Chapter 30
Chapter 30
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Translator: uly
Chapter: 30
Chapter Title: Roar of Thunder (6)
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Mirni laid out her deductions with unshakable certainty.
"This world has no mana... and no demonic energy either."
Just as humans can't survive without oxygen or water, demons can't live without demonic energy.
No matter how unfathomable they seemed, demons were demons at their core.
They couldn't survive without it.
Which meant...
"Just a hypothesis, but you've turned this place into your territory—no, a factory."
Demonic energy was "misfortune."
It flowed from ugly, filthy emotions like unhappiness, death, and terror—like sewage from tragedy.
Beelzebub had turned a world devoid of demonic energy into a "factory" called DM Entertainment, one that extracted misfortune.
And the proof?
"This place had the worst reputation around."
DM Productions was, in a word, a company where misfortune and tragedy flowed freely.
A freakish structure that twisted employees, actors, and even part-timers into something ugly.
But if the president had deliberately fostered that environment, it all made sense.
To extract misfortune from humans...!
He'd created a place where misery gathered and coated every inch—the outer walls, everything—with barriers to keep the demonic energy of unhappiness from leaking out.
Just like cramming a bear into a tiny iron cage to exploit its bile without escape.
Ironic, wasn't it?
There was a Korean proverb: you reap what you sow.
Maybe the humans of this world were simply getting their sins and karma thrown right back at them.
However...
"That's not your job, you stinking maggot spawn!"
At least the ugliest, filthiest maggot didn't have the right.
"...The right, you say."
Beelzebub kept a serene expression despite hearing a prediction so chillingly spot-on.
Kiririk...!
No...! His face was serene, but the ground beneath his feet was anything but.
Cracks began spiderwebbing across the outer wall that hadn't even been scratched before—as if announcing his rising irritation.
"Who the hell has the right to judge me?"
Like he could no longer hold back his boiling rage.
"I've always thought it, but you... you're one irritating bitch."
Whoosh!
Beelzebub's markings deepened, his form starting to change.
The bizarre patterns crawled from his neck across his body and down to the floor where he stood.
"Fine, just like you said—I can't leave this building."
Crunch!
His body swelled like a balloon, drifting further from human shape.
"A pathetic, lowly beast like you wouldn't get it. How utterly humiliating it is for me, Beelzebub, to be unable to survive without something as trivial as humans...!"
Groooan!
A horn sprouted from the center of his forehead, followed by a tail and wings like a fly's.
"Trapped in this tiny, worthless warehouse, barely clinging to life by feeding on human desires...! You humans have no idea!"
Mirni had touched a nerve—a reverse scale.
The humiliation of years spent living as a human, casting aside even the pride of a hellish archduke, pandering to humans while collecting their desires and despair...!
She'd dared prod that wound, enough to shatter Beelzebub's careful restraint against letting even a drop of demonic energy leak.
Shedding his human skin, he revealed his true form and declared:
Vreeee!
His minions surged with sticky demonic energy as Beelzebub sneered.
"...Pushed the taunt too far, huh."
"Already regretting it. At least he says he won't kill us?"
"If you believe that, you're dumber than me."
"...Fuck."
They chatted casually, but the situation was dire.
A glance at Valian showed his body was little more than a ragdoll.
'Pushed him too hard after all.'
Even Valian needed mana to unleash a blow like that.
Performing such a miracle without any buffers? No wonder he was shredded.
The problem was...
'Catch that thing?'
Mirni had zero confidence.
This was straight-up suicide, not bravery.
As Mirni sank into gloom, regretting coming this far...
"—I'll hold him off. Take the kid and run."
"...What?"
"This is our only shot. Look—the wall that wouldn't even dent is cracking. Proof a gap's opened. You can find and smash it. So go."
"Y-You're saying... run away alone!?"
"Exactly."
"...!"
Mirni's face twisted in fury.
How the hell do you see me...!!
"Thanks! I won't forget your sacrifice!"
"...!"
"...Kidding."
"...!"
"For real though."
She wouldn't deny appreciating the offer, but she truly had no intention of fleeing.
"Calling Luke would be smart, but I doubt that thing'll let us go easy. And escaping while supporting someone else? Impossible. Fighting's simpler."
"...Is it?"
"Don't get all touched."
"...!"
Valian wore a face that said the cat bitch would float mouth-agape even if drowned, then gave a wry smile.
"My last stand, and it's gotta be with you..."
"That's my line."
Even if stranded on a desert island, these two would never share a boat.
Their grudge ran that deep—maybe darker and thicker than what Luke, or Yuseong, felt toward them.
So they found sharing a final moment more infuriating than the threat of death!
"How dare a maggot spawn like you open that stinking mouth!"
Disgust and irritation fueled their strength.
Catfolk beastkin and barbarian charged Beelzebub with everything they had.
But.
"...!"
"...!"
Valian and Mirni lay collapsed like a car with a dead engine, unable to rise.
Just glaring wide-eyed was all they could manage...
"...Should've asked Luke to buy me tuna..."
Mirni muttered like it was her pathetic last words.
Ideals and reality never matched.
'S-Sis, B-Bro! Th-They're gonna get killed!?'
Kang Gamchan's body slumped limp, but his mind was unnaturally sharp.
So he could see it.
Sis, Bro...!
Their bloody clash with the monster!
Valian charged relentlessly, flesh tearing, bones cracking—like a berserker ignorant of pain.
Mirni was the same.
Where did that frail body find such vicious tenacity?
But the monster was overwhelmingly stronger, merciless.
He toyed with their ferocity using brute force and his loathsome insect horde.
Gamchan trembled, tears welling just watching.
'That fucking monster...!'
It was defiance.
A monster toying with humans? The fuck? Rage mixed with helplessness.
If not for him, they'd have escaped easy—but he'd ruined it. Self-blame...
'Why'd I even come...! ...Huh?'
...Why did he come?
His head foggy, something forgotten...
He had a "role."
An important one the president gave him for emergencies.
'R-Right, it was...'
"Guh...!"
Forcing his dazed neurons to fire, questioning endlessly.
Finally, he eyed the watch on his wrist.
"R-Right, it was... s-surely..."
──If shit hits the fan, smash the watch on the ground. I'll handle the rest.
Recalling the boss's words, Gamchan summoned unknown strength, unstrapped the watch.
And hurled it down!
Thud...
"...Fuck."
Told to smash it hard... why so weak...?!
Gamchan glared bitterly at his hand, face crumpling—then it vanished.
Tick─!
Gears meshing back into place.
Fwooooosh!
...The wind blew.
Mirni staggered up, hurling whatever she grabbed.
Not wildly—everything became a razor-sharp dagger, piercing thick hide.
...Too bad the bastard's skin shrugged off mere daggers.
Clang!
"...That sound's from skin?"
"Nothing new."
"...You ain't dead yet?"
"...!"
No joke or curse.
Valian looked deader than dead.
Ragdoll? Insult to rags. Any second, exhaustion would drop him.
Body past limits, a corpse moved by willpower alone.
That was Valian now.
"Your speech flipping back and forth? You sick?"
Booom!!
Air rippled visibly from a casual stomp and swing.
"Kuhack!"
She dodged, but the wind shear flung her like a leaf. Valian crashed again.
The man with steel will but flesh body finally broke.
"...!"
Mirni flipped him off.
Valian aimed a fist from the dirt.
Pride on one side, unbreakable fight on the other.
Both unyielding—worthy of praise, but to Beelzebub, just snarling beasts.
No mercy. He raised his hand.
Minions slithered toward Valian and Mirni.
To devour limbs, torsos—lay eggs.
No death.
Just pain wishing for it.
His homeland, where his master waited─!
"...N-No, can't lose limbs... modeling gig's toast..."
"If you regret, don't taunt."
"Nature of the beast."
"Tch! That's why you fight Sylvia daily."
"Bullshit! Compared to that bitch's temper, I'm a saint!"
"...!"
"...Okay, not that saintly."
"...Good you know."
Despair loomed, but Mirni and Valian kept bantering.
To forget fear, steel resolve.
Defeated or not, barbarians and beastkin bowed to no one.
Their pride—even exiled from home.
As vision faded, Mirni chose blackout.
'Close eyes now... hurt less?'
She clung to flimsy hope amid drifting mind.
So...
'Fitting end for a sinner.'
Architect of her kin's genocide, beastkin shame.
Her pathetic, gruesome finale... Mirni's eyes welled up.
"What bullshit."
Rumble!!
"...!"
"Sin? Atone alive first. Don't pull dying martyr crap for easy out, you selfish bitch."
Krunch!
"...!"
"Or what? Practicing tragic heroine? That trope's ancient! Read the trends, bitch!"
"...!"
Mirni...
"Huh...?"
...Heard familiar nagging, looked up.
A man glaring down irritably, sparking like a thunder god.
"Luke...?"
"What, bitch."
"...!"
"Tch, you're alive. Good enough."
Muttering that the pushover goddess would've raged if she'd died, Yuseong turned, stepping forward protectively.
"You the one who beat my crew?"
"Fuck off, bastard—you know the rule? I curse my idiots, I beat 'em! Who the fuck are you to lay hands on my guys and pull this shit, you─! Maggot bastard!!"
Crash!!
Thunder roared.
A bellow ready to shatter earth, upheave ground, trigger quakes!
One man's peak fury targeted the great demon.
"First, take a beating."
Till my mood chills.
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