Tartarus 1
"Eyy! Liar!" U Yu-jeong giggled, nudging me with her elbow. Her laughing face was so damn cute that my lips curled up involuntarily. We'd gotten close fast after that mood-driven kiss—like lovers, even. She'd started calling me oppa too.
"You can summon monsters? Oppa, you read too many webnovels, haven't you?"
I shrugged. "Don't believe me then. Hard to prove it without you passing out. Tsk."
"Me? Pass out? You think I'd faint? Ha!" U Yu-jeong clutched her chest, putting on an exaggerated shocked face. "I don't even blink during ghost movies. Summon it. If I freak out, I'll build you a castle."
I pondered for a moment, tapping my chin with my finger. "Hmm... SpongeBob might scare you too much... Maybe Kuma's okay?"
U Yu-jeong snorted. "Kuma? You mean a bear? I told you, not scared! Summon it. Right now."
Her challenging gaze made me smirk. "Soul Summon: Kuma."
The air vibrated, and a form suddenly appeared before us. It started as a blurry silhouette but sharpened into a massive black bulk.
"Kyaaah!!"
U Yu-jeong's scream filled the convenience store. Her face went sheet-white, and she toppled backward. I caught her just in time.
"Gulk..."
She'd really fainted. And this was the least scary one, Kuma. I fanned her face with my hand as she lay in my arms.
Cute.
Her long lashes trembled, and she slowly opened her eyes. Meeting my gaze, her cheeks flushed bright red.
"Oppa..."
She sat up slowly. "Does this... make sense? You can really summon monsters?"
"Hard to believe, right?"
U Yu-jeong peeked cautiously over my shoulder at Kuma, who was now sitting obediently, watching us.
"Can I... touch it once?"
"Yeah. Go ahead. He's tame right now."
She shuddered at Kuma's grotesque face but reached out bravely. Her slender fingers sank into his fur.
"Whoa... so soft... this fluffy fur."
She trembled as she petted him. "Oppa being a chef from another dimension... while this world's oppa is hospitalized?"
"Yeah."
"Woooow!! So cool!"
U Yu-jeong clenched her fists at her chest and stomped excitedly. Her over-the-top reaction made me laugh too. Like watching a cute hamster.
"Awesome!!!"
She cheered. "It's straight out of a fantasy novel. A demon hunter crossing dimensions!!"
Her nose was twitching with excitement. Turns out U Yu-jeong was a fantasy webnovel fanatic. She rambled on about demon hunters from subculture for a good while.
"But if that countdown above my head hits zero, I might die."
I told her about Beelzebub and the numbers hovering over my head. She thought for a second, then said confidently,
"Threaten Beelzebub for info! And I don't think it's your lifespan. They need a safety net to minimize interference from other dimensions."
"Safety net?"
"There's one unchanging law in all physics. The law of conservation of energy..."
She drew a circle in the air with her finger. "If energy from another dimension interferes, it'll try to revert it to its original state."
"So... I'd get sent back to my original dimension?"
"Yep. That's the scientific conclusion. No worries! If you're really scared, just hop through a gate before it ends."
"Chicken shit, but safest bet, yeah."
Not super scientific, but I could tell she was trying to reassure me.
"It's hilarious. Demon King Beelzebub wanted your cooking skills so bad he tried stealing your body."
"Exactly."
"Ugh, jealous~ If it were me, I'd digitize trapped Beelzebub and suck out his powers."
"Possible?"
"Status window, right?"
"Yeah."
"It notified you that Beelzebub's interference is minimized for 24 hours."
"Right."
U Yu-jeong snapped her fingers. "...Hmm, then try talking to him with your will?"
"Huh?"
"Focus your mind and project the intent to chat with Beelzebub."
"Worth a shot?"
I closed my eyes and concentrated, imprinting the strong will to speak with Beelzebub. Immediately, a familiar voice echoed in my head.
Teacher. Please spare me. I heard everything. I saw it all through your eyes, ears, and nose. I'll tell you everything. Please don't turn me into data. I'll help you. Please don't make me data. Spare me.
Beelzebub's desperate voice reverberated. "I can really talk to Beelzebub? He heard our whole convo."
"Whoa, really?"
U Yu-jeong's eyes widened as she waved at the air. "Hi, Jejeop! Be nice to my oppa."
What's this woman? How does she know quantum mechanics so well? Why is a convenience store clerk like this?
"Yu-jeong can't hear Beelzebub?"
"Nope, nothing for me."
"He's praising how smart you are."
"Hehehe. Say thanks."
Is she the wife? Teacher, please send me to the Hell Dimension Management Bureau now. You must protect the rights of a captured demon king. Please send me there soon. No need to keep holding me.
I didn't even know what the Hell Dimension Management Bureau was. "Nah. Be my power source. Or I'll digitize you and drain your abilities."
Ah... demon. Demon!
"What'd Jejeop say?"
"Begging for his life."
"Heehee. Fun. He knows he'd get digitized there too?"
"Yeah. Begging not to, and to protect his demon king rights."
"Kekekeke. Hilarious. Just extract his data. Can't trust a demon."
"Maybe."
Please, don't listen to the wife.
"Oh yeah, Jejeop. What's the number above my head?"
He answered instantly, sensing danger.
When the count ends, you return to T-16.
U Yu-jeong nailed it. "What's T-16 mean? Clunky term."
I'd always seen those letter-number combos during Soul Harvests. Always wondered.
Tartarus Dimension 16. Tartarus means hell. Dimension 16 Hell is ruled by Belphegor. This place you think is reality is T-12, Dimension 12 Hell, ruled by Baal.
My head spun at Beelzebub's words. My reality... was actually Dimension 12 Hell. Better not tell U Yu-jeong this.
"Yu-jeong, I'll drop by later. Gotta have a private chat with Jejeop."
"Okay... oppa. Got stock to shelve anyway."
She beamed. I gave her a light kiss and hug, swapped numbers, saved hers as #1. Leaving the store, I continued with Beelzebub—telepathically, no words needed.
This is hell? T-12 Hell?
Yes.
Why's this hell? Explain.
Other hells have lifespans over 1,000 years. Here, less than 100. Baal's power warps cells, causing aging and cancer. Then reincarnation, repeat deaths.
Hmm... Dying of old age. Our "normal" lives turned hellishly mundane. From another dimension's view, yeah. Nangryun's words echoed: a race toward death.
What's T-16 Hell like?
Belphegor's hell: humans as shells, like skin coats. Demons steal bodies. Unlucky souls trapped inside, screaming in agony.
Soul trapped post-possession? Worst hell. Brain needed for control, but blocked—like vegetative state.
Tsk... Swallowed dryly, recalled shell world events. Choi Seo-ah vanished into fog as a soul.
Souls escaping into fog happens.
The Choi Seo-ah from T-16 I possessed? Yes. Terrified, thought losing body better. Bodiless souls enter fog... but regret it. Fog's millions of souls wandering, desperate for any demon body.
Now understood Lee Su-jeong in the mannequin.
Who's Baal ruling here?
Baal harvests dopamine for energy. Humans addicted to pleasure, sex, same-sex love, drugs, SNS—dopamine overload. Makes Baal strongest demon king in hell dimensions.
Dopamine harvest...
Baal's top demon king.
Yes.
I have T-12's Demon Headless... he was this hell's demon?
Yes. SpongeBob, right? Baal's subordinate. Caused trouble in T-16, pissed off Belphegor.
Explained bear doll, mannequin, Crawling Head ganging up on Headless.
Which hell you from? You're a king too?
Was king of T-38 Hell. Now sealed, crashing with pal Belphegor. T-16 popular spot for demon kings—shells to possess and play.
Sealed how?
Destroyed. Hell Management wipes dimensions if kings get too strong. Sends gods and demon hunters to seal.
I'm a demon hunter?
Yeah, weird. You are, but freelance. If Management HQ wasn't blown up, this wouldn't happen. Interested in world-destroying seals?
Nah? Loving life in T-16.
Exactly. My theory: T-12 and T-16 quantum entangled. Explains gates.
Why?
Baal invading T-16. Sent Demon Headless... Baal too strong. Dopamine overload here. Sex, drugs, SNS everywhere. Scary strong.
Strong kings get sealed by gods/hunters.
Baal crushed three seal teams. You're probably fourth. Team disbanded or Management gone?
Deeper shit than thought. Demon hunter confirmed... but Baal invading T-16.
Belphegor your friend, T-16 king. Weak?
Can't beat Baal. Loses throne, T-16 becomes like here.
Fuck no.
Baal so strong, why not invade T-16 himself?
Kings can't fight directly. Send apostles as proxies. Apostle war soon.
Apostles?
Kings appoint 12 apostles per dimension. Hunters, Awakenings—events to pick strong 12. Use to conquer other hells.
Hunters, Awakenings? Webnovel tropes real.
Awakened appear here?
Yes. To become Baal's minions. Many already. Humans clueless.
Why no Belphegor apostles?
Soon. But Baal's minions show power gap.
"Heh heh heh heh."
Why laugh?
Gonna Soul Harvest Baal's apostles into summons.
Ah, Soul Harvest! Amazing skill. T-1's Lucifer had similar... sealed now.
Angel's words... Rubbed my chin. Angel hinted I had demon king power. Power that killed her didn't want me knowing. One foot in deep shit.
Soul Harvest listed as demon hunter skill... but Lucifer's? Puzzle missing piece.
Shook head. Time reveals. Use Beelzebub's info first.
Let's get along, Jejeop. Help me smash Baal. Save your pal Belphegor too.
Teacher, just release me. I'll swear loyalty.
Know what digitize means?
Not really?
Turn Quantum Trap targets into data at will. You know.
Teacher, I'll work hard!
"Good."
Yes, teacher.
Help 10 years, you're free. Promise.
Really? Thank you. 10 years is a blink. So happy.
Teach cooking too. Learn well.
Eek!! Thank you! And teacher smells like us. Beyond demon hunter—dark scent. Love it.
"You can't know the joy of two identical people in two dimensions."
Teacher?
"Revenge twice."
Chills? Mud festival revenge too?
Similar.
Scary. Scarier than demons.
Walking, my head spun with hells, demons, invasions—surreal. Yet excitement bubbled inside.
"Jejeop, you hearing me?"
Yes, teacher. Always listening.
Under streetlights, my shadow stretched long. This hell? T-12 Hell. Lifetime "reality" Baal's dopamine farm. Absurd, but intuitive. Explained 29 years of world's cruelty.
[03:50:18]
~Four hours left. Before forced T-16 return, one thing to check. She who gated back first.
"Jejeop. Can you find Section Chief U Mi-young's house?"