Chapter 452: Conquest of the Demon Realm (7)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 452: Conquest of the Demon Realm (7)
The Demon King's Castle.
In a place that permitted no living creature to tread, a man stood gazing out the window. He had pale skin and black hair that cascaded down to his waist. Looking at his human form, with eyes as hollow as his complexion, no one would ever suspect he was the Demon King. Yet his mere presence was enough to ensure that the creatures of the Demon Realm dared not set foot in his domain.
Far in the distance, a tumultuous noise echoed.
A certain presence was rapidly approaching the castle, and the Demon King couldn't sit still for even a moment.
'Roman Dmitry. You are the real thing.'
The three legion commanders of the Demon Realm had all been defeated.
The Demon King had watched them die from this very spot, and their overwhelming defeat sent a thrill down his spine. The three legion commanders were by no means weak. They had survived the Great Chaos because they had proven their worth, which was exactly why he had used them to test Roman Dmitry.
The result?
It was perfect.
Roman Dmitry hadn't even shown his full strength against the three legion commanders. In fact, the way he spat out a warning while killing Belzert had brought the Demon King unbearable pleasure.
'I have always been waiting for someone like you.'
Long ago, from the very moment he gained consciousness as a living being, the Demon King possessed unmatched power.
He was a predator by birth.
During the Great Chaos, he displayed overwhelming martial might, never tasting defeat even once in his life of constant struggle. He had merely acted on instinct, but at some point, the denizens of the Demon Realm began calling him the Demon King. That marked the beginning of a dull and tedious existence. Those who were too terrified to even look up at him could never be worthy opponents in the struggles that gave his existence meaning.
The days were boring.
He tried many things to relieve his boredom, but nothing satisfied him.
Then, one day, he discovered an ancient record.
It spoke of an era before the Great Chaos. In a time that no one remembered, the record detailed how the Demon Realm had been attacked from the outside.
Beings from another dimension.
They were powerful.
They had launched an attack solely for the purpose of destruction, driving the Demon Realm down the path of ruin. That was how the devastation began. In the end, the demons survived and prevented total collapse, but the shattering of the world's system—the very foundation of the Great Chaos—had originated from that external invasion.
His interest was piqued.
The Demon King didn't view it as a history of defeat. He saw it as a new solution to cure his boredom.
Since he possessed immense power, there was no reason he couldn't cross dimensions just like the beings who had once attacked his world. In the process, he would surely find a strong opponent to entertain him.
Driven by that conviction, he began to covet the Earthly World, and his plans took concrete shape when Alexander appeared. The invasion of the Earthly World didn't go as smoothly as he had hoped. The war, which had begun for various reasons—personal desire, the revival of the Demon Realm—had led to the deaths of his three legion commanders, pushing the Demon Realm toward the brink of destruction.
But he didn't care.
Of all those reasons, the Demon King believed that simply satisfying his personal desire to meet a strong opponent made sacrificing the entire Demon Realm worthwhile. That was the reality for creatures devoured by a predator. By merely proving Roman Dmitry's existence, they had played their part and met their deaths.
The sounds drew closer.
The Demon King turned around.
'Roman Dmitry. Please, entertain me.'
It was finally time to enjoy his long-awaited amusement.
* * *
Even continuous battles had an end.
Roman Dmitry, who had been relentlessly slaughtering his enemies, suddenly watched the demonic creatures flee.
A path opened.
Beyond the scattering horde, the Demon King's Castle finally came into view.
'I suppose this means he intends to face me directly.'
The intention was clear, and there was no reason to avoid it.
Since it was exactly what Roman Dmitry wanted, he walked toward the castle. This time, he didn't consider any strategic elements. If the Demon King tried to lure him into a trap, he would cut him down with a single stroke. But if he was a powerhouse worthy of a head-on clash, Roman would gladly meet his expectations.
It was an intense longing.
When he finally stood before the castle, a figure revealed itself from the violet-tinted sky.
"Roman Dmitry. We finally meet."
It was the Demon King.
He descended as if stepping down an invisible staircase, his expression showing that he, too, was enjoying this moment. His gaze swept over every inch of Roman Dmitry. Upon confirming for himself that Roman was a pure human without a shred of divine energy, the Demon King showed a look of admiration.
"To think one could become so strong with a human body. In all my eternal life, you are the first of your kind I have ever seen. That is why I want our duel—this very moment—to be dramatic. So that we may both give it our all."
Rumbleeee.
Mana boiled.
His gleaming violet eyes flared with murderous intent.
"From this moment on, my soldiers will attack the humans you brought with you. I assure you, unlike you, those weak humans will never last long. Roman Dmitry, give it your all. If you wish to save your people, you must defeat me with everything you have and go help them."
It was just as he said.
At that very moment, the rear guard was facing a desperate reality.
* * *
The attack was sudden.
After spotting the Demon King's Castle, the rear guard had been taking a brief rest when they discovered demonic creatures swarming from all directions.
"Enemy!"
"The enemy has appeared!"
"Everyone, prepare for battle!"
They were thrown into an immediate crisis.
There was no end to the enemies. They had fought quite a few until now, but this time, it looked as if the entire surrounding area had been dyed pitch black.
Soon, a bloody battle erupted.
"Argh!"
"Aaargh!"
The moment they clashed with the rushing horde, they became violently entangled, and screams echoed from all sides. The Continental Allied Forces were already heavily fatigued. Even in this worst-case scenario, the soldiers relentlessly slaughtered the demonic creatures, but even if an individual managed to take down three or four, the endless numbers pushed them into a corner.
Crunch.
Limbs were torn apart.
A soldier who had been fighting bravely lost his life to the claws of the demonic creatures swarming from all sides the moment he finished off his fourth target. This phenomenon was spreading across the entire battlefield. No matter how outstanding the performance of Dmitry's swordsmen, the number of enemies they faced this time was simply too overwhelming.
They were not Roman Dmitry.
They had human limits. Though they resisted to the bitter end, at this rate, they would all be annihilated.
"Hellfire."
"Fire Storm."
Whoosh.
Roaaar.
Boom!
Intense flames swept over the demonic creatures.
It was Edwin Hector and Felix.
Having joined this conquest of the Demon Realm, they unleashed their full power, even using Burning as the situation turned against them. The surging flames looked as if they would swallow the world, sweeping the demonic creatures away. This had been their strategy from the start. They had agreed that the mages would pace themselves as much as possible, but if an emergency arose, they would give it everything they had without worrying about the consequences.
In other words, they were the last line of defense.
Enveloped in flames, Edwin Hector fully opened his rapidly spinning circles.
"Everyone, fall back! Volcano!"
Crash!
Rumble!
The ground collapsed.
Giant rocks shot upward, tearing the limbs of the demonic creatures apart, while lava spewing from all directions melted their bodies in an instant. His hair, fluttering in the wind, had turned crimson. With Edwin Hector leading the mages in unleashing indiscriminate magic, it seemed for a brief moment that the Continental Allied Forces were gaining the upper hand.
It was a fleeting hope.
Piercing through the surging flames, giant horned monsters rushed forward.
"Graaaah!"
Crash!
Crunch.
The soldiers were swept away by the massive weapons they wielded.
They were highest-grade demonic creatures.
Though incapable of rational thought due to their innate limitations, these monsters possessed physical abilities that far surpassed normal demonic creatures, making their presence known even amidst the raging flames. And there was more than just one or two of them. They could be seen everywhere, and the spaces cleared by magic were quickly filled with a new wave of demonic creatures.
The soldiers' minds grew dizzy.
Just dealing with the remnants left behind by Roman Dmitry was enough to push the Continental Allied Forces to their absolute limit.
'At this rate, it's over.'
Edwin Hector gritted his teeth.
He clutched his chest.
If he used his Primordial Qi... he might be able to overcome this crisis. Though it would leave fatal aftereffects as a price, Edwin Hector was prepared to endure anything for the sake of victory.
'I have to do something. Anything.'
It was then.
Just as he was about to unleash his Primordial Qi...
Stab.
"Screeech!"
A highest-grade demonic creature shrieked.
Atop the neck of the collapsing monster, Kevin, drenched in blood, was plunging his sword deep into its nape.
Thud!
Rumble.
* * *
In the middle of the battlefield stood Kevin.
Having been roaming and slaughtering among the enemies, he felt a surge of rage as the situation turned grim.
"Fuck."
They were being pushed back. People were dying.
In truth, he was angry at himself for not being able to follow Roman Dmitry. If only he were stronger, he could have been of help to his liege. It was hard to accept that he had to play the role of cleaning up remnants like this. Yet, they were now on the verge of being wiped out even by these mere demonic creatures. Watching the endlessly swarming enemies, his boiling rage grew too massive to contain.
'Even if I cannot be of help to my Lord, I will not become a burden.'
Grit.
He clenched his teeth. The look in his eyes changed.
The realm of control.
Kevin had succeeded in controlling his madness. But just for now, he intentionally allowed the evil ghosts of the Ghost Soul Demonic Art to encroach upon his mind.
[Kyahaha!]
[Kyahahaha!]
[Kill them all!]
Flash.
Boom!
Kevin vanished.
In an instant, he soared high into the air and landed on the shoulder of a highest-grade demonic creature. The monster lashed out in anger, but Kevin sliced right through its shoulder, quickly scrambled up its body, and drove his sword into its neck.
Stab!
Stab, stab, stab!
Blood splattered.
With his face drenched in blood, Kevin flared his Aura and hacked away at the neck without hesitation.
The highest-grade demonic creature staggered.
Trying desperately to shake Kevin off, the monster could no longer hold on and collapsed.
Thud!
Rumble.
That was only the beginning.
As soon as Kevin finished off one highest-grade demonic creature, he rushed forward to find another target. His eyes, gleaming with madness, no longer looked human. His movements as he dodged enemy attacks resembled those of a wild beast. Surrendering himself to the madness, Kevin indiscriminately slaughtered the enemies attacking him.
Control and encroachment.
He had entered a new realm.
By fusing the two, Kevin had reached a state that even the creator of the Ghost Soul Demonic Art had never discovered.
Flash.
Rumble!
He unleashed Reverse Flow.
The smaller ones among the highest-grade demonic creatures had their heads sent flying after exchanging only a few blows with Kevin. His presence swelled overwhelmingly. Drenched in gore, he looked almost like a demonic creature himself.
Splurt.
He was showered in blood.
Kevin welcomed it gladly, baring his savage teeth at the soldiers watching him.
"Everyone, keep this in mind. We crossed the dimensional wall to conquer the Demon Realm. Our defeat will lead directly to the destruction of humanity, and there is no way for us to survive unless we win. Therefore..."
Rip.
He tore out a demonic creature's throat.
Under the powerful Aura erupting from his hand, the monster fell to the ground, spraying blood like a fountain.
"Die right here, all of you. If we cannot be of help to our Lord, we would rather die than remain as his burden."
Crunch.
He crushed its head underfoot.
Then, stepping past the corpse, he walked without hesitation toward the area teeming with enemies.