Genius’s Godlike Game Broadcast

Chapter 164 : A Better Durante (3)

A Better Durante (3)

A crimson coat and deep red bloody film fluttered in the air. The clash between Lee Gyeongbok and the demon lord filled the screen with deep red hues.

"-Wait;;; He's not dying after all this?"

"-What's up with that regeneration speed?"

"-Still, it's Durante. Guess immortality fits him, lol."

"-No way he's actually invincible though, damn."

Entering a state of concentration, Lee Gyeongbok handily drove the hell lord back. However, since the hell lord was once Durante, he was also wielding the authority of immortality.

Because of this, the showdown was not easily decided.

"-100%, the weak point will show up eventually."

"-Don't you have to use Godple's devil form to find it?"

"-What's with the forced devil form at the end?"

"-Isn't this going to cancel the true ending conditions?!"

"-Guess it means you have to do multiple playthroughs for real."

"-Seriously. You have to spot the devil form weak point in the first playthrough, then only strategize from the second."

There was a way to identify the weak point.

If one used the 'Demon Eye' ability through devil form, the problem would be solved easily.

The issue was that Lee Gyeongbok was on his first playthrough.

"-So, do you have to give up on the true ending?"

"-Isn't that just too much?"

"-Seriously, this has nothing to do with actual Godple skill."

"-But honestly, even the dev probably didn't expect Gaekkeom would get here on the first try, lol."

"-Anyway, to clear it, looks like you have to devilize."

"-No choice, damn."

Viewers were even more frustrated since Lee Gyeongbok was overpowering his foe. The protagonist himself felt similarly.

'I can't see the weak point.'

Even using divine energy, he couldn't spot a weak point. His opponent was truly in an 'immortal' state now.

However, Lee Gyeongbok had no intention of abandoning the true ending.

There was still a method he hadn't tried.

'Guess it was this after all.'

He drove the greatsword into the hell lord's body, hopped onto its blade, then in a swift motion, severed the whip mechanisms on its back, and reached out with his left hand.

The moment the Celestial Cube gauntlet touched the demon lord's body—

'This is it.'

A smile appeared on Lee Gyeongbok's lips.

At the touch, part of the hell lord's body shifted to human form, and at the same time, divine energy detected the weak point.

"-Oh?!"

"-Wow, lol, so you have to dispel the devil form using the cube!"

"-It's not that there's no weak point, you have to make it!"

"-Insane, lol, what a brutal difficulty spike!"

The viewers instantly understood. The key wasn't that the boss had no weak point, but that the player had to create one—a certain gimmick.

Their joy, however, was short-lived.

Keeping a hand pressed on the hell lord while facing him was no easy feat.

"-Ah...!"

"-Got knocked away instantly, huh?"

"-As expected, last boss is beastly."

"-But at least now we know the strategy."

"-Yeah, if it's Godple, that's basically a guaranteed win."

The hell lord immediately twisted his body and knocked away Lee Gyeongbok's gauntlet. The viewers were disappointed, but also excited.

But Lee Gyeongbok betrayed their expectations.

'Now!'

He'd already anticipated the hell lord's inevitable reactions.

This was the real opening Lee Gyeongbok had been gunning for.

Regeneration, after all, began from the wound already made by the greatsword. Thus, the spot where the cube induced humanization was slow to revert back to demon form.

Ali's sword, in his right hand, didn't miss that window.

-?

― What was that?"

― Did that count?"

― Did he really strike that tiny gap?"

The chat was full of question marks. Ali's sword had pierced through the heart of the hell lord, and deep red blood burst out.

The abdomen impaled by the greatsword had just split open, but this was clearly a different result.

Soon after, the hell lord clutched his heart and fell to his knees, demonization gradually fading away.

― Holy crap! He pulled it off! He actually did it!"

― Insane, lol, even Gaekkeom probably didn't expect this clear method!"

― So Durante didn't work, but Perante did!"

― Easy, right? Easy, right? Easy, right? Easy, right?"

― Damn, how'd you do this?!"

― He just showed you. Why don't you get it?"

― Is your name Peter or something? Why not believe?"

― ???: Peter, do I have to dazzle you myself for you to believe?"

― Peter lmao"

― True ending confirmed, right?"

― Half-human half-demon (0 devil forms used)"

― Ah, so he couldn't use devil form because he's a god."

The chat exploded with cheers and excitement at his victory. Just as the cutscene began to play—

['CAP Company_kor' has donated '10,000' won.]

[Honestly... We never expected you'd clear it like this. But actually, it's totally fine to use devil form during the final boss fight! Not using it at all isn't a required true ending condition ㅠ]

The developer's support message paused the cutscene.

-??????

― What's this now?"

― So it was okay to use devil form?"

― Huh? Aren't you supposed to not use it?"

Chat filled with confusion at this surprising information, and Lee Gyeongbok waited for more explanation.

['CAP Company_kor' has donated '10,000' won.]

[Until now, zero devil forms *was* correct. If you use devil form in the final boss fight, durante—the hell lord—will have special lines revealing the level of soul corruption. The ending branches according to that. We didn't think anyone would actually never use it; that made the last boss a total mute ㅠ]

At the second message, Lee Gyeongbok sighed lightly.

"Ah... so that's how it was? I thought—like the viewers—that you weren't supposed to use devil form at all."

― Godple really didn't know, lol"

― Played with zero pre-info (for real)"

― Seriously, godple is impossible to predict!"

― Forced hell lord shut up, lol"

― Why use devil form if you don't need it?"

Laughter swept the chat in response. Lee Gyeongbok cleared his throat lightly.

"Hmm, I'll leave the demon lord's lines for you all to discover."

― There it is! That remark!"

― As always, I'll leave it up to you as gods, lol"

― Black Company at work—nothing left for the rest"

― Black Company specialty: boss takes all the good stuff"

― Seriously? Gimme my share too!"

Seizing the chance to tease, chat broke out, and Lee Gyeongbok stifled a laugh.

"Alright, let's get back on track. Now, for the anticipated ending!"

As he spoke, the previously paused cutscene resumed—a wise move to redirect the viewers' attention.

The hell lord, his heart pierced, slowly reverted into Durante.

"I... did it, huh..."

He looked at his other self, voice heavy with effort.

"I was right. You... are a better existence than me."

A rush of blood flowed down from his lips.

"So in the end, it comes to this... I tried... not to die as a demon..."

His voice faded.

The demon hunter, durante, approached his dying self and looked him in the face.

"Don't worry."

He reached out, touching the face identical to his own.

"Demons don't cry."

The screen zoomed in.

There was no blood on his fingertips—just a single teardrop.

Through those eyes, durante's face was reflected back.

And at his lips, a faint smile emerged.

He said no last words.

His body crumbled to dust like ashes.

― Light-rante, noooo..."

― A hero to the very end, light-rante."

-(crying)(crying)(crying)

― Feels like both a sequel and a reboot now."

― Yeah, letting the console-version protag retire."

― Feels like a baton pass in a way."

There was no time to savor the atmosphere. Suddenly, with a roar, the whole screen began to shake violently.

"What's this?!"

"Master Durante...!"

He turned at the sound. Andro was desperately reaching out.

"Hell and the mortal world... they're reconnecting! Quick, to the seat...!"

He was pointing at the throne of the hell lord.

― So it's because Light-rante died."

― Wait;;; Is this the demon lord transition?"

― No way this is the true ending, right?!"

― Let's not have it fall apart at the finish, please."

Just as the viewers dreaded, durante hesitated to move.

"So I'm the better being, but not prepared for a better way, huh."

He clicked his tongue and rose. His expression was calm, as if resolved.

Chat moaned in frustration.

― Is it really ending like this?"

― There must be a reason for this!"

― This isn't a perfect-ending!"

― I'm filing a lawsuit, lol"

― Insane, is this lawsuit-worthy, lol"

But inside, Lee Gyeongbok smiled.

Unseen by the screen, his divine energy had sensed the arrival of a new character.

And one extremely familiar to him.

"Durante! Wait!"

A voice rang out, and the camera turned.

"Beatrice?"

There she was—the Saint, beatrice—with a resolute expression, running towards the throne.

-?????

― What? Who? Why is she here?"

― No way, is the Saint the true villain?!"

― Wait! This is really not it!"

― This isn't what we meant when we asked to change the ending!"

― Lawsuit loaded and ready!"

― Just what are you suing for, lol

The viewers were shocked.

But unlike them, Lee Gyeongbok was stifling laughter.

The sense he got from Beatrice was still that of a clear ally.

'The chat's reactions are even better.'

But the viewers didn't know that, so their panic was simply adorable to him.

"What are you...?"

Durante ascended the throne a beat late. Beatrice wounded herself with her spear, letting blood flow.

Surprisingly, the tremors began to subside.

― Huh?"

― Not a betrayal after all?"

― What is this—Backstab Crisis or something?"

― See? The Saint is actually the heroine!"

― Saint mastermind theory = Flat earth theory."

― Conspiracy nonsense, lol"

Beatrice grimaced in pain.

"I'll explain later. First, we need to get out of here."

"Wait, how without the Demonheart...?"

"What I did wasn't severing the connection, but shutting it. If we stay, everyone will be trapped in hell!"

She leapt down from the throne, urging Durante to follow.

But he'd barely taken a few steps before looking back.

"Master Durante..."

There was Andro, crawling to the heap of dust—what had been the demon lord—and collecting himself stoically.

Durante clicked his tongue at the sight, then grabbed Andro by the scruff.

"... Master Durante?!"

"Shut up and come."

Hoisting Andro up like luggage, durante ran after Beatrice. She glanced at Andro, nodded once, and led the way at a run.

― Can't leave the loyal retainer behind, lol"

― Is Durante going Black Company too?"

― Isn't this actually Perante now?"

― You can just see Andro getting roasted, lol"

― Thankfully, no demon lord replacement ending, lol"

― Lawsuit canceled."

― Just this once, we'll let it slide."

As the screen faded to black, viewers breathed a collective sigh of relief.

The next scene was outside hell: the ruined city of Rusty Symmetry. Durante, andro, and Beatrice dashed out through the hellgate.

"Whew, that was close."

Beatrice caught her breath and turned. The hellgate that Durante had assembled immediately collapsed.

And not just broken—it crumbled to dust and vanished.

"Not time to relax yet."

Durante raised his head with a stern look. Beyond a massive sinkhole loomed the night sky, seething with growing black shapes.

― Are those demons?"

― Looks like they're pouring through the reopened gap."

― Right, guess so."

― Those guys all escaped through hellgate before it was sealed, lol."

― Damn, look at those numbers!"

― Why does this not look like a true ending?!"

― Who knows, let's just watch!"

Viewers were anxious.

But just then—

A sudden flash erupted in the black sky, demons bursting like red fireworks.

"What now...?"

Durante squinted up, echoing everyone's thoughts.

Under the flashing sky, a round shadow dropped down.

"Oh! Everyone's safe!"

A familiar voice. Lightning flashed again, and the face in shadow was revealed.

"Caron?"

It was Caron, the Church branch manager.

― Had a feeling from the silhouette alone."

― Insane light reflection, lol"

― Natural lighting, lol!"

― Lighting jokes, lolol"

― Damn, this is peak roasting."

― Troopers stacking up those bald-head karma points!"

Viewers laughed at his appearance. Caron rappelled down the rope at top speed.

"Injured—wait, is this one a demon?! Never seen a demon so humanlike!"

He glanced around eagerly, then locked onto Andro with intense curiosity.

Beatrice shot him a withering look.

"Branch manager, this isn't important right now."

"Ah, right. I should give thanks first! This is all thanks to Master Durante!"

"My doing?"

Caron beamed and nodded.

"Of course! Do you recall what I told you? The backup data you passed on had precious info."

"And what does that have to do with all this?"

"Why, these are the data for anti-demon weapons I've been researching!"

The chat buzzed with excitement.

― Huh? That's what this is?"

― Oh? So the backup data causes even more branches?"

― Wow, this is a real snowball effect!"

― Can't believe they just foreshadowed and resolved it!"

― Is this the best-version they were talking about?"

― There's probably even more snowball outcomes!"

Viewers sensed it.

Just this situation alone wouldn't decide if this was the so-called 'best version' as the devs hinted.

"Oh—not just weapon development. There are other possibilities as well..."

Caron trailed off as Beatrice suddenly embraced Durante.

"Oh."

Lee Gyeongbok, still synchronized, felt it too.

― The saint made the first move?"

― God-tier. Game-of-the-year-material."

― GOTY, right? GOTY, right?"

― I want a hug too!"

― Insert flying squirrel meme"

― Even Godple is reacting! Is it that sync thing with Matjji?"

― First smurf to get a hug from the saint, world's first!"

― Jealous now, really."

― Even Perante can get a hug, right?"

His own reaction was brief, but the chat's wasn't.

"Oh, um. I'll head up first."

Caron awkwardly excused himself. Beatrice finished the hug and spoke.

"No, let's go together."

She turned to Durante.

"Thank you. Let's collaborate again."

Durante didn't answer.

Beatrice and Caron bowed, thanking him, and ascended the rope.

Once more, the screen darkened; neon lights flickered and buzzed.

― Happy ending!"

― Safe and sound, lol"

― Just ends with a hug? Really?"

― Honey Squad raised the bar too high, lol"

― Kinda underwhelming though."

― Learn to appreciate wholesome endings too!"

― No, but seriously! This is a little bland for a true ending!"

― True, I guess."

Most thought this was the end and expressed regret. But then a neon sign drew their focus to the cutscene again.

-?

― Isn't that Durante's office neon sign?"

― It's not over, lol"

― Knew there'd be more."

A flickering, crooked neon sign revealed Durante's office.

Durante was feet-up on the desk, perusing a bike catalog.

The only difference from before: Andro was cleaning.

― Why does Andro look so miserable, lol"

― 100% unpaid labor, bet."

― Is this actually Black Company, lol?"

― ???: Provided room and board, what more do you want!"

― Andro has no citizenship, can't even call labor dept, lol."

― Citizenship jokes, lol"

― Illegal immigrant demon, lol"

The light mood was interrupted when someone knocked lightly at the office door. Both Durante and Andro turned that way.

As the door opened, durante spoke.

"You're later than I expected."

The camera followed his gaze to reveal Beatrice in a black tracksuit.

-555555!

― Sporty Saint, damn!"

― Forget Honey Squad, it's all about Saint's club."

― How many times do you switch sides, lol?"

― I bet that's an unlockable skin after ending, lol."

Before the reactions could go further—

"Hiding from the eyes of the Church. I had no choice."

Her line shifted the mood instantly. Question marks flooded chat as the scene shifted again.

A moment ago, when she hugged Durante, now played in black-and-white.

"Don't trust the Church."

Her whispered words replayed, before returning to the office.

"You're betraying the Church, just like that?"

Durante leaned on his chin, face bored.

"Care to explain why."

"... I get that you don't trust me. But I have no intention of deceiving you anymore."

She pulled back her hood, letting silvery hair cascade down her back.

"Durante, you said I had the blood of a demon."

"I did."

"No."

She glanced at her hair with a bitter expression.

"What the Church put in me wasn't demon blood."

"Wasn't it?"

Not just Durante—Andro's eyes went wide. Beatrice's mouth quivered.

"What flows in me—"

But she steadied herself, decided.

"It's angel blood."

With that line, chat went wild.

-??????

― An angel, not a demon?"

― What's going on?!"

― Well, our girl IS an angel, lol!"

― That's not what they meant, damn!"

Lee Gyeongbok felt the same.

"Wow... Guess there really is a late twist."

The viewers, shocked by this development, understood immediately.

― Yeah, no way this ends here."

― Insane plot twist!"

― Guess that was just the regular happy ending—here comes the real one."

― Right, nOW the true part begins."

― Something big is coming!"

From here, it was clear—the true ending, officially approved by the developers, was about to unfold.