The Heavenly Demon Can’t Live A Normal Life [EN]: Chapter 280

He called this new power ‘aura.’ It was more than just a skill; it was a complete change, a revolution in how people thought about strength.

Alexander’s actions caused a great stir on the Salamander Continent. He had been low in the line to become the next leader, but he quickly became important.

People started calling Alexander the ‘Father of Swordsmen.’

Before, swordsmen were seen as protectors, wearing helmets and bravely facing danger for wizards. But Alexander’s revolution changed everything. Now, people dreamed of becoming swordsmen themselves.

This was a new direction.

Then, a big change happened.

People began to imagine a new future, not just for wizards but also for swordsmen who used aura.

Every day was like a dream.

Alexander was the first aura swordsman, and he was very successful. But one day, people started talking about a fight between a wizard and an aura swordsman.

What happened? The aura swordsmen were completely beaten by the wizards in the fight.

Aura was powerful and quick, like a burst of energy. But it didn’t last long. Wizards were too fast and moved too easily for aura swordsmen to keep up.

Even when aura swordsmen moved quickly, magic like ‘Blink’ was too much. ‘Blink’ magic could move someone instantly from one place to another. Aura swordsmen began to doubt their own power.

Only then did the truth become clear.

The martial arts from the Central Plains that Alexander remembered were strong, not weak enough to be beaten by wizards.

Alexander thought to himself, ‘This aura is just on the surface. The real truth is, it’s not enough. Wizards will always be stronger at higher levels. I am not Kim Pan-seok anymore, I am Alexander. To keep my power and respect, I need to become untouchable, stronger than anyone can imagine.’

He remembered stories from his past, living near the Ten Thousand Great Mountains. Rumors spoke of martial arts so powerful, they seemed like the power of gods.

The power to split the earth and collapse the sky with a single sword was something he could never reach with the aura he had created.

But magic was different.

Magic’s power was like a natural disaster. The more attention Alexander got, the more he wanted to keep his power.

He had been poor.

Because he started with nothing, he was desperate to hold onto everything he had gained. His desire was burning inside him.

Just then, his rival for the throne had the support of the powerful Magic Tower. Alexander knew he had to make a choice about his future.

Should he keep trying to improve ‘aura’?

What did he need to do to have complete power, not only in the Chronos Empire but also on the Salamander Continent?

His desire grew into an obsession, almost a madness. Looking up at the dark sky, Alexander felt he was on the edge of a new, dangerous path.

“If you follow me, I will give you power.”

It was the devil’s whisper.

That day, Alexander stopped using the sword.

People always remembered him as the one who created aura. But when he became Emperor, he was no longer a swordsman. He had become something else.

Mystic asked again.

“Give the order, Alexander. Roman Dmitry must be removed.”

Alexander agreed.

Roman Dmitry had been stopping the Chronos Empire’s plans at every turn, from the Cairo rebellion to the Redford Kingdom and now this war.

The real problem started when Alexander thought Roman Dmitry might be like him – someone who had come from another world, a ‘dimensional traveler’.

Deep down, a desire he didn’t know he had began to grow.

‘Roman Dmitry, do you know real martial arts, unlike me?’

He had always dreamed of this.

He wondered, if he had truly learned martial arts, could he have become famous and powerful like Alexander, but without using dark magic?

Now, it was too late.

Dark magic had been flowing through him for a long time, but he still longed for martial arts.

He wanted to see it for himself.

He wanted to know what kind of martial arts Roman Dmitry used. He wanted to know where his martial arts came from. If it was martial arts from famous groups like the Nine Great Sects, Alexander knew he would become very greedy.

A deep longing grew in him. This idea of ‘Murim’ martial arts filled his mind, like a powerful, legendary creature.

He knew learning martial arts now wouldn’t change his path. But he still wanted to see Roman Dmitry’s skills, to know if he had made the right choice by choosing magic over martial arts.

Mystic bowed his head.

He spoke words of loyalty, “We await the Heavenly Demon’s arrival and the submission of all demons!”

He looked up to the Heavenly Demon as his perfect example, someone who seemed to control the entire world.

So, Alexander hid his true feelings.

He didn’t want to reveal his doubts about magic to the being he served.

Alexander said.

“I agree to remove Roman Dmitry. But since he defeated Sheffir, Roman Dmitry is too strong to defeat easily. Mystic, our goal is to take over the continent and give this world to Chronos. When that happens, we will be rich and famous forever, like immortal beings. We don’t need to rush. I know Roman Dmitry is a threat, but there’s only so much an aura swordsman can do. Do you think I would lose if I fought Roman Dmitry directly?”

“…Absolutely not.”

Mystic knew of Sheffir, a powerful figure from the past.

But Alexander was even older, from a time before Sheffir’s era. He had lived through ages that even Sheffir couldn’t imagine, surviving like some kind of unstoppable force.

Roman Dmitry’s power was great.

However, Alexander had already become like a god.

The dark followers, like Mystic, were truly loyal to Alexander, not just to the Emperor of Chronos. Alexander was the one who truly gave the orders, even if it looked like they came from the Emperor.

To these followers, Alexander was more than just the creator of aura.

He was the one who would lead them to immortality, who had already shown them a new path as a human.

“The Chronos Emperor has already ordered a truce. I can’t change the Emperor’s orders, so I will let things happen as they will. But remember, we have declared war on Isabel by showing our desire to take over the continent. The war will start again soon. When the war begins at the time we want, according to our plan, then even if Roman Dmitry and Isabel try to stop us, they won’t be able to ruin the Chronos Empire’s plan that has lasted for a thousand years.”

Thousand-year plan.

Mystic bowed his head.

Ordinary people didn’t know the truth.

But as Alexander said.

“I will follow your orders.”

Soon, the world would be in Chronos’s hands.

Isabel and Roman Dmitry.

There was a moment of silence.

Isabel finished explaining everything and looked at Roman Dmitry.

“Roman Dmitry,” she said, “I told you the truth because I know who ‘Shadow’ is. You beat Sheffir, which is something no one else could do without magic from the gods. Humanity needs your power, especially the Luna Kingdom. Please help me stop the Cronos Empire and the evil forces behind it.”

Her request was not a surprise. Anyone who knew Isabel’s fight against Cronos would understand why she came to him.

But there was a problem.

“I refuse,” Roman said.

“Are you saying you will abandon humanity?” Isabel asked, her voice becoming sharper, a hint of desperation creeping in.

“That is a different matter,” Roman replied calmly. “If the Cronos Empire is an enemy of Dmitry, I will destroy them completely. But I’m not doing it for humanity. I can draw my sword for those who follow Dmitry, but I won’t pretend to care about people I don’t even know enough to sacrifice for them.”

“Our goals are the same! Why refuse?” Isabel insisted.

Because of everything she had done before, Isabel believed Roman Dmitry wanted the same things she did. She had been secretly working against Cronos since she received a special message, and she thought Roman Dmitry was the first person who could help her with this important job.

When he stopped the Cairo rebellion, when he put down the Redford Kingdom’s revolt, and even when he fought Cronos and defeated Sheffir, she believed God had sent her a warrior to help her.

She needed someone strong like Roman Dmitry to fight against Cronos’s growing power.

But the answer was not what she hoped for.

Roman Dmitry leaned back on the plush sofa in his study. Sunlight streamed through the large window, illuminating the dust motes dancing in the air. Bookshelves lined the walls, filled with ancient volumes and maps.

He said in a steady voice, “Our goals are not the same. You want to defeat the Cronos Empire for the world, I want to defeat them for personal reasons. Then I ask you, if the Cronos Empire threatens you with the lives of countless people, can you abandon their lives and cut off Alexandr’s head?”

“That, that’s…”

“That is the difference,” Roman said. “Because we think differently at important moments, we cannot join hands from the beginning. If such a moment comes, I will not hesitate at all. I do not want to negatively affect the relationship between the Luna Kingdom and Dmitry with this meeting. We may be able to do things that benefit each other in the direction we are going, but I will not promise to bring down Cronos together until the end. That is the only promise I can make to you, who has been so dedicated to Salamander.”

She was speechless.

Roman Dmitry.

He was impossible to understand.

She knew he was arrogant, but she did not expect this reaction even after knowing the truth about Cronos.

Isabel said.

“Alexandr is a monster who has denied the life granted to humans. And he is also a being who has brought mysterious powers from a world we do not know. Can you handle him with your own strength? If he possesses power beyond what we thought, your judgment will lead humanity to destruction.”

She spoke louder, believing her words were convincing. What she said was logical. She thought Roman would understand her point.

Roman Dmitry got up from his seat.

Then, he looked down at Isabel with indifferent eyes.

“I do not care,” he said. “No matter how strong that being is, no matter what he was in the world beyond. That is not important to me.”

Even if what Isabel said was true, even if Alexandr really was from a powerful place called the Central Plains of Murim, Roman Dmitry was not scared.

In the Central Plains of Murim, Chun Ma Baek Joong-hyuk was the greatest under heaven.

Therefore.

Alexandr’s past life, no matter how great he may have been, was nothing more than a pebble rolling under Baek Joong-hyuk’s feet.

While Roman and Isabel were talking, important events were happening elsewhere.

A few days ago, when the conflict between the Cronos Empire and Dmitry reached its peak, the Odelia Kingdom proceeded with a certain plan.

[In two days. Soldiers of the Cronos Empire will head to the capital of the Odelia Kingdom through the ‘Warp Gate.’ Keep in mind. This operation is a joint operation of three countries: the Cronos Empire, the Odelia Kingdom, and the Umberto Kingdom. The moment the Empire’s soldiers arriving in Odelia and Umberto gain control of the Kingdom Alliance, we will lay the foundation for the conquest of the continent. So, do your best to help the Empire. The future of the Cronos Empire will soon be the future of Odelia.]

Across the screen.

Baron Charlton smiled.

After ending the magic communication, the King of Odelia distorted his expression.

“Now, there is no turning back.”

Every day, unbelievable news came from the battlefield.

Hearing that Roman Dmitry had miraculously won, he thought that perhaps Odelia and the Umberto Kingdom might have had a chance of winning if they had sided with Dmitry.

But he had already crossed the Rubicon.

From the moment he made a certain agreement with the Cronos Empire, there was no way to reverse the relationship, no matter how the situation turned out.

In the end.

A decision was needed.

Deep down, the King knew this was a terrible choice. He felt a knot of shame in his stomach. But fear was stronger than shame. He told himself he was doing what he had to do to survive.

He called his subordinates.

And then, he gave the order.

“The alliance with Cronos is a matter of life and death for Odelia. The moment they arrive in the capital, we will use the Cronos Empire’s forces to seize control of the Kingdom Alliance. We cannot fail. Our survival depends on this. Do you understand? Everything depends on this. After this war is over, the history of the continent will prove that our choice was right.”

“I understand.”

The knight showed eyes full of motivation.

There was no shame.

For the sake of national interest, the things that the Kingdom Alliance had been claiming could be thrown away at any time.

And two days later.

The day of the decisive battle dawned.

The King of Odelia lined up his troops and welcomed the soldiers of the Cronos Empire who would cross the Warp Gate.

Whirr. The Warp Gate hummed with energy, the air crackling with magic.

Tap tap tap tap. Soldiers marched out of the white light, their boots hitting the stone floor with a rhythmic beat. The metallic clang of their armor echoed in the hall.

The King of Odelia greeted them with a forced, bright smile, but as he saw the commander, his smile vanished, and his face became stiff with worry.

‘No way.’

A fierce face.

It was ominous.

The commander of Cronos had eyes as if he were looking at the enemy.

Soon.

Immediately after all the Empire’s soldiers arrived, the ominous feeling became a reality.

“Attack the vermin of the Odelia Kingdom! The Cronos Empire will conquer the Kingdom Alliance, starting with Odelia and Umberto!”

Only then did he realize.

What mistake the Odelia Kingdom had made.

Around the time Dmitry defeated Cronos, the King of Odelia faced a miserable reality.