The Heavenly Demon Can’t Live A Normal Life [EN]: Chapter 569

Clank, clank. The sound of boots and metal echoed across the docks. Soldiers hurried back and forth, their faces set with purpose, unloading heavy crates from a long line of carts. Each cart, sturdy wood and iron, was piled high and covered with thick canvas.

President Aron Vidarsson watched this incredible scene unfold, his breath catching in his throat. He turned to Jang Yun-tae, his voice barely above a whisper. “…Are you truly giving all of this to us? For free? Just because we are allies?”

Jang Yun-tae nodded, a small, confident smile playing on his lips. “That’s right, Mr. President. People often say, ‘good gear makes you stronger,’ don’t they? With better equipment like this, Iceland can build a strong base to fight the monsters. And for the Great Han Empire, the most powerful maker of iron weapons in the world, this level of help is no trouble at all.”

A disbelieving laugh escaped Aron Vidarsson. It was a sound filled with awe and a touch of nervousness.

According to the head of the guard, most of the weapons were C-grade.

Before, C-grade weapons were good. But now, after the big changes in technology, C-grade is even better.

In the past, just having a high skill wasn’t enough to be ranked highly.

The weapons had to meet certain standards, and as those standards increased, even powerful countries like the United States couldn’t give C-grade weapons to regular soldiers.

This gift came from the Great Han Empire, a leading nation in the East.

Aron Vidarsson couldn’t help but be moved by their generosity.

Jang Yun-tae spoke as if it were nothing, but weapons for hundreds of people were a big deal.

“Thank you, thank you so much!” Aron Vidarsson exclaimed.

Jang Yun-tae smiled silently.

He didn’t need to explain further when the President was so grateful.

‘It’s not just empty words…’

The past year had brought a revolution led by the Great Han Empire.

They controlled the mana weapon market, the market for magical weapons, and grew quickly. They also took control of Jeju Island and North Korea, which gave them great opportunities.

They found a mana stone mine, a mine that produces magical energy stones, as big as Alaska, and many iron ore mines in North Korea.

They needed resources to keep up with their technology, and because everything happened at the right time, the Great Han Empire built a strong base.

Weapons for hundreds of people? It was really nothing to them.

The Great Han Empire invested a lot in soldiers and technicians, producing a huge amount of weapons every day.

It was like a new era of power. By controlling the mana weapon market, they became a strong nation and gave the best equipment to their soldiers first.

Good training and excellent weapons made them stronger, which boosted morale. In just one year, the Great Han Empire became as powerful as a leading nation should be.

But most people didn’t know the truth.

Even though big changes were happening inside the country, the Great Han Empire didn’t show off to the rest of the world.

They had announced a one-year deadline and deliberately kept a low profile.

They let people say what they wanted, and Roman Dmitri often spent time alone.

Many people came to see Roman Dmitri at every public event.

Even though he seemed ready to take over the world when he defeated Red Moon, the Central Government, and Russia, he had been quiet for the past year. People thought he was planning something secret.

Jang Yun-tae said, “Mr. President, you shouldn’t be surprised yet. The Great Han Empire’s gift isn’t over.”

“……Yes?!” Aron Vidarsson was startled.

It wasn’t over yet?

He didn’t care about being dignified as president. Despite his surprised face, he couldn’t help but smile in anticipation.

Aron Vidarsson glanced to the side.

Gudjónsen, Iceland’s best player and an A-grade hunter, also looked over and met his eyes.

“Mr. President…” His voice trembled.

Another gift from the Great Han Empire.

Gudjónsen, who had checked the gift at the President’s command, tried to calm his trembling voice. “These are treasures that everyone wants. One is a martial arts system, and the other is high-level magic. The Great Han Empire must value these greatly, so I don’t know if we can receive such treasures just because we are allies.”

He looked at Jang Yun-tae.

First, he spoke to Aron Vidarsson, but then he asked Jang Yun-tae about this unbelievable situation.

It was natural for them to be surprised.

The day before, Roman Dmitri had told the leaders, “Some people build trust and expect the other person to sacrifice everything. They doubt the other person but want that person to trust them completely. I do things differently. I will punish those who betray trust, but first, I will show trust to build a relationship. Iceland has an uncertain future because it’s been excluded from the European Union. But the coming years will prove they made the right choice, not just in the future, but right now. So, give them what we have. And don’t worry about giving away just ‘some’ of it. When the Great Han Empire gives, it means that nothing can harm our safety.”

Everyone agreed with Roman Dmitri’s words.

The Great Han Empire was strong.

The technology given to Iceland was basic, and the Great Han Empire was growing quickly with much better technology.

Even with similar technology, the people working with Roman Dmitri were growing at a rate that others couldn’t match.

Jang Yun-tae said, “His Majesty the Emperor wants everyone to win. Why would he dislike his allies becoming stronger? Some people doubt the Great Han Empire’s intentions, but once they let go of their prejudice, they’ll see that our alliance is a win-win. The technological revolution and everything given to our allies would never be allowed if we only cared about our own safety.”

“……That’s right,” Aron Vidarsson nodded.

Now he had to admit it.

Because the Great Han Empire was so sincere, he no longer worried about leaving the European Union.

They would act soon.

They would try to punish Iceland, but Aron Vidarsson believed that no matter what happened, he would not betray the Great Han Empire.

A small country with 300,000 people was nothing to the Great Han Empire, but their sincerity gave Iceland a good reason to be loyal in the future.

Just then, as a friendly atmosphere was building, they received desperate news.

“Mr. President! Reykjavik is under attack by monsters!”

He hurried away.

Monster attacks were rare during the stabilization period.

But they still happened sometimes. The monsters around the world weren’t just staying in their own territories. There were exceptions.

Iceland often faced these exceptions, and this time, a large force attacked the capital, Reykjavik.

When Aron Vidarsson arrived, he was stunned by the scene. The city was a sea of fire.

The monster flapping its huge wings and breathing fire was clearly an A-grade griffin.

It had the face of an eagle and the body of a lion.

The griffins filled the sky, quickly swooping down and snatching soldiers.

Crack!

“Kraaah!”

Soldiers lay scattered, their armor ripped like paper, limbs twisted at unnatural angles.

The air filled with the metallic tang of blood as it rained down, and the sky darkened with the shadows of Griffins. Their screeches echoed as they descended, claws ripping through flesh and fabric.

Aron stared, frozen. Dozens of Griffins, each a beast capable of crushing stone with its talons – monsters ranked ‘A’ for extreme danger – filled the sky like a storm of feathers and fury.

Iceland’s soldiers could fight back, but to bring down so many Griffins would mean losing many lives, draining their already thin defenses.

Aron Vidarsson gritted his teeth, his jaw tight with worry.

Aron Vidarsson said urgently, “Please, request reinforcements from the Daehan Empire. Iceland’s strength alone is not enough.”

A wave of shame washed over Aron. He, a leader of Iceland, had to beg for help.

The truth was bitter: Iceland could barely handle these ‘A-ranked’ Griffins. What hope did they have against ‘S-ranked’ monsters, the truly terrifying beasts that legends spoke of?

It was humiliating, the reality of Iceland’s weakness. But Aron pushed aside his pride. This was not the time to worry about Iceland looking weak.

After all, they had joined the Daehan Empire alliance *because* they needed help. Maybe the Daehan Empire didn’t see Iceland as a very important friend, but for Iceland, this alliance was everything.

They had turned their backs on the European Union, a choice that had isolated them. Instead of relying on nearby nations, they had reached out to the distant Daehan Empire, hoping for a stronger hand to hold.

Now, they desperately needed real help. Help that would show they hadn’t made a terrible mistake in choosing the Daehan Empire.

Jang Yun-tae said, “Reinforcements are not necessary.”

“Wh-what do you mean…?”

“We are here to help with Iceland’s problems, even before we send a permanent group of soldiers.”

For a moment. Doubt arose.

Jang Yun-tae, Aron thought. He didn’t know the name. Even though this man was from Baekil – a group Aron had heard of – he was a stranger.

If Jang Yun-tae was unknown, how could he possibly deal with dozens of Griffins? Aron’s hope began to shrink.

Jang Yun-tae stepped forward.

“Do not worry. Whatever you imagine, the Daehan Empire has more power than that.”

*Kwarung. Rumble!* The air crackled with energy. Magic seemed to boil around Jang Yun-tae. His eyes, moments ago calm, now burned with an intense, blue light.

As Jang Yun-tae prepared to act, a year of change stood behind him, a year that had transformed the Daehan Empire.

Even before, the wizards of Baekil were becoming stronger, thanks to the teachings of Kim Pan-seok. But the last year had brought changes beyond anything anyone expected.

Kim Pan-seok was more than just a powerful wizard. When he started sharing ‘Alexander’s Knowledge’ – secrets of magic from a lost age – it was like a revolution. Wizards improved at an incredible speed, day after day.

Kim Pan-seok, also known as Alexander. He had started with nothing, a weak and ordinary person. Now, he was a ‘9th circle wizard’ – the highest level of magic anyone could reach.

Kim Pan-seok understood how to become stronger better than anyone. And Jang Yun-tae, in this time of rapid change, had become far more powerful than he ever thought possible.

“Lightning Rain.”

*Bzzzt! Bzzzzzz!* Bolts of lightning crashed down from the clouds.

Lightning was the perfect weapon against the winged Griffins. Caught in the storm of electricity, the creatures shrieked, their wings spasming, and plummeted from the sky like stones.

Instantly, all Griffin eyes turned to Jang Yun-tae. They sensed the magic coming from him and, with furious screeches, swooped down to attack.

“Defend!”

“Protect Jang Yun-tae!”

*Thump thump thump!* The Daehan Empire soldiers moved as one.

They formed a barrier in an instant.

Raising their shields high, they blocked the Griffins’ attacks.

Clang!

Thwack! Thwack!

Kieeeeek!

The Griffins screamed.

Even the Griffins’ sharp claws couldn’t break through the shields, which glowed with magical energy. Instead, the soldiers thrust spears through openings in their shield wall, striking back at the Griffins.

It was surprisingly calm, their response. These were just normal soldiers, yet they stood together perfectly, facing the ‘A-ranked’ monsters as if they were no threat at all.

It defied logic. It was unbelievable. Unless you knew that even regular soldiers in the Daehan Empire were trained in martial arts, you couldn’t understand what you were seeing.

“Parasite.”

*Shhhk…* A dark mist flowed from Jang Yun-tae’s hand as he grabbed the Griffin’s head.

The Griffin shuddered, still alive. Its wounds began to close, sealed by a dark red magic that pulsed like blood. Black magic.

Kim Pan-seok had told Jang Yun-tae to only use black magic if there was no other choice. But Jang Yun-tae saw things differently.

Kim Pan-seok’s words meant he could use it whenever things were truly unusual. And this Griffin attack was definitely unusual. He needed to make a strong statement, so he unleashed the black magic, not just to heal, but to *control* the beast.

*Kraaah!* The Griffin roared, now under Jang Yun-tae’s control. He leaped onto its back, soaring into the sky on the magically healed beast, and began to rain down explosions of magic.

“Explosion.”

*Wham! Whoosh, whoosh!* Explosions rocked the ground, scattering Griffins and sending them crashing down. Jang Yun-tae, riding the Griffin, became a storm of destruction.

Suddenly, the tide turned. With just Jang Yun-tae and a handful of Daehan Empire soldiers, the Griffins’ attack faltered. Icelandic soldiers, who had been fighting desperately, now found themselves pushing back the monsters.

Sending Jang Yun-tae was planned from the start. If famous wizards like Kim Pan-seok or Lee Tae-sung had solved the problem, people would just expect it. It wouldn’t be as surprising.

But Jang Yun-tae was different.

An unknown figure.

No one could guarantee how many such beings existed in the Daehan Empire.

So, Jang Yun-tae was sent to Iceland. And now, he was showing the world just a glimpse of the Daehan Empire’s hidden strength, exactly as planned.

Aron and Guðjónsen stared, speechless. “I… I don’t understand,” Aron whispered. Guðjónsen shook his head. “I can’t believe it. Even a wizard we’ve never heard of is this powerful. Aron, maybe we picked the *right* ally, not just the only one who would help us.”

Aron Vidarsson and Guðjónsen were no longer just staring. They understood. What they were witnessing, this display of power, would change everything. The world would hear about this.

The Daehan Empire wasn’t just helping their allies; they were showing them incredible power. Even their unknown wizards were stronger than the world had ever dreamed possible.

It was working perfectly. News of what happened in Iceland, of the Daehan Empire’s power, was already spreading across the globe.

After a year of quiet, the Daehan Empire had roared. And the world was starting to wake up.