Barbatoss

Finally reaching level 100 had given me enough power to say I was on par with the Black Sheep from previous loops, at least when it came to the seed of the Demon King.

The Demon King had been added to my status window under jobs as well.

'Hero and Demon King... Just how far are you trying to push me, Gaon of Light?'

The absurdity didn't end there.

A bracelet with a unique clock-like pattern dropped into my hand.

I hurriedly slipped it onto my wrist. My Luck went up, but I still needed 25 more ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠points to hit 999.

'What the hell is this? I came all this way and completed the quest—shouldn't it just fill up my Luck completely?!'

As I grumbled inwardly, another quest alert chimed.

The next quest was to block Barbatoss's ambush.

"How many troops are left in the castle right now?"

"Pardon? Ah, most were sent to the Demon King Castle to guard Your Majesty's true body, so fewer than 10,000 remain in my castle."

"What's the size of Barbatoss's forces?"

"He commands 60,000 soldiers. But why do you ask...?"

"That bastard's about to come charging in."

"What?! That scum is really...!"

"Hurry and fortify the castle defenses. Prepare for war."

"Yes, Your Majesty!"

Baldr scattered lava fragments as he dashed out of the room.

Soon, trumpets blared to rouse the demon realm soldiers within the castle, and the frantic footsteps of troops echoed everywhere.

'The key to returning to Earth was with Barbatoss anyway, so maybe this works out.'

The key from the human world to the demon realm had been with Choi Joo-bong, while the key from the demon realm back to the human world was held by Barbatoss.

In previous loops, since he'd hidden his true nature and feigned loyalty, he'd handed it over without issue.

But this loop, for some reason, he'd come to ambush his superior, Baldr.

'Is this because I regressed without my Luck being corrupted?'

The time discrepancies in diverging events from previous loops were accelerating.

The awakening that should've happened five years later had already occurred, and the year needed post-awakening to reach level 100 had been achieved in under a month.

Fate's vortex. I could feel such a clichéd trope unfolding around me.

It might sound ridiculous for a Demon King who'd regressed 998 times to suddenly sense fate now, but I'd never once accepted that destroying and dooming the world was my destiny.

'Is that why I kept regressing?'

That was part of why, in this loop where I existed as a hero to save humanity rather than a world-destroying Demon King, I'd resolved not to regress anymore.

It felt overly grandiose, and I doubted if I was worthy, but even so.

Gaon of Light wanted me to play the role of the salvation hero—and that was exactly what I'd longed for.

'I might get swept up in it, but I won't be controlled.'

I clenched and unclenched my wrist where the Galettedrua sat, let out a small sigh, then slowly headed outside.

Barbatoss was confident.

For a full 300 years, he'd worn the mask of a loyal subordinate under Baldr.

No demon in the demon realm could be as meticulous as him.

Just recently, he'd devoured dark energy from eight of the eleven hidden storage sites the Demon King had stashed away.

The Demon King Castle, Balpador's territory, and this land of Baldr's were the exceptions, but the rest of the demon realm sinking into the abyss didn't matter to Barbatoss.

He knew he had the key to the human world, and after swallowing the entire demon realm, he planned to head there and devour everything else too.

Right now, with dark energy overflowing within him, his sole goal was to chew up all those who'd lorded over him.

But despite the surging power, his meticulous nature opted for ambush over a frontal challenge against Baldr. The moment he'd seen Balpador fail to catch the Demon King at the castle, he'd struck.

"Baldr won't suspect a thing and will let me into the castle. Heh heh..."

As he reached Baldr's castle, an ominous tension hung in the air.

"Move it, faster!"

"Raaargh!"

The ducal castle, which should have been deep in slumber, blazed like midday, with countless knights and demon soldiers bustling about, hauling supplies.

"What's gotten into them all of a sudden?"

"Looks like they're prepping for war."

"No way... Did they somehow catch on to the ambush?"

The desperate atmosphere, like fire on their heels, seeped even outside the walls.

If they'd sniffed out the ambush, it made sense. He knew most of Baldr's forces were tied up guarding the Demon King, leaving only bare-minimum defenses here.

"Even if they know about the ambush, it doesn't matter. I'll just sweep them away and devour them all!"

Barbatoss's eyes burned with madness.

"Attack! Smash the gates and charge!"

"Fire the mana bolts! Shatter the barrier!"

Kuwaaaaa!

Barbatoss's minions surged toward Baldr's castle in unison.

They had to break the magic defense array somehow and storm inside.

To survive in the demon realm and rack up merits, the demons roared.

Kwang! Ku-kwang!

Tutututang! Boom boom!

All sorts of mana and skills bombarded the outer wall to pierce the barrier.

"I'll break the barrier myself!"

Barbatoss charged forward.

Ku-kwang!

Each swing of the blood-red giant axe by the dark crimson orc sent deafening booms that rattled ears.

"Graaah, as expected of Lord Barbatoss! At this rate, Duke Baldr's done for today."

"Don't let your guard down! If we don't smash the barrier quick and take the castle, we'll be the ones dying!"

After a frenzy of attacks, the magic barrier finally shattered.

Pa-chang!

Kuwoooo!

30,000 undead legion and 20,000 demons, including elites, poured through the broken barrier into the castle.

"Don't engage—fall back to the rear guard!"

Baldr's troops retreated to the castle's back under the onslaught.

"Kuhaha! They're running! Wipe them all out!"

Barbatoss bellowed in triumphant laughter.

His legion roared fiercer, ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠pursuing Baldr's soldiers.

Then.

Kwa-gwang!

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

Tu-kwang!

With earth-shaking explosions, Baldr in his lava armor blocked the troops' path.

"Graaack!"

Lava shards from Baldr rained like a storm, neutralizing Barbatoss's forces.

"How dare you invade this place!"

The true dragon's roar made the lesser demons clutch their ears in agony.

"Hear us, 2nd Legion Commander Baldr! The tide has turned, the demon realm hangs by a thread—we wish to enthrone 1st Legion Commander Balpador as the new Demon King! Join the will of the masses!"

"Shut your mouth, filthy traitor! You think I don't know your ugly true face?!"

"No talking it out, huh. All forces, no retreat—attack!"

Ku aaa!

The momentarily stalled demon legion surged again.

Furious, Baldr swelled with lava, unleashing a volcanic downpour like an erupting mountain.

But winged incubi flew through the melting demons, hurling ice spears that shattered the lava rain's power.

Seizing the gap, Barbatoss swung his massive red axe and barged in.

"Hand over the Demon King's true body already!"

"Shut it, lowly demon! What makes your deeds any different from those angel scum?!"

Baldr charged, clashing with Barbatoss.

Thud! Thud! Kwa-kwang!

Two blazing mana fields spread, dark red lightning exploding everywhere.

As they exchanged blows, the battle between demon legions inside the castle seemed to tilt toward Barbatoss's victory.

That's when.

"Stop."

Not shouted loudly, not shaking the heavens—just murmured words.

Yet the invading troops and defending demons froze like statues.

The unfathomable deep resonance in that voice bound every being in the demon realm in an instant.

An unprecedented sonic force impossible to resist or defy.

By then, a lone figure stood at the castle's center as if drawn there.

"...Demon King?"

Their first encounter in 300 years.

Between two massive curved horns burned an unquenchable flame crowning the king of hell. Where ears should be, four more curved horns matching the great ones sprouted...

Ferocious and majestic—the absolute ruler of the demon realm.

Wasn't that the Demon King they'd desperately awaited?

They'd all thought him dead as the demon realm crumbled.

"How the hell is he alive?"

As everyone doubted their eyes, only Barbatoss trembled with joy, unable to contain his mad laughter.

'My prey has returned alive!'

Drool!

Drip! Drip!

Too excited, Barbatoss didn't even notice the drool leaking from his mouth or the melting disguise peeling off.

A chilling gaze made me turn. Barbatoss was staring at me, drooling.

Was he so insane with hunger that he didn't notice his disguise melting away?

At level 100, I could finally start playing "Demon King Pretend" with this Demon King's Polymorph skill.