Chapter 12
“It looks like we’ll reach the border tomorrow. This trip has been so fast it almost feels wrong. I’ve never come this far this quickly before.”
“Looks like we got lucky. More importantly, tell me about this border.”
“The Demon Realm is divided into several regions, each split according to the territories of the Demon Lords. The four Dukes each rule their own domains in the north, south, east, and west, and the Demon Lords who follow them are stationed around those areas. There are also a few places that aren’t directly ruled by a Demon Lord, but are still treated like territories. The best-known one is Scorched Earth.”
Scorched Earth, called the holy ground of the Balrogs. It was the domain ruled by Ibrahmut, the first Balrog.
“You may already know this, but the Balrogs play a very important role in the armies led by the various Demon Lords. Ibrahmut may not be a Demon Lord himself, but his influence is enormous. And if he had ever tried to become one, he would have been a Demon Lord on the spot. A high-ranking one, at that.”
“That strong?”
“During the war against the divine realm, Ibrahmut led the Balrogs and accomplished feats so overwhelming that they surpassed even the Demon Lords. He personally tore apart so many dragons I couldn’t even begin to count them. And many of the lower gods and divine beings imprisoned in the Gray Wasteland were captured by his own hands. That’s the real reason Satan placed the Gray Wasteland across from Scorched Earth. Ibrahmut is the finest hunter alive, but also the worst jailer.”
To summarize Zeronia’s explanation, the first Balrog, Ibrahmut, was unbelievably strong. The corner of Yoon Sang-hyuk’s mouth curled upward. Merely getting the chance to fight a strong opponent was enough to thrill him.
“For that reason, the Demon Lords also acknowledge Scorched Earth as a territory in its own right, essentially Ibrahmut’s domain. Lord—Yoon Sang-hyuk?”
“Hm? What is it?”
Zeronia’s tone shifted slightly as she addressed Yoon Sang-hyuk, different from the way she had spoken while explaining Ibrahmut and Scorched Earth. She lifted her now-empty cup and smiled awkwardly.
As Yoon Sang-hyuk had said, Zeronia had fallen completely for the appeal of coffee. He poured her another cup and handed it over, and Zeronia beamed as she inhaled the aroma.
“Humans really are amazing.”
“It wasn’t made by the humans of Roselia Continent.”
“I know. It was made by the humans living on Earth, where you’re from, Yoon Sang-hyuk. Still, it’s amazing. Science? Is that what you called it? It seems like truly incredible technology.”
“So incredible it’s a problem. People fight over those amazing things every day. Demon Realm or not, the vessel called greed is never full.”
“That does seem true. Even we, a dark elf clan that barely managed to settle in a corner of the Demon Realm, are now coveting the position of a Demon Lord.”
“It’s fine for those with the ability to seek a place that suits them. The problem is with those who lack the ability but still want more, and want to climb higher. They never want a fair fight. They hide in the dark and scheme. Among the ones who were dragged to Roselia Continent with me back then, there were those bastards from the Tenth Guild……”
Yoon Sang-hyuk broke off and rose abruptly to his feet. Turning south, he stood perfectly still, staring into the distance. Zeronia looked at him in confusion, unable to understand why he was reacting this way.
“What is it?”
Yoon Sang-hyuk raised a hand and pointed toward the far south.
“I just felt an enormous ripple of power from over there. Strong power collided. It feels like someone was fighting.”
“That’s impossible. That direction leads to Scorched Earth. No one can start a fight there without Ibrahmut’s permission.”
“Looks like that impossible thing just happened.”
Yoon Sang-hyuk smiled with obvious interest.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇
The dark, sooty earth gradually gave way to streaks of red, and before long the land ahead looked as though blood had been splashed across it. Unlike the place where the group had paused, the red ground shimmered with rising heat haze. Even at a glance, the temperature difference was obvious.
Scorched Earth.
They had finally arrived at the holy ground of the Balrogs, the domain of the first Balrog, Ibrahmut.
“We’re a little late. It’s still early, but I think it would be best to camp here tonight and enter Scorched Earth tomorrow.”
“That sounds good.”
While Zephyr and the Ariane clan prepared the campsite, Yoon Sang-hyuk took out a container box, set it down, then climbed on top of it and lay back to look at the sky.
The Balrogs, the fighting race. In the territory ruled by the first Balrog, who could have fought here?
The surge of energy he had felt while speaking with Zeronia the day before came back to him. It had been power beyond the level that could be ignored. A shockwave strong enough to reach him across the distance of a full half-day’s travel.
He closed his eyes.
They said there were no seasons in the Demon Realm. Only differences caused by terrain, such as the searing heat of Scorched Earth or the bitter cold of the north. Everywhere else, apart from those unusual regions, the weather was roughly what Earth would call late autumn.
Cool enough, and bleak enough.
“Yoon Sang-hyuk.”
Zephyr’s voice reached him.
But Yoon Sang-hyuk was already standing in front of him.
He looked past the border and out over the red land. Someone was approaching from far away. They were staggering badly, clearly grievously injured.
And yet……
“What an impressive bastard.”
Yoon Sang-hyuk could see the man’s condition with perfect clarity. One leg was nearly torn off, and one arm hung useless below the elbow. His chest had been split open, and a long slash ran across his side. It would not have been strange if he died on the spot.
But even those injuries could not erase the overwhelming presence that came with him.
It felt like a wounded beast was approaching. A fierce, ominous pressure, as if it would unleash pure violence without caring about its own condition if someone crossed it the wrong way.
Click-shh. Click-hiss. Click-shh. Click-hiss.
He walked on one leg, dragging the injured one behind him as he crossed toward the border where Yoon Sang-hyuk’s group stood.
He looked human, but it was easy to tell he was no human at all. The person carrying such explosive power within him was……
“Fire itself.”
That was what Yoon Sang-hyuk felt: the source of the man’s overwhelming strength was pure flame. Fierce, blazing heat that seemed capable of burning everything to ashes.
The wounded man laboriously dragged himself forward until he finally reached Yoon Sang-hyuk’s group. Zeronia and the others, sensing the menacing aura he carried, had backed away tensely.
“I can guess who you are, but I can’t ignore manners. Time for introductions. Who are you?”
The man forced out his answer with great difficulty. Then, after uttering just one line, he collapsed and lost consciousness.
“I am…… Ibrahmut.”
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇
“Yoon Sang-hyuk. Is that really Ibrahmut?”
Zeronia asked as she looked at the unconscious man lying on the bed inside the container box.
“Why are you asking me? Don’t tell me you’ve never even seen Ibrahmut before?”
“Of course not. We’re only guides. The only ones allowed into the Fire Temple on Scorched Earth are the Demon Lords.”
“I thought you were speaking about him like you knew him well. I assumed you two were close.”
“Not at all. There’s no reason for the first Balrog to meet a dark elf like me.”
“It’s not healthy to keep thinking so little of yourself. People like that never get anywhere.”
While Yoon Sang-hyuk and Zeronia talked, Ibrahmut, lying on the bed, groaned and came to.
“Where…….”
“I don’t know why everyone who wakes up for the first time always says the same line. And no, don’t tell me you lost your memory or something. If you did, I’d just dump you somewhere and leave you there, so keep that in mind.”
“You…….”
“Ah, and one more thing. Don’t ask who I am, either. You’ll learn when you learn.”
“……”
Ibrahmut shut his mouth.
“Well, first things first, let’s treat those injuries.”
Yoon Sang-hyuk took one item from his subspace. A red gemstone. But it was not merely a beautiful jewel. It held the intense energy of flame.
“You know about the phoenix, right? The immortal bird. This is its heart. If it’s you, you should be able to heal wounds like this with it.”
Clink.
The Phoenix Heart left Yoon Sang-hyuk’s hand and slipped into Ibrahmut’s slightly opened mouth.
Goooooo-
A massive surge of power swirled to life.
Red energy, like the essence of flame itself, burst from Ibrahmut’s body. As though he had expected this, Yoon Sang-hyuk immediately extended his own aura outward and wrapped it around Ibrahmut’s power. If he hadn’t, the container box would have turned into a puddle of molten metal.
If only the container melted, that would have been fine, but Zeronia, who was inside with them, would have met the same fate.
Yoon Sang-hyuk watched Ibrahmut’s wounds heal with interest. There was no real mana hole or inner reservoir where Ibrahmut gathered power. His entire body was power, the very embodiment of flame energy.
The energies that had circled around Ibrahmut for some time slowly began to be absorbed into his body. The arm and leg that had looked nearly severed returned to normal, and the wounds across his chest and side closed completely.
When Ibrahmut opened his eyes, red flashes spilled out.
“What you just ate was expensive. Make sure you pay it back later.”
Yoon Sang-hyuk turned away.
“Oh, and the lodging fee for tonight here, too. Don’t forget to repay that.”
“Wait!”
Ibrahmut called out to him.
“What now? Need something else? I already saved a guy who was about to die, so try to keep it reasonable.”
“I am Ibrahmut.”
“We already did the introductions. I know you’re Ibrahmut. If you’re done here, I’m leaving.”
Just as Yoon Sang-hyuk turned again, Ibrahmut called out once more.
“Wait.”
“Ah, this is getting annoying. What? What now? I need sleep too, you know. I’ve kept my eyes open all day just to watch over you.”
“Do you not have anything you want to ask me?”
“What? That’s what you wanted to say? Just because you’re Ibrahmut, am I supposed to be full of questions all of a sudden?”
“There are…….”
Yoon Sang-hyuk smiled faintly.
“You’re asking why I’m here?”
“……”
“Not even a little bit.”
The moment he heard what came next, Ibrahmut’s face twisted grotesquely.
“What could I possibly be curious about regarding a guy who lost in a struggle for rank?”