Perhaps You and I Can Simply Shift the Battlefield of the Demon King Struggle
From the Demon Realm, neither the Arcana Continent nor reality. It was, in fact, an utterly obvious choice. If they were asked why they were electing their king in someone else's homeland, even those demons would have nothing to say. The problem was finding a madman crazy enough to pull it off.
Did such a lunatic exist on the Arcana Continent or in reality?
That was why Marcelo's shock was plain as day.
"To enter the Demon Realm? What do you mean by that, my lord?"
He hadn't witnessed it in reality.
-"I really thought you'd vanished beyond the true Demon Realm."
The moment I'd lost consciousness. Grandfell's advance toward Behemoth's Maw, the gateway to the Demon Realm.
Grandfell's destination had been the Demon Realm from the start. The upper demon king Buer and the usurper Discus were mere chance encounters along the way.
'Those two weren't enough to sate Grandfell's pride.'
The price for that vanished streak of light. Back then, Grandfell had been ready to claim the entire Demon Realm.
Thanks to that experience, I could switch my thinking without much trouble.
"I cannot yield my homeland to mere demonic games."
When whales fight, the clamshells shatter. Nothing expressed the position of reality and the Arcana Continent, on the cusp of the Demon King Struggle, better than that.
So I would simply move the site of the whales' battle to the Demon Realm.
Then, instead of clamshells, it would be demon shells cracking, wouldn't it?
'With me as the bait.'
As I said, my position in the Demon King Struggle was unique. Not because I was overwhelmingly strong, but because I was bound to draw the hottest attention and challenges from any upper demon king.
'I'd look like the easiest target.'
The lowest-ranked upper demon king, freshly seated on his throne. Even I'd target myself first if I were them.
What would happen if such an appetizing king walked right into the Demon Realm of his own accord?
Marcelo answered slowly.
"......You would face concentrated attacks from countless challengers. If you set foot in the Demon Realm, the denizens there might have no reason to cross into the Arcana Continent through Behemoth's Maw. No reason at all."
But his expression couldn't brighten.
"......However, is that truly your grand intention, my lord?"
I nodded.
"Indeed."
I knew what worried him. Truth be told, I was deeply concerned myself. The Demon Realm was a wholly alien world. The effects of [The Last Adventurer] that worked on the Arcana Continent wouldn't apply. Dying there might mean no body to recover......
All sorts of thoughts had crossed my mind.
But no matter how I turned it over, this was the best option. This time, it wasn't Grandfell's pride swaying me. It was the judgment of Lee Hoyeol, total commander of the Holy War Alliance, who had accepted that role.
Marcelo forced a smile.
"Then I shall not try to dissuade you further, my lord."
And immediately pondered the next move.
'I like how he separates public from private.'
Maybe that's why I consulted him first on all major matters.
Marcelo had already schooled his features, focusing on the plan.
"As you know, information is paramount before entry. In that sense, the Demon Realm is inevitably dangerous."
The Demon Realm. Before demons truly appeared, it had been treated as legend. Back when Arcana was just a game.
In game system terms......
'Just breadcrumbs thrown out.'
Some NPC spotting a demon monster like an Imp. Or getting possessed by a wandering demon. Rumors like that had even reached Akkshan.
'There was definitely a questline like that in Akkshan.'
Marcelo continued bitterly.
"Looking back, the Mage Tower was arrogantly blind. Chasing hollow truths, we never even considered the threats approaching the Arcana Continent."
The implication was simple. The Mage Tower had no information on the Demon Realm.
But the Arcana Continent was vast, and apparently, at least one figure had eyed the Demon Realm early on.
Marcelo mentioned him.
"Lorentsk. He sent a letter to the tower."
Lorentsk. How could I not know that name? Every time I visited the Explorers' Federation, it came up.
The [Flame of Hell] needed to activate [Akkshan's Legacy]—that was one of the items Lorentsk had collected.
I replied.
"You mean the Romantic Explorer."
"As expected, you knew of him too, my lord! Yes. The Romantic Explorer, Lorentsk, showed interest in the Demon Realm early on."
Snap.
Marcelo lightly snapped his fingers, and mana rippled through his office. Papers on the desk rustled, books in the shelves shifted briefly. A faded sheet of paper floated lightly between us.
Flutter.
"And this is Lorentsk's letter."
Even picking up a single paper, his arm extended rigidly at a precise angle. I read it calmly—then flinched.
This wasn't just a warning.
Marcelo nodded.
"Indeed. The Romantic Explorer, Lorentsk, had already penned a brief travelogue on the Demon Realm. Meaning he'd experienced it firsthand."
The content was concise. Just descriptions of the Demon Realm's landscapes, unadorned by complex flourishes—which only added credibility. The problem was it cut off midway.
"He wanted the tower's power as proof for his travelogue. Whether to delve deeper or confirm dangers—who knows. But his request was naturally denied."
Marcelo added,
"For reference, Senior Bensy William volunteered, but the leadership refused. Not because they distrusted Bensy, but...... demon worshippers' influence, no doubt."
......Is that so?
I wondered if another senior volunteering might have changed things, but it wasn't important. I kept quiet.
"It's deeply regrettable. If the tower had built ties with Lorentsk, it would aid you greatly now...... Another failing of the Mage Tower."
Marcelo was half right.
Lorentsk, who had set foot in the Demon Realm, would surely help me on the eve of entry.
But no need for regret.
Marcelo didn't know, but I'd witnessed it via messages. The vanished beings spat out by Omen. The buffs applied to the Arcana Continent upon their return.
Among them:
The missing Romantic Explorer, Lorentsk, has returned to the Arcana Continent.
His dramatic survival ends his reclusive life, enriching the continent with the Romantic Explorer's knowledge as he wanders and shares wisdom.
"By the time we sought Lorentsk belatedly, it was too late. Even tracing his handwriting and mana yielded no trace."
Marcelo sighed.
"Given the rumors around him, believing he's alive this long is the real oddity. I shouldn't have brought it up. False hope only muddles the mind......"
"No, Marcelo. It's not false hope."
Once deleted. Swallowed by Omen, vanished from the Arcana Continent—Lorentsk had returned.
"Not false hope, my lord?"
But Grandfell-style speech wouldn't explain the full tale verbosely.
I could only hit the key points bluntly.
"I've just revived Lorentsk, you see."
"R-Revived? You mean resurrection, my lord?!"
......There's a limit to grand phrasing.
Not entirely wrong, though. Best to stay silent.
Marcelo spun wild magical theories on his own.
"Could it be......! You reversed death itself with Reversal Magic? Witnessing you reaffirms it—the tower master's seat belongs to you, not......!!"
Clink.
'Now reversal magic for resurrection miracles too?'
I set down my teacup, thinking it might be harder to dispel my hype than track the wandering Lorentsk across the vast Arcana Continent......
*
A small village crushed by demonic assault. In a tavern, men dusted off acrid grime and sat. Their appearances varied wildly. Their attire suggested they weren't from the same era.
A raspy voice rang out.
"Though our eras differ, aren't we brothers spat from the same hellish gut? Hahaha! Beggars all, let's get along!"
All had burst from Omen. The most destitute among them.
Someone muttered bitterly.
"If I'd known, I wouldn't have fled that war...... Never imagined defying fate would drag on like this."
"Hey, must you sour the mood?"
"Sorry. Envy got me...... pure envy."
All is relative. To them, even the ruined empire was enviable. Even those from Omen but not alone.
"Tch."
Sometimes, a punching bag soothes such feelings. The men vented their Arcana knowledge.
"Infuriating, isn't it? The Sericrose family unifying the continent? In my day—before Omen—they were fringe nobles among fringes!"
"Dragons flying about? What an end times......"
"Akkshan's vanishing shocked me most. The mighty Akkshan gone overnight? Impossible. Akkshan was......"
Then.
All eyes turned to the corner.
A grating sound had annoyed them awhile.
Scritch-scritch.
The sharp nib scraping paper.
"What's with that kid."
In the corner, a young man scribbled ceaselessly. As said, their moods were foul. They needed an outlet.
"Hey, what're you writing?"
Scritch-scritch.
No reply. Barely of age, by looks. A green kid ignoring him?
The middle-aged man drew a honed knife and approached.
"Wandering alone? You from that monster's belly too? Think your origin lets you mock me? Big mistake."
The world isn't a garden of dreams and hope. To survive this Arcana Continent, one dons ugliness.
He glanced back at the group.
'Can't let them see me as weak.'
Thud.
The knife plunged into the wooden table.
The silent youth spoke.
"Brothers from the same hellish gut."
"......What?"
"A romantic phrase, indeed."
He looked up.
"?!"
The thug flinched.
'......What're those eyes?'
The youth's eyes were unnaturally clear. Like galaxies swirling in jet-black pupils. Chilling to meet.
Calmly, he asked.
"May I borrow that phrase? This work I'm penning shall be Arcana's unparalleled novel...... nay, history."
"......W-What?"
"Think it bluff? Very well, a passage then."
The man signaled the group. Fearless, rambling—this was dangerous. The mad gleam in clear eyes fit perfectly.
Nod.
They rose one by one.
Ignoring them, the youth continued. Clearing his throat with a hem.
"Ahem! The Arcana Continent lay in fathomless darkness. That fathomless darkness stepped toward the Demon Realm. The king of corpses wailed. O fathomless darkness, why devour even the Demon Realm?!"
......Fathomless darkness or whatever. A burdensome tale to write.
Definitely mad.
As the men moved meaningfully.
The youth's clear eyes dimmed.
"Pity. The next part's thrilling...... But you lack the ears for it. No matter. I'll pay the citation fee regardless."
Something flashed in his hand.
"Gah!!"
All but the youth crumpled in death rattles.
The citation fee, literally—barely breathing.
Swish.
Unfazed, as if nothing happened. He sat, quill in hand again.
If the protagonist heard.
"The fathomless darkness ascended a Throne. Too bland. Lacks romance! Let's see, the fathomless darkness attained true truth...... No, insufficient. Focus, Lorentsk! Common words won't do. Need majesty, splendor, grandeur, unrivaled expression......!!"
Muttering knockout lines as he wrote......