The Strongest of the Western Demon Realm

The moment I drew my sword and bared my hostility, a ferocious mana prickled against my skin like needles. Just as elves are born with exceptional archery skills and mana affinity, demons are born with immense mana. It's not just the sheer volume of mana they possess—having lived with it for so long, their control over it is extraordinary too. Combined with the high mana density of the Demon Realm, this outpouring alone generates tremendous physical pressure.

Crack.

The sharp mana pressed against my body, splitting my lip open as if I'd been exposed to midwinter's chill. This was nothing compared to what a normal human would suffer—they'd already be torn to shreds.

"You don't seem like an ordinary human."

The red demon muttered as I shrugged off the mana pressure without a care. As I said, these gatekeepers weren't meant to be fought through. That's why even they avoided combat themselves. Like, I'm gonna hit you, for real this time, three, two, one... one and a half, three-quarters... That kind of thing? To pick a fight with guys like that, you obviously had to land the first blow.

"Yeah, I'm not ordinary."

I shot back at him and hurled the shield strapped to my left arm. The first strike was a probe—the red demon casually deflected it. But to deflect the shield aimed at his face, his hand had to move. Naturally, it lingered near his face, exposing his chest where his arms had been crossed and blocking his vision.

Perfect angle to target the heart.

Thud!

I closed the distance in a flash and thrust my sword, but it lodged into the demon's palm and stopped. Just as I'd heard in the community forums. Demons all had steel-tough skin, giving them superior defense. There were individual differences, but this guy was basically the boss of this 14th-floor Demon Realm. His defense was naturally sky-high—enough to block my thrust like this.

With my opportunistic strike blocked, it was his turn now. The red demon immediately unleashed mana, swinging claws sharpened like blades. I raised my left arm to block.

Ah, the shield on my left arm? I'd just thrown it away. Not like the old days when I'd forget about it after tossing it, though. Shields weren't really necessary anyway.

Scraaape!

His swung claws grazed my bare forearm, sparks flying like metal on metal. It was thanks to the ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠buff from Iron Wall, now stronger after Earth Spirit's Blessing reached level 15. Plus my much-improved endurance stat, and finally, the 'Steel Soul' from floor 9.

"What the—?"

The red demon looked genuinely shocked that a human's bare body had durability surpassing a demon's. Why so surprised? You just said it yourself—and I agreed. I'm not ordinary, right?

My follow-up kick slammed into his gut, sending him flying back to crash on the ground.

"Guh, urk."

The red demon coughed after flying from my kick, spitting dark blue blood on the ground. Looked like his internals ruptured from that one hit. I didn't know demon anatomy, but it had to hurt like fucking hell.

"Hey, quit whining and pull out your horns. You've got more, right?"

I beckoned him. He ground his teeth and staggered to his feet. Horns were the demons' most iconic feature. Wings, claws, inverted-color eyes, tails—some had 'em, some didn't. ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠But every demon had horns. The number varied by individual, marking their strength—like the shoulder bands on those floor 3 lizardmen.

"Y-You bastard... You'll regret making me draw my horns!"

Crunch, pop.

More horns sprouted from the red demon's forehead. The power-up method for higher demons. Common low-tier demon NPCs in this realm had one or two. Mid-tier and above could summon a third for a boost, bosses even more. The labyrinth boss on floor 14—some demon count or baron—had five in his final form.

"I, Scarlet Galtram—by the name of the 23rd Demon King ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠of the Western Demon Realm—shall tear you apart and burn you in hellfire!"

And suddenly he drops this former Demon King bombshell I never heard of. The horns sprouting on Galtram-whatever's forehead numbered...

"Oh, seven?"

Two more than the boss—straight-up two ranks higher, a top-tier demon by simple math.

Galtram—or Galik, whatever—with his seven horns bared, let out an evil 'keh keh keh' chuckle. Not just posing; the laugh resonated with surrounding mana, shaking the ground. Like the initial ferocious mana, an ordinary human would've been crushed flat like a stomped can. Hell, even a Tower of Trials floor 14 challenger would've been pinned immobile.

That level of power.

"I warned you not to regret it, human. Already regretting?"

Assuming I was just as frozen staring blankly, he strode toward me confidently. As if I couldn't move—when really, I was just standing there. Whatever debuff this was, did he know my bind resistance, paralysis resistance, petrification resistance, stun resistance... how high those levels were?

"Do you know what it means to guard a gate? It means you're a demon with the power to rule that region."

Galtram started rambling about his Demon King days, how badass the Western Demon Realm was under him, etc. Strip away the Demon Realm and Demon King buzzwords, and it was just him bragging about his glory days. Swap terms and it'd be: I was the apex boss of Gangseo-gu—took down that gang leader—my prime was a different league—ugh.

"Dude, you talk way too fucking much. Fight with your tongue?"

I cut in after his monologue dragged on, and a vein bulged on his forehead. I could've let him yap and backstabbed him, but ending it with a cheap shot meant no practice. He was made not to be killed, might not drop rewards, so at least use him as a sandbag.

Couldn't just toy without showing some power.

"Insolent human... You're goading my rage, thinking you can win by exploiting a gap and stabbing, eh?"

"Yeah."

"That seems like a fine sword. Overflowing with power unlike before—but it won't work."

This guy was just a motormouth. Spouting unasked nonsense. His horn-unleashed body was overwhelmingly stronger, so my kick or sword power wouldn't land like before.

Seemed like he'd talk forever without starting the fight. Tch, guess I'd indulge.

Thwack.

I closed the gap in one leap and swung the so-called "fine sword" in my hand. The red demon ranted it wouldn't work, extending a mana-wrapped hand to block.

But it didn't block.

My sword sliced clean through his hand and forearm, diagonally embedding into his torso.

"Guh, heuk!"

He thought this was some legendary sword, but it had zero special functions.

What he mistook for the sword's power was just me wrapping it in mana. Red effects burst as the demon took a critical hit, collapsing to his knees.

"If you'd talked less, you might've lived longer. This is on you."

I grabbed his head and drove a full-force knee into his brow.

Krunch!

Red critical effects exploded, pulverizing his facial bones in an instant—all seven horns shattered. Wait, did he just die like that? Why didn't he use his full power till the end?

"Huh, no way."

This bastard didn't hold back—he really gave it his all? Nah, seven horns and that's it? With all that mana?

"Fuck if I know."

Guess I'd test it on the next gatekeeper.