by Road Warrior
“Please do not harm the High Devils, Hero of the Living!”
The emaciated man smashed his head onto the ground as he shouted with sincerity.
“They might be evil creatures deserving extermination in your eyes, but they are necessary evils in our lives who protect us from the other devils. Without them, we will become enslaved or eaten by the other devils.”
“That isn’t my concern.” Sungchul callously spoke as he turned around. However, the man didn’t relent. Even after having the rope tied around his neck his response remained the same. He was different from the others. That was what Sungchul thought as he released the man.
“I didn’t have any intention of killing the other High Devils anyways.”
A familiar form appeared before Sungchul’s eyes. The black mask and clothes of an undertaker. A humanoid man with a twisted body was mixed in with the crowd.
That man?
It was the one who had whispered that he could teach them now to defeat the High Devils. Sungchul turned his feet towards the humanoid creature.
“You.”
Sungchul stood before him. The man tried to retreat, but Sungchul’s hammer blocked his path.
“Where is Elijah Breggas?” Sungchul asked.
The man already knew of Sungchul’s strength and so he spoke quickly while trembling. “Te-eh-eh-eh… blue tower… He’s challenging the master of the blue tower!”
Sophia was the first to act upon hearing the news. “Brother!”
Sungchul’s arm stopped her as she tried to hurry forward.
“Follow behind me.”
Chapter 14 – Order Of The Iron Blood Knights
Sungchul headed towards the top of the blue tower, and no one dared to cross his path. The battle of Elijah and the High Devil of the blue tower awaited him on the top floor. By the time he arrived, the conclusion had already been drawn. The High Devil with the head of a fly seemed to be unscathed, while Elijah Breggas was tired and on the defensive. There was a black-colored marble rolling by his feet.
“Regardless of your schemes, you cannot win at your level of strength.”
The High Devil who had been flying in the air landed in front of Elijah. He was close enough that Elijah could reach out and touch him, but Elijah could not respond. There wasn’t even enough strength left in his body to lift a finger.
Shit. Is it because I only managed to find a single marble? I should have listened to the bastard and gathered at least three.
The information regarding the marbles sealing the strength of the High Devils turned out to be true. It acted as a sponge for the oppressive amounts of Magic Power that sustained their bodies, but it wasn’t nearly enough with a single marble.
The twisted humanoid monster had recommended Elijah to wait until he had gathered at least three marbles, but the news of the death of the High Devil Troupe had spread panic among the residents of the towers. Elijah felt like he was running out of time, and so he challenged the High Devil before he was ready. And the result was the defeat now. Elijah who was out of mana and stamina couldn’t do anything but watch the devil approach him.
It was at this moment that the massive doorway to the High Devil’s room burst open, and the atmosphere of the room changed instantly. The one who entered the room was none other than the Enemy of the World.
“…”
Sungchul looked around the surroundings with disinterest and walked over to their direction while Sophia and Bertelgia followed behind him.
Sophia recognized Elijah and shouted, “Brother!”
The High Devil who had been preparing to deliver the final blow unconsciously stepped back. He could feel a fearsome hostility and fighting spirit radiating from Sungchul’s body that he hadn’t felt before. Could it be… Was he the one who killed the High Devil Troupe along with the other High Devils?
If that was the case, then the pathetic human before him did not matter. The High Devil looked towards Sungchul and said, “Why have you returned to this place?”
Sungchul did not answer. He took a step back and simply crossed his arms as he observed Elijah and the High Devil. It was an unspoken sign that he had no intention to interfere.
The cunning High Devil understood Sungchul’s intent and turned his hideous fly head towards Elijah once again. It wasn’t possible to actually know whether the High Devil was smiling or not, but he was definitely laughing.
“Kekeke… Have you been abandoned?”
“…”
Elijah’s face grew twisted. He had nothing to say. Strictly speaking, it wasn’t he who was abandoned, but rather he who abandoned them.
The High Devil took another step closer. In between the fancy robes reminiscent of a judge’s gown, the mutilated hand of a corpse shot out. It held a large spoon in its hand.
“I’ll suck your brain while you’re alive!”
Elijah pulled out his blade and faced off against the High Devil, but the conclusion was quite obvious. He wouldn’t last much longer. Seeing Elijah in peril, Sophia let out a short scream before quickly heading to Sungchul.
“I beg you, please save my brother.”
It was the first time she had lowered her head to him.
“…”
However, Sungchul did not respond verbally or physically. Sophia was panicking and began to meaninglessly fidget with her arms. She managed to quickly take a deep breath and pleaded to Sungchul once again.
“I’ll do anything, if it will save my brother. Please. Please save him! You have the power to do so.”
“…It was his personal decision. I have no obligation to intervene.” Sungchul spoke bluntly wasting no words.
A dark shadow passed by Sophia’s eyes. She could see with a glance that he wasn’t to be persuaded, and so she bit down on her lower lip and bowed her head once again. Her slim form was trembling slightly. She turned to face the High Devil as she drew her blade.
“… I have no excuse. I have shown you something shameful.”
“…”
“I am grateful for your help this far.”
Sophia turned again towards Sungchul and gave a polite nod before rushing towards the High Devil. Sungchul’s eye lit up with interest. She was unexpectedly a good kid.
If it had been anyone else, they might have shouted profanities towards him before leaving. It was human nature to hold grudges for just one wrong even if they were treated well a hundred times before. However, Sophia Breggas was better than most regarding this. Her behavior was what ought to have been considered normal, but there weren’t many good people in Other World.
“Hmm.”
Bertelgia began to circle around Sungchul’s back as though she had something to say.
“What is it?” Sungchul asked without taking his eyes off of Sophia who was wielding Cryomancy against the High Devil.
“That woman. She doesn’t look so bad. She looks a lot more decent than that Elijah or whoever.”
“So what are you trying to say?”
“Can’t you save her? You went out of your way to save that Sarasa or Sarada girl from before.”
“…”
“Is it because she’s not your type?”
“Stop blabbering nonsense before I tear you apart.”
“Hiii…”
When Sungchul let out a coarse language, Bertelgia shrank back and flew away. Sungchul turned back towards the battle when the annoying kid left his sight. Sophia was putting up a struggle, but she would not last long.
“Kekeke! Human trash! You’re skittering about without knowing your place!”
Terrifying swarms of giant flies flew out from his robe and enveloped Sophia.
“Ice Storm!”
She used a spell in an attempt to freeze the fly swarm, but there was no end to them as they kept on flying out of the High Devil’s robe. The flies managed to break through the spell and overwhelmed the siblings. Sophia’s dancing swords dropped the giant flies, but Elijah was currently unarmed. She noticed Elijah’s crisis and
ran towards his side, but unfortunately, the giant flies aiming towards her back managed to tackle her with their bodies.
“Ugh!”
Sophia let out a shout, but she soon regained her posture and managed to reach her brother’s side while repelling the swarm with magic. Fortunately, Elijah was still alive.
“Are you ok, Brother?”
“…”
Elijah nodded weakly. The swarm of flies surrounded both of the siblings. Sophia looked at the countless flies circling them and instinctively knew that they had no chance of survival. Now that she was facing imminent death, she broke into a grin. She began to recall an unforgettable scene from her past.
“Do you remember when we first met?”
She was a girl who lived with the pigs in the pigpen. A miracle came to visit this girl who had been looking after the livestock day after day without the possibility of a better future. Sophia could still remember the well-groomed boy standing in front of the pig pen with a shocked expression on his face.
“…”
Elijah didn’t respond. It was because the situation didn’t call for such leisurely conversation, but Sophia strangely felt the desire to say many things. She knew better than anyone that they would not have many more opportunities to have a conversation like this.
“There were swarms of flies around us then too, though none of them were this big!”
She began to laugh openly as though something was funny to her.
A few swarms of flies let loose a fierce attack. Sophia's sword cut through the flies and caused them to fall head first to the ground, but there were still hundreds more flying around her.
“I’ll break through the front.” Sophia spoke resolutely. “When I do, run to the Enemy of the World, Brother. Get on your knees before his feet and beg for your life.”
“Sophia…”
“That is the only way to survive.”
As soon as the words left her lips, Sophia poured the last ounce of her magic into a fierce magical assault to attack the swarm. The fearsome storm of frost roared as though it would freeze the entire room of the gigantic High Devil. Elijah ran out as the swarm of flies began to falter.
Sophia looked towards his retreating figure and allowed herself a quiet smile, but the swarm of flies quickly swallowed her up. Elijah clenched his eyes as he ran over to Sungchul with all of his strength.
“…”
Sungchul looked at Elijah groveling before his feet with indifference. “I beg you. Please... please help.”
“Who are you asking for me to save?” retorted Sungchul callously.
Elijah looked at him as though he didn’t understand, so Sungchul pointed his finger towards Sophia where the battle was still fiercely raging on. “There? Or here?”
“T-that is…” Elijah had nowhere to look. His eyes shook as he continued to stare at the ground.
Sungchul walked past him with disappointment hanging densely in his eyes.
Bertelgia flew past him as well, but allowed herself a single cold word: “Garbage.”
Sungchul walked toward the High Devil who retreated in surprise when it sensed his approach.
“W-what is it? Are you trying to challenge me as well?!”
The High Devil’s emaciated hand moved, and the countless flies swarming around Sophia began to attack Sungchul. But, their enemy this time was not on the same level.
Fal Garaz struck the air.
BOOM!
The hammer, when swung with his godlike strength, resulted in a concussion of air that destroyed everything within its vicinity. The thousands of windows in the room shattered simultaneously and the eardrums of the human maggots spectating the battle ruptured while the swarm of flies in the air popped into a bloody mass.
“…”
Sungchul continued to approach the High Devil, who had nothing left in his arsenal.
“N-negotiation! Let’s negotiate!” The High Devil spoke in a panic, but it was already too late. Fal Garaz rose again in the air and then it fell. Sungchul put the smashed body of the High Devil behind him as he turned around. Sophia was lying on the floor; her body was riddled with injuries large and small. He approached her to gauge her condition. She was still breathing, but not for much longer.
Sungchul looked over at Elijah hurrying over to the High Devil’s corpse to loot the item on the floor with disinterest.
“Look! Sophia! High Devil! I got the item that can make me into a High Devil! Finally… I finally have the strength to get my revenge on that man!”
He was hopping about while shouting like a madman. Sophia’s dull eyes looked at that excited figure and smiled weakly.
Image space
“…Let’s go.” Sungchul started to walk away.
“Weren’t you going to save her?” Bertelgia asked while following behind him.
“Her death here might be the greatest ending she could hope for. Just so that she could be spared from the hell that would await her from this point on.”
Sungchul let out a shallow sigh as he left the room. Meaningless cheers of celebration echoed out from the empty room of the High Devil
–
It was a usual day of training. Sungchul entered a rundown bar to buy ingredients when he overheard a rumor about a new powerful demon that had made an appearance on the front lines of the Demon Realm. He seemed to have appeared in the area under the jurisdiction of the Storm Battlefront. This devil threatening the Dwarven fortifications was powerful, but it was gaining more notoriety for its unusual appearance.
The devil was terrible to behold as it bled from its empty eye sockets formed after it ripped its own eyes out. But it carried the corpse of a beautiful woman tied to its back. They say that this devil seemed to shout some nonsense occasionally as he assaulted the Dwarven walls which people have assumed was the name of the woman hanging behind him.
“…”
Sungchul did not speak regarding this matter. Instead, he bought a bottle of alcohol and returned home.
It’s almost over.
Sungchul felt the strong alcohol rumbling in his stomach as he looked toward the skyline of the Demon Realm.
***
Lord Martin Breggas looked on at the Knights prostrating before him with a half-hearted expression. The Knights were bowing before him, trying to appeal to his mercy with a low tone of voice.
“Our frontlines have been obliterated. Most of the Mobile Fortifications have been destroyed, and we have lost countless Knights. Without reinforcements, we might not last much longer.”
They were the Knights of the Order of the Iron Blood Knights. It had been quite a long time since the Order of the Iron Blood Knights received concentrated attacks from the Demons. It has long been a tradition among the Demons to halt their offensive during the winter, but they had broken this practice and continued their assault through the winter driving the Order into a corner.
The Order of the Iron Blood Knights had rightfully requested reinforcements and support from Martin Breggas who was in charge of the front lines of the Demon Realm, but for some reason Martin did not send even one crummy soldier to help. It was also becoming increasingly clear by the man’s attitude that he didn’t intend to send any support. As Lord Breggas did not utter a single word, the Knights clenched their lips and left. The eyes of the Knights who looked back from outside the door were filled with rage and resentment.
When the doors shut, Martin yawned as he picked at his ear. His attendant who was standing beside him carefully drew closer.
“Is it ok to just send them back? We analyze that the Order of the Iron Blood Knights are in a really critical state.”
“How critical?” Martin squinted at the earwax that had been stuck to his finger as he asked his question.
“The Order has lost 60% of their military forces. With the exception of their last line of defense at the ‘Fortress of the Iron Blood Cross,’ every other base is under siege or captured. They will not last once spring arrives.”
; “Is that so? That’s good news. I didn’t like their kind from the beginning. Worthless Summoned referring to themselves as an order of knights. It might not be so bad to let them fall given this opportunity?”
Martin drank the milk poured into his cup with a relatively gleeful expression on his face.
“But, Lord Martin, if the Order of the Iron Blood Knights fall, the Demon Army will head to our direction. Not to mention the blame for the fall and destruction of the Order will be on our heads as well.”
“Don’t worry about that. Wasn’t it for this purpose that we poured our hard-earned money to develop our friends over here?”
Martin rose from his seat and stepped towards the window. Beyond the window filled with the blinding rays of the sun, soldiers numbering in the thousands were awaiting orders in neat formations. Soon, a youth dressed in lavish clothes stood on a podium and spoke to the soldiers in a cheery voice. The contents of the speech could not be heard from here, but Martin had a satisfied smile as he looked at the youth’s backside.
“If the Order of the Iron Blood Knights falls, we can just have him contain the situation.”
Martin had countless illegitimate children. Parlim Dargot, the leader of the militia of Trowyn, the army which Martin had poured his heart and soul over for a long time to create, was one such child. Being the child of a dancer at a bar, Parlim could not use his father’s name, but if he were to thwart this demon invasion which put the Iron Blood Knights in peril, then he would be in a position to lay claim as the true heir of Martin Breggas.
“Reinforcements will only be sent once the Order of the Iron Blood Knights falls.”
Martin was prepared to do anything for the child of the only woman he had ever loved.
On the other hand, upon hearing this news, the Order of the Iron Blood Knights prepared to use the trump card that they had been holding back until now.
The Leader of the Iron Blood Knights, Sungtek Jo.
He had once been hailed as a great hero and word of his might was spread throughout the North, perhaps even the entire continent. But he was currently diminished to the state of a local feudal lord. Nothing had been going his way and recently, even his own son had met a terrible end in the Summoning Palace, which caused the world to frown upon him. The situations that surrounded him displeased him greatly.