Chapter 178. Evidence of Hell (3)
Kwaaaang!
The feeling was totally different than the sharp feeling when the thunder-god sword was used to slice the opponent.
Vulcan swung the sword as if he was whipping up a storm made out of lightning and fire, and as he hoped, the flame sword cut off the king Athildhu at the waist line with incredible power.
That was followed up with series of high pressurized left handed efrit punches like he was firing a machine gun.
Tatatatta-ng.
Kwakwakwakwakwang!
Unable to withstand Vulcan’s flame sword magic as the demon energy had stopped flowing, the lower body of King Athildhu has dissipated without a trace, and in an instant, King Athildhu has become a maimed skull head with no lower body.
Yet, he didn’t necessarily lose his life.
It wasn’t possible to rest easy with this as King Athildhu had the original lich characteristics which could also be seen in the underworld.
Vulcan swung his sword again, this time going after King Athildhu’s right arm.
He somehow came to himself to certain level, and he tried to execute magic to distance himself while trying freeze magic, but he was in no shape to stop Vulcan who was approaching in a blink of an eye via the spirit of lightning.
Hence, King Athildhu took another shot despite the huge difference in the levels.
Paang!
Thup.
Threeeuk.
Vulcan kicked away the rolling staff that fell out of the severed hand, and extending his left arm, he tightly took a hold of the demon king’s neck.
After verifying the location of the source of life as being in the cranial area, he raised his sword and swung it down at the demon king without hesitation.
Puuck!
Vulcan split the demon king’s upper body and neck as if he was chopping firewood.
With that, all the demons were able to stand up as they were freed from the influence of the king of the ten thousand demons, and they just looked at each other over the situation that has turned around in an instant.
Everyone looked bewildered.
And even Lassium wasn’t an exception.
Rather, he was even more surprised than the other demons.
He could feel it even though he didn’t clearly see what happened as his head had been lowered.
The power of the lightning that he has used.
And the comparable power of the flame.
He realized that the ambience that was permeating from those two magic were the same as the magic that was used by the one who interjected in their battles earlier.
“Why….For what reason do you seek the common annihilation of the demon king and me… No, that was a dumb question.”
He responded to his own question with hollow laughter.
“Even when everyone was on board in trying to build a better demon world… there certainly exist demons that are only after satisfying their own desires. Yes, we are demons. I had forgotten about that…. Huhu, the position of a demon king is something that anyone would desire. Yes, that’s certainly true.”
It was the self-deprecating words of the great duke Lassium.
Vulcan twitched his lips as his words greatly shook his conscience.
Although Vulcan had a very different purpose than Lassium, it was true that Vulcan has used the great duke Lassium in order to make it happen to stay true to his desires.
[The great demon duke Lassium]
[1321Lv]
[Characteristics: Neutral, Charismatic, Intelligent, Benevolent]
[Potential: Ultimate]
* The great duke of Nurhark dimension. He is as strong as any demon kings of other dimensions. Has a non-demon like character, hence shows potential for rehabilitation.
* Has given up to live any longer.
* Satisfied to certain degree, having defeated King Athildhu.
‘…..I’m a god and he is a demon, yet I feel like I’m in the position of being the unbelievably an evil one.’
Well, in fact, the work that he has started was much more evil, though.
Spitting out to shake off that uncomfortable feeling, Vulcan hurriedly swung his sword at the great duke Lassium’s neck.
He thought that as there was an implication that there existed a ‘possibility for rehabilitation’, Lassium would have been redirected to Asgard as it has happened for Belzeram, but Vulcan did not have the confidence in his ability to work out the current situation which have been tangled up so badly.
On top of that, he was already quite busy with executing his quest that he had no other choice.
The great demon duke Lassium, who could have become a hero of the demon world, met his untimely death by a god that surprisingly came from Helkium dimension, and only to dissipate and leave a single item, in the end.
[Legendary level skill – Hell Explosion]
[Level limitation : 1200Lv]
The art of fighting by using flame and demon energy. It was the special martial art that allows explosive movements by setting off internal combustion of demon energy and flame. It could be used as magic or internal energy instead of demon energy, but its power would be weakened.
“Oh, this is an awesome one. Though kinda sad.”
Withdrawing his sword, he picked up the skill book with his right hand and examined it carefully.
Many listed awesome options excited Vulcan, but it wasn’t a skill that went well with him, in fact.
However, as he read the part about causing explosion of flame, he thought that it was worthwhile studying the skill, although it might not be used as his main one.
‘Although I may not use it in its original form, there could be great outcome if I can possibly use it in conjunction with other flame magic. Done.’
Vulcan learned that skill on the spot.
While he was holding the king Athildhu’s cranium, which was left facing the ground, in his left hand, he looked at all the demons that were in a circle.
Flinching.
Although it wasn’t certain, perhaps, not wanting to be on the bad side of the one who demonstrated an awesome power, and would most likely become the newest demon king, they knelt on their knees, one by one.
And they shouted loudly.
“We commit our loyalty to the new master of the ten thousand demons!”
“We commit our loyalty to the new master of the ten thousand demons!”
‘Sorry, I’ll get back to you all later. First, I need to take care of something more important.’
Looking in their direction with sad eyes, Vulcan left the place without a trace, using fly magic.
“Uh uh…..”
“What is happening, anyway?”
The demons didn’t know what to do as if they were kids who just lost their parent.
Without giving another look, Vulcan quickly entered the vacant castle of the demon king.
******
The former demon king Athildhu could not understand the recent development, at all.
He also knew that the bastard that was grasping his head was very strong.
The equipment which he was wearing was also of excellent quality, and his knowledge in magic and the sword skill were both profound that it was difficult to see who would be victorious, even if he was to go against the great duke Lassium.
However, he was not above him, thought Athildhu.
No, he certainly was not.
‘Then how come my king of ten thousand demons did not work on that bastard? This is the authority of the true demon, so it should have worked on any devils, even… Then is it…!’
Is this guy also a true demon! That was what the king Athildhu was thinking of.
However, when he took off the armor and showed his true self after having entered a deep place in the demon palace, Athildhu finally knew the real answer to why his skill did not work on him.
“You bastard god… son of a bitch, why are you here to stir trouble here”!
Kwaanng!
“Be silent.”
“Krrrr!”
Athildhu was slapped on his head by Vulcan’s sticky hand.
However, not paying any attention to his true identity, he kept swearing at Vulcan.
The vulgarity of his language was even a step higher than what he had spewed out during the most recent battle against the half demon kings alliance force, just a moment ago.
After grown very sick of the extreme vulgarity, Vulcan used Lee Jungyup’s interrogation technique.
However, that skill was only effective on the beings which had blood and flesh.
It was a technique that would not work at all on King Athildhu who only had bones remaining, and only a skull at that.
“Haha! You stupid fool! Do all you want with it. I don’t know what you, bastard, want, but you will never make me talk!”
Vulcan appeared awkward for a while.
But soon, King Athildhu had no other recourse, but fall in despair as he heard Vulcan speak with a renewed rejuvenation.
“Alright. If that’s your position, I have other means. You have also heard of Asgard? Even if I do not have a good enough method to interrogate you, the countless number of gods who are there will certainly know some way of cleansing you.”
“…. That, That is!”
“If that doesn’t work either, I could certainly pass you on to the dragon gods that are heavily into magic. Unless you wish to be an undying being that will be used as experiments for eternity, you might as well just want to spill your guts, at this point?”
King Athildhu stared at Vulcan with fear for the first time in his life.
The both options that he spoke of were like the most terrible extreme punishments to a demon than to die and become demon energy.
That bastard seemed to mean what he said as King Athildhu looked at Vulcan’s face which appeared to have been overlaid with a frozen mask.
Finally, King Athildhu had no choice, but to humiliatingly speak as follows.
“What are you going to do with me once I tell you what you want?”
“Without any pain, and without any tricks, I will let you die quickly.”
“….Alright. What do you want?”
Having Athildhu to speak this far, Vulcan let out a big sigh.
It was that the moment that he has been waiting for was at the door steps.
As if he felt excited as if he was about to unwrap his birthday gifts, Vulcan spoke clearly, and slowly to King Athildhu.
“The demon world of demon worlds, lead me to the entrance of true hell.”
“….How do you.”
King Athildhu was in shock.
Although he wasn’t able to put on an appropriate expression on his face as he was only left with bones, Vulcan felt that Athildhu was beyond being shaking, and that he was being astonished.
However, that was all that King Athildhu could do.
There are over 100,000, countless number of demon kings of the demon worlds.
And it was the most secretive place that only a handful of those were familiar with.
How did a mere god know about the place that helps demon kings to rise to higher levels by satisfying their burning combative spirits.
The fact that a god has come to his demon world to cause such a stir was shocking enough, but there was another thing that was even incomparably shocking than that.
But Vulcan did not have any reason to care whether he was being shocked or not.
Having near the end of his quest, Vulcan urged as it was too much to delay much longer for him.
“No need to know that. Will you take me? Or…..”
“I’ll take you.”
“……Hm.”
Vulcan had a distrustful expression.
Based on his reaction, Vulcan clearly knew that the entrance to true hell was highly secretive and important to even among the demons.
Yet, he was ready to take him there without any hesitation.
However, it did not seem right to continue to hold the bastard down and interrogate since he already said that he will show the way.
After nodding his head, Vulcan followed towards the direction that he spoke of, a deep place in the demon palace, and finally there he discovered a secret room.
Squeeeek.
An iron gate opened with an annoying noise as if it hasn’t even been oiled well.
And the wide expansive space opened up on the other side, and visible there inside were three other doors.
Then King Athildhu spoke.
“One of those three doors, the red one, is the entrance leading to true hell.”
As soon as those words were spoken, a ring tone reverberated in his ear.
That has confirmed the words of King Athildhu as being true.
Ring.
[Quest successful!]
[Hidden quest – demon world of the demon worlds, locate the entrance to true hell.]
[Being thirsty for growth, you have discovered the entrance to the fitting place, the true hell.]
[A demon flesh and key were needed to open the door to true hell.]
[After finishing off King Athildhu, obtain ‘the crown of true demon’ and using ‘disguise’ skill, proceed to open the door.]
‘Aha, he led me here without resistance because only a demon could open the door. The way to use the key seemed to be different, also.’
Vulcan came to fully understand King Athildhu’s intentions.
However, he didn’t necessarily feel bad about it.
It was because with the timely and helpful instructions by the system, everything was going in his way.
“I’ll keep my promise.”
“Thank…..”
Puck!
Vulcan crushed King Athildhu’s skull into million pieces with an overwhelmingly magic concentrated punch.
Before him, there appeared the ‘legendary level item, the crown of true demon’ as the system described it, and there came another system alert.
[‘The crown of true demon’ is a high level item that is compatible with the demon king’s helmet. Disguise as a demon by wearing the crown of true demon, then by focusing the magic power, open the door.]
It was the same dry meaningless voice.
However, Vulcan could not help, but somehow think that there was mysteriousness, and excitement in that voice.