Chapter 22

[Proofreader – GUN]Chapter 22: The Strongest in the Demon Realm (3)

Demon King Velcarion.

Those who witnessed him in the war against the Demon Legion all agreed when they spoke:

‘It feels like all the evil in the world has gathered in one place.’

A being that completely denies the inner workings of emotion, which the Creator God gave to all living things while creating the world.

A presence so beyond any negative description, instilling an incomprehensible sense of rejection.

Even I, who had made a contract with God, felt fear for the first time in encountering him.

A being that perhaps even God feared.

The pounding of my heart, wildly fluctuating, mirrored the instability of my current state of mind.

“Are you really a human? Why the silence?”

Velcarion urged for a response, met with my unresponsive demeanor.

“Are you mute? Or can’t you understand me?”

Not only did I understand every word, but even the slightest nuance.

Without hesitation, Velcarion leapt from the cliffside, landing lightly on the ground where I stood.

“Judging solely by appearances, you might pass for a ten-year-old, yet you’re quite audacious, aren’t you? Not only did you slay the Hellhound in one go, but you even dared to drink its blood?”

With each step closer, memories of the past flood my mind.

The thrill of facing the strongest.

The chilling sensation and the surging vitality that pierces to the bone.

An overwhelming sense of pouring everything out, to the point of not even considering the consequences, was corroding my inner being.

I silently extended my hands forward.

“…?”

Crossed wrists and the tip of the sword pointing forward, two eyes fixed in the grooves of that curved space.

With every possible scenario in mind, I entered the optimal defensive stance.

Observing this, Velcarion burst into laughter.

“Hahaha! This one’s quite adorable, huh? Hey, relax! Who said anything about killing…!”

Velcarion’s jovial face stiffened in an instant.

The distance between me and the Demon King is merely a dozen steps.

If one were to fall, they’d be within striking distance of each other’s noses, but nothing more is permitted.

Even though it might not be visible to the naked eye, a crimson circular boundary has already formed around me.

The moment he takes even a single step forward, he will enter the domain of the killing sword I’ve designed.

A smile returned to Velcarion’s frozen face.

“They claimed your race had infinite potential, but it seems they weren’t wrong, huh?”

As if responding to my resolve, an unimaginable amount of energy surged from the Demon King’s body.

“Do you want to fight me, kid?”

In his outstretched right hand, a force other than mana was gathering.

The power of demons, which humans could never wield.

Both sides were prepared, and all that remained was whose foot would land first.

[I’ll ask anyway, who’s that guy?]

Kaeram, who had been silently observing, finally spoke up.

“The Demon King.”

Contrary to expectations, she showed no surprise.

It seemed she had already anticipated his identity to some extent since their first encounter.

[So, he’s the one I sacrificed my soul to destroy in my past life?]

“Well, fundamentally speaking, yes…”

Strictly speaking, it wasn’t the Demon King that Keram had destroyed, but the weapon he possessed, the Death Sword.

However, there was no Death Sword in the Demon King’s hand now.

Not just his hand, but upon examining various parts of his body, there was no trace of anything resembling a sword.

Since it wasn’t a small sword like Keram’s that could be concealed in his arms, it would have been obvious if he had it.

But now it’s gone?

[So, do you have confidence in winning with such a messed-up body?]

In truth, even without it, the chances of winning weren’t high.

Honestly, my body wasn’t in a normal state right now. After being involved in several events overnight, my strength was almost depleted, leaving me almost drained.

Unbeknownst to me, even the hand holding Keram was trembling slightly.

This is too much of a long shot to gamble on…

Can I really win against that Demon King in my current state?

– Thud!

“…?”

Suddenly, the power gathering in the Demon King’s hand dissipated in an instant.

As I raised my head in confusion, he waved his hand toward me.

“Alright, alright. What am I doing fighting a kid like you… I’m not going to mess around, so relax, kid.”

The intense energy that had filled the air vanished in an instant.

It was a dubious situation, but I couldn’t let my guard down.

As I raised my sword higher, readying myself, the Demon King suddenly flopped down on the ground.

“Seriously, I’m not doing anything! Even though I may be a scoundrel, I don’t mess with kids! If it’s really bothering you, should we just lay down and talk? Like this? Would that make you feel better?”

He looked anything but a Demon King, more pitiful than anything.

Whether it was his desperation or not, I found myself lowering my sword and easing my guard.

“This kid has a lot of suspicion, and just looking at you, you won’t get stabbed in the back later.”

“…!”

His mention of ‘backstabbing’ made me flinch for a moment.

But I didn’t show it, continuing to gaze at him with restrained eyes.

“Okay, let’s go back to the question earlier. Kid, are you human?”

I silently nodded.

“How did you end up here?”

“…Swept away by the currents.”

“Swept away? So it wasn’t intentional?”

After hesitating for a moment, I nodded once again.

Although he had asked and I had answered, he genuinely seemed to be asking without any ill intent.

“Okay, fine, let’s say you ended up here, but you’re quite an odd one, aren’t you? You look like a regular kid, but you’re emitting an unusual aura, and what’s your identity?”

“Just a normal human…”

It seemed like the only fitting explanation.

“Heh! Don’t tell me to believe that, huh? Why would a regular human be drinking Hellhound blood? It’s not like it’s your usual snack. Or were you just too hungry to notice?”

“It’s none of your business what others eat, right?”

Even with a provocative response, the Demon King maintained his unchanging smile.

“You’re quite defiant for a kid. It’s not that I care what you eat, but it’s just a suggestion to eat in moderation. From what I can tell, you haven’t just had it once or twice, and if you keep it up, you might attract some nasty beasts with your scent, you know?”

It wasn’t particularly surprising since I already knew the fact.

Despite my rather nonchalant expression, Velcarion frowned for a moment before chuckling.

“Hey kid. I’m not bragging, but even if I look like this, I’m quite an authoritative figure among the demons on this land you’re stepping on. To be honest, there’s hardly anyone in this demon realm who doesn’t know me…”

Well, it makes sense. It wouldn’t make sense to live in the demon realm and not know the Demon King.

“But you, kid, are not a demon but a human, and you’re here in the demon realm for the first time, right?”

Once again, I nodded.

“Well, it’s definitely our first meeting, so why does your face look so familiar? Earlier, the way you were on guard and all, it’s like you know who I am…”

He really wasn’t one to overlook details.

To calm my nerves, I swallowed hard, feeling the dryness in my mouth, and a trickle of cold sweat dripped down my neck.

“Where have you seen me before….”

“But it’s our first time meeting, right?”

Of course, it was limited to this lifetime.

Although he could have been suspicious of the quick response, he seemed to accept it.

[Proofreader – GUN]

“Well, considering it’s my first encounter with a human, where would you have seen me? Or do humans naturally have such an indifferent personality?”

Honestly, it’s quite fascinating to be having such a casual conversation with the Demon King.

Normally, if he wanted to ask something, he wouldn’t engage in conversation.

Instead, he would block my escape routes by tormenting and torturing me to get what he wants, then casually discard me once he’s done…

This demon, is he really the Demon King I knew?

“…Why are you here?”

For the first time since starting this conversation, I threw out a question.

“Me? Well, I was originally just patrolling around here with some nagging demon. While we were at it, I sensed a strange energy coming from this valley, so I decided to check it out. Never in a million years did I expect to find a human here.”

“Patrolling?”

“Yeah, patrolling! It’s basic for a Demon King like me to patrol the lands I rule. Actually, I usually skip it out of laziness, but this time, I had no choice because of that nagging demon…”

As he continued his story, his expression suddenly twisted.

It was as if he realized he had said something he shouldn’t have.

“K-Kid. What, what did I just say?”

“It’s basic for a Demon King like me to patrol the lands I rule, right?”

“Uh, yeah, that’s right…”

Velcarion scratched his head, looking somewhat embarrassed.

“Aren’t you surprised?”

“About what?”

“I just said I’m a Demon King, and you’re not surprised at all?”

“….”

“Did you really see me somewhere before? Otherwise, even the most clueless kid wouldn’t react so calmly to hearing the term ‘Demon King.’ Did you grow up never listening to your mom? Did she tell you the Demon King would get you if you didn’t listen?”

I don’t understand what’s going on here.

Certainly, the Demon King I’m seeing now isn’t the ruthless Demon King I knew.

Could it be that even the Demon King wasn’t inherently evil from the start?

If I don’t drastically change the course of history, the invasion of the Demon Army is inevitable in the near future.

If this calm and straightforward demeanor is the Demon King’s true nature, then what could have transformed him?

Ultimately, am I destined to fight against this changed Demon King once again?

“The more I see, the stranger you seem, huh? Anyway, you need to return to where you came from, right? Is it just following this river back?”

“That’s the plan.”

“Yeah, staying in the wrong place for too long only brings discomfort. It was nice meeting you, kid, even if it was brief. I don’t think you need to worry about the Hellhounds anymore, but still, take care.”

I received a kind farewell, advising me to be careful.

Is this really the end?

Unlike a moment ago when I wondered if I could make it back alive, now it feels like it’s all ending too abruptly.

With a lingering sense of caution, I turned away, but my steps didn’t seem to come easily.

It felt like there was something very important I needed to ask.

“You…”

“Hmm?”

“If you really are the Demon King…”

Swallowing hard, with my heart pounding loudly in my chest, I turned to face him once again, and finally, the words crawled out of my mouth.

“What do you want as the Demon King?”

It was a question filled with so much meaning.

Furthermore, it could be the fuse for how I would be intertwined with this existence of the Demon King in the future.

Velcarion looked at me with disbelief in his eyes.

“This kid, turns out he’s not just bold, but rather audacious, huh?”

After maintaining a stationary posture for a while, he finally lifted his foot and approached me.

The ten feet distance quickly closed to just the width of a finger.

“What do you want as the Demon King?”

His towering physique, twice my height, looked down at me with an intense gaze.

“Do you think there’s anything special? Just as long as the people under me live well and prosper. That’s the role of a king… But!”

The eyes of the spirited Demon King flashed for a moment, and the suppressed energies within him burst out.

A chilling grin formed on his lips, as sinister as a rising conqueror’s.

“If there are those who dare to hinder me! If there are those who go beyond hindrance and cause harm! I will not hesitate to annihilate all who trespass my land and bring harm to my kin! It is my duty as the ruler of this land and as the Demon King!”

It was a very brief moment, but I could clearly feel it.

The cruel aspect of Demon King Velcarion that I knew…

Though he was currently restrained by unknown shackles, those shackles could be released at any moment, reminding me once again that the day of chaos for the world would come.

I’m not sure if I can stop that predetermined future.

But there was one thought in my mind as clear as day.

“Demon King, would you be willing to make a deal with me?”

“A deal?”

Velcarion scratched his head at the sudden proposition.

“In the future, who knows what may happen to you, but it could bring about a tremendous change that could overturn your current mindset as the Demon King. It could be as if turning the world upside down…”

“Why suddenly talk about such nonsense? Why would I, who have a perfectly fine world, need…”

“I don’t know what will happen. But one thing I can tell you for sure is that you will change completely because of it. And because of your transformation, it will likely have a significant impact on our human world…”

As if realizing that my words weren’t just empty talk, he responded with a serious gaze.

“Are you suggesting that I invade your land?”

“That’s why I propose a deal. No matter what happens, please refrain from crossing into our territory.”

The Demon King chuckled.

“Hah! Are you some kind of prophet, kid? It’s funny enough that you’re suggesting we make a deal out of the blue, but now you’re asking me not to cross into your land? Fine, if I don’t cross over, what will you do for me?”

“I’ll help you.”

Seemingly not understanding the offer to help, he looked puzzled.

“What do you mean, help?”

“Anything. I’ll help you overcome any threats or difficulties you face. It will definitely be of great assistance to you.”

The Demon King remained silent, gazing intently into my eyes for a moment.

I waited silently for him to speak.

“Kid, what’s your name?”

“Cyan Vert.”

“Cyan Vert… Very well, as the ruler of the Demon Realm, I promise. No matter what happens, I won’t invade your land.”

The Demon King readily agreed to my deal.

“However, your promise to help with anything carries responsibility. I dislike people, whether young or old, who don’t keep their promises.”

I nodded silently.

While I wasn’t sure if this deal would extend to the near future, if we ever meet again, at the very least, there shouldn’t be a clash of swords between us.

The best scenario would be if we never met again… S~ᴇaʀᴄh the ɴ0velFɪre.nᴇt website on Gøøglᴇ to access chapters of nøvels early and in the highest quality.

I embarked once again on the journey back to the frontline.

[Proofreader – GUN]