◈ Episode 434. I Thought So (1)

Cooperating on a demon topic?

That can’t be easy, but we’ve come to an agreement.

Or maybe I’ve been bothering you a bit?

‘Because I know you’re good. Let’s relax our shoulders, Grandfell.’

I silently review the emergency update.

Eight high ranking Demon Kings, not including me and Bael.

They’re not in reality, not on the Arcana continent.

They were coming from the rift.

‘I honestly didn’t expect this.’

That’s to be expected.

The Rift is the space of the Anomaly.

Even I, who holds the title of [Great Master of Anomlay], have yet to fully understand the Rift. However, the Eight, the High Ranking Demon Kings who were born and raised in the realm of the Anomaly, have joined forces.

It would be better to have a blank sheet of paper.

‘Maybe we can have some influence.’

Reality’s reaction?

The world would be shaken.

Possession alone is annoying enough, but a new status abnormality called Corruption, which can turn ordinary monsters into demonic monsters?

They might be thinking, Where did all those nasty things come from?

But even that’s only part of the story.

When you consider the true nature of the High Ranking Demon Kings…….

‘That’s not real power.’

Rift.

Because it was unstable and used a strange medium that even they didn’t fully understand. The Eight High Ranking Demon Kings are simply not utilizing their full power.

It was also the reason why I could step forward as usual.

“At your service, Commander in Chief.”

Imperial Palace.

The Holy War Alliance players, who had also received the news of the current situation, sent me determined glances, especially Nam Taemin.

“We can’t let them go so easily.”

The rift collapses.

‘It’s been peaceful so far.’

It’s hard to say it’s thanks to me…….

It’s true that we’ve gotten better at dealing with collapsing rifts in recent years.

Or rather, the frequency with which they collapse in the first place has become extremely low.

Of course, the Holy War Alliance players gathered here are all veterans from the days of the Arcana continent. They had experienced the terrible early days of the Cataclysm firsthand.

‘To be fair, I, as the Commander in Chief, did not experience it properly…….’

Still, I remember that in the early days of the Cataclysm, there was a lot of casualties caused by monsters that regurgitated from the Rift. Thanks to that, I can imagine the players’ feelings.

A short silence.

A determined voice continues.

“The continent has been torn apart, but now it is calm. The Empire’s Knights of the Lionheart can now afford to go forth, Commander-in-Chief. Please allow the Knights of the Lionheart the opportunity to return the favor to the world of adventurers.”

It was Harkon.

‘I suppose you’ve grown accustomed to the real world.’

The empire now had 4 Houses and a continent’s worth of great powers at my beck and call. I flicked the quill around in my head.

‘I may be able to close every rift on the planet in a matter of hours, real time.’

The calculation even considered emergency updates.

Some might say that’s an exaggeration, but it’s not.

Who’s the bubble-filled Holy War Alliance?

And it’s not like the real High Ranking Demon Kings have returned.

This is just a taste, right?

Besides.

It’s not like we’ve never been at full strength.

The proverb that it is better to hold a blank piece of paper can also be invoked here.

But his stubbornness has always been a problem.

Anyway, love his discipline……!

“I’m afraid not.”

I replied firmly.

“This is my war alone.”

And so it was.

The problem was that the cause of the situation was the Battle for the Demon Kings. The High Ranking Demon Kings of the Eight hadn’t come through the rift to devour the Arcana continent or reality.

It was simple.

‘They joined forces because they didn’t like me, those bastards.’

I, Lee Hoyeol, may be shameless, but I have no conscience.

Of course, in the grand scheme of things, this is a battle against the demons.

I could have called it a Holy War, but…….

After all, wasn’t it my occupation of the Ten Thrones that caused this?

So I’m going to cut myself off.

“But, all over the world, the rift is……!”

Nam Tae-in struggled to stifle his rant. Harkon and the other Arcanians nodded in agreement, but the players would have a different opinion.

“……I apologize.”

There’s no need to apologize, I understand.

“You must be worried.

Actually, I’m worried, too.

I wonder if my ‘flesh and blood’ will be caught in the collapse rift.

It’s normal to think about it.

But in that sense, there’s nothing to worry about.

“I will protect them.”

You’ve seen it, haven’t you?

Grandfell’s terrible inevitable blood love……!

I was now desperately trying to suppress Grandfell’s temper.

“Even your share.”

So instead of worrying about reality.

I hope you worry about me.

Please, don’t let me, Lee Hoyeol, suffer from the Blackening.

“I will take care of the Arcana Continent during my absence.”

Immediately, I manifested a portal.

Gooooo─

I was about to step through the portal, but then I turned around. I can’t say it in words because of Grandfell style of speech, but I felt like I had to say it no matter what.

I said sincerely.

“You’re here so I can be away.”

“……!”

I’ll always be grateful to you, everyone, for your sheer, for following Grandfell pride. More than that……. I counted the numbers in my head, one, two, in the portal’s light.

‘You said eight pupils, surely?’

……How come, isn’t one more?

I was ranked 10th, before killing Buer.

I was 4th in rank when I cast Gamigin into Hell.

The pinnacle, according to Dark Dragon, who observed the Demon World.

Bael never reached an agreement with the rest of the Demon Kings.

He didn’t even speak to them…….

‘……What if?’

Gamigin, are you by any chance still alive in Hell?

*

A single pupil burned in green flames.

‘I feel dirty.’

Lee Yerim shook off her annoyance and quickened her pace.

The tips for dealing with rift collapse, which she’d seen so many times on TV, had come in handy. Or should it be said that she was lucky?

The guy on the subway who started screaming.

“Holy shit, that’s the Senior Mage of the Magic Tower!”

Where his finger pointed, there was a man and woman levitating in the air.

Unusual attire and an imposing presence.

They were the Senior Mages of the Magic Tower, a group that no player could face.

“Really?!”

It’s no wonder the general public was surprised.

Especially now.

“I’m alive……!”

“Haah. I thought I was going to die.”

“I didn’t think I’d live so close to the Magic Tower. I didn’t think I’d end up paying with my life for a Seoul apartment rental…….”

Literally magic.

The monsters that poured out of the collapse rift were evaporating neatly.

Not a single drop of flesh or blood was spilled.

The tension had been broken, and there were murmurs of admiration all around.

“It’s even better in real life!”

Heads cocked.

‘…… Is that tidy?’

The only one who couldn’t easily relate was Lee Yerim. Perhaps it was because of the winged letters that Hoyeol, the family’s filial son, sent her every dawn, and her eyes had gotten used to the magic.

Lee Yerim muttered.

“……Wait a minute, if you think about it, Ho-yeol is your co-worker, right?”

Hoyeol, that’s the Chief of the Magic Tower.

Shouldn’t I at least say hello to him and ask him how he’s doing at the Tower? As the only big sister in the world, I couldn’t help but ask.

“You can evacuate this way!”

Well, now would not be the time.

Yerim shrugged her shoulders and followed the instructions.

It was that moment.

Kugugugung……!

A loud noise was heard from behind.

“!”

The ground shook violently.

The shock caused Lee Yerim to fall to the ground.

Whoosh.

Rising dirt and dust.

In an instant, she was suffocated.

Through barely open eyes.

“……?”

I saw rubble.

The subway exit had collapsed.

The players leading the subway passengers shouted.

“Thankfully, there seems to be no damage!”

“What happened all of a sudden?”

“The monsters that were regurgitated must have been handled by the Magic Tower…….”

“Then again, could it be that a Evil Eyes has appeared here as well?”

“But, didn’t you say that thing has no attack ability?”

Evil Eyes.

“……!”

Lee Yerim’s ears perked up at that word. Evil Eye’s pupils, which were supposed to be merely smiling, seemed to be staring at her, contrary to what she had heard.

‘Especially those eyes that burned with green flames…….’

After all, it’s not something to be taken lightly, is it?

Perhaps, it may be information that may be of some help in dealing with the Evil Eye. Not only to the players, but to the Senior Mages of the Magic Tower who were struggling in the sky. And to her only little brother, Hoyeol’s coworkers.

jeobeog.

“Hey.”

Determined, Lee Yerim took a step toward the players.

It was then.

At the same time, Evil Eye soared into the air.

In a different form than before.

hwaleuleug─!

“What, what?!”

“That’s different from what I heard, isn’t it?”

“Not eight, but one……?”

Evil Eye.

The pupils were wide open, engulfed in green flame.

A moment of panic.

The two players reflexively raised their weapons toward Evil Eye.

But that Evil Eye were fixed on Lee Yerim.

It didn’t matter what level the players were. The Senior Mages, realizing the situation, were approaching, but Evil Eye’s gaze remained fixed on Lee Yerim.

Yes, that Evil Eye was whispering only to Lee Yerim.

-□□□□□. □□.

It’s a demonic mental attack that no player can withstand.

No wonder non-players couldn’t resist it.

Moreover, the opponent was a High Ranking Demon King.

Even with the Demon King.

Even with the Great Evil.

A Primordial Being of the Demon World.

This means that it is not strange if you lose your mind simply by encountering it.

But not Lee Yerim.

At this moment, Evil Eye wasn’t the only thing in Lee Yerim’s vision.

“……I knew it was you.”

Evil Eye burned with green flames in the sky.

In the sky above the sky that is even more distant than that.

Her only little brother.

There was Hoyeol.

Everyone in the area was bowing their heads towards Hoyeol.

Is he respected as a boss at work?

I don’t know if it’s because he’s the boss.

Of course, the Chief Mage of the Magic Tower.

Even the monsters that were rampaging through the center of the city.

Lee Yerim muttered.

Yi Yerim muttered.

“All demons obeys and bows down……. The Second Coming of the Heavenly Demon…….”

The corners of her mouth slowly rose.

“See. Next time. Cheonma (Heavenly Demon). I’m right, right?”

.

.

.

It was as expected.

The reason it had eight pupils was because Gamigin that had fallen to hell was tenaciously alive. I had guessed. It hadn’t been a clean kill like Buer’s.

Of course, there were some things I didn’t expect.

-I will take it. you.

I can’t believe he’s actually talking to Lee Yerim like that.

Of course, there was no need for unnecessary conversation with my prey.

I simply raised my hand.

I looked at the situation from higher in the sky.

Chaotic city center.

Monsters on the rampage.

Malice in the air.

What a mess.

I can see why Dark Dragon said what he did.

-“You must be able to instill such overwhelming fear that even the most clueless of demons will obey you.”

Finally, I was convinced.

I wore gloves.

A Mythic item, the legacy of Eunaxus.

Manmaangbog.

All demons obeys and bows down?

Regrettably.

[Your voice contains the words of an elder dragon.]

For this is the king of all, beyond evil, to whom all things obey.

‘So you understand?’

I’m not some kind of Heavenly Demon……!!!