Chapter 452
Chapter 452
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 452
Chapter Title: Otherworld Conquest (4)
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‘What the hell is that?’
The question about this unknown entity.
That was the only thought swirling in the mind of the Infinite Archdemon right now.
[Kraaaah—!]
“Kill them!”
[You rotten corpses! Back to purgatory with you!]
[We offer this world to the King of Death!]
A massive war was raging across the vast plain before the fortress he had claimed as his base.
High-ranking demons capable of obliterating entire areas with a single blow clashed fiercely with the undead everywhere, creating a brutal battlefield that gripped anyone watching in suspense.
But none of that registered in the eyes of Infinite atop the ramparts.
There was only one thing capturing his attention.
[So, you’re the Infinite Archdemon.]
Something hovering arrogantly above the vast army, looking down on the world.
A being wearing a bizarre mask, exuding an abyssal aura from its entire body—like a nightmare made manifest.
[What are you? What the hell are you? How can an impurity like you exist in this world?]
Though they were far apart, distance meant nothing between them.
Facing it, Infinite instinctively realized.
This thing wasn’t born of this world.
‘Even when Bitan and Destruction fell, I had my suspicions. But to think it was real.’
Though he was now bound by restrictions after emerging from hell, he had once been an absolute being observing the world from on high.
There was no need to scrutinize how alien “that” was.
‘A monster born in another world, devouring death’s karma and divinity indiscriminately to grow its power.’
Its presence evoked memories of the Death Archdemon, once the pinnacle among hell’s great demons.
No—perhaps it was closer to the alien invader who had slain and usurped him...
[Kuhuhu, me?]
At that moment, the incarnation of death floating in the sky responded in a low voice.
[This body’s name is Hannibal Strauss. King of all lions, the end of worlds—]
A self-introduction laced with inexplicable resentment.
But before he could grasp the emotion, the follow-up shattered any trivial doubts.
[—and the death of you demons.]
[...Insolent.]
Infinite’s lips twisted at the arrogant declaration.
He knew the foe was no pushover.
But he too stood at the pinnacle of the devouring realms.
He wasn’t one to bow.
Moreover, he didn’t like the idea of “death” being invoked against him.
In the past, maybe—but now, he was the supreme among archdemons.
[Hah, fine. No need for more words. I don’t know how something like you crossed into this world, but it works out perfectly.]
Infinite spat the words as blood-red tattoos etched across his jet-black body began to glow, along with his crimson eyes.
Holding back against such a formidable enemy was a luxury.
He had to go all out from the start.
Fwaaah—!
Red light erupted from his body, shooting skyward.
The shockwave shook space, unleashing a fierce storm across the battlefield.
[Oh?]
Hans didn’t stop it.
He had already discerned that this body was merely a terminal.
‘Destroying the terminal changes nothing. To truly eliminate him, I need the main body.’
And as he expected—
From the rift torn open in the high sky by the red light, something enormous began emerging, slicing through space.
An immense eyeball piercing through ashen clouds, glaring down at the earth.
Even from an enormous distance defying perspective, countless rings packed with tiny eyeballs spun chaotically around the massive pupil.
‘...As expected, hiding the main body in the world’s crevices. Cosmic horror indeed.’
As Hans mused, a voice like divine revelation boomed across the entire battlefield from the sky.
[I am Infinite! Eternity itself, unbound by death! I’ll erase you here and prove to the world that Infinite reigns over death!]
Overwhelmed by that presence, the lesser fighters staggered and fell.
Some already weakened by wounds were crushed flat against the ground.
But neither Hans nor Infinite spared them a glance.
‘Deal with him, and it’s all over anyway.’
The shared thought flashed through their minds.
———!
With a silent shock, the space between them shattered.
The world’s restorative power mended it quickly, but the clash of near-infinite energies had overwhelmed space itself.
‘A straight power contest won’t work.’
One exchange made it clear.
Infinite Archdemon wielded power as boundless as its name.
Continuing like this would destroy the world before subduing him.
‘I’m confident in raw power too, but that’s not the point now.’
In the ensuing clashes, pitch-black energy began seeping from Hans’s body.
Black magic intertwined with abyssal power.
It resonated with the thick death permeating not just the battlefield... but the entire world, slowly corroding it.
‘...Never felt such a strong response before. How many must have died... Losing under these perfect conditions is unthinkable.’
The death energy blanketed the field, granting endless power to the dead and eternal rest to others.
Destroyed undead reformed instantly; slain demons rose, turning their blades on their own.
But these were mere side effects of power’s exercise.
[You bastard! This is...?!]
The world’s death converged on a single point.
The lethal essence of death, affecting even abstract concepts.
Sensing crisis in this divine-mystery flow bordering authority, Infinite Archdemon spun its countless rings faster, eyes bulging.
‘He commands the overflowing death karma of this world.’
Authorities devour weaker powers.
If—improbably—his “death” surpassed Infinite’s “infinite”...
[Ridiculous! Impossible!]
No chance, but he couldn’t risk it.
He played his trump card first.
[Infinite is eternal! Perish crushed by endless time-space!]
Strange runes filled the massive pupil, spiraling.
An absolute decree intertwined with this world’s laws, irresistible even to the Eternal Archdemon of timeless stagnation—who had yielded against it.
A miracle letting him survive while other archdemons fell to the sudden “Apocalypse Angel” invading hell.
A pillar of light poured from the skyborne eye onto the two-dimensional invader.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ “Hoo, hoo. Finally made it.”
Blood-soaked McCarthy staggered forward.
His eyes remained fixed on the ornate grand door at the castle’s heart.
“At last...”
The undead-demon war wasn’t confined to the plains.
With vast numbers on both sides and demons favoring offense over defense, the central fortress naturally became a warzone.
The undead hadn’t initially targeted humans inside, but they weren’t merciful to attackers.
Infiltrating the chaos was easy for McCarthy, human yet controlling some undead.
‘Though it got harder toward the core.’
Initially, bandages on his left arm and eye sufficed as a wounded soldier disguise.
Later, he had to fight.
And he realized just how formidable his power was.
Kwang!
He stepped slowly through the shattered door.
Not only had he blasted it open, but undead guards escorted him courteously.
The final fate of those who once groveled under the Grand Archbishop, indulging in vice and evil.
“...Rapua!”
Entering fully, McCarthy spotted his target by the window and ground his teeth.
He’d known via soul-sight, but facing his foe up close unleashed boiling rage.
“Tch, some worm crawled all the way here.”
A stranger leading undead right to him.
But Rapua glanced dismissively and clicked his tongue.
“Failure merits death. But wielding blades against me as intruders’ dogs? Unforgivable.”
Though they’d once been his limbs, his gaze was ice-cold.
“Treason demands collective punishment. Once this ends, a festival with their families. With the chaos, round up all associates for a grand event.”
“...What? They’re just undead now. Puppets without will—yet you’ll punish them?”
“Hm? What does it matter?”
McCarthy blurted a defense, but Rapua seemed genuinely indifferent.
Then, tilting his head—
“More importantly, worrying about others now?”
“Kugh!”
McCarthy slammed face-first under crushing pressure.
He struggled up, managing only his torso.
Without his left eye and arm, he’d have been pulverized like the vanished escorts.
“Oh? Peculiar power. Your pact’s mark?”
“Grgh...!”
Rapua approached, peering with interest through his spinning rune-filled pupil.
Eerily similar to the skyborne giant eye.
‘Thought now was best with Infinite absent. Didn’t expect this without a demon...’
Demon contractor.
Granted part of a demon’s authority via pact.
Obviously, one bound to this world’s apex—Infinite Archdemon—wasn’t ordinary.
Far beyond newly empowered McCarthy.
His rash revenge blinded him.
“Looks like you hold a grudge.”
Rare in this world not to.
It came with the title: Archdemon contractor.
“Still, reaching me deserves praise. And seems tied to this uproar.”
His shoe stomped McCarthy’s head, grinding slowly as he mocked calmly.
“But this ends here. No demon—whatever yours—beats Infinite. Not even death or eternity from tales.”
A century.
Infinite Archdemon’s reign atop this world.
His accumulated karma and terror defied imagination.
Closing that gap wouldn’t be easy.
“Huhu, beg forgiveness now, and I might spare you? After gouging eyes and arms, you’ll enjoy unprecedented luxuries...”
“Ptoo! Fuck off, you bald eunuch bastard.”
“......”
The reverse scale sacrificed for his pact.
His face hardened at the jab.
“...Fine, you want it ugly. As you wish.”
Raising a hand slowly, savage light gleamed in his eyes.
Arms first.
Let him regret his insolence.
Then...
“Hm?”
“Huh?”
Both uttered surprised exclamations.
“What the—!”
Alarmed, Rapua reached again—nothing happened.
His rune-spinning pupil normalized; the pressure on McCarthy vanished.
“W-Wait! Infinite! This breaches the contract!”
This authority cost “everything” to Infinite.
It shouldn’t vanish so easily—especially after prepaying abilities and physique.
Swipe—
For him, utter despair.
For another, the longed-for moment.
“Not sure what happened, but...”
“Seems the situation’s changed, eh?”
McCarthy rose slowly, obsidian left eye gleaming as he advanced, flexing his rippling black hand.
“Kuh, stop! I’m Grand Archbishop Rapua—you dare...!”
Rapua desperately tried invoking authority—nothing.
Just a pathetic flail, like a commoner.
“Hope you last a while.”
McCarthy clenched his fist.
The hand granted for pledged loyalty in revenge—
“I don’t plan to kill you cleanly.”
“Gahk!”
It smashed into his hated foe’s face.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ “Definitely a dangerous ability.”
I sipped hot coffee from my cup, exhaling lightly.
In a corner of my mind, Hans plunged his hand into the giant eyeball’s center, decreeing death.
Unbelievably intact, despite being frozen in infinite time moments ago.
“Doesn’t mean much to me, though.”
Just a glitch in one of my dozen-plus parallel thoughts.
“Mind Hub” load spiked, but with “Great Mind” and mental skills plus Hans’s tier, it was manageable.
‘Still stung, so I’ll pay it back properly.’
Devour realms’ “death” shared a trait:
Entwined resentment, wishes, and karma from sacrificed humans.
Especially lethal to demons—the culprits.
His trump failed; caught off-guard, he took a counter...
“Ah, done already. Lucky. Quicker than expected.”
The once-mighty eye now shrunken pathetically in Hans’s grasp.
The Immortal King invader claimed the demon and the world.