Trivial Beings
It had countless epithets by which it referred to itself. Yet not a single one rang satisfactorily in its ears. Such was the way it had been born.
How envious. Maddeningly envious. Enough to want to shatter it all if it couldn’t have it.
From the moment of its birth until eternity. Doomed to crave something. Doomed to live in envy of something.
One of the Seven Deadly Sins: Envy.
But lately, on the Arcana Continent, there was nothing left to envy.
It could maintain its composure with ease, to the point where its severed right arm felt irrelevant.
To think mongrels could be useful on occasion.
The continent, trampled by the mongrels of the Demon Realm, lay in silence. Envy savored that quiet.
What right did these trivial beings have to such happiness? The endless human laughter had ceased. No need to watch those it longed to destroy.
Well done, kings of the mongrels.
Even the demon kings—those self-proclaimed rulers of mongrels who had grated on its nerves—had shrunk back for some reason, hiding away.
Envy gazed at its severed right arm.
Damnable Akshan. Damnable demon hunter…
It had lost its right arm to that one. But in this Arcana Continent, there was no need to seek other worlds for peace.
Not bad at all.
“Damn it…!!”
That was until, overnight, it plummeted into the adventurers’ world alongside the Zero Mountains.
How did it realize, holed up in a cave? Thump-thump—the pounding of its heart had changed.
What kind of world was this? The sheer volume of negative emotions was on another level entirely. Compared to the Arcana Continent, now brimming with despair, it was incomparable.
“…Karimjeba.”
The brat hadn’t dragged it here for nothing.
But even as it marveled, Envy hadn’t forgotten. A survivor of Akshan—a demon hunter—lived in this world.
Nor the words that man had left it with.
—“Demon who lost your right arm. I remember that fact.”
Envy glared at its right arm.
“Tch.”
Its body brimmed with vitality. A wound like that should have regenerated long ago. Yet the arm severed by the demon hunter refused to grow back.
If it faced him in this state…
…This time, I’ll be cast into hell for sure.
Like the Sin of Gluttony or the demon king Decarabia. That terror drove Envy deeper into the shadows.
Deeper caves. More hidden caves.
But Envy’s seclusion didn’t last.
Players existed in the Zero Mountains.
“A-Appearance message…!!”
“My liege…!!”
“Georak, Sin of Envy?”
Must kill them.
Envy thought that upon seeing the adventurers enter its cave. It had thought the same back on the Arcana Continent.
No race was as trivial yet infuriating as adventurers.
Crack!
Envy’s body twisted grotesquely. The human disguise burst open, revealing its true, massive form.
“Trivial wretches, curse your foolish birth.”
Adventurers. More idiotic than the humans of Arcana.
Despite wielding resurrection—a power even it lacked—they were pathetically frail.
Yet why were they so joyful? Clustered together, roaming the continent.
Infuriatingly so.
Thus, it would snuff out their breaths.
“…?”
But Envy held back.
No envy emanated from the adventurers it faced. A sentiment that surprised even itself.
“My liege, perhaps we should withdraw…!!”
My liege. The man so addressed was surrounded by countless others.
Countless humans throwing themselves to protect one man. A sight that should have twisted its gut with envy.
Strange.
Instead, calm washed over it.
To that Envy, the man—Ryu Ojuncheon—spoke.
“Georak.”
“?”
“Aren’t you curious about the adventurers’ world?”
…
Envy donned a ragged cloak and headed to the Tianxia Tongyi assembly point.
Countless humans gathered at the promised location. Envy nearly laughed in disbelief.
“Fools among fools.”
Ryu Ojuncheon. To follow him as liege.
The reason Envy felt peace around Ryu Ojuncheon was simple.
Yes, he was human, yet harbored malice rivaling a demon’s.
“No envy for that ugliness.”
That piqued its interest.
“I know not your goal.”
But watching a human despair upon failing it was always entertaining.
Above all, Ryu Ojuncheon had value. He provided information without grating on its nerves.
Were it not for him, it wouldn’t know the demon hunter’s name.
His epithet.
Or what he was in the adventurers’ world.
Roaming the mountains freely was thanks to his intel.
“They can’t sense my presence.”
Not now, while he was holed up in a Zero Mountains cave.
Snatching prepared sacrifices in that gap was easy.
Adventurers visible in the distance. Envy licked its lips.
“I’ll accept them gladly.”
Then it thought:
Possessing his body wouldn’t be bad.
Ryu Ojuncheon was inhuman in many ways. Living in the adventurers’ world by possessing him seemed fine.
Especially to hide this right arm.
As Envy plotted, players blocked its path.
“What the hell is this guy?”
Red banners. Ryu Ojuncheon’s subordinates. Some bared open hostility.
Inevitable.
Furious from the chaos, no doubt.
Pitiful. Unaware that everything thus far—Ryu Ojuncheon’s scheme to offer them as sacrifices.
They were doomed to die.
Crunch—
Instead of words, Envy unleashed its hidden malice.
A massive hand burst from its ribs, crushing and absorbing the encircled foes in an instant.
“Ughhh…?”
Agonized cries as humans rolled back their eyes.
“!!!”
Even those startled into drawing weapons posed no threat to Envy.
Inevitably so.
“Weak. Infuriatingly weak.”
Even top ranks in Tianxia Tongyi hadn’t reached level 500.
Considering freshly revived Gluttony at level 600, Envy spoke no lie.
Crunch! Crackle! Crunch!
But Envy didn’t complain.
The demon hunter who severed its arm—Lee Hoyeol.
Now in his world.
I must devour whatever I can.
It needed to grow strong quickly.
In that sense, the adventurers’ world—the reality—was ideal.
“Good. Spices compensate for meager ingredients.”
As Envy smirked faintly, in this place that should reek of terror.
For some reason, a boisterously cheerful voice rang out.
“This is an unexpected twist!”
“What’s different? They’d all die without us anyway. Don’t know the story behind this mess, but same result, right?”
“Uwahaha! You always get me.”
Gulp.
Envy swallowed the last human and eyed the two men.
Then shifted gaze to the carnage.
Flesh and blood splattered across the mountains.
Sudden shift in situation. Any human would freeze in terror.
Yet the two remained unnaturally composed. As if accustomed to such horrors.
Scratch-scratch.
The giant, Rackid, scratched his head.
“So, no new plan from the update?”
“Hah! Since when were we magic experts?”
“Shouldn’t have asked.”
Rackid and Henderson were martial artists. Magic illiterate, naturally no communication with Wolf.
But even Wolf had no plan in this mess.
“Still, if everyone dies, we’re screwed. Isn’t that gloomy woman’s necromancy limited?”
“Gloomy woman? Isabelmal? She’d be offended. Haha!”
“Quit yapping. Let’s deal with that bastard first.”
Whoosh—
Rackid tossed his rabbit mask and raised his axe.
Beings that disgusted just by sight… only demons.
Clang—
Like Rackid, Henderson hefted his hammer.
Rackid to Henderson:
“Hey, don’t chicken out.”
“Uhaha. Hope you do.”
“Wasted words.”
Bam!
Battle erupted.
All shared via Nadine to the Shadow Mercenaries.
Alkari let out a grim hum.
“…Hm.”
Only vice-leader Wolf grasped its meaning.
“I’d vaguely wondered.”
“What?”
“If Ryu Ojuncheon, lord of adventurers, truly didn’t know his group was rotting. This goes beyond ignorance—practically encouraging it.”
“Hmm…”
“Clears my head now.”
But if that monster was a demon? All puzzles solved.
Ryu Ojuncheon and the demon: symbiotic.
Throwing subordinates to the demon per interests.
“Subordinates as sacrifices.”
Wolf smirked.
“Trash rivaling us exists.”
Alkari agreed.
“Considering lifespan, worse than us. Evil outpacing this old man’s thoughts. Must admit underestimating the adventurers’ lord.”
Genuine, not mockery.
Alkari had observed Arcana’s hegemony.
Surviving rulers weren’t saints. They survived through merciless tyranny.
Alkari to Wolf:
“So, acting leader Wolf, your plan?”
All Shadow Mercenaries’ eyes on Wolf.
“Well.”
Wolf imagined. What would Leader Kichi decide?
Then shook his head.
Kichi wouldn’t plan. She’d handle it alone.
In that, he was weaker.
I dragged everyone Leader wanted to protect into this.
But he wanted to protect them too.
Shadow Mercenaries, all.
We moved to find you.
Wolf spoke matter-of-factly.
“First, beat them half to death our way, then think.”
…
Envy looked down.
“I suspected as much.”
Headcount: nine. One short of known numbers.
But brands coiling a man’s body confirmed it.
Shadow God’s Brand.
They were Shadow Mercenaries.
Envy eyed its body.
Mangled flesh twitched, regenerating.
Envy assessed objectively.
“Impressive.”
Never dreamed humans could inflict such damage in a situation so favorable to a demon like itself.
Envy recalled the past anew.
“Indeed, no wonder they were contracted.”
“…”
Wolf clutched his torn flank.
Not even Leader… blaming Henderson and Rackid felt novel.
Unable to feel fear, that crucial emotion.
Their composure misled it. Thought common demon.
Damn, obviously not ordinary. Realized clashing directly.
Plus Kichi’s words confirmed.
—“Checking Georak’s request.”
Mention of request cemented it. He was Georak.
But next words exceeded expectations.
“You fulfilled that grave request faithfully.”
Flank torn open.
“What…?”
Urk!
Lung and organ damage severe. Twitching alone mortal. Breathing inflicted fatal harm.
Yet Wolf continued, vomiting blood.
Must ask.
We perfectly fulfilled the request…?
Kichi said clearly: Georak’s request. One of the chronic bad debts lingering.
Confirming it could aid Grand Commander.
Thus Kichi joined Grand Commander’s Arcana entry.
Wolf realized then.
…You knew from the start, Leader.
Only Leader accessed request ledgers.
She wouldn’t confuse content or success.
Wolf paused.
…Wait.
Kichi vanished. Leaving she’d take all blame for Grand Commander.
Timing: after rechecking Georak’s request.
Thoughts flowed naturally.
Wolf reached conclusion.
…Georak’s request ties to Grand Commander.
Now Kichi’s actions made sense.
“Haha…”
That’s why she left that crap and vanished.
“What a damn mess…”
Wolf thought of Hoyeol, then bowed head.
Resentment toward Kichi’s actions began fading.
He’d have judged same.
But this must be asked.
Wolf strained toward Envy.
“What… was that request?”
“You know not?”
“No… Just became Leader days ago.”
Rare Arcana human encounter. Answering easy.
As Envy casually opened mouth.
“Clau…”
A sound echoed in its ear.
“…!!!”
Not fallen Shadow Mercenary groans.
Not Wolf’s voice.
Wolf.
True wolf’s howl.
In other words.
“Awoooooooo—!!!”
Tempest shrouding the mountains.