The Annihilation of the 72 Archdemons

Archdemon Ranking 1st.

The continent's ruler, Satan.

He gazed at the scene unfolding before him and thought,

'What a spectacle.'

All 72 archdemons gathered in one place.

The vast conference hall felt cramped.

Marbas with the lion's head.

Paimon, the old man riding a camel.

Gusion, the winged monkey, and so on.

This was truly unprecedented.

Each had such distinct appearances, personalities, and traits that they lived in isolated domains, never mingling.

Except for one exception.

'The Summons.'

An absolute opportunity each archdemon could use only once in their demonic lifetime.

Failure to respond meant annihilation by the rules, so they had no choice but to assemble.

Satan glanced at Bael, the goat-headed one, and spoke.

"Seems everyone's here. Don't you think it's time to explain why you summoned us?"

"Wait. My subordinate will arrive soon with something intriguing."

Intriguing find? Had Bael's eyes always been this dull?

Whatever. Demons were fickle by nature anyway.

The other demons reacted.

"Found something, have you?"

"Whatever it is, bring it on. This peaceful life without battles is boring me to death. Things were better when those filthy humans swarmed the continent."

"Yeah. Back then, we had plenty of toys to tear apart and torment."

"Heh heh. Ripping off limbs one by one, flaying skin and setting it ablaze, piercing eyeballs with needles. Just thinking about it makes my mouth water."

The demons let out chilling laughs, rubbing their hands in excitement.

Bael said,

"You won't be disappointed. It'll be a thrill like nothing you've experienced before."

‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠

Satan focused his senses on the corridor outside.

Indeed, a presence wrapped in Bael's demonic energy was approaching.

Footsteps echoed.

Anticipation built.

Creeeak—

Finally, the door opened, revealing...

"A human?"

"It's a human."

The demons showed no wariness.

Only curiosity.

"Fascinating. We wiped them out, didn't we?"

"Guess a survivor slipped through."

"Looks like we have a toy left after all."

"Bael, where'd you dig up this human?"

This reaction was only natural.

Superhuman humans were exceedingly rare.

The rest were mere insects, crushable at any moment.

But.

'Dangerous.'

Satan sensed death.

Every nerve on edge, he surged his demonic power for an attack.

But the next events unfolded far faster.

A fist-sized black hole appeared in the center of the conference table, right above it.

It expanded in an instant.

Darkness engulfed the hall.

A bizarre, immense force acted on their bodies, impossible to resist.

──────.

When he came to,

Satan found only his head protruding from the black hole.

W-what is this?

"Urgh...! Gruuuh...! Kaaak!"

What the hell? Can't move my body.

Demonic power? Can't even muster it.

My body below the neck.

Does it exist right now?

Or does it not?

A maddening, chaotic sensation flooded his mind.

"Kiek—! Keeek—!"

"Grrr! Release me right n—!"

The other archdemons were in the exact same state.

They looked utterly unhinged from terror unlike any they'd known.

"I think it's safe to come out now."

A voice rang out then.

He looked up to see the human.

And from his shadow and a rift in space beside him emerged two women.

One with black hair.

The other with platinum... hair?

Satan's eyes bulged in shock.

"Y-you! You're the saintess of the Holy Kingdom! That devilish bitch! How are you still alive?!"

Yulia.

From her reaction last time with Bael, she seemed quite infamous among demons.

"Long time no see. You have no idea how much I've missed seeing you again."

Yulia beamed.

No trace of her usual sanctity or serenity.

Just pure excitement and anticipation.

"Shall we begin?"

"Yes! Master!"

Carmina flitted around in front of the black hole, adjusting the demons' heads into position.

"Okay, okay! Let's line 'em up! Amon, no. 32, middle row! Whoa! No. 2 Baal, why are you down low? Such a noble one in a lowly spot! Up you go!"

The demons shrieked in delight.

Trapped in a black hole, and they're thrilled? Whatever.

Meanwhile, Yulia?

She gripped a massive hammer with hands dusted in powder, practicing her swings.

Whoosh—! Whoooosh—!

The hammer dwarfed a human body.

Fierce gusts whipped up with each swing—terrifying.

"Y-you bastard! What... what are you planning?!"

What else?

Exterminating pests.

"Master! Yulia! All set!"

"Let's go."

"Yes, Your Majesty!"

Yulia stepped up to the black hole.

Okay, get ready. Starting with no. 72 Andromalius's head at eye level.

Thwack—!

Full swing, smashing it straight in.

Into the black hole's depths.

A moment of silence.

Then the archdemons snapped, unleashing screams and curses.

"They wanna rip you apart! That's high praise, right?"

"Essentially, yes."

According to Yulia, anyway.

What demons feared most:

Annihilation of the soul—their very existence.

Of course, no proof the black hole erased souls too.

But given their terror, probably a safe bet.

Instinct, most likely.

"Next up! No. 71, Dantalion! Let me position you!"

Carmina dragged heads into place.

Yulia smashed with full swings.

The work continued.

No. 53, Caim.

"I-I'll grant you riches!"

"Pass."

Thwack—!

No. 27, Ronove.

"Wh-what do you want? I'll give you eve—"

"Ugh, shut up."

Thwack—!

Horns or not, one hit each.

And every time:

The message popped up reliably.

72 archdemons meant 72 bond boosts, simple math.

Wonder what skills I could borrow later?

Carmina's bond needed work too, nonstop.

Thwack—!

Thwack—!

Screams and wails dwindled, then ceased.

Why? Only no. 1 Satan remained.

His eyes reflected utter madness from encroaching dread.

"You wicked bitch! Driving me to this—you must've schemed it!"

Yulia glanced at me silently.

Satan's gaze followed.

Your Honor, I'm innocent.

Just farming bond points.

Anyway, Yulia turned back to Satan, hammer raised.

"W-wait! Information! I'll give you info! Goddess! I have clues on the dimension that goddess fled to!"

Lumentia's goddess.

Per Yulia: metaphysical transcendent being? No.

Superpowered individual? Yes.

Much closer to the latter.

'But calling her a goddess.'

That's her berserk button.

As expected, Yulia's ecstatic smile froze cold.

"Goddess? Fuck that, I don't need her. I've got a real god to serve now."

Whoooosh—!

"Th-then the Tower and System! Info on the System!"

"That, I'll hear."

The hammer halted inches from his face.

Summary of what followed:

"Two opposing factions inside the System's operators. Like vaccine versus virus."

Trial-inflictors: virus.

Reward-givers: vaccine.

And this was...

"Not exactly groundbreaking."

"Oh! Really? Felt totally new to me!"

"Internet's full of conspiracy theories. Old news. What's the Tower's goal? Why keep dunking Earthlings in hot and cold baths like teabags?"

But just suspicion.

No hard proof.

No different from hollow Earth or NASA alien cover-ups.

Conspiracy? Who buys ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠that?

"F-fake? No underground kingdom beneath the mantle? Impossible..."

"I thought the NASA alien contact theory was pretty ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠convincing too..."

Two believers right here.

But Yulia, aren't you basically an alien?

'Anyway.'

Info from a high demon.

Low chance of total bullshit.

But nothing actionable yet.

Just keep scheming optimally per moment.

"Not satisfying enough."

Yulia got it, swinging again.

"W-wait—!"

Thwack—!

With Satan last, all 72 demons vanished into the black hole.

"As expected of Master! Brilliant! Never thought of wiping them with a black hole at once!"

"A feat worthy of eternal continental legend, Your Majesty."

Aw, no need to gild it.

But no time to bask.

Buff time still ticking—one of Yulia's skills.

Days-long cooldown was the downside, but the effect was brutal.

Heals, tanks, buffs, shields.

Whoever pulled her, damn good ally pick.

"Let's go."

"Ah! Magic carpet!"

"Oh, how thoughtful."

The trio hopped on the carpet.

Yulia cast her barrier, and the still-open black hole spun up again.

'Target exclusion: me, two allies, magic carpet. Everything else.'

Ceiling, walls, floor.

Furniture, fixtures.

Satan's minions, etc.

Everything nearby got sucked in; the castle crumbled instantly.

Ting—! Twing—!

The shielded carpet dodged debris, soaring high.

The continent sprawled below.

The sated black hole, with Satan's demon castle, had vanished.

"Master! Meteor! Two cooldown reset tickets left—triple boom!"

"Saving those. Never know when Lycanslopes might show; need instant skill access."

"Ah, right!"

Two reset tickets on hand.

Stockpile every one I get for now.

10-20 for perfect safety?

Or more?

'Gotta watch how US, China, Japan play.'

One thing clear:

Planet restoration—no more multi-meteors daily for a while.

"So disappointing!"

"Restoration speed won't drop much. No more archdemons."

Aggro worries? Gone.

Just max-range meteors nonstop now.

"Alright then."

"Before buff ends!"

"Aim carefully, Your Majesty."

Together.

"Fall!"

"Fiiiire—!"

"Die, you filthy monsters—!"

A massive gray meteor appeared over Lumentia.

Monsters and nests teeming below.

Illegal aliens? Illegal structures?

All demolished.

*

Korean ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠Awakener Management Agency VIP lounge.

Key US Management Agency figures had arrived.

Deputy Director Elliot Hesson.

And other power players.

Tick. Tock. Tick.

Time: 5:55 PM.

And right then.

USA overtook Korea.

From noon, atop the usual gains, +50k surges each time.

Elliot spoke, eyeing the rankings.

"As you see, the US can counter any Korean surge. To halt bleeding on both sides, we propose ending competition: US 1st, Korea 2nd confirmed."

In other words,

"The US can generate points indefinitely. Like printing dollars."

Courteous tone, arrogant content.

Meaning: no matter Korea's struggles, can't surpass US.

But.

Pfft.

Cha Minhyuk couldn't help chuckling.

Thanks to the Causality Orb in his pocket, discerning truth from lies.

'Indefinite points?'

Look at this guy.

Selling snake oil?