novelraw Chapter 297 : Demon King (5)
Chapter 297 : Demon King (5)
Not all the Dark Knights surrounding U-jin had fallen into Louis's pit.
Just as U-jin had, there were those among them of the Demonic Species who possessed 'Black Wings,' and they were able to escape the pit in the same manner as U-jin.
However, dealing with that number was not a significant problem.
Bang—!
There weren't dozens of them; the few that remained could be counted on one hand and were easily dispatched using 'Dragoon.'
In the first place, if he lacked even that level of martial prowess, the very notion of a 'Demon King Hunt' would be impossible.
If he were the type to struggle against a few Dark Knights of the Demonic Species to the point where he couldn't even reach the Demon King's Castle, he would likely have been crushed and burst apart by the pressure of even a single finger's worth of the Demon King’s mana.
“....”
Rather, the part that weighed on his mind was Louis, whom he had left behind in the pit, but U-jin soon decided to put that aside.
He had to. It was the only way.
After all, the reason U-jin had brought Louis along was for that very moment.
If U-jin had been capable of shaking off every enemy encountered in the Black Forest and slaying the Demon King all on his own, there would have been no reason for Louis to accompany him.
U-jin could have simply come alone.
Louis was there specifically to perform that task in that place.
Rather than ruining things by lingering on regrets, it was a hundred times better to feel gratitude and focus on doing his own job well.
Step—
U-jin landed in front of the Demon King’s Castle.
And there, before his eyes...
“...You’re a bit late.”
An unexpected figure was waiting for him.
***
“Shuten?”
It was an unexpected appearance.
“...I didn’t think you’d come.”
Just as U-jin muttered softly, Shuten’s presence here was not part of the plan.
Of course, in the very first plan he had formulated, U-jin had indeed intended to recruit Shuten.
However, that was only if the plan had unfolded as originally intended; the current situation was entirely different.
The final destination of the Demon King Hunt that U-jin had originally planned was supposed to be much further down the line.
Whether for better or worse, the pace of the current situation was completely different from his first life.
Due to U-jin’s appearance, Isaac Einstein’s 'Northern Subjugation War trap' operation had been moved forward significantly.
As a result, everything that was supposed to happen gradually afterward was pulled forward, and in reality, things were progressing several times faster than in his first life.
『...To get straight to the point, I’m going to form a party to hunt the Demon King. I’m not just talking about gathering a few people to form an assassination squad. I’m talking about creating a third organization that can stand shoulder-to-shoulder with the Demon King Alliance and the Order Alliance, which currently divide the Upper Plane.』
『.......』
『The members will likely be diverse. It will mainly be a cradle for the non-mainstream. There might be a member of the Demon race like you, who was backstabbed and ended up with a bounty on their head.』
『.......』
『There will be a member of the Demonic Species like this one here, who was dragged by the hair by a Hero and turned traitor. There will be an unusual Hero candidate like me. And a Vampire like that one over there, who has spent their whole life in hiding, will also join.』
According to the original plan, by this point, he should have sufficiently increased the strength of the Beastkin and, as he had told Shuten in Kunlun, formed a third force separate from the Demon King's Army and the Order's army to attack the Demon King in a standard fashion.
That way, the risk would have been much lower, and even if the plan failed, there would have been much more room to maneuver and establish countermeasures.
The current progression and strategy were merely a 'shortcut' that could only be used in a situation that was spiraling toward an extreme.
To put it more bluntly and harshly, it was an incredibly gambling and high-risk method where the entire meaning of his Regression could vanish if U-jin’s plan failed even 'once.'
If U-jin failed here and now, the continent would be destroyed even if he somehow won the fight against the Demon King.
This was because the Primordial Demon was already marching toward the Order.
The only reason he had been able to reach this point was that he had been lucky enough to recruit all the 'Divine Beasts,' none of whom he had been able to find in his first life.
Therefore, the original plan had been completely scrapped.
Although Shuten’s direct participation in the Demon King Hunt operation was part of the original strategy, U-jin had never dreamed that Shuten would show up here.
Smirk—
Seeing U-jin’s surprised expression, Shuten curled his lips upward.
“...Didn’t I tell you?”
“.......”
“That I would be the one to bite him to death myself.”
Well, of course, that didn't mean his participation wasn't welcome.
He was only flustered because he hadn't thought Shuten could make it; for U-jin, he was a reinforcement he was more than happy to see—one he desperately needed.
“...Since we probably don't have much time, let’s go.”
The aspect of the blacksmith he had shown in the Floating Territory had vanished without a trace, and he had returned to being the semi-member of the Suicide Squad U-jin remembered from his first life: 'Shuten.'
A massive height that easily reached five meters.
Great horns sprouting from both sides of his head.
And sharp protrusions covering his entire right arm, shaped similarly to his horns.
A dark gray mace gripped in his right hand and a dark sword at his waist.
And even the scar that split his left Solo Dark Wing in half.
He was exactly the same.
***
The structure of the Demon King’s Castle was incredibly simple.
After passing through the massive outer castle, one would walk down a long corridor leading to the inner palace, which opened directly into the throne room where the Demon King resided.
“...It’s quiet.”
“It is.”
Normally, there would have been dozens of Dark Knights and hundreds of attendants along this path.
Perhaps they had all fallen into the pit Louis created, or perhaps the Demon King had dismissed them in advance, knowing that U-jin and Shuten were coming.
The corridor leading to the Demon King’s inner palace was empty, without even a single ant in sight.
Thump— Thump—
Walking through that empty corridor, U-jin recalled the past.
Specifically, he remembered his end in his first life, which he had met right here.
『...Well, I managed to find you eventually. I was really curious to see what your face looked like.』
『.......』
『Nice to meet you, Demon King.』
At that time, he hadn't entered to kill the Demon King like he was doing now; since he was going to regress anyway, he felt he had to see the bastard's face before he went, so he had headed there prepared for death.
He thought that at the very least, seeing that face would allow him to fuel his will or do whatever was necessary once he regressed.
The leader of the Demon King Alliance that divided the Upper Plane along with the Order Alliance.
The Primordial Demon known as the ancestor of all Demonic Species.
The being who had exerted the greatest influence on the Upper Plane since the ancient savior, the Messiah.
He was curious.
He wanted to know what that being with such a terrifying reputation looked like.
How many horns were on his head, how big he was—useless things like that.
In reality, the Demon King’s appearance was surprisingly ordinary.
There were no horns from his imagination, nor was there a massive physique.
Just a somewhat pale human.
A human with eight pairs of black wings.
That was the extent of the first impression.
『...Surprising. There has been no one who invaded my palace alone in recent centuries....』
『.......』
『Are you truly alone?』
『Well, as you can see, there aren't two of us, are there?』
『...I suppose that is true.』
Chuckles—
Even thinking back on it now, it was a ridiculous conversation.
He suspected he might have been a bit out of his mind back then.
But thinking about it again, it made sense for him to be that way at the time.
『That emblem... are you from the Suicide Squad formed by the remnants of the Order?』
『.......』
『...Strange. I was reported that the Suicide Squad had been completely annihilated, ending with the one led by that man in the bamboo hat.』
『.......』
『Was there another Suicide Squad that I was unaware of?』
At that time, all the members of the Suicide Squad with whom he had shared life and death had been wiped out, and he was the only one left.
In fact, if he had been sane, he would have been closer to a psychopath.
Shakes head—
『No.』
『.......』
『It’s that same Suicide Squad. It’s just that everyone except me is dead.』
『...I see.』
Anyway.
『I did not think the security of the outer castle was particularly lax.』
『.......』
『Is there still a mage of the Order left who can open a path while avoiding the eyes of 'Chaos'?』
Shrugs—
『Didn’t you hear what I just said? I told you, everyone except me is dead.』
『.......』
『Well, I did have a bit of a hard time clearing out those lumps of meat by myself to get in here.』
『...Are you saying you broke through my personal guard alone?』
Step, step—
『You, what is your name?』
If U-jin were to summarize his first impression of the Demon King in one word, it would be 'obnoxious.'
Well, in terms of actual speech, every word U-jin spat out while he was half-crazed back then wasn't exactly pleasant either.
Even though he used refined and elegant language, an inexplicable irritation had welled up from the Demon King.
『You, what is your name?』
Yes. To be blunt, there wasn't a single thing about him that U-jin liked.
『I shall personally remember your name.』
『...Is that something I’m supposed to be grateful for?』
『There are not many names that I personally keep in my memory. Whether you receive it as an honor or not is, of course, up to you, but....』
『.......』
『I guarantee it is not a common occurrence.』
It was likely that specific gaze that looked down on humans which U-jin found distasteful.
『...Seo U-jin.』
『A name that is not difficult to remember. I shall keep it well in mind.』
That tone of voice, as if he were graciously granting a favor in everything he did.
『This is a gift for you.』
『.......』
『Since this is the first time since Isaac that someone has piqued my interest like this, I shall personally allocate some of my time to you.』
『.......』
『You may consider it a reward for coming this far.』
Swish—
『...It is approximately five minutes of time.』
『.......』
『You may ask questions, or you may challenge Me to a duel. This time is prepared solely for you, so do as you wish.』
That attitude that his very existence was naturally more precious than that of a human.
『You may do whatever you desire.』
『.......』
『However, as I have allocated my precious time, I hope you do not waste it.』
From beginning to end.
Every single part of it was disagreeable.
No, saying there wasn't a single thing he liked was more accurate.
『...A gift, huh. I’ve prepared a gift as well.』
『...A gift? That is certainly an interesting story. What is it? This gift you have prepared for Me.』
That was why.
That was why, even more so.
『Well, it’s nothing special. It’s called the ‘Demon King Hunt Project’....』
『.......』
『I don't know if you've heard of it.』
Back then, at the very end of his first life.
The gift he had announced before the Demon King.
『...That, too, is an interesting thing to say. Show Me at once.』
『.......』
『I am truly curious. About this ‘Demon King Hunt’ you speak of.』
『Watch closely.』
He had to personally deliver that gift he had prepared for so long.
Creak—
“...Welcome to My palace.”