Emperor’s Sword [EN]: Chapter 96

Having been close to the Asuras, I couldn’t feel much difference from humans. It was just that even breathing felt uncomfortable, and a chilling aura was present. Each one was said to be equal to or stronger than me. As the Heavenly Demon had said, I could feel an extraordinary energy that couldn’t be easily overcome. Unlike the Great Demons, these were all spirits who had once been human. Those who chose the Demon Realm of their own will. They had given up quite a lot in exchange for gaining demonic power and strength.

Except for special cases, the demons of the Demon Realm are said to be excluded from reincarnation. That also meant they shared their fate with Metatron. This also meant that they were in a rather desperate situation, having to face the end of their fate after a set period. Either they would overcome God and gain eternity, or they would be subjected to eternal punishment. That’s why their struggles were more desperate.

Special cases… Those who belonged to the Demon Realm but acquired a new life, it had been allowed on a limited basis. The Demon Realm had used this opportunity to corrupt the human realm, cause chaos, and make various attempts to separate God and humans. It was said that there were more people within the Demon Realm who desired such a new life than one might think.

The unchanging monotony was quite tedious. If they had lived like that for a thousand, ten thousand, or even hundreds of thousands of years, how dull would that life be?

Come to think of it, I didn’t feel much of a vibrant life force from them. Those whose emotions had even turned to stone were no different from the dead, even if they were alive.

The demons show different characteristics in the process of generating demonic power. Just as the true forms of the Great Demons are dragons, these also each have different incarnations, and they are quite unique in their own way. They exert the greatest power when they are incarnated, and that is when they are closer to their true form. The ones walking around me now seemed like humans, but they would be completely different when they were incarnated.

It seemed like we had come quite far, but they showed no signs of stopping. The thought of getting further away from where Hwan-ah was made me feel heavy-hearted.

“How far are we going?” I asked the Asura walking closely beside me, and he glanced at me and answered indifferently. “We are going to the depths of the West Palace. The ones you want to see are staying there.” I unconsciously looked at his forehead. As expected, the familiar red snake was clearly imprinted. Two snakes were intertwined, tail to tail, but their mouths were not biting their tails.

The four Asuras escorted me to my destination without saying a single word, and I was then led to other Asuras. “Follow me.” I don’t know where this is. How many demons are there in this vast place?

Perhaps it was the outer area of the palace, as Rakshasas began to appear frequently. They showed respect to the Asuras beside me with proper gestures. They stopped what they were doing, laid one arm horizontally across their chest, and bowed their heads, and I could even sense a slight tension. The Rakshasas going back and forth along the long corridor were all the same.

“Well, this is the place. You are free to act as you please until they come to get you, but do not leave this place. And I advise you not to even think about escaping from here. I assure you, it is impossible. Now, go in.” A huge door, about three times my height, slowly rose upwards. Behind it was a spacious inner chamber, like a plaza.

The scene revealed as the door slid up to the ceiling surprised me once again. The first thing that caught my eye in the open view was a fountain in the center. Around it, there were small trees bearing fruit, and patches of grassland in between. On one side, there was a huge bathtub made of a material similar to marble. And the outer edge of the circular plaza. The recessed spaces within were open on one side. In each of them, there was a bed, a chair, and a table. As the door slid open, the faces of those in the grasslands came into view. They were familiar faces.

“Pa Cheon!” The Heavenly Demon shouted first. And after him, about 30 Heavenly Beings were looking at me with tears in their eyes. Seol-ran was among them.

“Your Excellency!” The Mad Demon Lord stepped forward and knelt. Starting with him, almost everyone lowered their heads. As I took a step forward, I heard the sound of the door closing behind me.

“Is everyone safe?” “We are safe. Pa Cheon, why did you come here? Did you think we would welcome you if you showed your face? Well, I guess I would have come too. You fool. In the end… I knew this would happen. Pathetic…” Heavenly Demon, you are right. I couldn’t not come. I knew this would happen… but I couldn’t not come. What can I do? I’m just a foolish guy.

The Heavenly Demon approached me. “Now that it’s come to this, there’s nothing we can do. Welcome, Pa Cheon.” His voice was weak.

I walked past the Heavenly Demon towards where Seol-ran was standing. Her face was pale, perhaps because she was so heartbroken. “Where is Hwa-ah?” That was the first thing I had to ask. Because I couldn’t see Hwa-ah in her arms.

“…” She lowered her head. I realized what had happened and comforted her. Seeing Seol-ran trembling as she tried not to cry, not to show her tears, I was filled with indescribable sorrow.

“They took Hwan-ah, Hwa-ah, and Cheon-ah.” At the Heavenly Demon’s low voice, I hugged Seol-ran even tighter. “It’s my fault. I’m sorry, Seol-ran. I’m not strong enough… I couldn’t protect the children.” I couldn’t stay like that any longer. It seemed like the atmosphere was getting heavy because of us. I pulled away from Seol-ran and looked around.

“Is anyone hurt?” “Unfortunately, not a single one died.” The Heavenly Demon briefly explained what had happened after I left for the sea. A sudden attack by Asuras and Rakshasas, including one Great Demon. The Heavenly Demon said that they were taken prisoner without even being able to resist their sudden appearance. They used the children as hostages and urged them to surrender, and eventually, they were dragged here.

“The fact that they are treating us so well must mean they have some ulterior motive.” That was what the Heavenly Demon said immediately after we sat down.

“They must be trying to persuade us.” “I guess so.” “Do they think we’ll change our minds just because they…” The Heavenly Demon quickly interrupted the Mad Demon Lord’s words. “It seems like these guys are up to something, but I have no idea what it is.” “They won’t kill us easily, and they won’t let us go free, so in the end, we’ll just end up as slaves, right? They’ll try to persuade us while they still have hope. And if they decide it’s useless, they’ll treat us harshly.” I briefly told everyone about my conversation with Lucifer. The Heavenly Demon held his forehead at the mention of a duel with a Great Demon.

“A Great Demon, not even an Asura?” “…” I asked who was the weakest, hoping to increase the slim chance, but seeing the Heavenly Demon shaking his head, my consciousness, already gripped by despair, quickly gave up.

“It’s futile. To be blunt… even if you and I fought together, we couldn’t defeat one of the Great Demons.” Hmm, do you have to crush my fighting spirit like that to feel better?

“But I will fight desperately. As long as I’m alive, I won’t surrender to them. Even if… they threaten me with the children.” Could I really do that? I said it, but I couldn’t be sure.

“It seems like most of the other subordinates are imprisoned elsewhere. We don’t know where they are or what situation they’re in.” There were about thirty people here. They had somehow picked out only the key figures.

After a while, we sat down on the floor and talked about various things. “I’ve only experienced it briefly, but the demons were impossibly strong. It felt like I was facing a Great Demon.” Even Yul-geuk was like this, so there was no need to talk about the others. The Palace Lord of the Divine Beast was said to have been severely injured.

“The moment the Great Demon’s hand touched me, my wounds healed as if by magic.” When the Palace Lord of the Divine Beast recounted the situation, the Mad Demon Lord next to him joined in. “Now that I think about it, their attack power seems to be a bit different. I can’t pinpoint exactly what’s different from the martial arts we use, but I definitely felt that way.” The Heavenly Demon looked at the Mad Demon Lord and opened his mouth.

“It’s very different, but there are also similarities. But the various attack techniques they use have something that you don’t have. That is demonic power. The secret to generating demonic power all came from Metatron. Even simple physical force contains his breath. That’s why it’s so terrifying. And the ones you’ve experienced were only Asuras. The power of the Great Demons and Lucifer is on a different level from them. And Metatron and the dark angels who follow him. If you add up all this power, there is no place in the entire dimensional realm that surpasses the Demon Realm. Of course, the Heavenly Palace is an exception.” In the end, no matter how different it is, the root will be the same. No matter how extraordinary a being is, there is no example of creating and using power from its source. It’s just using what was originally there, putting it into one’s body and will. If you think about it that way, the demonic power of the Demon Realm is also just a small part of the vast universe. It’s just closer to the core.

“Prepare yourselves. Now, all that’s left is to be lined up.” He said it with a solemn tone, but the Heavenly Demon’s tone didn’t evoke any particular sorrow. They had been prepared for death for a long time, so they just nodded silently. My thoughts were a little different.

“I don’t think they’ll kill us easily. They’ll use those who oppose their will as much as possible. Perhaps they’ll inflict extreme torture on us as an example. To the point where we can’t bear it.” Just the fact that they healed the Palace Lord of the Divine Beast shows their intentions, doesn’t it?

After a while, we all held hands as if someone had told us to. There wasn’t much sadness or regret. Whether they were older or younger, they all had light expressions. I had something I wanted to say to all of them from the bottom of my heart.

“I am so grateful for your forgiveness and for following this incompetent person. Even if we die and cannot meet again, I will never forget you. Thank you all… If I am reborn, I want to serve you. This is sincere. Let’s not lose our dignity until the last moment. And if possible, it would be nice to see each other again in the next world.” Those with tender hearts turned their heads slightly, not wanting to show their teary eyes. I could feel that all of our hearts were one at this moment through the hands we held.

The Heavenly Demon continued my words. “If you can’t bear the pain, ask those beside you to kill you. There’s no need to feel guilty. It’s better to die and dream of revenge than to become a slave and be mocked. If possible… you should endure as much as you can, but that won’t be easy. That goes for me too.” Seol-ran denied the Heavenly Demon’s words.

“That’s not right. It’s burdening others. We have no choice but to endure. It will be hard, but we have to endure. I still want to believe. Hope is still alive… I want to believe that.” How wonderful it would be if it were like Seol-ran said.

After a while, we scattered and rested. I, the Heavenly Demon, Jeok-ru-ah, and Seol-ran sat side by side and talked more, and most of it was about our worries about the children.

“If the Demon Emperor Lucifer said that, we should take it seriously. He might raise the children with his demonic power and turn them into warriors.” “That’s what he said he would do.” The Heavenly Demon shook his head at my weak reply.

“That means he’ll do it immediately. You might see the children become warriors in a few days.” “Immediately…?” “Lucifer’s abilities are on a different level from other beings. Ordinary Asuras and Rakshasas are not called Demon Realm warriors. They are just called demons. But these Demon Realm warriors are a bit different. Just as Metatron created the demonic beasts, they are the same. They are soulless beings. They are created and trained for combat, so they only have a pure will to attack. The only ones who can command them are Metatron and his proxy, Lucifer. The Demon Realm warriors are probably training right now to carry out the final war.

When I was a Great Demon, there were dark angels who served Metatron. The plans that came from their heads are the path the Demon Realm has taken so far. They went back and forth between Metatron and Lucifer and came up with various evil schemes, and one of them was the training of Demon Realm warriors. There was a time when demons frequently crossed into other dimensional realms. Those guys were always at the front. They mainly went to the Infinite Realm and captured wanderers who roamed the universe. The purpose was to use them as training partners for the Demon Realm warriors. Because they were too dangerous for the demons to fight.”

I couldn’t say anything. Throughout the Heavenly Demon’s story, I was gripped by an ominous premonition. A terrible and cruel premonition. There was only one thing that could break this whole situation right now. I knew it wasn’t a plan, but just a desperate attempt. As soon as I decided to do it, I immediately sent a telepathic message to the Heavenly Demon.

[Heavenly Demon, let’s try to escape. This might be our last chance.]

[Give up. It’s impossible.]

[It’s too early to give up without even trying… Let’s try it.]

The Heavenly Demon seemed to think for a moment, but eventually agreed to my plan.

[Okay. Let’s do it! It’s not that hard.]

I instructed everyone to escape through telepathy. We made a plan for a while. We didn’t know if it would work out as we wanted, but it was worth trying. That kind of value was our greatest hope right now…

Knock knock. “Open this door. I have something to say to the Demon Emperor. Can’t you hear me?” The Heavenly Demon punched the entrance and shouted. The door was firmly locked. With the Heavenly Demon’s Concealment Technique, he could go anywhere as long as there was a tiny gap. But the door blocking us had no gaps, and it only opened and closed with demonic power. In the end, there was no other way but to call the demons.

Swoosh. “Why is it so noisy? What’s going on?” One Asura and two Rakshasas entered. The Heavenly Demon was standing in front of the door, I was next to the door, and the Mad Demon Lord, Yul-geuk, and the Palace Lord of the Divine Beast were lined up on the left and right walls. After the demons entered, the door behind them slowly came down and closed.

“Take us to the Demon Emperor. We have something to tell him.” “No. Tell me.” “Can you take responsibility for that? Don’t do something you’ll regret later, and guide us to the Demon Emperor.” “Hmm…” It’s not something you can decide on your own, so no matter how much you think about it, there’s only one conclusion. In the end, you’ll have to follow our words.

“Okay. But only the two of you come out.” He pointed at me and the Heavenly Demon.

“Okay.” The Asura led the way, and the two Rakshasas stood close behind us.

[Attack at the same time the door opens.]

I gave the signal to my subordinates.

Grrr. The moment the door opened, I and the Heavenly Demon attacked the Asura first as promised. I struck his side, and the Heavenly Demon aimed for his back. Swish swish. Thud. I could hear the sound of my subordinates attacking the Rakshasas from behind. The Asura collapsed to his knees from our attack. But it didn’t seem to be fatal. At that moment, I shouted.

“Everyone, get out!” I shouted, my heart racing as I saw the door slowly descending, but my subordinates were already running outside. At the same time, I confined the three crouching demon gods with the Five Elements Divine Seal [a technique using the power of five elements].

After confirming that the Heavenly Demon had taken Jeokrua and Seolran out of the door, I followed them as well. When I came out, I couldn’t see my subordinates anywhere. The Heavenly Demon gestured for me to follow, then took the lead and moved forward.

Hugging Seolran to my side, I used the Concealment Technique [a technique to hide one’s presence] to closely follow the Heavenly Demon.

At the end of the long corridor was a point where it split into two directions. We had just turned there. However, we stopped in our tracks and froze. The corridor was filled with demon gods, and our subordinates were lying scattered in front of them. Looking back, it was the same there as well. Roughly counting, it seemed that none of our subordinates had escaped. So, it was too difficult after all…

“You’ve done a foolish thing. Did you not know that there were eyes watching?” The Asura sneered, sounding pathetic. I clenched my fist and said to the Heavenly Demon,

“Since it’s come to this… we’ll go all the way. What do you say, Heavenly Demon?”
“I’m always welcome.”
“You’re not going to give up?”
“We don’t give up. Heavenly Demon, let’s begin.” I handed Seolran to Jeokrua and immediately jumped forward. I pushed the Heavenly Demon Concealment Technique to its limit, kicked off the floor, and stuck to the ceiling. In that state, I moved forward, waving both hands. I intended to blow away the entire corridor.

“Imbue the formless sword with the energy of the Five Elements. Go!” A huge storm of powerful energy, cutting through the entire corridor, swept fiercely.

“A foolish act.” Two Asuras stepped forward. Indeed…

I saw something spreading out like a fan from their front, blocking the corridor as well.

*Pshhh* I couldn’t believe it. There was a sound of air escaping, and the formless sword I had launched was vanishing without a trace. Damn it…

The Heavenly Demon seemed to be jumping into the middle of them to engage in close combat. He was quickly entangled with one of the Asuras, exchanging blows. Since it had come to this, there was no reason to hesitate. I would sweep them all away. I began to create the Five Elements Divine Seals as quickly as possible and float them in the air. Soon, more than ten Five Elements Divine Seals were floating in front of me.

“Heavenly Demon, step back.” The Heavenly Demon glanced at me, looked slightly surprised, and quickly retreated. At that moment, I didn’t hesitate and advanced the Five Elements Divine Seals forward.

“I’ll shatter you all to pieces.” *Paaat* The Five Elements Divine Seals squeezed through the Asuras and Rakshasas, and at that moment, I released the bonds holding the energy of the Five Elements all at once.

“This is troublesome.”
“How… can… this…” The Great Demon God Britra, who had appeared out of nowhere, had the Five Elements Divine Seals in his two hands, and a subtle barrier had formed around them. In an instant, a brilliant explosion of light occurred inside.

*Hwaaak* An explosion so bright it was blinding. The Five Elements Divine Seals had detonated. However, there was no change around us. The explosive force hadn’t escaped from the small barrier Britra had created. I felt utterly defeated.

“Destroying the palace, harming the demon gods, none of that is acceptable. Go back.” I saw him slightly wave his hand. Then, the subordinates who had been lying on the floor began to rise one by one.

“We’ll pretend this never happened, so go back. Escort these people to their quarters.”
“Yes.” The demon gods swarmed over and grabbed us all from both sides, immobilizing us, and took us back to where we had been. I gave up resisting and followed them.

The deadline Lucifer had given was over. He summoned me and the Heavenly Demon together. As expected, we walked for a long time through maze-like corridors. It seemed to be a different area from where Hwan-ah had stayed a few days ago.

Judging by the fact that the Heavenly Demon didn’t know the structure either, this place was clearly newly built. It was beyond common sense that such a huge structure could be built in such a short time. Well, was there even one thing happening now that made sense to me?

“Well, you can go inside now.” Unlike before, the Asura who guided us was very polite. Was it because of the possibility that we might become their superiors after this moment?

“Come in, quickly.” Lucifer welcomed us with open arms as we entered. He was alone in the large inner chamber. The Heavenly Demon and I simply stepped further inside without any reaction. I would have felt awkward if I were him. However, as if to show that he wasn’t, he pointed to a seat with one hand and said with a smile,

“Well, sit there.” Two seats were prepared, placed on either side so that the Heavenly Demon and I were facing each other. The Heavenly Demon’s face remained heavy and unchanging.

“Did you have a good time?” He didn’t get straight to the point but started the conversation with this question. I didn’t want to answer. Just being in the same space as him was a burden. He was Lucifer. Instead, the Heavenly Demon answered.

“Thanks to you…” They must have known that the words being exchanged didn’t fit the situation.

“Baalzebul, or rather, Heavenly Demon. Is that what you wanted to be called? It doesn’t matter. Strictly speaking, you are still a messenger of the Celestial Realm [the realm of gods]. Of course, that’s only until we respect and acknowledge each other without infringing on each other.

The moment you forget the reason you came to the human realm and go against my will and the will of the one who sent you, that qualification is revoked.”
“There’s no need to remind me.” The Heavenly Demon didn’t forget the minimum courtesy towards Lucifer. To me, that sight looked unfamiliar, like seeing an unnatural arrangement of sculptures.

“I won’t bother asking why you made that choice. The past is already gone, so there’s no point in bringing it up. I’ll ask you a simple question, so give me a short answer.”
“There’s no need to ask. I… don’t want to belong to the Demon Realm again. But I don’t want to be an enemy either. If you give up that ambition.” The subtle relationship between the Heavenly Demon, Lucifer, and the Celestial Realm was something I hadn’t fully grasped yet.

It seemed that there had been some behind-the-scenes dealings in the past. I had a feeling that it wasn’t something that could be openly revealed to the outside world, so I didn’t ask the Heavenly Demon about it, and he didn’t readily tell me either.

When Lucifer brought up that subtle relationship again, I started to become curious. Would ‘he’ know?

“So, what do you want to do? You don’t want to be an enemy, but you won’t cooperate either. You want to remain an outsider… is that what you mean?”
“That’s right, but there’s a condition.” Lucifer smiled, looking intrigued, and waited for the next words. It was as if he was mocking us for setting conditions while being prisoners.

“Release my family and friends. And leave us free. If you don’t touch us… I won’t interfere either.”
“Hahahaha.” Only then did Lucifer burst into laughter that he had been holding back. The Heavenly Demon accepted Lucifer’s laughter with a relatively calm gaze.

“Hmm, interesting. Very interesting.” I sensed the tense atmosphere between the two and watched quietly.

“Baalzebul, you were an undeniable powerhouse who had risen to a special position even in the Demon Realm. But that’s in the past, and it was your position based on the premise that you were within my and the Demon Realm’s boundaries.

I still don’t want to give up on you. You’re a powerhouse that I covet that much. In the upcoming dimensional war, your value will be significant. That’s why I want you under me no matter what.

But to be cold, even if you’re not here, or even if you take up a position on the enemy’s side, nothing will change. If time has even erased the fear of me, that’s a pity.

Listen well, Baalzebul. This is your only chance. Even if all the other Great Demon Gods oppose it and the entire Demon Realm refuses, I can accept you. The Demon Realm is fully prepared to rule all dimensions. Don’t deny reality.” Lucifer showed a different kind of dignity than before. Even though he wasn’t looking at me, I felt an immense pressure that made my pupils feel like they would burst. My mouth went dry, and my throat was parched.

“You know it’s a pointless act, don’t you? Give it up. Those are just unnecessary words.” The Heavenly Demon harshly averted his gaze.

“Fine, so be it. I just hope you don’t regret your choice. Pateon, are you in the same position as Baalzebul?” I slightly turned my head away, avoiding his gaze.

“Why are you so foolish? Don’t you have any desires? Don’t you want to overcome the gods? Why don’t you try to become gods yourselves? Aren’t you tired of subjugation? Look at me. I am strong. Therefore, I am beautiful. I will seize all the glory that the gods enjoy.” That confidence to call himself beautiful, that pride to look at the gods as equals, was suffocatingly terrifying. The Heavenly Demon suddenly became heated and spoke loudly.

“So, what do you want to do? Can you overcome the gods by ruling the human realm? Why do you wreak havoc on powerless humans instead of attacking the Heavenly Palace [the palace of the gods]?

Shall I tell you what’s in your heart! You’re gambling because you can’t see a way out, but aren’t you trying to drag everyone down with you as you fail? Damn it, you’re even trying to deceive me, who was once a Great Demon God. Nothing has changed from then until now.” After his outburst, the Heavenly Demon seemed relieved and was calming down. What was unexpected was that despite the Heavenly Demon’s aggressive attitude, Lucifer remained calm. Rather, his smile had become even deeper.

“There’s some truth in what you say. But the situation has changed. A path that wasn’t visible before has now begun to appear. There was a variable even in the perfection of the gods.” The Heavenly Demon flinched. He seemed to instinctively feel that it wasn’t an empty statement.

“What is that variable?” I was also curious. Lucifer answered my question with a smile and didn’t easily reveal it. The Heavenly Demon scoffed at that attitude.

“Hmph, whatever the variable is, it won’t be enough to reverse the tide. You’re just being arrogant and misjudging the situation because of a temporary advantage. Even if all the angels of the Heavenly Palace side with you, it’s impossible to overcome the gods. I advise you to wake up from your dream as soon as possible.”
“Baalzebul, I miss your direct words. You were different from the beginning. If you were by my side… I could advance the timing a bit more.”
“I’ve said all I have to say. Kill me, let me live, or make me a slave, do as you please. Let’s go, Pateon.” The Heavenly Demon, who was getting up from his seat, stopped awkwardly.

“My talk isn’t over yet.” As if someone had pressed down on his shoulders from behind, the Heavenly Demon sat back down weakly. He didn’t even try to resist and just stared blankly at Lucifer.

“Good, good, all good. I respect your decision. From this moment on, I will treat you as enemies, as you wish. You are my prisoners and slaves. Slaves must wear clothes befitting slaves. And the families and subordinates of slaves are also slaves! The special privileges you have enjoyed until now are revoked from this moment.” When did we ever have any privileges? Anyway, Lucifer’s final verdict had been delivered. I didn’t know how he would treat us in the future, but it wouldn’t be easy.

“Just kill us.” I told him my honest wish. If he killed us, I felt like I could kiss his feet. I had the thought that I could do that for that tearfully grateful consideration.

“Do you think I would grant such grace to slaves? Take these guys away. Take their close aides with them as well. Bring them to me before the ritual.” *Srrr* The door opened, and Asuras poured in.

Lucifer waved his hand slightly, looking annoyed as he looked at us. Then, the clothes made of leaves from the strange tree turned to dust and disappeared, and other things began to fill their place. Ridiculously, sharp thorns began to sprout all over our naked bodies.

“Huck.” In an instant, thorns covered the entire area below our necks, except for the soles of our feet. I instinctively twisted my body from the pain of the thorns piercing through my skin.

“You’ll need this too. You’ve been classified as the most lowly of slaves, after all.” *Charrrr* A shining chain wrapped around my body, which would have looked quite cool. It was sometimes used to decorate armor or as an accessory. But when it was placed around the neck, it looked strange. The Asuras grabbed the ends of the chains that had just appeared around our necks and pulled.

“You damn devil bastard. Did you think I’d be afraid of you because of this!” Harsh words poured out of my mouth. I couldn’t endure it otherwise. This moment was too infuriating and humiliating. Lucifer gestured at me with his hand and said,

“Wait, there’s something I need to retrieve from him. The Demon God Orb isn’t yours, so you won’t have any complaints if I take it, right?”
“*Cough*.” A new, extreme pain began, as if my stomach was bursting, my intestines were twisting and tearing. I looked down at my stomach. The thorns that were sticking out were pushed to one side, and the place where my gaze stopped was ripped open. Then, a clump of red Demon God Orb flowed out and disappeared into Lucifer’s hand.

Strangely, no blood flowed from the hole in my stomach. At that moment, another unbelievable thing began to happen. The wound that had been gaping wide enough for two fists to fit through was quickly healing. And thorns filled that place again.

I clenched both fists. The thorns that had sprouted on my hands dug into my palms, creating wounds. It had come to this, and I thought it was all or nothing. I had wanted to start a fight a long time ago, hadn’t I? I began to gather my energy to create the Five Elements Divine Seal.

The Heavenly Demon, noticing my movements, quickly said to me,

“Don’t do anything pointless, Pateon. He’s not someone that will work against.”
“Ho, interesting. You said you would gather the energy of the Five Elements to attack, and it’s indeed unique.” Lucifer approached and whispered those words, then stretched out one arm. In that instant, I waved my hand, intending to unleash the energy of the Five Elements that had gathered in my hand towards Lucifer’s upper body.

“What is going on…” Nothing changed. I had clearly felt the energy of the Five Elements gathering in my hand, but the moment it left my hand, it vanished without a trace.

He grinned at my bewildered face, stretched out his arm, grabbed my neck with one hand, and lifted me up. I couldn’t move. My entire body was out of my control and completely non-functional. The thorns bent and dug into my body again, and it felt like Lucifer’s beautiful, slender fingers had also dug about an inch into my neck.

“*Cough*.” I was suffocating.

“You probably wish you could die like this. But you can’t die so easily unless I allow it. Of course, suicide isn’t difficult. If you find this moment humiliating, you can kill yourself right now.

Don’t make that face. Didn’t you bring this upon yourself? Look forward to it. I will definitely arrange the duel I promised you. Win. Then I will release you from slavery. If you lose, you will live as my slave forever. Heh heh.” With a slight flick of Lucifer’s hand, I flew a long way. In an instant, I tried to right myself and land on the floor. It was an action dictated by my instincts. But it wasn’t easy. For some reason, contrary to my will, my body was helplessly slammed into the floor.

“Until the duel, all of your powers have been taken away.” I couldn’t believe it. This was impossible. If my internal energy had disappeared, that would be one thing, but I used the power of nature. How could this be?

Before the pain, before the humiliation, the incomprehensible current situation was even more shocking. My power had been reduced to nothing in the face of an absolute power that transcended dimensions.

“Drag them away and show them to their subordinates. Let everyone see and know the miserable end of those who defy my will.” Even as the Asuras approached, I was still disoriented and wandering in a dream. Even though they grabbed the chains around our necks and pulled, I couldn’t accept the current situation. Ah, is this really the end? There was no hope. How could I plan anything against such a being?

The Heavenly Demon and I had no choice but to be dragged away like dogs by those guys.

The Heavenly Demon kept his eyes closed and remained still, even as the chains tightened around his neck and his skin was being peeled off as he was dragged along the floor.

As soon as we were out of Lucifer’s sight, they began to treat us even worse.

“How dare you humans use such disrespectful language to the Demon Emperor. I want to tear you apart and kill you, but I’m holding back because that would be helping you.”
“Lord Baalzebul, I never thought this day would come. I thought you were living quite well after betraying us and leaving, but what is this miserable state, huh?” One of the Asuras took turns kicking the Heavenly Demon’s side with his feet or stomping on him with the soles of his feet as he was being dragged along, mocking him. We were dragged like that through the long corridor. The demon gods who passed by laughed and mocked us, and some even inflicted physical pain.

It was painful enough just to stand still because of the thorns that were densely growing all over our bodies, but they enjoyed stomping on us. I was one thing, but seeing them treat even the Heavenly Demon, who they had once served as a superior, like that, it was clear that these guys had no sense of decency.

The time we spent walking through the long corridor felt unbearably tedious, but it didn’t matter. I could endure this level of humiliation a hundred, a thousand times. The pain was the same. But right now, it was more difficult for me to endure than the pain of my flesh tearing and bones breaking. The Heavenly Demon and I stood before our loved ones with chains around our necks and thorns all over our bodies. I couldn’t look them straight in the eye.

“Bind them too.” At the command of one of the Asuras, the Rakshasas moved quickly and subdued our subordinates. Seolran stood out prominently, piercing my gaze painfully. She turned her head away, trying not to show even a moment of wavering. But I could feel it. The sadness and despair that Seolran was experiencing right now.

The Rakshasas bound all of our subordinates, leaving no one behind, with the chains they were holding. The Asura who was directing the scene approached Seolran and Jeokrua and spoke to them in a friendly manner.

“You two, please follow me.” It seemed they were trying to separate them from the group.

“I won’t go. Bind us too.”
“That’s not possible. We have been ordered to escort you two separately. If you don’t comply, we will have no choice but to use force.” Seolran looked at me. I also looked at her. We just looked at each other and didn’t express our feelings in words.

“Let’s go.” At the Asura’s request, they had no choice but to follow, and soon after, the two figures disappeared from our sight. I hoped it wouldn’t be the last time… The screams echoed incessantly throughout the plaza. “You bastards, just kill us! This pain… ugh…” Cruel bastards. What you imagine and what you actually experience are vastly different. They herded us into one place and then bound us all to chains installed on the plaza walls. Since it wasn’t torture to extract information or gain something, the pain they inflicted was even harder to endure. As the torture progressed, my subordinates screamed in agony that only intensified. I, too, was a human made of flesh and bone, so the pain was just as excruciating. The bastards were very skilled at eliciting pain. Moreover, if the bleeding became severe or our physical condition deteriorated to the point where we couldn’t feel the pain, they would use their magic to restore us to a fresh state, which was maddening and infuriating. Even when a metal skewer entered our bodies and was twisted around, or when chunks of flesh were torn away, they would use their strange magic to restore us to our original state. As each cell became acutely sensitive to the vivid pain, I gradually grew weary and even felt disillusioned with the fact that I was alive. So much so that I began to yearn for death as a form of rest. After some time, I even forgot that I was feeling pain. And as I gradually became accustomed to the pain, I grew tired of even the constant flow of consciousness that seemed to drift aimlessly. Seeing what the bastard had picked up next, I barely managed to open my mouth. Even at that moment, my subordinates’ screams were clearly audible through my ears. “What’s that now? If you thought I’d succumb to this level of pain… you really don’t know me at all.” The bastard’s face twitched at my words, and he chuckled. “Arrogant fool. Fine, I’ll skip the previous stages and let you enjoy a higher level of pain. I’ll let you vividly experience just how weak the human body is. Try to endure it with your noble will.” What the bastard held in his hand was a square box, and he opened the lid and held it up in front of my eyes. Small, transparent insects were wriggling inside, crawling over each other. The bastard turned the box over and poured the contents onto me. “Just wait a little. This time, it won’t be so easy.” I watched as the insects wriggled through the thorns that had sprouted on my body. In an instant, the insects’ bodies turned red as if they had caught fire. The heat transmitted through my skin was quite intense, but this time it was bearable. However, that was my delusion. “Hah.” I unknowingly gasped, focusing all my attention on the insects’ movements. The insects had begun to burrow into my skin. My whole body began to feel as if it were sitting in a blazing fire, and pain that was incomparable to anything I had experienced before surged through every part of my body at once. It was a different kind of pain than being stabbed with a red-hot skewer. The insects’ movements were incredibly cunning. “How is it? Those things will gradually burrow deeper into your body and inflict all sorts of pain. But don’t worry, they won’t push you to a fatal state.” These… these vile bastards. Yes, now they’re acting like the demons they are. But even if they sawed my body apart, tore it to shreds, and burned it with fire, that would only be temporary pain. I, who had given up on everything and desired nothing, would not show them the sight of me writhing in pain. I fainted several times. The bastard would pull my consciousness back and prepare another form of torture. The moment he sprinkled a red, swollen powder on various parts of my body, those areas turned black and began to rot. Flesh rotted, pus oozed out, and it swelled up as if it would burst, soon followed by a gush of blood. When my bones were exposed, the bastard poured something new on my body. Soon, my body began to freeze. The bastard’s torture was relentless. Even so, I bit my lip to avoid screaming. My lips must have been torn and tattered. I couldn’t even understand myself. Most of my subordinates must be in the same situation. I couldn’t hear their screams anymore. Only my own rough breathing sounded like thunder, and occasionally, I could hear the shouts of the demon gods mixed in. That was all. I could sense my consciousness gradually fading. I was sleepy. Black clouds gathered, and a flash of lightning struck down towards me. I couldn’t avoid it. “Hah.” I felt a chilling sensation as something struck my body hard. Had I fainted? “Pacheon, you’re just a human after all. Make that bastard open his eyes and look at me.” Crackle. “Ugh.” The energy that pierced my entire body from head to toe at once, though only for a moment, cleared my mind. I heard the voice of the person who had spoken earlier speak again. “Pacheon and Baalzebul, open your eyes and look at me.” I struggled to lift my eyelids. That bastard was Bali… One of the Great Demon Gods was standing between me and the Heavenly Demon, with one hand under his chin, carefully observing us for a long time. “Your bodies are pitiful compared to your stubbornness. How about giving up at this point? What’s the point of being so stubborn when all that awaits you is pain? Are you still going to be stubborn after seeing the state of your subordinates? Pacheon and Baalzebul, you two have been given a special opportunity. I will grant you the honor of entering the Phantasmal Zone. Take them there.” The Asuras and Rakshasas removed us two from the chains and dragged us to one place. Bali’s words could be heard faintly from behind. “If you overcome it, I might respect you a little.” We two were simply thrown into the darkness. There was no possibility of resistance, just like everything else that had happened since we arrived here. In that darkness, ‘his’ warning constantly disturbed my consciousness. [Be careful, Pacheon. Purify your mind and erase all negative thoughts such as revenge, resentment, or despair. Subdue your anger and calm your mind. And do not waver in the face of any temptation.] Calm my mind? Would that be possible for you? I couldn’t sense the Heavenly Demon who had come in with me at all. “Heavenly Demon, where are you?” There was no reply. [He is beside you, but you cannot sense each other. This Phantasmal Zone is where Metatron’s pure magic breathes. If you do not overcome it, you will be tainted by demonic energy. No one can help you…] ‘His’ voice suddenly cut off. At that moment, a ray of light extended towards me from the darkness. I closed my eyes, blinded by the light. “Welcome, Pacheon. Great angel. How long I have waited to meet you. Open your eyes and look at me.” I gently opened my eyes as the sudden voice instructed. There are many kinds of beauty. Whatever the beauty, its essence lies in harmony and balance. Only the absolute middle ground, not leaning to either side, attains absolute beauty. The being before me possessed a form that was closest to that absolute beauty. The flowing golden hair rippled gently around his flawless face. Behind the figure with outstretched arms, a rainbow of light seeped out, further distinguishing his form from the darkness. I wasn’t sure if I was seeing things, but transparent wings fluttered. Depending on the angle of the light, the shape of the wings seemed to change from moment to moment. “Who… are you?” “Have you already forgotten me, your old friend Metatron? That is truly regrettable.” I didn’t say anything. No, I couldn’t. If what that person said was not a lie, and if what I was experiencing was not an illusion as this place was called, then I was experiencing something incredible. To be meeting the being who was called the eternal master of this demon realm, an angel who had defied God. And yet, did that person know me? “Your trust was firm and unwavering… Why did you deny me?” What did that mean? What trust was there between us? “Your current appearance does not suit you at all. Great warrior, do you not wish to find yourself? If you wish, if you do not deny me, you can return to your former self. With a beautiful soul, strong arms, and the wisdom to understand the world… Do you not wish to regain everything? Do you not wish to regain the time we spent together? Remember the memories of the beautiful Hagin Mountain and the Pas River. Awaken the times that lie dormant within you and kiss me. Let us envelop the earth with pure and beautiful wisdom. Let all souls bow down and serve us. Let us rule over countless worlds and let our name be sanctified within them. The promise remains unchanged, and I am still here for you, just as I was then.” I was confused. First of all, I didn’t understand anything he was saying. The constant suggestions he was whispering to me. Nevertheless, the fact that my heart was wavering for no reason was somewhat shocking. “Do you know me?” I barely managed to ask this, and then I waited for his answer. “Of course, even if you deny me, I cannot do the same.” “Who am I?” “You don’t know, who you are? Do you truly not know? Look there.” Suddenly, the darkness on the opposite side of the being I presumed to be Metatron opened wide, and another world unfolded. It was a continent. A vast rift had formed, and the sea had swallowed the continent. Countless people were screaming and looking up at the sky. Red birds with large, powerful wings were flying in the sky, and they were carrying humans up towards the sun. Those with sharp weapons all over their bodies were floating in the air without riding the birds, and they were mercilessly cutting down the screaming humans. Even amidst the chaos of mountains being split and valleys being filled, they were only focused on killing each other. A being holding a fire wheel in his hand descended to the ground as if falling from the sun. Following him, giants the size of mountains also descended to the ground. They stood on the side of the humans and began to eliminate the invaders. However, not long after, they submerged the entire vast continent into the sea, leaving only a small island above the water. “You and I were there. We were together in that place where destruction and creation were one. Now, look.” The island continued to grow, rising high to become a mountain range, and around it, a new continent revealed its magnificent form. At first, no people lived there. Only beings that looked similar to humans were abundant. They, too, fought. Flames rose from their waving hands, and the forest was burned black. They used beasts with huge horns on their heads to pull chariots, and they were seen charging across the plains with long spears in their hands. They had large cities on the mountains and built palaces in the sea. Gradually, as time passed, humans appeared, and they worked for the other beings. The humans seemed to be slaves. “We were there as well. We gave wisdom to the people, taught them rebellion, and helped them achieve victory. We were truly happy at that moment. Do you not remember?” A battle broke out between the humans and the strange beings. The humans were all holding burning sticks in their hands, which, upon closer inspection, were swords. They protected their bodies with armor, had sturdy shields, and knew how to run fast. They formed ranks and defeated the stronger beings. A wheel was always floating above them, and the strange beings were making sounds of resentment towards that wheel. When they asked, ‘Why must we be destroyed?’ the one flying in the sky on the wheel replied, ‘It is the will of God.’ The humans won and shouted in victory, building an altar. And they bowed their heads before it. The one who had led the humans on the wheel spoke again. ‘Your wish has been fulfilled. Prosper and rule this land.’ “You have forgotten everything. Let us look at another world. Until you remember me.” The newly unfolded scene was beautiful. Plains spread out among shallow mountains, and people gathered to form cities. Every morning, they would wake up and bow towards the high mountain, starting their day. The mountain located where the people were looking was the highest, and towers were built in front of it. People visited the towers every day. They left their young children there, made wishes they had kept in their hearts, stabbed the children in their bellies with knives, and then wiped the altar with their blood, bowing with hidden sadness. Leaving the dead children behind, they turned and went their own ways. After some time, some beings descended from the mountain, removed the knives from the children’s bellies, and revived the dying children with their breath. Then, they held them up in their arms and immediately named the children on the spot. After a long time, the children grew up to become the leaders of the mountain, and they took in and raised the children who were once again offered to the towers. A battle broke out among the people below the mountain. They were divided into two groups and killed each other. The strong took everything, and the first thing they did was destroy the towers. Those on the mountain were enraged and descended to the cities where the people lived, riding large birds. The people, drunk on victory, resisted, but they were no match. Among the group that descended from the mountain, one being was floating in the air, stepping on a burning wheel with his foot. He said to the dying humans, ‘Your arrogance has incited destruction,’ and then he soared into the sky and rained down fireballs like rain. Not a single person survived. “We were together in that place as well. Try to remember.” “This is pointless. The illusions you have created have nothing to do with me. What do you want from me? What are you trying to say?” Metatron observed me for a long time with a strange expression, then began to speak weakly, as if disappointed. “You truly think so. You have forgotten everything. We have been together for countless ages. This is the truth. You asked what I am trying to say. I want you. I want your courage, your wisdom, and your powerful strength. I am saying that if you and I join forces, we can become gods. Think of the worlds we have destroyed or brought into existence. Only the will of God was with us, but we actually did everything. Do you still not understand? Beyond the veil of secrets, the sacred power that you and I desire exists. If we can only possess that power that silenced God, the universe will be in our grasp. God fears that. The rebellion of the creations who deny the creator. I have finished all the preparations. If you only agree, success is certain, and God also knows this. What are you hesitating for? Join me.” “Even if you do not join me, my will shall be fulfilled. But it is a pity. Even if I gain everything, it would be a great loss to lose you. Remember one thing. ‘Those who exist by themselves’ told me. If I give them the secrets of God, they will give me power. I will agree. That power will make me more beautiful and complete, and my name will shine above all beings. When that time comes, I will be called God. Nothing can stand before me, and nothing can stop me. You have abandoned everything, but I will have everything. Remember my words. You have become a wanderer, but I will become a king. You wanted to be human, but I want to be God. And I will create a new world. Glory to those who follow me, and eternal punishment to those who oppose me. The day when my will becomes the truth is imminent.” What a load of crap. This guy and that guy are the same when it comes to being delusional. That Lucifer and that Avi, their delusions of grandeur are the same. Anyway, I was curious about why they brought me here. I was tense the moment that bastard Bali appeared before me. I had felt the hostility he had shown me, so I had braced myself. But this place called the Phantasmal Zone was like this… “What do you plan to do with me? Lucifer said he would make me a slave, so you’ll probably treat me like a bug and crush me.” “That’s a foolish question. Even if you oppose me, I don’t care. If the will of God resides in you, I will test it through you. The perfection of God has already begun to be damaged. It will end in a miserable state with you.” He was just talking nonsense again. Is that how those bastards always talk? It was ridiculous. My questions were growing, but there was no way to solve them. It was even worse because no one would give me a clear answer. “Damn it.” I muttered these words under my breath. “Whatever you do, whatever desires you have, you don’t have to explain them to me one by one. I am your slave. Whether you destroy the world or become gods, even if you curse me forever and keep me in pain and punishment, I cannot even make a small gesture of resistance. But I can deny and reject you. That alone is my freedom. If you can control even this will, then do so. Until then, you will not hear a single word of acknowledgment from my mouth.” “Go. Go do what you have to do and go your way. No one will block your path, and no one will imprison you. But remember this one thing. When you realize that there is no hope left in your despair and frustration, if you turn back, I will always accept you. Do not forget that my will towards you is always open.” The moment he finished speaking, the light was also withdrawn. Darkness began again. I was left alone in the darkness, just crouching down. I still couldn’t sense the Heavenly Demon. Like the name Phantasmal Zone, this place might just be another illusion created by my consciousness. I recalled the words I had heard and the scenes I had seen earlier and muttered. “He told me to go my way? That he wouldn’t block or imprison me? Considering the reality I’m in, does that mean all of this was an illusion after all…?” [It is not an illusion. What you met was Metatron’s will.] At ‘his’ appearance, I thought back to the situation a moment ago. “Why did you stop earlier?” I was referring to the fact that he had stopped speaking. [It was because I could not withstand his magic. It was unavoidable because your self-consciousness and my consciousness did not achieve complete unity. And there is one thing I must tell you. I can no longer help you from now on. When the time comes that you need my help, I will return to your side. Until then, you must overcome and endure everything alone.] The Phantasmal Zone opened after a long time. I was able to confirm that we couldn’t sense each other even though we were in the same space as the Heavenly Demon, only after hearing his words after we came out. He was even more dazed than I was. I didn’t know if he had seen and heard the same things as me. But he, too, was shocked.