Chapter 229
Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 229
Chapter Title: Memories of the Light of Darkness
This world is currently locked in a war with the Demon King.
The outbreak of Gates.
Commonly called the Gate Era, the emergence of superhumans known as Hunters was, in truth, a prelude announcing the start of the war with the Demon King.
But no one knew that fact.
They only wished to somehow navigate through this sudden crisis.
However, as time passed...
Entering a period of stability, many began to harbor suspicions about the Gates themselves.
And just as humanity's curiosity grew about what the Gates were and what they signified...
He appeared.
The 'First Royal Class.'
The first human to confront the Demon King, the first to contract with him, and the first to realize that the Gate Era was a war against the Demon King.
Sergio, the Light of the Heavens.
His emergence became a ray of hope for humanity, sweeping away the supposedly impregnable Gates that no one could conquer.
In that era, the saying that money, power, and information were supreme no longer held true.
Overwhelming strength.
Sergio's pure power struck the entire world in an instant, elevating the weight of his name.
The Royal Class, humanity's beacon that hadn't appeared for decades.
No matter how much Sergio dashed about, he couldn't handle all the high-grade Gates popping up across the globe.
As hope faded and people grew weary...
That was when the memories of Frederick, the Light of Darkness, began.
In a dilapidated hotel on the first floor near the Quebec sea in Canada, ravaged by Gates.
A massive Gate had formed within 100 meters right across from it, and the area was already overrun by monsters and demons due to the overflow.
Under evacuation orders, it had become ruins, with only children who couldn't escape remaining.
How could young children survive on their own in there?
In the heart of hell, without food or shelter.
Before these despairing children, devoid of hope or future, a single ray of light appeared.
Flash!
Kieeeek!
The flash reflected in young Frederick's pupils was like a god itself.
Monsters that even strong adults couldn't handle were torn to shreds by the source of that flash.
Flying demons had their wings ripped apart.
Monsters devouring all life on the ground burst into bloody pulps.
A gruesome scene that turned the stomach just to watch.
But young Frederick couldn't tear his eyes away.
The feeling of his dying ember of hope reigniting warmed his heart, no matter how horrific the sight.
And so...
The massive Gate responsible for all this cracked and vanished.
Before the dazed young Frederick appeared his god.
"Want to change the world together?"
Sergio extended his hand with a smile, his body drenched in the blood of demons and monsters—a terrifying sight.
As many children screamed and fled backward...
Only young Frederick grabbed Sergio's brutal hand, soaked in green monster blood.
And young Frederick said,
"I want to become like you, brother."
Hearing that, Sergio nodded with a meaningful smile.
"I'll grant your wish."
Pulling the hand he held, Sergio began inscribing various tattoos on young Frederick's back.
And shortly after...
Flash!
With a pitch-black lightning strike devoid of color, the Light of Darkness, Frederick, was born.
Proud runes floated over skin turned grayish-black from demonization.
'Man'
The rune signifying the Demon King transformed the once-childish Frederick into a Royal Class-level monster in an instant.
"Your wish is granted."
The surging power within his body made monsters that adults couldn't handle no longer frightening.
"Go wild to your heart's content."
Thus, cloaked in thick black smoke, Frederick massacred the monsters that had turned his hometown into this nightmare—his first bond with the god-like Sergio.
The god who enabled him to unleash the rage of his transformation.
To Frederick, Sergio was god incarnate.
Afterward, Frederick followed Sergio and met Sophia, who had encountered the god even sooner and grown close to him.
Thus, the trio of Royal Classes dispersed to conquer Gates, further elevating the prestige of the Royal Class name.
Watching all this from Frederick's perspective, Yong-un closely observed the black tattoos emerging on his body each time he demonized for Gate conquests.
'Identical to Cheon-il and Barum.'
The only difference was the single rune inside the circular one on his back, denoting the contracted demon.
Everything else matched Cheon-il and Barum perfectly—except for the 'Man' signifying the Demon King.
'What exactly is 'Man'?'
It was clearly the rune for the Demon King.
As seen, all Royal Classes who directly contracted with the Demon King bore 'Man' on their bodies.
That might be how Sergio first realized 'Man' meant the Demon King.
But something felt off.
'Man' was undoubtedly the rune for the Demon King.
Yet why did that unknown entity instruct him to absorb the completed 'Man' rune via Ignito, subtly implying it wasn't solely the Demon King's rune?
And how could Sergio exude the air of knowing another meaning of 'Man'—something even Yong-un, who had absorbed Sheik's memories, didn't know?
The more he delved into Frederick's memories, the harder it was for Yong-un to shake this strange feeling.
Lost in thought, time flowed in Frederick's memories.
The rapidly passing time showed the era when Demon Cry contracts with demons were legally banned and they were hunted down.
Further on, the Second Royal Class, the Light of Dreams Sophia, betrayed Frederick's god Sergio and formed a new alliance.
And finally...
The scene where Yong-un called Frederick a shortcut to the key unfolded.
Sergio's secret hideout hidden in this world appeared.
Along with his plan to exterminate the Dream's Light alliance, who had now drawn their swords.
Confirming everything, Yong-un slowly withdrew his soul-enslavement technique, exiting his memories.
Thud.
With demonization undone, Frederick collapsed, his eyes turning pale gray.
Like Viscount Ratari, reduced to an idiot.
Yong-un looked down at him and said,
"Mu-hee."
"Yes, Sovereign."
"No time."
"What must I do?"
"Assemble all Ghost Soul Annihilators and Phantom Demon Ghost Squads... at Ignito's location immediately."
At the very moment Yong-un absorbed all of Frederick's memories...
The GHO request Yong-un made upon becoming a Royal Class—to gather global Hunters in Moscow, Kenya, and Israel—was fulfilled.
The GHO's worldwide dispatch mobilized 50,000 in Moscow, 40,000 in Kenya, and 20,000 in Israel in an instant.
A staggering 110,000 Hunters in total.
Originally, Royal Classes would be stationed in each nation for contingencies, but none were in these three countries suspected of Demon King descent.
"What's this? They call us in a hurry, but where'd all the Royal Classes go?"
In Tel Aviv, Israel's capital.
At the large monastery in the center, Hunters gathered there voiced their puzzlement at the absent Royal Classes today.
Uncertain when the Demon King might descend, Royal Classes usually stayed at this monastery unless busy.
Thus, many Hunters lingered there even without orders, hoping to glimpse them.
But today, with no sign of the usually occasional appearances, they grew curious.
"Feels like none are here today for some reason."
"Weird. They summon us for danger, then slip away themselves—what's going on?"
Yet they understood, to some extent.
Royal Classes were busier than one might think.
They couldn't sit here forever preparing for unknowns.
So many Hunters stayed at the monastery anyway, accepting it.
But then, a loud voice rang from the monastery's center.
"It's a Royal Class!"
Hunters turned toward it.
And there, drawing all eyes, one man strode confidently.
None other than the leader of the Royal Classes.
Sergio, the Light of the Heavens, had revealed himself.
"Woooah!!! It's the Light of the Heavens!!!"
"The First Royal Class!!"
Sergio, famous for rarely showing himself, ignited cheers from the Hunters.
His mere appearance set their hearts ablaze with influence.
Sergio smiled faintly, passing through them into the monastery.
But how?
Even the Royal Classes here had all vanished—while Sergio and the Dream's Light alliance waged a shadow war.
Even Frederick had fallen to Yong-un at this moment, though Sergio might not know.
Yet he strode toward the monastery with an unperturbed smile.
"Tsk tsk. This war is my victory, you fools."
His victorious smile and voice echoed in the monastery as he fixed his gaze ahead and walked to its depths.
Sophia broke the silence, speaking to Ignito, who was staring at his phone while binding her.
"It should be about time now, right?"
"Huh? What're you talking about?"
It was sudden from Sophia, who had kept silent with pursed lips.
Ignito set down his phone, puzzled.
"I must've taken over too soon. Not enough time to investigate."
"Finally lost it?"
"Honestly, a bit surprised? Should've studied up."
Ignito's eyebrow twitched.
Did she know he was suspicious?
Well, tying up and watching an unconscious person could invite that anytime.
But the wrinkle on Ignito's brow stemmed from elsewhere.
"Even with the 'caught after checking' concept, I didn't expect so many to notice this quickly."
"Studied...?"
Gazing at Sophia, Ignito felt an inescapable unease.
Not just Yong-un—all Royal Classes had noticed Sophia seemed off.
Perhaps manipulated by Sergio's schemes, they thought.
But seeing her now, judgment shifted: it might not be all.
"Exactly. You know now, don't you? That I'm not Sophia."
Differences abounded, yet her form and mana signature were purely Sophia's.
Still, Royal Classes believed she was Sophia—perhaps mentally altered by Sergio's psychic Hunters into this state.
"Time's really up now?"
But Ignito's hope went unfulfilled.
Reality and truth are harsh.
Sophia's changing face no longer resembled the Second Royal Class, Light of Dreams, they trusted and followed.
A smile curled on Sophia's lips.
Not the kind, uplifting smile—but a sinister, meaningful one hinting at hidden schemes.
Ignito flared the flames on his right hand higher, prepared in advance.
"Looks just like Sophia, but you're not?"
Sophia, bound to the chair, nodded leisurely at his hostility.
"I was gonna show you anyway. My role here is to cause a spectacular ruckus."
Sophia's form blurred.
The ropes binding her slipped through with a slither, falling away.
Returning to normal, Sophia crossed her legs freely, unbound.
"...?!"
Wrinkles creased Ignito's brow.
That skill was definitely Sophia's.
"This body was pretty good. Shame."
As if speaking of a third-party vessel, Sophia clicked her tongue regretfully and drew up mana.
Sophia's unique deep purple-pink mana.
Beautiful as if fragrant, it ceased floating leisurely and surged at Ignito.
Sophia's mana charged at blinding speed.
Whoosh.
But Ignito wouldn't take it lying down.
He knew her skills well from the same alliance.
Shifting with flames, Ignito snapped his fingers.
Pop!
"Kyaaak!"
An explosion burst at Sophia's temple, singeing her hair.
The blast hurled her sideways into the wall.
Bam!
Dust poured from where she crashed amid her dying scream.
"Sophia!"
Ignito panicked at how easily she fell.
A tiny doubt—maybe it really is Sophia?—propelled him forward.
"Ignito..."
A frail voice from Sophia amid the dust haze urged him on.
Confirming she was hurt and needed help.
Ignito ignited flames to rush over.
"Dispel."
Then it happened.
Before Ignito could react, people poured from the elongated shadows.
Among them, Phantom Demon Ghost Squad Leader Jin-cheol, armed in crimson-black aura, drew a magic circle midair and activated his skill.
Fwoosh.
"What..."
Ignito's flames vanished like a lie.
Unheard of in his Royal Class life—unimaginable.
Startled, Ignito turned to the culprit.
"Pleased to meet you. I'm the Phantom Demon Ghost Squad Leader, subordinate to the Sovereign—no, Yong-un."
Jin-cheol introduced himself and moved his Blood Heaven Demon Tool.
The thick dust blocking all vision scattered instantly.
"Here on the Sovereign's orders. Look ahead."
At Jin-cheol's words, Ignito's gaze shifted to the dust-shrouded spot.
The worry for the possibly gravely injured Sophia evaporated.
Whoosh.
Ignito's expression hardened.
The frail-voiced Sophia was gone.
In her place stood a demonized Sophia, claws extended sharply.
"Those guys..."
Ignito's eyes widened.
Around the fully demonized Sophia, Ghost Soul Annihilators wielding daggers pressed in silently.
Their stealthy, precise killing prowess undetected until now.
"Move, and you're sliced."
Daggers and claws drew blood along her body from neck to legs.
Sophia's confident face twisted completely.
"This... is bad."