Chapter 343. Demon Lord (6)
No one had the time nor the ease of mind to say a word.
In the next moment, every single demon under the mirror’s light disappeared into dust. In just an instant, ten percent of the continent had been annihilated.
“Huu… That took a toll.”
I summoned Sharana and calmed the blowing sandstorm. Absorbing the demons’ mana, I replenished my own. As I swallowed an entire dragon whole, I wouldn’t need to worry about running out of mana, but it was still good to replenish my mana when I could.
“Wow, amazing!”
Seeing hundreds of thousands of demons dying in the blink of an eye, Plene clapped in excitement. I couldn’t tell whether she was innocent or ignorant.
“But Shin, is there anything for me to do?”
Plene looked around the empty field and tilted her head.
“Your power is very important. You can draw out the demons that are hiding.”
“That’s true but… I’m weak.”
Plene replied with a sullen face. While she was strong in her own way, she was the weak one compared to Lotte or Licorice. She simply wasn’t a competition starting from her mana pool.
“No, your ability is just as important as Lotte’s or Licorice’s. It’s exactly what I need now too.”
“Will I be able to do it?”
“You can if I help you.”
Plene widened her eyes. I placed a hand on Plene’s shoulder.
“Sing, Plene. Just think about bringing all demons here.”
“U, Un! I’ll try! I feel like I can do it!”
As she had an obedient personality, she immediately began to sing when I ordered her. At that moment, my horns shone with a fierce light. Plene continued to sing as though she was oblivious. Meanwhile, her song was spreading out faster and wider.
It took less than ten minutes for a change to occur.
“Kyaaaaak!”
“Kuk!”
“M-Moon… Giant moon…!”
I could hear the voices of demons from far, far away. Soon, I could see a sandstorm blowing in the horizon.
Demons specializing in movement techniques were the first to enter my sight, while demons that could fly were the next to shoot towards us in lightning speed.
However, what they faced was nothing but the end.
The ones that managed to let out a scream were the powerful ones that could resist my charm. But most others simply turned to dust the moment they came under the effect of the mirror. Even with other demons dying in front of them, demons continued to flock towards us like how moths flocked to a flame. They were already unable to think clearly.
As she continued to sing, Plene widened her eyes as though she couldn’t believe what she was seeing. When she looked at me disbelievingly, I gave her a smile and gestured her to go on. The golden light my horns were emitting were getting stronger and stronger.
“I’m letting you borrow my charm.”
“Lalala~!”
‘Amazing!’ She seemed to say.
“So don’t worry about anything and continue singing. It shouldn’t take longer than an hour.”
“Lalalala~!”
‘This much is a piece of cake!’ She seemed to say. It was my one-sided interpretation, but that was probably okay.
As time passed, more and more demons flocked towards us before turning to dust. Consequently, a large amount of mana began to fill the area. I continued to absorb them as I enlarged the size of the mirror.
Eventually, the mirror became too big to be captured in my sight, and the amplified power of my eyes seemed to turn even the flow of air slow.
Of course, as Plene’s song wasn’t targeted by my Evil Eyes, I didn’t need to worry about the song spreading slower. Plene’s song spread out as if to cover the entire continent. It would have been nice to close my eyes and appreciate her beautiful voice, but sadly, I had to keep my eyes open to use the Evil Eyes’ power. With a smirk, I added more power to the mirror.
“Dortu, let’s wrap it up.”
[I am Dortu. Understood.]
The giant mirror rumbled. A crack ran down its center, and the mirror began to split. Uncountably many mirror fragments were created, which then quickly flew to their position as though to form a constellation.
“Pretty.”
Plene, who finished singing, looked up at the sparkling mirror fragments in awe. I spoke as I nodded.
“It won’t look that way to the demons.”
A giant mirror might look better on the surface, but many smaller mirrors were actually better for spreading the Evil Eyes’ power.
In just a few minutes, the galaxy of mirror fragments killed the continent’s remaining demons.
“Well done, Plene. We’re done now.”
“Relly? Hehe, that’s great! I wish my charm would grow too.”
“It will in the future. Anyways, let’s take care of one last thing and go back.”
“What’s that?”
Plene tilted her head adorably, but I only made a small smile in reply.
However, not long afterwards, a man appeared in the air. A demon with a long horn. The magic power in his body was undoubtedly of the highest class.
Just like the Army Commander I faced on Earth, this demon was most likely the strongest demon in this continent apart from the Demon Lord.
“You’re late.”
“I am…!”
He gritted his teeth, and I made a sly smile.
“Don’t be so mad. You were just weaker than me, right?”
“Indeed, I immediately set out when I heard the news from the Demon Lord…!”
“Haha, you see, that giant mirror didn’t just carry my Evil Eyes’ power.”
Magic power began to surge from the demon’s body. He spread open his bat-like wings and shouted furiously.
“That giant mirror, it was a magic circle to trick me!”
“Well, it wasn’t just you. It was just a little illusion magic to prevent you and other demons who could withstand my Evil Eyes from finding me.”
When I broke the giant mirror, the illusion magic naturally disappeared. I assumed there would be at least five demons who survived, but it seemed the enraged demon in front of me was the only one who could withstand my Evil Eyes.
“Causing a mess here won’t change anything! Earth will be conquered!”
“But did you know that all the demons that came to Earth have been wiped out?”
I waved my hand in the air. The mirror fragments filling up the sky moved along the path of my hand.
It was as if I was drawing the night sky, almost like a god.
Seeing that, I spoke in a leisure way.
“It’s just you and the Demon Lord now.”
“Y-You devil…!”
“Oh please.”
I snorted.
“You guys were the ones who came after us first.”
“You think we’re different!? No! Just because we had our world’s power taken away, you called us invaders!”
“But you started to look for other worlds after conquering Luka continent. Luka continent’s world power… It didn’t disappear, right? The Demon Lord still has it, doesn’t he? Don’t tell me you’re going to deny it, when I know new demons have been born.”
“…”
He didn’t answer. I shrugged.
“But still, I’ll admit that you guys were the same in the beginning. But you got a twisted start. I’ll correct it now, so something like that won’t happen again. Of course, you’ll still die.”
“Arrogant…! You’ll correct it? That’s what the Demon Lord seeks to do! To claim everything and correct the twisted worlds! You speak just like the Demon Lord!”
“The Demon Lord is wrong, and I’m different than him.”
I retorted coldly. Comparing me with the Demon Lord? Absurd.
This demon was ignorant. Of course, being ignorant wasn’t a sin. He might not have had the chance to find out. It wasn’t right to fault him for that.
However, it also wasn’t deserving of praise. As I didn’t plan on explaining everything to him, I prepared myself to hear his final words.
“Doesn’t the Demon Lord have a weakness or something? You know, don’t villains betray their leaders when they’re about to die?”
“Kill me. I will curse you with all my power! You will carry a curse that not even the Demon Lord can shake off! You will never succeed! This nightmare that reigns over us will continue infinitely without end!”
As he shouted at the top of his lungs, blood was pouring down from his orifices. It seemed he really was casting some sort of a curse. However, I simply snorted at the grotesque sight.
“Sorry to tell you…”
I pointed my index finger towards him. The mirror fragments all shot towards him.
“But I’m immune to curses.”
He widened his eyes. In the next moment, he was swallowed by the flood of metal.
Just a few seconds later, the mirror fragments returned to their position following the flickering of my finger. Nothing remained in the demon’s place, and only the small number of bloodied fragments served as a proof that he ever lived.
“Alright, Plene. Let’s go back. We’re done now.”
“Wooow, you’re amazing, Shin! So cool!”
Plene’s sparkly eyes lit up even more. I patted her head, as I told myself to not let Ina see such a sight.
When I returned to Earth, everything was still the way it was. Truthfully, I was worried that another fifty percent of humanity might have been wiped out, but thankfully, it was just my imagination.
That said, it seemed the monster continent really attacked. I could tell what happened when I saw the golden spear in Kain’s hand.
“Something happened.”
“Just a light exercise.”
If he had to take out a god’s power, it had to be an intense exercise. It seemed Kain liked to act aloof. Thinking he wasn’t a bad person, I asked.
“Is it over?”
“Yep. Earth will meet its own outcome.”
Kain spoke in a low voice.
“So start now.”
“I will.”
Before I noticed, other guild members flew over. No one was in the dungeon.
Hwaya, Daisy, Lebuik, Father, Ye-Eun, Ren, Ludia, Shuna, Ina, Yua, Sumire, Walker, Michel, Ilayda… Other than Sophie, who couldn’t participate in fights because of her pregnancy, Leon, who was given an important task, and Licorice and Lotte who were helping Leon, everyone was present.
“Good work everyone.”
I started off in a casual tone.
“Today, everything will end. Celebration can wait until it’s over.”
“… You’re not taking everyone, right?”
Ye-Eun asked carefully. I nodded.
“I can’t break the Demon Lord’s dungeon, so only me and three others will go in. Magicians whose magic power is lower than the Demon Lord won’t be effective against him, so I’ll take those who can fight in close range. First, Father.”
Including the Demon Lord, demons had a higher affinity to magical combat than physical combat. Hwaya and Ina were catastrophic to other demons, but their power shouldn’t be effective against the Demon Lord.
Hearing my words, Father raised his spear happily.
“Now you’re respecting your father.”
“You’re the only father who’d think that way when being taken to such a dangerous place. Next, Ye-Eun.”
“I’m ready!”
Ye-Eun had a god’s true name. I couldn’t leave her out. Fighting the Demon Lord. In front of such dangerous task, Ye-Eun’s eyes only reflected enthusiasm. She couldn’t be more reliable.
“Finally, Sumire.”
“Yes, Shin-nim! I’ll do my best!”
Sumire shouted valiantly. Kain looked at me as though he couldn’t understand what I was thinking.
“There’s one too many. I don’t think that dungeon will allow more than three people to go in.”
“I put my hands on it before. When those chains come off, the gap in the dungeon will widen slightly. It’ll be enough for four people to go in. Though, you won’t be able to.”
“Hmph, what a shame. I would have liked to see his face.”
I smiled at Kain’s leisurely reply.
“You have something to do too. I’ll leave it to you.”
“No problem.”
Then, next…
I looked up at the sky. It was time. The chains binding the dungeon blew off, and the darkness trapped within began to fill up the sky.
The sky turned black.
Under the artificial sky without a single stream of light, the dungeon opened its mouth as though to swallow more challengers.
From inside, I could still hear the screams of despair and smell the scent of blood.
“Son, are you ready?”
Holding a three meter long spear, Father turned towards me.
“Yes.”
I retorted lightly. I needlessly inspected my equipment.
Steel was covering my body as always. In my hand was the platinum spear that could pierce through anything, one that wouldn’t lose to a god’s divine armament.
Also.
“Sharana, Ruyue, Peika, Dortu.”
[I’m ready, Master!]
[Me too, me too! I’m ready to show off my power!]
[Huhu, with Master’s power, such a boring dungeon will be a piece of cake.]
[I am Dortu. Following Master’s command.]
With them by my side, I wasn’t afraid of anything. Thinking that to myself, I gave them a confident smile. They also answered with a bright smile.
I can do it.
An abundant confidence filled me up.
I pointed my spear at the entrance of the dungeon.
“We’re going in!”