Black History
A quest to defeat the Demon King that automatically grants 100,000 Divine Power upon acceptance, completes Divine Power infusion instantly, and allows unlimited attempts.
'Is it telling me to defeat myself right now?'
There was no nonsense like this. It might be understandable if it straight-up said there was no quest for trash like you, Demon King bastard, get lost—some direct insult or expulsion. But this? This was a quest I couldn't possibly accept.
'Or is it telling me to off myself right here?'
This was seriously something worth reconsidering.
I spent about a minute stroking my chin in deep thought when a system message popped up.
30 seconds remaining until quest acceptance. It will auto-accept if you do not refuse.
29 seconds remaining until quest acceptance. It will auto-accept if you do not refuse.
28 seconds remaining until quest acceptance. It will auto-accept if you do not refuse.
……
……
…
What the hell was this? It felt like the messages were forcing me to accept.
'The Tower's owner sure loves his pranks.'
One minute it encourages me, the next it seals off my dark energy, and now it's shoving an impossible quest down my throat.
My instincts screamed to refuse, but in the end, I hit accept.
Part of it was pride—I'd come this far; failing the quest wasn't an option. But mostly, from looking at the monsters in previous quests, I was fairly certain the thing I had to defeat wasn't really me.
In other words, the "Demon King" this quest referred to was obviously a "fake Demon King," not the real me.
Sure, it'd be unsettling to personally execute the fake version paraded in my name. But it proved everything happening here was a virtual simulation, not reality.
If fighting a virtual me meant they'd accept the real Demon King—that's me—as a priest, there was no reason to refuse.
Of course, I was also tempted by the promise of fully geared weapons and armor. Prankster or not, this guy was generous as hell.
The moment I accepted, light flooded my body.
100,000 Divine Power has been automatically granted. Divine Power infusion is automatically completed at 100%.
Internal adjustment commencing due to dark energy repulsion.
Negotiation between Divine Power and dark energy has begun within the challenger's body.
Negotiation between Divine Power and dark energy within the challenger's body has been dramatically resolved!
Divine Power infusion has been completed at 100% in part of Challenger Kwon Mu-hyuk's body!
White Divine Power poured out from my entire left arm.
'Hm? This doesn't feel like just my left arm...'
Curious, I removed my helmet and saw one side of my hair glowing pure white.
"Ugh! No, this is too much!"
What was this? Half-and-half like some damn chicken? Splitting me down the middle for Divine Power infusion?
If you're gonna infuse it, do the whole thing or at least top-to-bottom. Side-by-side was crossing the line.
Sure, I'd regressed 998 times, but I looked like an 18-year-old boy. Prime time for appearances. Damn you, Tower owner!
Whether I jumped around in rage or not, the quest progressed smoothly.
The Demon King has appeared in the Demon King Castle.
Go to the Demon King Castle and defeat the Demon King to complete the quest.
To defeat the evil Demon King, the Holy Sword Giantus (temporary use permitted) has been granted.
To defeat the evil Demon King, the Holy Shield Metatron (temporary use permitted) has been granted.
To defeat the evil Demon King, the Exterminating Armor Seraphim (temporary use permitted) has been granted.
My helmet was back on my head before I knew it. A sword and shield filled my hands, and armor clad my body.
'Try the gear first, huh?'
I couldn't check a mirror, but just seeing the options eased my mind.
◈ Attack Power +300
◈ Defense +200
◈ Divine Property 30
◈ Range of Divine Power-based attack skills increases; attack speed -5%.
◈ Summons the holy giant Giantiana to stun/confuse enemies and assist in battle for 10 minutes.
◈ Defense +1500
◈ Attack Power +200
◈ Divine Property 20
◈ Increases max summons of Holy Sword Giantus by 1.
◈ Defense +3000
◈ Divine Property 100
◈ Giantiana's summon effect applies to all nearby enemies.
◈ Divine skills' range +30%.
◈ Divine skills' damage +50%.
A feast of insane options had my lips curling into a grin.
The Tower owner, handing out gear like this just to take down one Demon King—it felt desperate, almost bittersweet.
Even with stuff this good, past loops had failed? Was I really that strong?
'No. In past loops, I'd never seen the righteous executor Kang Dae-jin wielding a holy sword.'
That made it easy to guess why the Gaon of Light paladins and hunters failed before.
They couldn't even draw the holy sword, let alone fully reawaken like this.
"Alright, time to go smite that fake knockoff of me."
Geared up and battle-hungry, I rolled my shoulders and headed for the Demon King Castle.
"……."
Kang Dae-jin stared blankly at the tower.
It was beyond common sense. An incomprehensible event that defied thought itself unfolded before his eyes.
'An academy cadet pulled the holy sword in broad daylight.'
And he wasn't the only one reacting.
Worshippers, believers, and paladins from the main temple gathered one by one around the tower.
The chaos of dark energy and Divine Power erupting from the bell tower's peak had grown intense enough for even ordinary believers to sense it.
The main temple's bell tower was a must-visit for most awakeners seeking reawakening.
Most failed, but rare successes joined Gaon of Light and skyrocketed in levels with bright futures ahead.
But the tower had never shown a spectacle like this.
Soon, all visitors clustered around, praying with clasped hands at the tower's changes.
"A battle between light and darkness..."
"Who's challenging the bell tower reawakening?"
"Heard it was some academy cadet."
"Eek? No way! How strong is this cadet to cause..."
The bell tower's peak—33 stories tall, not quite the main temple's 99, but impressive.
Atop it, black and white cloud masses formed a massive ring.
They gathered, dispersed, vibrated.
People gawked upward, murmuring in awe.
"...He might be the only hero who can draw the holy sword."
"Even the Knight Commander and Iron Pope failed that quest."
"W-Wait, so that academy cadet is doing what the Knight Commander and Pope couldn't?"
"Such a being is inside the tower right now?"
Everyone gaped in shock and confusion at the tower's anomaly.
It was unbelievable.
Who was the Iron Pope? The cornerstone of Gaon of Light's main temple.
No villain or monster dared approach because of him. Even top hunters bowed their heads.
For him to fail—and now this happening in the tower?
'Impossible.'
'Someone that talented wouldn't have stayed unknown.'
Eyes filled with shock and doubt.
But as quests completed one after another, their gazes shifted.
'But if it's true... he'll save us all.'
Sweat beaded on tensed, clasped hands watching the tower.
If someone could conquer that dark energy...
They could crush villains like the Black Sheep Salvation Church and bring peace to Earth.
'The bell tolls for the third time.'
The tower's bell rang upon quest completion.
That meant the one inside had cleared two quests and entered the final one.
The impossible was happening.
Chiiing—
Suddenly, a girl emitting bright light appeared on the temple stairs.
"Th-That's!"
"It's the Saintess! The Saintess has descended!"
"Ooh... holy one!"
She walked straight toward the bell tower.
Escorted by guards, she advanced slowly, carefully, step by step.
The Saintess, unseen for years.
Now appearing publicly to head for the tower.
A core founder of Gaon of Light alongside the Iron Pope and Knight Commander—her interest in a challenger was unprecedented.
It confirmed beyond doubt: the tower's challenger had drawn the holy sword.
"What's going on inside that tower?"
"Which academy cadet is it?"
"Must look like a noble angel's descent."
"Pure white all over, like the Saintess."
Onlookers buzzed, speculating about the challenger.
But no one guessed.
That the one inside was a Demon King.
The ominous being who'd brought world-ending doom 998 times...
Kudangtang!
Kungtang!
"Hmph……."
For an hour, I'd watched monsters I'd subjugated with Death Terraforming die again to the opponent's Death Terraforming.
My haughty, powerful subordinates from past loops toppled like dominoes under repeated Death Terraforming blasts from both sides.
Dark energy couldn't restore their waning life force.
They fell one by one, like robots with dead batteries.
'This won't work.'
Watching my minions suffer was starting to churn my gut.
No matter how mad or tormenting those days were.
My close subordinates had transcended race, truly followed me, stuck till the end.
They'd dealt with the Black Sheep Salvation Church scum who treated me like a silkworm for thread.
Fakes made for the quest or not.
Repeatedly watching their loyal deaths—and causing them myself—was stoking my rage.
'And the most infuriating is that fake Demon King bastard.'
A perfect copy of my past-loop self, down to the grimy, polluted dark-red skin from near-death, max-level absurd skill ranges.
Ignorantly roaring and cackling like he knew what he was doing.
After 998 loops generating that black history garbage before dying, seeing "myself" made me sick to my stomach.
I couldn't stomach it anymore. In grim resolve:
'Better send my minions off with my own hands and face the fake one-on-one.'
Decision made, I unleashed Death Terraforming in one hand and Holy Flame Tornado in the other, clearing my minions.
Kwaaaa!
Kwagwang—
The fake, panicking, tried Silence Out on me.
"Not on my watch."
Silence Out was a skill I could dish but not take.
I hurled Death Terraforming and Holy Flame Tornado at him together.
Kwakwakwang!!
Dark Death Terraforming and Holy Flame Tornado have fused and activated.