The New Demon Lords’ Celebration
“I’ll stake my life... so what are you wagering?”
Zephyr’s face twisted into a scowl as he glared at his younger brother, who was grinning over his cup of liquor. His brother noticed the look in his eyes, but paid it no mind and kept talking.
“Honestly, I don’t know how my own brother can say things like that.”
“Tell me about it. I was so embarrassed. If people around us found out he was my older brother, what would I even do? I wanted to pretend I didn’t know him.”
“You little—!”
As Zephyr sprang up with a roar, his brothers fled with their cups still in hand.
Only yesterday, this had been Seere’s palace. Now it was Zephyr’s. A small celebration was being held here to congratulate Zephyr and his brothers on becoming Demon Lords.
The previous day, a grand banquet had been held in Baal’s palace inside the Demon King’s Castle, right after the Clash of Struggle. It was a gathering to celebrate the birth of the new Demon Lords. Baal, ruler of the Demon Realm, had been there, along with every Demon Lord, the High-level Demons vying for those seats, and even the senior figures from each of the Demon Realm’s legions.
Unusually, even the three Guardian Magic Dragons had attended. Baal had sent a formal invitation, but no one had expected them to actually come.
The banquet had lasted from before dawn until morning, and now, on the evening of the following day, Zephyr and his brothers were hosting a smaller party for only their closest acquaintances.
“Even hearing it secondhand makes me cringe.”
As Yoon Sang-hyuk sipped his wine and spoke, Zephyr’s face flushed red. He had said those words to steady his resolve, but after the Clash of Struggle ended, even he found them embarrassing.
He looked around the place that had become Zephyr’s palace. It felt familiar, yet different. The statue of Seere, the former owner, and the things he had cherished were all gone. In their place, trees had been planted throughout the palace.
Dark elves were also a branch of the elven race. They, too, preferred forests over cities. Since they couldn’t create a forest inside the Demon King’s Castle, they had at least planted trees in the palace where they lived. They were no ordinary trees. Their bark and leaves were all black. They were darkwood trees, common throughout the Demon Realm, much like the ginkgo trees often seen lining roads in the Republic of Korea where Yoon Sang-hyuk had once lived.
“What did you decide to do with your subordinates?”
“His Majesty Baal has granted permission for us to use our dark elf clan.”
“That so? You sure that’ll be all right?”
It wasn’t as if no dark elves had ever risen to become High-level Demons, but such cases were extremely rare. As a race, dark elves stood a little apart from the mainstream of the Demon Realm.
“At first, we’ll be weaker than the other legions, but we’ll grow quickly.”
Zeronia, who had been sitting nearby listening, answered in Zephyr’s place.
“Once we’re formally organized into a demon legion, the amount of dark energy we can draw upon will increase. And part of the power of the Demon Lord who leads the legion will be bestowed upon us as well. That’s why we can become much stronger at a far faster rate than before.”
“Is that how it works? Then, if what you’re saying is true, you siblings are going to become heroes to your clan.”
“We’ve already received contact from the clan chiefs who are scattered across the realm.”
“You became Demon Lords yesterday, and they’re already calling?”
“Word spread that we had challenged the Demon Lord seats, and the chiefs and elders of each clan came to the Arena of Greed.”
Yoon Sang-hyuk nodded as if he understood.
“Anyway, congratulations. Just don’t get full of yourselves because you’ve become Demon Lords. There’ll be plenty of people aiming for your seats.”
“Of course. In fact, if you look at the history passed down from ancient times, whenever a new Demon Lord is born, countless High-level Demons challenge them. Only after crushing all of them and absorbing their energy can one truly become a Demon Lord.”
It wasn’t wrong. A Demon Lord was at their weakest the moment they first ascended. If what she said was true, then for a while they would be forced to endure challenge after challenge from those who wanted their seats.
“That has its own kind of pleasure, I suppose.”
Rather than languish after becoming a Demon Lord, it would be better to keep meeting challengers. A suitable amount of tension could become the vitamin that drove one’s growth.
Zeronia rubbed an empty glass with her finger, hesitating. It was clear she had something she wanted to say. When Yoon Sang-hyuk looked at her as if to tell her to speak, she finally opened her mouth with some difficulty.
“You’re leaving, aren’t you?”
“Obviously. I’ve got things to do.”
“I see.”
Yoon Sang-hyuk gave a faint laugh.
“Why is the great Demon Lord of the Demon Realm acting so weak? Every time you put on a face like that, the things around you are going to bare their teeth.”
“That’s never going to happen. I just... wanted to say thank you.”
“If that’s all, I think you’ve already said it a few hundred times over.”
“I still want to keep saying it, but once you leave, I won’t be able to anymore. I don’t know whether my sincerity will reach you, but... meeting you, Sang-hyuk, was the greatest luck and blessing my brothers and I could have asked for.”
Yoon Sang-hyuk reached out and ruffled Zeronia’s hair.
“Meeting your brothers here was a great pleasure for me too. Thanks for guiding me all the way to the Gray Wasteland. And it’s not like we’re parting forever. Once I take care of Satan, I’ll come back here again.”
Even after dealing with Satan, he would still have to rely on Baal’s help to get back to Earth.
“So keep that Demon Lord seat warm until then.”
* * *
Leaving behind the Zephyr brothers, who were reluctant to part, Yoon Sang-hyuk departed the Demon King’s Castle. Thanks to Baal’s consideration, he was able to move in an instant from the castle to the territory of Agares, the second-ranked Demon Lord who ruled the northern region.
“I know you’re not happy to see me, but do you really have to look at me like that?”
Agares, seated on his throne, was frowning and glaring at Yoon Sang-hyuk.
“So you do know I’m not pleased to see you.”
“If it were me, I wouldn’t be thrilled to see the person who stabbed my heart twice either. Still, this castle is impressive. As expected of the number-two seat?”
“Stop saying useless things and leave at once.”
“Even if you tell me not to go, I’m leaving anyway.”
“You don’t need a guide to reach the Abyss of the Void. I’ll transfer you to Sitri’s territory at the far northern edge of my lands. From there, keep heading north. You’ll reach the Abyss of the Void if you do that.”
Yoon Sang-hyuk smiled and shrugged.
“Thanks for the consideration.”
“I have no desire to hear that from you, so get lost already.”
With a snap of Agares’s fingers, the scenery around them changed.
“I thought snapping your fingers was Baal’s trademark. Turns out everyone does it.”
“Isn’t it simply a matter of what one can do with it?” Ibrahmut said, glancing around.
That was right. Ibrahmut had said he didn’t need to come along, but he had insisted on following anyway.
“Still, compared to Agares’s castle, this does feel a little lacking.”
“Of course it does. Try building a castle more impressive than Agares’s and see if he just sits there quietly.”
“Ah, I see. Still, my castle is more impressive.”
“Of course it is. You’re supposed to be the finest craftsman in the Demon Realm, aren’t you?”
While Yoon Sang-hyuk and Ibrahmut were talking, someone called out from a little distance away. The voice was cold, dripping with killing intent.
“You know where you are, and yet you’re exchanging useless chatter? There’s no need for greetings, is there? Leave immediately.”
Sitri, who had been seated high on his throne and looking down on them, said only that much before disappearing.
“Honestly, these Demon Lords don’t have an ounce of warmth. It’s not like we’ve only met once or twice.”
“That older brother is really something else. You said you dissolve people every time you meet them. Who on earth would like that?”
“So? Want me to dissolve you too? It’d be a pretty thrilling experience, since you’ve never tried it.”
“I’m grateful for the thought, but I’ll pass.”
Since the owner clearly didn’t want them there, there was no reason to linger any longer, so they left the castle. The dark demons serving Sitri also treated Yoon Sang-hyuk’s group like they were watching cattle pass by. Yoon Sang-hyuk seemed to enjoy their stares, even patting one of them on the shoulder as he went.
“It’s quite a big city.”
“Sitri may follow Agares, but he’s still a high-ranking Demon Lord at the twelfth seat. He has three demon legions under him. A city this size is only natural.”
“You really do know a lot. Good for you.”
Yoon Sang-hyuk led the way, with Valender von Graus and Ibrahmut following behind him. As they walked down the broad avenue, the surrounding demons glanced over and stepped aside.
They weren’t avoiding Yoon Sang-hyuk himself, but rather Valender von Graus and Ibrahmut behind him. Instinctively, they could tell that the dark energy the two of them carried was immense.
“We can’t leave just yet. Let’s stop by a tavern and have a drink.”
“But if I go with you, brother, it really will be free, won’t it?”
“You think there’d be any gutsy Demon Lord who’d dare disobey Baal after he gave that order? Sitri must have already spread the word everywhere.”
“Heh heh. Then let’s drink until our noses bend.”
Ibrahmut soon found a fairly large tavern.
When they went inside, every table was already full.
The customers ranged from demons in human form to beings who had beast heads and human bodies, like beastkin.
“No seats.”
“Brother. Just wait a moment.”
After saying that, Ibrahmut headed toward the back of the tavern. With a scowl on his face and a swagger in his walk, he looked exactly like one of those local punks who spat on the ground for sport.
“If you’ve drunk enough, shouldn’t you get up now?”
He sounded exactly like one too.
The four demons drinking at a table sprang to their feet the moment Ibrahmut finished speaking.
“We were just about to leave.”
“Right? I figured as much, so I came here.”
“Yes, sir, understood.”
As the demons turned and walked toward the entrance, Ibrahmut said, “If you spend every coin you earn drowning yourself in liquor like this, when are you supposed to gather dark energy and become a High-level Demon? Hm? You know three Demon Lord seats changed hands this time, right? There’s no law saying you can’t become a Demon Lord yourselves. So cut back on the drinking and gather dark energy properly. Become Demon Lords.”
His behavior was that of a thug, and his words were those of an old nag.
“Brother! A seat’s opened up.”
Yoon Sang-hyuk let out a sigh and walked over to Ibrahmut.
“I’m seeing a side of you I never knew existed.”
“Haha, this younger brother has quite a few talents.”
“Talents, huh... if that’s a talent, it’s the kind of thing that gets you stabbed to death somewhere.”
“Why would you say something so frightening? Good is good, isn’t it? Hey! Owner! Take our order!”
The moment Ibrahmut shouted, the tavern owner came running over at remarkable speed.
Though he usually traveled with Yoon Sang-hyuk and wore his grin as though nothing in the world mattered, Ibrahmut’s standing in the Demon Realm was far from light.
“Bring me the strongest, best liquor you have in this place.”
Yoon Sang-hyuk looked at Ibrahmut as if he couldn’t believe what he was hearing, then let out a small laugh.
“No good. From today on, you’re going to spar with Valender every evening.”