A Desperate Struggle
It was truly a desperate and frantic struggle. The firmly closed iron door. A man's desperate cry, continuously knocking on the barrier blocking the god and himself, begging the god to show himself before him just one more time. Knock, and it shall open. As if responding to the man's sincere cry, the barrier between them crumbled, and Kain appeared from beyond, stepping aside with a sigh.
"Don't make a scene in front of someone else's house and come in already."
At this rate, he seemed ready to keep knocking until Arina returned. 'Can't let the kid see such a hideous sight.'
It wasn't something to say while looking at a Benedict Academy professor, but it was an unsightly scene for education.
"So, what the hell did you really come here for?"
Kain, with a truly displeased expression, let Karlsen into the house and asked bluntly while eating the giant cup ramen he had brought.
To that question, Karlsen, who had been covering his mouth with both hands and shedding tears, saying "The Death King has accepted my offering……!", suddenly startled and straightened his posture.
"……."
But when it came time to speak, his lips were stuck as if glued with adhesive, and words wouldn't come out easily. It was a rare sight from Karlsen, who usually spoke his mind without caring about others' opinions. It meant that, despite pretending otherwise, he was nervous in front of Kain.
"If you have nothing to say, just leave."
But Kain had no intention of considering his circumstances. He had only let him in because he wouldn't leave otherwise.
'Why did it have to be this guy who figured out my identity.'
At the moment their eyes met at the Vivaldi Grand Theater, it wasn't just Karlsen who was surprised. Kain had also thought "I'm screwed" and let out a deep sigh inwardly.
'His senses are unusually sharp.'
Even though they were both dark mages, he never expected a mere 7-star to see through his inner world. It was purely a matter of talent. Similar to Arina, it was due to his innate, exceptional sensory ability. Of course, unlike her, in Karlsen's case, that talent seemed limited to the mana of the negative dimension. In a way, despite the difference in the scale of their talents, he could be considered a similar type to Kain. If things continued this way, he might reach the 8-star level within a few years without much trouble.
"Hoo."
A human with talent comparable to the Seven Deadly Sins, despite his rotten personality. But even he was nothing more than a firefly before the great sun that was Kain. What Karlsen's excellent senses perceived was an endless abyss like a boundless sea. Unlike when they met at Ariaadna Square, it seemed he had no intention of hiding it now. The eyes behind the thick glasses, facing him directly, were deeply and vividly imprinted with death that any living being would naturally avoid and fear. Barely suppressing the fear rising from the depths of his soul with deep breaths, Karlsen faced Kain, who looked at him with an indifferent expression.
'His resolve is quite firm.'
How many people could look directly into his eyes like that? He felt a slight admiration, but it was only for a moment. Kain turned his gaze away indifferently and focused on eating his noodles. As time passed, the amount of ramen in the giant bowl rapidly decreased.
"I have a request."
The sight of him almost finishing an amount that ordinary people could never eat was like a food fighter. Was even the size of an Absolute Being extraordinary? Admiring that fact for a moment, Karlsen spoke with a rare serious expression.
"No."
And he was flatly rejected. As if it wasn't even worth considering.
"Is that all you have to say?"
Now that he had finished all the noodles and was drinking the broth, Kain replied. It was an order to leave if there was nothing more.
But Karlsen, whose self-centeredness was no less than Kain's, continued without caring about the rejection.
"Please give me a chance to prove my usefulness."
As he said that, Karlsen bowed his head as if he was about to slam his forehead on the table. He, who had never shown any tension even when dealing with Professor Clara, Professor Vivaldi, or even Professor Magnus, was now sweating profusely and begging for mercy. His usually pale complexion had gained some color due to his vigorously pumping heart.
'Does he want me to kill him and turn him into an undead?'
At those words, Kain stopped drinking the ramen broth and stared at the top of his head. If he really meant that, this guy was definitely crazy. Besides Pride, who was unanimously recognized as the craziest among the Seven Deadly Sins, no one had ever spouted such nonsense in front of Kain.
Fortunately, Karlsen wasn't that crazy, as he continued speaking right away.
"Even if I look like this, I'm quite capable."
Of course, saying such things in front of Kain was extremely embarrassing and shameful, but objectively, it was an undeniable fact. Although he was currently serving as a new professor at Benedict Academy, in reality, he was a figure who had reached 7-star at a relatively young age and held a central position in the Elemental Kingdom's Dark Mage Alliance. In the underworld and other shadows, unknown to mages and ordinary people like in the subculture world, he was revered as a genius of the century. Apart from that reputation, in terms of ability, he was a man capable enough for Kain to acknowledge.
"I know. I saw you fight a few days ago."
Was it called Mansang-maengdok? Treating everything in the world that could pose a threat to humans as poison. It was a reasonably original and interesting Divine Rule. If he reached 8-star, it would become an ability with versatility comparable to Lust's. Of course, that was only in theory; since it was dark magic rather than spirit magic, the computational power required would be incredibly complex.
"Huh?"
On the other hand, Karlsen couldn't hide his emerging doubts. He saw him fight? Was he referring to the moment he caught the wanted criminal during Layla Ruby's busking? But Karlsen could instinctively tell that wasn't it. The Death King was clearly referring to when he and Man-ryang fought.
"Don't try to measure me with your common sense."
Noticing Karlsen's expression, Kain, who had already finished the ramen broth, snorted and replied as if warning him.
"There's no way I wouldn't notice what happens in a place filled with death."
The Death King Dark Heaven was an existence that exerted even greater influence than the King of the Underworld, the lord of the underworld, when it came to the concept of 'death'. Karlsen's eyes widened at Kain's outrageously arrogant words. Then, he hurriedly took out a notebook from his pocket and started writing something down.
"……."
Written on the very first page of the notebook was 'Collection of the Death King's Famous Quotes'. Upon seeing the title, Kain frowned. He thought it was the first book whose contents he had no curiosity about.
'I can't speak carelessly.'
Blocking his words like that. He was an unexpected master of negotiation.
"What the hell do you want to say?"
Unable to bear the sight of him recording his words and savoring them for a long time, Kain finally slammed the table.
This was his final warning. At the same time, it was a direct expression that his patience had reached its limit.
Realizing this, Karlsen hurriedly put the 'Collection of the Death King's Famous Quotes' back into his pocket. Then, after clearing his throat with a cough, he began to speak again.
"I'll be straightforward. There is one thing I desire from the Death King. However, I have enough shame to not come begging for my request without any justification."
Shame…… did he have any? Judging from his actions so far, he thought he had sold that off at a junk shop in his childhood.
"So, I want an opportunity. I must be useful somewhere."
Yeah, he understood what he meant. But even after hearing all that, Kain's face remained indifferent.
"No."
Therefore, the words that would come out of Kain's mouth were decided from the beginning.
"Don't seek consideration or mercy from me."
Kain was a human with a stronger personal disposition than anyone else in this world. He was indifferent to all worldly affairs and had no particular interests. The reason he usually read books or used his smartphone was because there was nothing else to pass the time with. For him to take someone in was clearly absurd. In fact, the only person he had taken in throughout his life was Arina.
"Move first. And present your achievements to me. Don't expect me to look back. Desperately follow me so you don't fall behind."
That was what subordinates were to Kain. He didn't stand above them. They became his stepping stones and supported him of their own accord. That was the relationship between the underworld and the Death King.
"But you'd better not think that path will be easy. The ones who didn't fall behind me and were deemed useful number only seven in the vast underworld."
He was by no means a great ruler or leader. He was a thorough dark lord and bystander. In a way, he was no different from a figurehead of the underworld, and the underworld prostrated itself flat beneath his feet. In a way, it was to be included in his assets as possessions rather than subordinates.
'He may forget favors, but he never forgets grudges, no matter how trivial.'
Karlsen finally understood the relationship between the underworld and the Death King accurately. The underworld was not Kain's limbs. The underworld was purely his property. Thus, the concept of being his was incorporated, and therefore, Kain did not tolerate those who touched the underworld. Citing the simple reason that they had touched what was his.
"……I will definitely prove my usefulness."
Think for yourself. The Death King does not tell you what he needs. Therefore, you had to think ahead and predict what would make you needed by him. Like Pride was doing in the underworld.
"Do as you wish."
He had no interest in what others did. Therefore, he had no intention of infringing on others' freedom. If he wanted to be of help to him, he could act as he pleased.
As he said that and was about to clear away the cup ramen container, Karlsen moved first and began to act. Seeing him clear the giant ramen container and start wiping the table with a dishcloth, Kain smirked and nodded.
"Smart."
He catches on quickly. Thanks to that, his interest level went up just a tiny bit.
Thinking that, Kain glanced at Karlsen, who was wiping the table until it shone with his bony hands.
"So, what was the request you wanted to make to me?"
The reward for his action came quickly. Kain, who had been indifferent until just now, asked the first question related to him.
Karlsen, as if moved, teared up again. And before his interest faded, he quickly answered the question in a proper posture.
"I want to directly witness the Death King's dark magic! Preferably curse-type!"
That was the dream Karlsen held. His current goal that he had told the children at the beginning of the semester.
"You'll die, you know?"
And currently, Karlsen could never survive receiving that curse. What he desired was not just any curse, but one that Kain manifested with his true sincerity. His curse, which had grown stronger after seeing the waters of the underworld, was at a level that even superhumans would struggle to endure. No matter how much of a dark mage specialized in curses, there was no way he could withstand it.
"It doesn't matter."
Even if he died, witnessing the Death King's curse firsthand in his lifetime would be the greatest honor.
"Hmm."
Indeed, it was a high-level dark mage's insane remark that someone in their right mind could never reach. At the same time, Kain had no choice but to revise his earlier thought. He had thought he wasn't a crazy fanatic to the extent of Pride, but this guy was indeed a crazy fanatic on par with Pride.