Low Demon
Low Demon
The Eyes of the Great Saint drew goodwill from humans—but earned hatred from demons.
That sacred relic had been implanted in Johan’s left eye.
Any demon who looked upon Johan was bound to be consumed by hatred.
Just like the boy in front of him, possessed by blind hostility.
“…I shall pluck it out cleanly. Please wait a moment.”
The boy extended a demonic hand toward Johan’s left eye.
The moment it came close, a dull sound rang out.
Smack!
Johan kicked the boy hard in the face.
“Kh… urgh!”
The boy flew backward and slammed into the floor.
Johan immediately sprang to his feet.
He was about to shout and call the villagers.
“O-O Great End! Please wait just a little longer!”
The boy quickly fixed his posture and prostrated himself again.
‘…What is this guy?’
Johan was confused on several fronts, but forced his mind to work quickly.
From the circumstances, it was clear that the boy had been possessed by a demon. The demon kept referring to Johan as the Great End, speaking in extremely respectful tones. It knew Johan’s identity and was showing deference.
Though it had acted aggressively, Johan understood well that this was due to the Eyes of the Great Saint.
Lost in thought, Johan spoke.
“What are you?”
He planned to act like an arrogant Apostle again, as he had with Kaiaze—until he could figure out this thing’s purpose.
“This wretched one has no name. I am a being born from the wishes of the slash-and-burn villagers here, made manifest.”
It meant it was a lowest-grade low demon.
They were naturally born from human resentment, desire, or wishes—emotions like that—and most perished during their Imp stage without ever maturing.
They were humble beings from the start.
“A pathetic low demon. Did you come to me hoping for crumbs?”
“C-Crumbs…? That’s a harsh way to put it. Still, I did save you…”
“There’s room to debate whether you saved me, but I suppose you did carry me to this village. That boy couldn’t have done it alone.”
“Yes. I used all my Miasma to pull you here.”
“You must be truly insignificant if moving me used up all your strength. Now I’m curious about your true form.”
At the continued derision, the boy raised his head slightly with a wounded look—then immediately slammed his forehead to the ground upon meeting Johan’s eyes.
He was avoiding Johan’s gaze on purpose, trying to free himself from the boiling hatred.
The demon said,
“This wretched one may still be but an Imp, but I will become a blazing Fire of the Abyss, igniting the world in your glorious evil deeds.”
“So that’s why you approached me.”
“…I wish to serve the Great End. Please, grant me a name.”
Low demons were usually obsessed with names. Titles bestowed by high-ranking demons or nicknames earned through evil acts gave them identity.
For a meaningless low demon doomed to vanish, there was no greater value than establishing their own self.
Johan asked,
“You keep calling me the Great End. Why?”
“At dawn yesterday, I happened to witness your true form. I was also beside you when you transformed into a human. Your disguise was flawless.”
The thing glanced up at Johan, then quickly bowed again.
“You’re still completely convincing even now!”
“What a ridiculous little thing.”
As expected, it had already seen ‘demon’ Johan. Judging by the way it spoke about disguises, it didn’t seem to know the full truth of Johan’s nature—but it clearly considered ‘human’ Johan and ‘demon’ Johan to be the same being.
“Keep me by your side and you’ll have plenty of laughs!”
“I need competent subordinates, not clowns.”
“O-One day I shall become the Fire of the Abyss…”
Johan chuckled and cut the creature off.
“Enough. Stop babbling and answer my questions properly. Why do you really believe I’m the Great End?”
Simply seeing ‘demon’ Johan wasn’t enough to link him to the Apostle of the End.
“I heard the rumors. That the Thirteenth Apostle of the End had been born. A few days ago, a young demon with a white horn humiliated Apostle Beris. Up to that point, it was hard to draw a connection between the two, but after yesterday, everything changed. A supreme being of the Lower Realms manifested and met someone—at that scene stood a demon with a white horn. When I put it all together, you are clearly the Thirteenth Apostle of the End.”
The “supreme being of the Lower Realms” it spoke of referred to Kaiaze, the scribe of the Cursed Scripture.
Johan stayed silent, pondering its words.
A long pause followed.
Then the demon spoke again.
“Please, accept this wretched one. I shall aid your evil work.”
Johan looked down at it with a blank expression.
“I find you interesting. For a low demon, you can think—and you show initiative. That’s not bad.”
The creature had reached its own conclusion that Johan was the Apostle of the End. And it hadn’t stopped at just theorizing—it had acted on its conviction.
Among the many dumb low demons that appeared in the original story, this one was a relatively high-grade specimen. Some with similar potential had grown into great demons. That’s how it went in the original.
At the sudden praise, the boy’s body twitched. He was delighted.
Johan added,
“That’s all, though. I feel no emotion beyond curiosity. What could a low demon like you possibly do for me? I’d be lucky if you weren’t just extra baggage.”
“I would never dare request a subjugation contract! Just give me a chance! Let me serve at your side and prove my worth!”
Johan fell into brief thought.
If he took this thing in, it would be out of sheer curiosity. Since possession, curiosity had never once influenced his decisions.
Only practicality and efficiency guided his choices.
And this low demon didn’t meet those criteria.
Not that it mattered much. He didn’t even know if ‘demon’ Johan was still alive, so he couldn’t decide what to do with the low demon.
If ‘demon’ Johan were dead, then even if he wanted to take this one in, he wouldn’t be able to.
Johan spoke.
“I don’t know your value yet. One last question.”
“A-Ask me anything!”
“What’s the state of my true body?”
“By state, you mean…”
“You know I suffered a fatal wound. It wouldn’t be strange if I disappeared altogether. I should be focused on healing, but I haven’t been able to see my own wounds clearly to make an accurate assessment. But you… you’re different. Tell me what you saw.”
The demon recalled and replied,
“There was a large spear embedded in your shoulder. Holy power flowed endlessly from it, but it could not burn your sacred flesh. Thanks to your endlessly regenerating skin and Miasma that devoured the holy power, you endured. I felt immense vitality from you. No divine weapon could possibly end the Great End.”
Johan was puzzled. He didn’t possess that kind of regenerative ability. In the original story, restoration of the body was classified as a power. If he had developed something like that, he should’ve known about it.
While he was still questioning it, the events of the previous day flashed through his mind.
‘…No way.’
When he had absorbed the Cursed Scripture, red glyphs had appeared before his eyes.
It was the same phenomenon as when he had sacrificed Betra and evolved.
The manifestation of a new power. He hadn’t had time to confirm it then, but among the powers that bloomed, one must have included regeneration.
‘So it was worth all the effort after all.’
He wasn’t just a so-called Apostle—he’d gained actual power.
In simple terms, this was something to be pleased about.
In this world, power meant survival.
But Johan wasn’t entirely happy.
There were still many things that didn’t sit right.
If what the demon said was true and ‘demon’ Johan was alive, then why was Johan still in his human form at night?
He should have transformed—and borne the consequences.
Leave no witnesses? Or let them live? Though he had avoided the dilemma this time, the same situation could happen again.
What would he choose then? Johan still had no answer.
An oppressive sense of suffocation welled up.
Sensing the shift in Johan’s mood, the demon clamped its mouth shut.
A moment of silence passed.
Then the clamor of hooves shattered it.
A commotion broke out beyond the hut.
“Everyone outside!”
“No exceptions! Gather in the square!”
The low demon began trembling in fear. Panic spread across its face.
“It’s the Order!”
Johan nodded.
“They’re later than I expected.”
This village lay within the sacred barrier. Of course, it wasn’t beyond the Church’s search radius.
With the net closing in like this, a typical demon would already be dead.
But Johan remained calm.
The demon asked hesitantly,
“A-Aren’t you going to hide?”
“There’s no need.”
Its eyes suddenly lit up.
“Then is this the beginning of your great evil? Will you slaughter those wretches and open the prologue to the End?!”
“You’re noisy. Think about how you’re going to survive. I have no intention of helping you.”
“T-That’s…”
It looked visibly wounded.
Johan said,
“Their arrival was inevitable. If you didn’t anticipate it, too bad. Your life ends here.”
Without any contingency plans, a mere low demon couldn’t possibly survive what was coming.
The demon quickly fumbled around the floor of the hut.
“T-This foolish wretch did prepare an escape route.”
It dug through some straw and pulled out a small plank.
Johan watched curiously.
“I shall return again. Please take care of yourself.”
The creature slid the plank aside. A tiny crawlspace was revealed.
It was only slightly larger than a grown man’s fist.
Johan was puzzled.
Even with the boy’s small body, it wasn’t nearly small enough to fit through that.
Even a newborn wouldn’t make it through.
The mystery quickly resolved itself.
A tiny something popped out of the boy’s body.
It was a Mangryang Imp.
Its oval-shaped body had a face, but no visible neck or head. Limbs extended from the body like thin wires.
Its whole form was covered in dark red fur that looked like tiny sparks.
Fitting for a demon born from villagers’ wishes—it inherently had an affinity with fire.
Johan burst into laughter.
“You look even more pathetic than I imagined.”
“O-One day I shall become the Fire of the Abyss…”
“But thorough, I’ll give you that. In that form, you’ll fit through the hole.”
It would be able to escape the village through the tunnel.
The creature had secured its survival.
Though the chaos outside continued, Johan found it amusing more than anything.
“Everyone out now!”
“If you resist, you will be judged in the name of the Grand Holy Knight Order!”
The Imp waddled toward the tunnel entrance.
“When next we meet, I shall be stronger! Please do not forget this wretch!”
Just as it was about to leap into the hole, Johan spoke.
“You want to be my subordinate?”
The Imp turned to him sharply. It still didn’t meet his gaze.
“I-It’s the wish of my life!”
Johan chuckled.
“Alright. I’ll give you a chance. If you survive this as well, I’ll accept you as my subordinate.”
“S-Survive this? What does that—”
Before it could finish, Johan snatched its tiny body in one hand.
The Imp blinked in confusion.
Johan immediately flung open the hut’s door.
Dozens of gazes turned on him.
The banner of the Grand Holy Knight Order fluttered amid a flurry of holy light.
“W-Wait!”
“It’s no joke. Show me your worth.”
Johan tossed the Imp among them.
“I’ll keep my promise.”
The Imp’s face contorted in horror.