Chapter 24

I see. It was a deep-rooted problem.

These Reapers were just like the Wraiths we fought recently, and they were categorized as Evil Spirits.

Reapers were much higher in rank though, and unlike Wraiths, they had physical bodies.

Of course, they could also turn into ghosts. So while this one was currently standing with its feet planted on the ground, he could also float in the air.

The more advanced your tribe was, the more power you had in the Demon World.

So in a way, Reapers were among the elite, and yet they were also the most persecuted in the Demon World.

This was because they could use ‘One-hit Kill,’ which was a rather peaky special ability.

“I have heard that the success rate is very low. Not even one percent if it’s used against a Demon King.”

“Yes. The chance would be less than one in one thousand.”

“I see. So it’s nearly impossible.”

But in the past, a group of Reapers took down a Demon King.

And it wasn’t through Gekokujyo. It was more through trickery.

A large crowd of Reapers that could use ‘One-hit Kill’ had gathered together and used it on the Demon King.

It wasn’t known just how many there were.

But they swarmed around him and unleashed ‘One-hit Kill’ again and again until someone succeeded.

The Demon World was in constant chaos. Fights would break out and then settle down.

It had been like this for as long as anyone could remember. Still, there were rules for fighting.

It wasn’t just about killing your opponent.

“Was it good luck or bad luck… No, it must have been bad luck.”

Ruma said with downcast eyes.

They were high but not the highest of the races, and so the fact that they had beaten a Demon King turned out to be the beginning of their tragedy.

“Though, it was also rumored that the Demon King was a great bastard who oppressed his people beyond what was bearable.”

“You are very knowledgable. They had no will to lead the kingdom after him. They just wanted him dead. But perhaps, that was their mistake.”

This had happened long before I was born. I believe it was forty or fifty years ago.

“Then the country was split up by several Lesser Demon Kings, right?”

“Yes. Fara was one of the Generals at the time.”

“Ahh.”

It was no wonder he didn’t forgive them then.

The Reapers had destroyed his country.

Besides, while the success rate was very low, the ability to kill someone while ignoring how powerful they were…it was something to be feared.

After hearing all of this, I was not surprised that no country wanted to take them in.

“So, where have you been these last three months?”

“We fled to the west first and entered Lesser Demon King Leninoth’s country. However, they did not accept us, and so we continued down south and entered this country.”

“You really stick out when not under the influence of an Orb of Control. It must have been hard.”

Ruma nodded.

If your country is no more, then you would have to go to a different country and accept their control.

However, you had a choice to be free as well.

In other words, you could choose to be a rootless tree that was unconnected to any orb.

Of course, with Ruma, it was more because no one would accept them.

From my perspective, the Reapers may have made a mistake in the past, but I didn’t see why it should affect Ruma and the others now.

Of course, that wasn’t going to change Lesser Demon King Fara’s mind.

“…I understand now.”

The Reapers had wandered from land to land and reached here after many hardships.

That was enough to make me want to accept them. But there were a few problems.