What is a Demon King?
They are referred to as invaders of the world, rulers of evil entities, or the nightmares of living races.
And if there is a Demon King, there must be heroes and maidens to oppose them. Shia held the role of the maiden in the previous world.
From the circumstances observed, it is presumed that the Demon King hasn’t even descended in a physical form; all fragments have yet to arrive on Earth.
Just look at the hatred and curse of Hyung-An’s Mermaid Princess, from which a fragment of the Demon King was born—it’s a plausible thought.
And while I’ve been smashing those fragments like they were mere mobs, the existence of the Demon King itself is a great evil that can destroy the world just by existing. Even I, who has become much stronger than when I faced the Demon King in the previous world, can’t let my guard down at all.
The fragments, though they are just remnants, carry significant influence, as they devour and battle among themselves.
If given a little time, the fragment lodged in the raid boss with a fox face in the Mutation Raid Dungeon could have taken numerous lives.
And if I hadn’t dealt with the threat in time, the Daesanrim where Olgania was located could have faced the risk of the entire Elf race being wiped out or succumbing to evil and becoming minions of the Demon King.
From what I’ve gathered from officials of the San Guild or what Yujin and Yeonseo Unnie said, it seems the fragments of the Demon King have penetrated the ranks of global leaders, heads of state, or members of Great Guilds, now parasitizing them.
‘Well, there are some like the Demon Tea Bag fragment that simply want to live peacefully and are relatively gentle, but if all these fragments gather, those tea bag types will be exterminated, and the original Demon King I knew will descend.’
Just as I’ve become aware of their existence, the fragments must have sensed my being as the Mangja Seongnyeo, so they’ll try to pull some tricks. But honestly, I’m not worried unless the complete form descends.
Thus, I headed towards the place known as the Sinyeoul District mentioned by Yujin.
Here, a vast barrier net had already been deployed. To prevent contamination from any potential toxins or unknown radiation, Hunter agents wearing protective gear were setting up various tents and temporary base camps, controlling the surrounding area.
“Identity verification. Hunter Isia… confirmed. Please proceed inside.”
“Did you know I would come?”
“Hunter Tia informed me. She instructed to escort you inside immediately upon your arrival.”
Hmm, Tia?
Come to think of it, I heard that Yujin was leading the Returnee Group with government approval.
I always tease Yujin as a Fake Hero, but seeing how often she attends National Assembly sessions and manages various governmental matters alongside Olgania, it appears she holds quite a bit of influence.
As I stepped into the barrier, the orange opaque screen that was hiding the existence of the Demon King’s Castle came into view.
Even more agents than outside were investigating the trees, soil, and inserting long pumps into the ground to examine the water quality.
When the Demon King descends, the surrounding land and water begin to be eroded by evil, but so far, I haven’t seen any notable mutations in my view.
‘Hmm, it indeed looks like the Demon King’s Castle.’
The form itself resembles a Demon King’s Castle, but instead of a structure shaped like a castle, it appeared as if a giant shadow and darkness were forcibly molded into a castle form—something I had witnessed in my previous world.
When I killed the Demon King, the castle collapsed into a massive That Bottomless Pit… and somehow, I ended up arriving on Earth through that pit.
‘Is it possible that the Demon King’s Castle followed me here when I came to Earth? Given it’s a demon’s dwelling, its very existence could be anomalous, demonstrating intelligent and malicious movements, which wouldn’t be surprising…’
If this is really the case, the mere appearance of the Demon King’s Castle itself might have originated from me.
Sigh, then I really do need to resolve this.
While I pondered and looked up at the castle, someone tapped my shoulder.
[Shia.]
“Oh, Tia!”
[I hope you have been well? It’s been a while.]
“Yeah, yeah!”
As the Skeleton Knight Tia arrived, the agents managing the situation around made way for us.
[To be honest, I should have come to see you sooner, but many things occurred. You seemed rather busy with Elf matters as well.]
“Eh, I’m not that busy. The truly busy ones would be Yeonhwa and Menelapie, who goes to the National Assembly in my place.”
[Menelapie…?]
Oh, right. Tia was part of the Royal Palace Knight Order, which had sworn allegiance to Menelapie in her previous life.
Although it’s irrelevant now that she has become undead, it seems Menelapie’s name resonates strangely with Tia.
[It’s odd… I feel like I have a heartbeat even though I don’t have one.]
“Speaking of which, you should meet Menelapie once. I think she’ll be quite happy to see you.”
[…Menelapie. Menelapie… It seems meeting her after this matter regarding the Demon King’s Castle would be nice.]
“But before that, I need to fully deal with the Demon King’s Castle first…”
[Then let me start with a situation briefing.]
Tia began to easily brief me on the surrounding situation, as if she had been waiting for me.
The Demon King’s Castle appeared six hours ago; so far, no unusual incidents have occurred. However, upon recognizing the existence of the Demon King’s Castle, Yujin arrived here immediately and began preparations to breach it.
[Both Yujin and I, as well as the Hunter Association and the government, are closely monitoring the situation.]
“Yet it hasn’t even been reported on the Hunter Association’s official documents?”
[A direct order came down from above. They must want to resolve it quietly without public notice, so they instructed to keep it from civilians and the general public.]
As Tia said this, she activated her smart watch, projecting a hologram.
The hologram displayed the Hunter Association website, various internet community boards, and news banners—incredibly, it showed no reports of the barrier being raised in Busan, suggesting that the government might at least be somewhat aware of the risks posed by the Demon King’s Castle.
Usually, when new dungeons or unusual incidents arise, they are announced on the news first. Despite various channels dedicated to the risks of erosion or gates, the continuous information control signifies that the higher-ups realized the dangers surrounding the Demon King and the castle.
‘This world has faced the Great Rift twice, so being complacent wouldn’t make sense at all…’
Given that there were constant invasions from large entities like the Goblin Empire or the Kingdom of Skeleton Dragons in the past, letting one’s guard down could lead to the destruction of one or two cities.
However, it seems the government has been controlling the situation to avoid unnecessary noise.
[Not long ago, the massive barrier prompted reporters to swarm in, leading to many agents being sent to manage the site. The government also claimed that the concerns Yujin had harbored long ago had manifested, speculating that the land could be lost or substantial human casualties could occur, as had happened during the last erosion incident in Mapo District.]
Yujin had maintained a cautious stance regarding the fragments of the Demon King since before my return to Earth.
Even now, it seems she is spreading her influence globally to scout for or monitor the fragments, meaning when Yujin often says, “I’m busy, Shia,” it may not be just out of courtesy.
Regardless, Yujin’s worries are valid.
The Demon King’s Castle was fundamentally a space frequently utilized by a colossal evil ruler.
It’s not difficult for it to erode the surroundings or mutate nearby living beings and nature.
“Are there any other unusual occurrences?”
[By unusual occurrences, do you mean…?]
“Such as changes in land or terrain, or whether monsters or creatures have poured out from the Demon King’s Castle.”
[In fact, the problem is that it’s too quiet. According to Yujin, it’s more dangerous than when an S-class dungeon has eroded this land, yet fortunately, the agents at the site complained about wearing protective gear on such a hot summer day while nothing happened.]
“Yeah…”
It can be tough wearing protective gear in the summer.
[Then I will accompany you. There are five other Hunters from the Returnee Group at the entrance, so we can breach the castle together with Yujin and destroy the Demon King’s Castle…]
“No, I’m going alone.”
[What?]
Tia seemed to think it was natural for her to go with me.
“I’m the one who knows the Demon King best. To be honest, if someone goes in, there might be innocent victims.”
[Are you saying we’d be a burden?]
“Honestly, that’s not wrong. However, before that, the Demon King’s Castle is the place most heavily imbued with the Demon King’s influence and evil. It wouldn’t be surprising at all if odd occurrences happen—even more so than in typical gimmick dungeons; it’s better for me to go alone. Didn’t Yujin go in alone as well?”
[But she ended up going silent.]
Now that I think about it, the only reason I could communicate with Yujin earlier through Olgania’s smart watch was due to the external communication barrier that allows notifications to get through.
Tia mentioning Yujin going silent implies that within, all internet or transmission signals are effectively blocked.
“Yujin will be fine.”
[While I’m not worried about Yujin, I am concerned about you, Shia.]
“Oh come on, I’m way stronger than Yujin!”
[However…]
“If you’re genuinely worried, wait for four hours after I enter; if there’s still no news, then call Menelapie for me. I just sent Menelapie’s contact number to your smart watch, so keep an eye on things for now.”
To be honest, from an objective standpoint, I consider my abilities to be S-rank and over the top.
Yujin probably thinks the same, and if either of us can’t solve the issue, then the outcomes wouldn’t differ if Tia and the others came in.
No matter how many fragments I’ve consumed recently, I have to avoid situations where I might get knocked out just for being complacent.
And above all…
It’s enough for me to be trapped alone.
‘Moreover, I heard that the Demon King takes my form…’
How Yujin was defeated by the Demon King.
And whether that thing, which looks like my face, is truly the Demon King.
How did defeated Yujin manage to contact Olgania?
So many things don’t make sense.
Well, considering Yujin’s ability, it wouldn’t be hard for her to save her life, but she might have a reason for not escaping the Demon King’s Castle.
Tap tap tap
The sound of boots striking the ground made the agents from the Association part ways in a neat line.
In case of any poison leaking out, the hexagonal barrier that had blocked the entrance of the Demon King’s Castle vanished, creating a path for me to enter.
Phew, then…
“Here I go!!!”
Boom!!!
Before anyone could say anything, I dashed and kicked down the door of the Demon King’s Castle.
With the intention of smashing it to bits, the door made of unusual materials shattered into pieces.
What, did you think I would show respect to that Demon brat?
“Ugh!?”
“Ah!”
“Watch out! The Hunter is charging in!”
“What the hell? Why do you rush in without a word!?”
Seeing the barrier being reestablished behind me, I charged straight into the castle.
Rather than ‘charged in,’ I casually walked in with my hands behind my back.
The Demon King’s Castle truly is what it is.
The carpet, the corridor, and the walls are all dark.
Yet, despite being nothing but darkness, it felt oddly familiar, and I had no trouble distinguishing the surrounding objects.
The undulating shadows felt somehow elementary, but in the Demon King’s Castle, unusual occurrences are expected.
Ordinary corridors suddenly morph into rotting wood or chunks of flesh. If grotesque monsters erupted from the walls or floors, it would be just as well.
Actually, in my previous world, I had to contend with numerous bizarre gimmicks before I ended up trapped in the Gongheo Gungjeon.
“Still, being solo does put me at ease.”
Honestly, I felt a bit troubled refusing Tia’s request to accompany me.
She likely asked to accompany me out of concern and goodwill, but…
I lost everyone I cherished in the past within the Demon King’s Castle.
I didn’t want the events of those times to replay again.
[Oh right. Don’t worry about it, Seongnyeo-nim]
[You look lovely today!]
[You seem to have gotten even prettier!]
[Shut up, men. Seongnyeo-nim, I’ve said it many times; we’ve forgiven you, so don’t worry.]
Yulia, Harting, Malis, Platar, Arhen, Glen, Dilan, Milya, Isikep, Kalatmia, Jena…
“Yeah, I’m sorry.”
Even though they mentioned repeatedly that it was fine from the gravestone erected in my soul, it was tough to shake off the guilt.
No, guilt aside, I should stop thinking about this now.
I shook my head to clear the thoughts and began to carefully examine the interior of the Demon King’s Castle.
The interior of the Demon King’s Castle flickered like shadows, ever-changing, and with continuously mutating human flesh and plant roots, yet the forms of hallways and stairways were maintained.
This meant I wouldn’t have to fly or crawl; I could simply walk through the corridors.
The corridors, bathed in dark lighting from an indiscernible source, continued to flicker.
It wasn’t a labyrinth, yet since most of the space was consumed by darkness and shadows, my perception of the surroundings felt dizzying.
But…
Sniff sniff…
What is this lovely smell…?
No, don’t get me wrong.
Even if I’m called the Disease Maiden in Gala, I’m not letting my guard down, nor do I plan to act recklessly now that I’ve entered the Demon King’s Castle.
I’m trying to stay on high alert here!
Yet, that aromatic scent teasing my nose was so enticing, I had to wipe drool off my lips unconsciously.
‘What in the world could this smell be…’
Sniff sniff sniff…
It could be the scent of meat grilling, somewhat savory, and a subtle sweetness akin to salad dressing lingered in the air.
It’s certain that no pleasant dish or fragrant aroma would commonly arise within a Demon King’s Castle.
‘Right, don’t let your guard down. Even if the smell isn’t meant to lure me, in the Demon King’s Castle, anything can occur.’
Thus, I headed in the direction of the smell.
Typically, Demon Kings extricate trauma, nightmares, or illusions akin to their victims’ imaginations and manifest them in reality.
Considering that, the Demon King’s Castle might possess peculiar mechanisms that adapt based on the entrant’s psyche, inner world, or memories.
“Slurp… Ah, no. I can’t.”
The smell is just too mouthwatering.
The closer I got, the better the aroma got, making me drool uncontrollably; I had to wipe my chin as it dripped to the floor.
Recalling the most delicious foods during my lifetime was quite hard to narrow down.
If, as I expected, the Demon King’s Castle was altering based on the intruders’ memories, it would be rather nice, right?
It means I could snag a free meal or two!
Initially, I walked, but soon enough, I began running towards the source of the aroma, diving deeper into the castle.
As I penetrated the depths of undulating shadows, I lost all memory of how to exit, yet I firmly believed that defeating the core of the castle or the face of the Demon King would sort everything out.
Finally, I arrived at the heart of the source of the smell.
The source was a clean room where white shadows flickered.
In the middle of that room was a small table, just over chest height, and upon it lay a neatly plated dish.
The delicious and tempting aroma wafted from that very dish.
“Swallow.”
However, the plate lay beneath a dome-covered silver tray like those served in fine dining restaurants.
Even covered by the tray, the aroma spilled out. For food to be sitting suspiciously in the middle of this oddly pristine room…
“…Ha, do they think I’m that much of a fool?”
They seem to see me as an idiot.
Getting caught in such an obvious trap would genuinely be the textbook definition of being a total idiot.
‘Just as I expected, the Demon King’s Castle morphs based on the intruders’ memories.’
They’ll create dishes based on my fondest memories of delicious food and draw me in to ensnare me.
Even though I couldn’t grasp the exact nature of this trap, blatantly revealing its intentions would only catch fools.
Any human being with common sense should not fall for such a trap.
In fact, I wouldn’t mind if I were ensnared.
I’m confident in my strength. The Demon King’s essence alone residing in this world couldn’t pose a threat to me.
So…
“………..Slurp..”
Surely, peeking at what the food is couldn’t hurt, right…?
●●●●●●
“It won’t break.”
While not as strong as Isia, I was confident in my own destructive capabilities…
Yujin sighed deeply after reaching out toward the ever-repeating space.
Crack crack crack!!!
Numerous monstrous hands beyond Yujin’s imagination exploded forth from the illusion, tearing apart and wreaking havoc across the corridor, but just as the computer lags, the space momentarily froze before Yujin’s destructive actions reset the damaged area back to its original state.
It was akin to being stuck in a birdcage, yet any acts aimed at ‘destroying’ unless entirely through another dimension or even slightly breaking the space itself, returned to its original state.
“Sigh…..”
I had no idea how many hours had passed since I contacted Isia.
No signals or internet allowed me to reach Olgania through emergency lines, yet Olgania had evidently lost her mind, while Isia might already be in Busan.
Given her personality, she might just ignore my request, calling me a ‘Fake Hero Bitch’ without a second thought…
SDVIMVFoanVzY1YwSVhjamMzUkt1Y1JoUjh1dXpQd0Y5cmtwZkU4c0NSWWpXckhjSkZ3TmNRbzBvTzRqYTl5Rw
‘No, it was the Demon King’s essence that had Isia, so would she really not come…?’
Given the severity of the situation, it’s unlikely she wouldn’t show up, but I couldn’t stake my life on it with a 100% certainty.
For now, Yujin decided to discover a way to escape this bizarre space.
Since spatial destruction didn’t work, I took note that there must be other conditions or mechanisms present.
If there’s an entrance to come in, there surely has to be an exit…
Boom!
“Hmm?”
At that moment, Yujin turned her head toward the noise beside her.
At first, she thought maybe the Demon King sent some monster to execute her for getting trapped, but she noticed that familiar silver hair and the familiar Seongnyeok pouch swung in her view.
“Ouch…”
It was Isia.
At this moment, Yujin had never been happier to see Isia.
“You came to save me, Isia!”
“…..No, I’m trapped too.”
“Eh….”
…What the hell, seriously.
