Demon King

“Kaha! That one is the key to their defense!”

“Charge! There is only one woman!”

Devil’s Night was a festival for demons, who had lived a long night. To fight was a joy, and a strong enemy was a blessing. It wasn’t that they couldn’t feel pain, but the demons could only look ahead and run even if all that awaited them was death.

“Myu!”

“Hahaha! Isn’t it embarrassing to be killed by a little spider?”

“You’re stuck in the web too! Kikiii!”

In a way, they were purer than anyone I’d seen- purely longing for battle, blood, and death. I grew stronger as I reveled in it, happy with myself. That was why it was so scary. Everything felt so distorted and twisted; it made me feel anxious that I might be wrong.

[You have gained 1,329 experience.]

[You received 91 gold.]

[You obtained a Devil Fragment.]

I looked up and saw the demon I had just killed. It was a higher-level entity. But more than that, this was the first time since my last evolution that I had acquired over one-thousand experience points at once.

“Captain, help!”

[Whoo…]

I looked around, noticing the situation around me. A, L, and Rain were standing upright and using their defensive magic, but Lee Chan-yu and Cain started to slow down. I looked around quickly for Mireina.

“Hey, don’t run away. Come out and fight.”

“Hey!”

“Solas, Mireina…please help everyone.”

“Myu.” Solas, who had been moving freely across the walls with his invisible webs, began to skitter towards Mireina, who was hiding under the wall. He fired out a string to grab her and began to move to assist the others. I wasn’t worried about him, as he was handling the battle about as well as I was. I kept moving, filling in the gaps. The defensive wall made by the three high-ranking individuals was strong, but as a large number of people approached this castle, it was hard to cover it all. It was especially annoying now that stronger enemies were gradually appearing.

“That woman! She uses weird magic!”

“It’s really beautiful.”

“That’s mine, I won’t give it to anyone. Kahahaha!” The voice rang in my ears, and I quickly turned with Ubiquitous.

“Hm?!” Reaper erased my presence, but one of them turned his head. Fortunately, it was already too late as my greatsword went through his neck.

[You gained 1,102 experience.]

Feeling a bit embarrassed, I stabbed through the heart of another demon with a blackmine wrapped around it. As I predated him, my magic spread toward the rest of the demons. It would be hard to kill a race specialized in magic with magic, but it would temporarily stop them. L was right in front of me, the magic protecting her still in place.

“They couldn’t reach me.”

“I know…damn it!” A magic attack resembling a crimson snake flew at me, but I was able to use Ubiquitous to avoid it. The next moment, I returned to where I was, swinging my greatsword as it emitted a dark red flame. The demon’s arm, which held a staff-like artifact, was severed and cauterized.

“Aahhhhhhhh!”

“You idiot, you have to kill them now!”

As I reappeared and moved, countless magic attacks flew toward me. I was surrounded by magic. The magic attacking me, the magic that protected the demons from me, magic to slow me down, and stick me to the wall.

Magic, magic, magic.

I spread the energy of Predation, eating everything I could. Using the mana I ate, I activated my magic. Now the mana around me attacked my enemies, speeding me up and defending me.

“That’s it.”

“Unbelievable…!”

[You have gained 839 experience.]

[You have gained 918 experience.]

[New Magic has risen by 1.]

I swung my sword. Enemies moved toward me as they activated their magic, and more were preparing further away, but my Reaper skill was gradually growing stronger during the battle. Now, it was possible to cut through two throats with a single blow. The energy of Predation swallowed up their bodies without fail.

“He eats magic.”

“Don’t use magic!”

“Catch him! Hold him down!”

[You have gained 1,194 experience.]

[Level up!]

Perhaps this skill with the name of Reaper displayed even greater power amid wide-spread death?

Death.

Bitten to death by Lee Chan-yu and his hellhounds.

Bludgeoned to death by Cain’s massive fist.

A bright and bloody death by Rain and A’s magic.

A subtle death due to an abnormal condition caused by L’s Fascination.

A helpless death, bound and consumed by Solas, who strode the battlefield with a cute battle cry.

I could feel death filling the battlefield. Death from my own hands and the hands of my colleagues. They were gradually connecting to become a source of magic that gave me strength. In the past, I tried to avoid it. It wasn’t a fun thing at all, but my enemy had tried to visit it upon me. I didn’t think I could face it. But now, I knew. Whenever death came, everything’s fair. Through a sword strike or lightning spell, there was a death destined for me. How bright and beautiful it was to argue over life…yes, that was exactly how the demons thought. That was how such violent creatures could make such wonderful smiles.

However, there was no changing the fact that death meant everything was over. If you were drunk on it, only one end would await you. I had to rule over death and avoid what fate these enemies had in store for me.

[Reaper became Lv3. You can sense death better and will become stronger when facing it.]

Silent joy filled me. It was addictive, consuming me as I pulled out the heart of an enemy. The night grew even deeper. There was no time to think and move. The battlefield was full of enemies that would be stronger than me if I had no access to a replenishing supply of mana. Even during the mass hunt in the dungeons, I had never experienced such a thing. Above all, I had something to protect now—the movements I could make when fighting alone compared to protecting something were completely different.

[You have gained 1,529 experience.]

[You received 110 gold.]

[You obtained a Devil Fragment.]

Finally, I looked up, and there were no enemies left. My body had instinctively been moving to dole out death, and now not a single enemy remained. What was even more incredible was that we were all fine. The magic that had unfolded to protect the wall had been absolute. That wouldn’t have been the case if we hadn’t been there to help, however.

“Captain…” Lee Chan-yu let out a gasp.

“That was incredible.”

“It’s not over yet.” Monsters were still approaching the castle from all sides. Most of them were stronger than the previous wave.

“I think the level has risen about ten, but what do we have left?”

“It’s rare to fight while being buffed by L, so fight harder.”

“I think I’m going to die…”

“You won’t.” Since we were bound by a master and subordinate relationship, Lee Chan-yu shared in the experience I reaped in battle. The growth was better if he fought as well, however, and I was hoping he would evolve tonight.

“Fate, I’m dead.” Mireina muttered while lying on the floor of the ramparts. I decided to respond kindly to her.

“Yes, then I’ll burn your remains…”

“Ahhhhhhh!”

“Captain!” I immediately switched my attention from the running away Mireina to watch the approaching enemies. With the fog that was always present in the underground, it was hard to estimate how many of them there were.

“But where were they hiding until now?” Upon speaking the question, A was the one to answer. He dismissed the defensive magic to take a break and scorned my question.

“It should be easy to understand.”

“Is it…?”

“All of us…” He pointed to himself, then to Rain and L.

“Are trapped in this fort. The monsters were trapped in a gap where they couldn’t come out.” A gap that they couldn’t leave. Like Jinma’s Tower, or the Garden of Nak, or the shop. Or maybe an underground battlefield.

“But you guys are here.”

“It is possible for us because we are connected to you. You broke through and brought us here.” There were times when L visited the store, though. When I thought about it, I began to understand. They were only special cases. In that way, they had regained their territory and appeared underground. These demons…

“For them, this is an opportunity.”

“An opportunity?”

“To destroy us and take this castle.” For some reason, it felt like when I was playing games with L before. This castle wasn’t just a building; it was connected to me. It was a part of me. And those higher-level entities had been targeting me, but also L. Not because she was a beautiful woman, but because she built the castle too.

“…They recognize L as the owner of the castle. If you kill her and take over the castle, would something special happen?”

“It’s nice you figured it out quickly. So…” A had a stern expression on his face.

“Don’t let her get hurt. She came here to protect you.”

Only

“In the end, I wanted to say a cool line.”

“So noisy.” I stood up on the wall and looked over at L, playing with the hem of her dress. She was absolutely noble and beautiful. She was also looking over here. Not trying to make eye contact with her, I shifted my gaze to the other side. I could see the demons closing in on the wall and had a better idea as to why they were. I felt a little different about facing them now and couldn’t help but clench my fist. I had leveled up several times through Predation, but would I be able to help us out? I couldn’t help but doubt it.

At least I got used to battling higher-level entities and using my skills. There was also the trick of eating their magic to activate my own. Solas had also gotten stronger throughout the battle, and I wondered if he would evolve. Or maybe we would evolve simultaneously. Thinking about Solas, I was reassured he was there on the wall.

With that thought, I jumped off the wall.

“Captain!”

[No way!]

I ran forward without responding to them, glad that L’s buff would maintain itself no matter the distance.

Like a lone knight riding off to face a dragon, I charged towards the horde of demons alone.