn't you? To a User from the Northern Continent, no less. What a shame. Poor Mamon.”
Asmodeus, 'Lust', lowered his head.
“And the last one, though this was a while ago… once called himself a Prince of Hell and charged into the Hall Plain's hell, only to come back completely shattered. And that's not all, is it? You also served up Mephistopheles, one of the Fourteen Demon Lords, on a silver platter, didn't you?”
Astaroth, the 'Demon of Wrath', clenched his fists.
“Hohohoho.”
Lilith continued to mock them in her listless voice, then her expression suddenly hardened as she spoke.
“You stupid bastards.”
“You…!”
Enraged, Astaroth was about to shoot to his feet. At that moment, sharp auras simultaneously slammed down around his chair.
“…Among the words of humans.”
From beyond the darkness, on the side directly opposite Astaroth.
“There is a saying that time is gold.”
A voice, as if crawling up from the deepest abyss, rumbled through the jet-black space.
Astaroth swallowed without realizing it. On the opposite side sat a man with his fingers interlaced, resting his forehead against them. At a glance, he looked perfectly ordinary, but his aura and voice were steeped in a darkness that could not be trifled with.
“Adhering to our laws is all well and good… but given our current circumstances, I can't say I'm entirely pleased. What does everyone else think?”
“S-Sorry, Satan.”
“You're apologizing a lot today, Astaroth.”
“…Hmph.”
Astaroth grunted.
A chuckle could be heard from one side, but the 'Demon of Wrath' knew instinctively. Now was the time to stay quiet.
“Now that everyone is gathered, shall we begin? Lucifer?”
“It is fine, Satan. Though I am the master of this space, you are more than qualified to lead the discussion.”
A polite voice, completely different from the one he used with Astaroth, replied.
Flick, fwoosh.
A flame flickered in the darkness for a brief moment before vanishing. Soon, hazy white smoke drifted from somewhere and dissolved into the space.
“Hah. The Western Continent, the Northern Continent, and… anyway, Lilith has already given a rough summary of the situation, so we'll skip that.”
“……”
“The reason I've called this meeting… is, as you all know, because of the recent news of the annihilation of Mamon… one of the Fourteen Demon Lords under Asmodeus.”
“Keh, keh, keh, keh…”
As his name was mentioned, Asmodeus lowered his head even further. He clutched his head with both hands and trembled, a posture unbecoming of one of the Seven Great Demons.
“Before we discuss the process or assign blame for that result.”
Snap!
Satan paused for a moment, then lightly snapped his fingers.
At that, a deep blue magic circle materialized on the empty floor and began to glow.
“First, I think it would be best to watch and then talk.”
The moment Satan finished speaking, the magic circle flared up and began to display an image.
—Gyaaaaaaaaaaaah!
The light from the magic circle died down. In its place was a video projection of a scene, accompanied by a horrific scream.
It was a burning village. A village deep in the mountains, engulfed in raging flames and pitch-black smoke that filled the entire view.
—Hu-uh, hu-uhhh, hu-uhhhh!
“M-Mamon!”
Recognizing the voice, Asmodeus reached out a hand.
And, at that moment.
—Shut up.
—Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!
A cold shout was followed by another terrible scream.
Soon, the flames and smoke began to subside. The scene that slowly came into view showed a bloated devil, covered in blood, lying collapsed on the ground.
And looking down imperiously at the devil with cold eyes was a User. He was a well-built man, holding a sword of which only the hilt was visible, and wreathed in a clear flame.
—Fwoosh! Fwoosh!
As the flame burned brightly, the devils simultaneously gulped.