Telia, one of the few major cities in the Demon World.
Past midday, as sunset fell and night approached.
WAAAAAAAAH—
At the cheers coming in through the window, General Mol briefly looked outside.
“It is still noisy.”
Instead of answering him, the others also turned their eyes to the window for a moment.
Outside the conference room window, located quite high in the lord’s castle, lights were coming on one by one across the central plaza, the nearby market, and other districts. Demons could be seen laughing and talking.
“......”
Young Master Jimon stared blankly at the sight.
But the cold voice that soon followed snapped him back to himself.
“Let us settle the matter of Count Lupe this way.”
Strategist Ed of the Demon King.
At his words, Jimon turned his head. Looking at that indifferent face, Young Master Jimon twisted one corner of his mouth. He wanted to say something, but someone else spoke first.
“Then I will understand this as the Demon King’s attacks against Count Lupe being halted.”
Aurora of the mediator group spoke in a chilling voice.
“Attacks? Why would the Demon King attack Count Lupe, who is his subject? That is not a fitting choice of words.”
At the strategist’s immediate reply, Aurora let out a small laugh.
“We have come this far. Let’s not keep clumsily saving face.”
At Aurora’s murderous gaze, Strategist Ed soon let out a deflated scoff as well.
“Very well. Let us do that, Miss Traitor.”
At his words, Aurora’s brow rose slightly.
“......”
“......”
Silence fell between the two as they glared at each other.
But Strategist Ed’s expression darkened at Aurora’s next words.
“There will be no more providing demons to the Transparent Blood family as test subjects.”
Aurora’s eyes turned to the documents placed before her.
This morning.
The moment the sun rose, Cale had carried out “purification.”
After that, Aurora had immediately received authority from Cale and had continued a persistent negotiation until now in this conference room, where only Strategist Ed, Young Master Jimon, and General Mol were present.
“Additionally, no tangible or intangible value, including military forces, will be provided to the God of Chaos or the hunters.”
With this, when Cale fought the Five Colored Blood hunter family in New World, the Demon World could not aid them.
“Furthermore, you will publicly announce that Young Master Jimon will succeed Count Lupe, and you will actively cooperate with that.”
Because of Count Lupe, Young Master Jimon was now in a cooperative relationship with Cale. Jimon’s power had to be strengthened.
“And the Demon King’s side will defer its conflict with the mediator group until every hunter family has been destroyed.”
Since Aurora was also Cale’s ally, Cale had created time for them to endure in the Demon World. In addition, Aurora held evidence of the horrific deeds the Demon King had committed.
“However, the mediator group will also defer its conflict with the Demon King’s side until every hunter family has been destroyed.”
Of course, Aurora had also agreed to stop attacking the Demon King. This was not a bad condition for them either.
It meant they had gained time to expand their power and grow stronger.
Young Master Jimon was on Cale’s side, and he had no choice but to move with Aurora. Having gained a base, Aurora would expand her influence even further.
Now the Demon King’s side could not openly touch them as they pleased.
“......”
Aurora stopped reading the negotiation document, which contained even more terms.
Then she looked at Strategist Ed’s stiff face.
“Why do you look like that?”
The corners of her mouth rose.
“Is this not what your Demon King wanted?”
Since the Demon King had decided to move for the peace Cale wanted as much as possible, there were limits to what Strategist Ed could do.
“......”
Strategist Ed closed his eyes, then opened them.
Tap.
Aurora pushed the map on the table closer to him.
Copies of that map had already been handed to Strategist Ed’s subordinates.
Strategist Ed’s gaze moved to the map.
Seeds.
It was a map marking the places where the gray sickness seeds had spread.
Cale had handed it to them. At present, Ed’s subordinates had taken copies of that map and were contacting each region or being dispatched there.
Creak.
Aurora rose from her seat, and Young Master Jimon rose with her.
“......”
Strategist Ed bit his lip.
Aurora, who had acted in hiding, and Young Master Jimon, who had once been nothing.
Starting from this moment, the Demon King’s side would have to watch as their power grew, unable to touch them recklessly.
Most likely, they would become seeds of conflict from now on.
“I will see you next time.”
Aurora and Young Master Jimon left the room first.
“Huu.”
Ed, left in the conference room, leaned back in his chair and sighed.
His gaze went to General Mol.
“What is with that expression?”
General Mol was still looking out the window with a dazed expression.
“I don’t know.”
At General Mol’s answer, the strategist clicked his tongue, then revealed his true feelings with a sigh.
“...I do not understand why the Demon King reacts so much to that human’s words.”
It was at that moment.
“You haven’t experienced it, have you?”
“What?”
The strategist, who had turned his head toward General Mol, flinched.
General Mol looked at him with the sunset window behind his back.
A strange light flickered in his eyes.
It was something uncanny that could not be distinguished as interest, madness, or curiosity.
“Strategist.”
General Mol spoke quietly.
“Your role is to effectively carry out the direction the Demon King has decided on.”
“...Who said I didn’t know that?”
Although his reply sounded grumbling, the strategist nodded.
“I know the picture the Demon King wants. He must want a war that will eliminate his ennui. But that human—”
“Strategist.”
General Mol spoke quietly.
“You still do not know that human.”
“...You are saying I do not know Cale Henituse?”
How could he not know?
He had seen how Cale faced the Demon King.
He had seen him perform purification as well.
Cale was an extraordinary existence.
“Strategist. It seems your view has narrowed because you have only been dealing with hunter brats lately.”
Creak.
Mol rose from his seat and patted the strategist on the shoulder as he spoke.
“You will come to know too.”
The strategist asked Mol as he moved to leave.
“What exactly do I not know?”
Cale Henituse.
He was a great human.
That much, Ed acknowledged.
However, Cale was not a god, nor was he a massive power.
There was not much he could do.
“Mol. I would like an answer.”
The strategist spoke again, frustrated by Mol, who looked as though he would simply leave without answering.
Before opening the door, Mol turned back and looked at the strategist.
Past the strategist’s shoulder, Mol could see the demons truly enjoying the festival and sharing joy.
“Cale Henituse.”
Mol conveyed what he had realized.
“He is a hero.”
The strategist looked at him as though this were absurd.
His expression said, Who does not know that?
Mol ignored that reaction and stepped outside.
He could hear the strategist saying something behind him.
That stubborn, old-fashioned bastard, that bastard who knew only the Demon King—
“He still does not know.”
A hero.
Cale Henituse was a true hero.
He was alone, yet he was not alone.
VRRRRR—VRRRR—
Mol felt the divine relic in his chest vibrate as he left the castle and blended into the demons, among whom the festival was still in full swing even though night had fallen.
Wearing a robe and hiding his face beneath the hood, he heard the demons’ voices.
“It was a miracle!”
“I heard the gray sickness was something the Order of the God of Chaos did?”
“But that person is not a priest?”
“Y-yeah! He is just someone who can perform that kind of purification!”
“It was beautiful. It will be a memory I’ll never forget for the rest of my life!”
The demons were talking as they recalled that sacred moment, one they would hardly experience again in their lifetimes, over and over.
The space that had been rigid until yesterday was filled with warmth and joy.
In the past few years, General Mol had not felt an atmosphere like this anywhere in the Demon World.
“But is that person really all right?”
“I know. He staggered when he came down earlier.”
“It can’t be something easy. It was not a god’s divine power, so using that kind of healing ability must place a strain on his body.”
There were no demons afraid to mention Cale Henituse.
They spoke about him comfortably.
And yet none of them could easily utter talk of the Demon King.
That was not simply because the Demon King was strong and frightening. It was because he was an existence who might become a demon god.
“But about that gray—”
“Yeah.”
“It felt a little strange.”
“Right? You felt it too?”
“Yeah. Demon World mana is gray too, but anyway, being wrapped in gray like that... mm.”
“I understand what you are saying. But don’t say any more. The Demon King’s army is around us too, isn’t it?”
“Right.”
Even conversations shared in low voices reached General Mol’s ears.
An existence who would become a demon god.
The Demon King’s army following him.
What words could not be spoken in front of them?
“......”
Mol did not approach those demons and question them.
VRRRR—VRRRRR—
He merely felt the vibration of the divine relic.
A divine relic passed down through his family for generations.
That divine relic belonged to a forgotten god.
That god must still exist.
Because gods did not vanish.
But being forgotten was the same as losing power.
“...God of heroes.”
That god, who must be sealed somewhere in the heavenly realm.
That god, who had disappeared after an agreement between the heavenly realm and several gods.
Mol, the sole survivor of a family that had inherited the bloodline of a hero who saved the ancient Demon World long ago, murmured the name that he had only been able to mention within his family when he was young, for the first time in a very long while.
“...God of Sacrifice.”
In the central plaza, noisy with the festival, there was no one who could hear Mol’s voice.
The Hand Behind the Back, one who enjoyed striking from behind and never hesitated.
Mol, who had decided never to believe in that god, who still did not worship that god and followed the Demon King who would become a demon god.
He could not stop his heart from surging.
*****
“This is strange.”
Cale tapped the mirror and picked up his teacup with his other hand.
“Human, are you unable to contact the God of Death?”
“Yeah.”
Before coming to the major city of Telia, Cale had found a moment to send a message to the God of Death.
<Let’s meet.>
It seemed too important to convey simply through a message, so he had left word saying they should meet face-to-face. But there was no reply. It had not even been checked at all.
“Mm.”
Cale thought for a moment.
Beside him, Raon quietly held out apple pie. It was apple pie cut into very tiny pieces.
Without thinking, Cale picked up a very small piece of apple pie and put it in his mouth.
“!”
Light filled Raon’s eyes. In the young dragon’s dark blue eyes, he could clearly see that half of Cale’s left arm had returned to its original state instead of being gray.
Purification of Chaos.
When that ritual was performed, the human did not faint.
And he could purify his own body.
That information was deeply engraved in the young black dragon’s mind.
“I’ll send one more message for now.”
Not knowing this, Cale left a message.
“Right.”
What was the point of seeing that God of Death bastard’s face?
He just had to make sure he did not die in half a year.
<The heavenly realm betrayed the God of Balance. Joined hands with the God of Chaos.>
Satisfied by the message that contained the core matter very concisely, Cale turned off the divine relic’s screen.
Then he sank deeply into the sofa.
“Human, then are you going to take care of the seeds first?”
“Yeah.”
He would take care of the corruption of chaos seeds.
Though I think I’ll have to go around the Demon World once to do that.
For now, he had to return his own body to normal here first.
At any rate, the Five Colored Blood family confirmed we are here, so they won’t try to look for us in New World.
During that time, New World would prepare to fight Five Colored Blood.
And his companions and allies in the Third District would have begun plans and preparations to overturn the Transparent Blood family.
Then after handling the Demon World’s matters.
He would immediately deal with the Transparent Blood family, seize Transparent Co.
After that, within New World, he would find the bastard who was going to become the Absolute God, stop him from becoming the Absolute God, and deal with the Five Colored Blood family Wanderers.
“Wow.”
As Cale refined his plan, a sound of admiration escaped him without his realizing it.
“The plan is clean and simple.”
Would that plan go as intended?
Especially dealing with the Absolute God and the Five Colored Blood Wanderers—was that possible?
Objectively speaking.
Cale’s expression grew cold.
With our current strength, we all die.
Even against the third Emperor, Dragon King, all Cale had been able to do was endure and run away.
But they were going to fight Five Colored Blood and win?
We can’t keep going like this.
He had to come up with something.
Munch, munch.
Putting a piece of apple pie into his mouth, Cale sank into thought.
“Hehe.”
Raon laughed brightly at the sight.
Cale was still dizzy, weak, pale, and feverish.
But.
The human has definitely gotten better!
He could see Cale improving.
Raon, feeling relieved, flapped his wings and spoke.
“Are they all coming soon?”
“Yeah. They’re all coming.”
Only Raon and Cale were in the room.
The rest of the group had gone to welcome those who would soon arrive at Telia Castle.
“Then are we fixing Sui Khan today?”
“Yeah.”
Among them was Team Leader Sui Khan.
Aurora said she would bring him soon.
The battle that happened at Moraka Castle last time.
As a result, a top-tier holy knight from the Order of the God of Chaos and several other holy knights had been captured by the Demon King’s army.
To be precise, the Demon King’s side had taken custody of the captured holy knights because the third Emperor, Dragon King, had rampaged.
Among them was the top-tier holy knight.
They said that person is needed to heal the team leader’s wound.
The top-tier holy knight who had wounded the team leader and made that wound unable to heal.
Cale would soon meet him, and Sui Khan, who would arrive afterward, would receive treatment.
“Hehe, everyone is gathering!”
Raon was happy only for a moment.
Knock, knock, knock.
There was a knock at the door.
“Human, Aurora must be here!”
Delight appeared on Raon’s face, and before Cale could say anything, Raon quickly flew over and opened the door.
“?”
Raon tilted his head and widened his round eyes.
Cale’s mouth opened.
“What is it?”
His brow furrowed.
“Sorry.”
It was General Mol.
He hurried into the room and unfolded a map.
The seed locations Cale had marked with red dots.
Ten in total.
Among them, circles had been drawn around two red dots that were close to each other.
“......”
Uneasiness washed over Cale.
No way—
Had another seed germinated?
Even without Wind-Borne Chaos, it germinated this easily, this quickly?
Then why was the divine relic necessary?
For a moment, Cale’s mind grew complicated.
“These two places have germinated seeds.”
The words he had expected flowed out.
Cale’s face stiffened.
“And the third Emperor is there.”
What?
Cale’s gaze moved to Mol.
General Mol spoke with a rigid face.
“The seeds germinated because of the third Emperor.”
What the hell did that mean?
And what kind of insane thing had that bastard third Emperor, who had been making a mess trying to find him and Choi Jung Gun, done?
-Mm.
While Cale’s mind was growing complicated at the sudden situation.
-I’m hungry. I think I’m digesting.
The gluttonous priestess’s indigestion had eased by a very small amount, and the gluttonous priestess began reviving. Of course, the indigestion had not fully gone away.
Starting from the chaos within the forty-three rituals of Primordial Night in the New World holy land, all the way to the Pope’s chaos.
The gluttonous priestess had eaten every essence of chaos the Order of the God of Chaos possessed.
-Mm. But my body itches. Why is that?
She was hungry, but her body itched.
-It feels as if leaves are about to sprout.
The Unbreakable Shield.
The gluttonous priestess, who possessed the wood attribute, conveyed to Cale a sensation she had never felt in her life as she spoke.
-Chaos is edible too. I’m hungry.
Cale sighed as he listened to the gluttonous priestess say she was hungry when her indigestion had not even fully recovered yet.
He had no choice but to reach out.
Munch, munch.
Eating apple pie, he asked Mol. Raon’s eyes sparkled.
“What did the third Emperor do for the seeds to bloom?”
Then he added,
“Do I need to go right away?”
Mol answered the latter question first.
“Yes. Please. Right now, we may have to massacre two cities. Ah, the Demon King has decided to drive the third Emperor out of that city.”
VRRRR—
Ignoring the vibration of the God of Sacrifice’s divine relic, Mol waited for Cale’s answer. For some reason, tension wrapped around him.
“Good grief.”
Cale sighed.
When Mol flinched at that sigh, Cale spoke in an indifferent tone.
“I’ll listen on the way first.”
He immediately rose from his seat.
“Mm.”
But because he stood up so suddenly, his head spun and his body swayed.
Mol caught Cale again, then spoke with a solemn face.
“...You really are—”
“What? What am I? Ah, my head.”
Cale accepted Mol’s support as though it were only natural. Since Ron, Choi Han, and many others had always supported him until now, he had become used to that action.
“......”
Mol silently looked at Cale.
-Human, that demon Mol’s eyes are strange! He looks like Clopeh and Choi Han mixed together!
What nonsense was that?
Cale lightly ignored Raon’s words.
As though it were only natural, he gave Mol an order.
“Bring my companions.”
The legend of the “gray rain” that would cover the Demon World and the hearts of demons was about to begin.
Of course, Cale did not anticipate that fact at all.
And at that time, the injured Sui Khan, Choi Jung Soo, and Clopeh Sekka arrived at Telia’s lord’s castle.
