Isekai Conqueror (5)
After the battle ended, the vast plains lay devastated, marked by traces of destruction.
The scattered blood and death here were the true landscape of an apocalypse.
Clatter— clatter—
[For the Eternal King of Death···.]
[Grug—! Gruk!]
It’s not just an apocalypse; considering that the corpses, which should have been still, were wandering freely amidst the chaos, this could be described as something far beyond.
It felt as if Hell itself had manifested before my eyes.
Anyone alive would be plunged into fear at the scene unfolding before them.
Hmm, I thought, ‘It’s ironic that I’m on their side.’
McCarthy, gazing down from a relatively intact high tower amidst the crumbling walls, smirked wryly.
From this perfect vantage point, even utilizing the ‘Eye of the Dead’ to observe the battlefield, such a realization felt all the more profound.
‘…Did I inadvertently summon this disaster?’
In reality, the war for supremacy in this world was practically over.
With the Great Demons all defeated, what harm could a few lesser demons pose?
Those small fries would be swept away the moment the countless legions of the dead spread across the world.
And of course, the future of the humans struggling under demon rule would be affected too.
‘I never dreamed it would turn out like this. Who would have thought it would be to this extent?’
Honestly, it would be fair to say I was skeptical until the very last moment.
No matter what I did, I was certain I couldn’t win against the enemy.
This was understandable, as the existence of Great Demons, particularly the ‘Infinite Great Demon,’ was a symbol of absolute inviolability in this world.
It wasn’t for nothing that he took advantage of the absence of Great Demons to attack the Grand Monarch, Lapua.
Even if defeat in the war came, it was a desperate struggle to achieve revenge, perhaps to die alongside my nemesis.
‘…Looking back now, it was a foolish act.’
All of this was thanks to the immortal king from another realm, ‘Hannibal Strauss.’
An alien invader who came commanding a legion of the dead, swiftly crushing the demons ruling the continent.
McCarthy couldn’t shake the uneasy feeling that he had called forth such an entity.
‘In the past, I thought once revenge was complete, I wouldn’t care what happened to this world.’
Is this what they call having different mindsets when entering and exiting a bathroom?
Now that I had achieved everything I wanted, I began to worry about the aftermath.
What if the world I shared with her became an even worse hell?
What if the peaceful world she longed for and the children’s smiles she desperately tried to protect were tainted by death?
Of course, after having sacrificed everything and become a slave, he had nothing left he could do.
‘I have no choice but to leave the rest to the heavens. How much faith can I place in the sky, which has already once ruined the world, I wonder?’
…That was what I believed.
Until I heard the words of the ‘master’ who called for me.
“Eh? Me?”
McCarthy’s eyes widened in surprise.
His counterpart uttered words he had not anticipated at all.
Hmm, “Why are you so surprised? You are the contractor who summoned me to this world. It is only natural.”
In the vast space imbued with a sinister energy, McCarthy swallowed hard as he looked up at the cold gaze of the absolute being sitting on a high throne above.
The figures of the undead executives loomed ominously on both sides, while McCarthy lay prostrate, staring only at the floor.
Sweat beads formed on his forehead, dripping down.
‘…That may be true, but even so…’
It was just moments ago that he had arrived at the ominous castle which had suddenly appeared atop a renowned mountain in this demon lord’s territory.
But the confusion he felt now was beyond what he experienced at the sight of this atrociously terrifying castle for the first time.
“I… I’m just a wandering fool. How can I, someone like me, be the governor ruling this world on behalf of the king?”
Under normal circumstances, he would have simply nodded along, but this time he couldn’t bring himself to do so.
If he stumbled into a position that didn’t suit him and caused a disaster outside of his capability, how would he handle it?
Especially now, in a transitional period where the very foundations of the world were being overturned.
With a keen understanding of his own limitations, he doubted his ability to lead the path ahead, which was fraught with confusion.
[McCarthy.]
“Yes, Master of Death.”
[This is an order.]
“…I will gladly obey.”
But there was nothing he could do against the command that followed.
Once an order was given, he had no choice but to grit his teeth and carry on.
[There’s no need to worry. I will leave some fellows to assist you with the practical work. Your only job is to maintain balance as the representative of humanity in this world.]
Hans knew well what he was thinking.
He had no intention of offloading everything onto McCarthy.
He merely wanted to set a minimal safeguard, concerned that the peculiarity of the undead might run rampant and tarnish the world they just acquired.
After all, I can’t keep my eyes on this world forever.
He had plenty of things to handle.
He had been consistently defeating the demons of Devour, achieving various outcomes, and thanks to the Infinite Great Demon, he had gathered quite a bit of information.
After once sweeping through, he had amassed more than enough karma in this world.
‘The rest can be left to McCarthy. After all, he’s in a state where his soul is essentially mortgaged to me.’
Every action he took in this world would return to him as karma.
That was the nature of the contract he had made with Hans.
In other words, he was essentially Hans’s apostle in this Devour.
[Hehe— Now that I think about it, it seems the ‘governor’ might be lacking in some areas. It would be wise to raise your strength a bit.]
“It’s… it’s alright, my king. In a world where the demons are extinct, who would dare resist the activities of an immortal army? There’s no need for you to be troubled about it!”
Recalling the torment of when he underwent eye and arm transplants, McCarthy’s face paled, and he hurriedly opened his mouth.
Perhaps had he been reckless in his pursuit of revenge, it would have been different, but now that everything was over, he had no desire to endure more pain.
However, it was too late to change Hans’s determinations.
[No, that won’t do. Authority derives from overwhelming power. I won’t tolerate having the one ruling this world be underestimated simply because he lacks strength.]
It was not just simple black magic; to wield the ‘Power of the Dead’ he had granted, one would inevitably endure immense suffering.
He could have easily turned him into an undead, but it wouldn’t do to treat someone who had sworn loyalty to him in such a way.
Fortunately for McCarthy, Hans had acquired a new ability that would prove immensely helpful in this situation.
[Don’t worry. With this new power I just obtained, if you utilize it, the physical pain should be far less than before.]
“Oh, uh… It’s such an honor that you care for me like this!”
Struggling to maintain his expression, McCarthy prostrated himself again.
With his lord saying this, he couldn’t possibly say more.
In fact, he was already in quite a precarious situation.
‘Ugh, it feels like my whole body is going to be perforated…’
The undead army executives standing silently on both sides were glaring at him, wide-eyed like ghosts.
They didn’t dare interrupt while the king was making conversation.
Otherwise, the atmosphere suggested he would have already faced some horrific consequences.
[Hehe, there’s no need to waste time putting things off.]
Because of that, he later only nodded along and missed the chance to ask what that ‘new power’ would entail.
Hans was using a newly acquired ability for the first time, making this demonstration a kind of test as well.
Although there were no choices, had he known in advance, he could have at least prepared his heart for it.
So, roughly a day passed.
[Oh? If this is the case, the progress doesn’t seem too bad.]
“…Thank… you…”
[Hmm, unfortunately, you haven’t quite broken through the transcendent barrier… but at least you won’t be looked down upon anywhere with that level of power. Strive to improve even further.]
Thanks to McCarthy voluntarily stepping up, Hans successfully completed the experiment, nodding in satisfaction.
As further compensation for this success, Hans extended additional favor to McCarthy.
He promised that he would return later to perform additional treatments to help him completely surpass that barrier.
“Oh, ah…”
Gasping in thin spasms, McCarthy expressed his gratitude in a halting tone, vowing silently.
Before the king’s next visit, he would find a way to overcome the barrier ahead, no matter what.
[Hahaha! That was quite an entertaining diversion.]
After handling the last remaining demon on the surface and completing all other preparations.
The master of death, who had come abruptly and summoned a massive transformation in Devour, crossed over the dimensional barrier without hesitation.
Leaving behind only the human who had become his apostle and a phalanx of troops to assist him.
*
Hoo, is this really the start?
On the ruins of the fortress wrecked by war.
McCarthy clenched his fist tight while staring blankly at the sun rising slowly beyond the mountain ridges.
The world lay in utter ruins, beyond recovery.
Restoring this place to its former self was truly a task left to those who lived in this world.
Though he had received help from an alien absolute during the liberation process, relying completely on others wouldn’t allow them to seize their own future.
‘Well, this was only possible because of that being’s help.’
Shifting his gaze, he looked at the plains below the shattered walls.
The undead army, formidable beyond words.
Most of them consisted of the demon army that had fallen during the great battle.
He could now reuse those who had led the destruction to restore the world.
‘Had it not been for that being, this wouldn’t have been possible at all.’
A black flash flickered in his left eye.
At that instant, all the undead within his area fell into his view.
Having trained alone for over decades, he skillfully directed his power.
Whoooosh—
Next, his left hand, resembling obsidian, brushed the void.
Moving with the precision of an orchestra conductor, his fingers swirled through the air.
[Kiieeeek—!]
Clatter— clunk!
[Move…!]
Simultaneously, the undead arranged on the plains and the phantoms flying in the sky began to scream in unison and scatter in perfect order.
Leading them were the former demons, now high-ranking undead executives.
“So, then… let’s get started.”
McCarthy turned his body, receiving the rising dawn’s light on his back while looking up at the clearing sky.
And exhaled deeply, swearing.
He would surely make this world into the form she had dreamt of.
“—My own fight.”
The liberator of humanity who led independence from the oppression of demons,
The redeemer who restored the broken world using the labor of the undead,
A judge punishing the wicked who transcended the frontlines and an apostle of the god of death—
The legend of the great sage of Devour, ‘McCarthy Hans,’ was about to unfold.
‘I mustn’t speak his name recklessly.’
That belief would later lead to the widespread recognition of ‘the Hans Religion’ in Devour, but that was a tale for quite some time in the future.
*
Hmm, this is quite delightful.
Compared to the other dimensions I had traversed, the time I spent in Devour was very short, yet the gains were substantial.
First and foremost was the immense amount of karma.
I had focused solely on hunting demons, disregarding everything else, and the amount of karma I gained exceeded ten million.
In terms of time efficiency, it could be said to be the best yet.
Furthermore, right after handling all the demons that appeared on the surface, I received the achievement of “Liberator” and acquired high-ranking demons, along with an enormous army resurrected due to long-accumulated ‘death.’
This Devour journey could be considered an enormous success.
‘It might not be as substantial as the other dimensions I’m directly managing, but still, with McCarthy around, I can expect a fair bit of additional karma.’
He had received competent companions from Banshee Queen Olivia’s retainers, so there shouldn’t be any significant issues in practical matters.
The forces left behind in Devour alone could easily establish a nation.
‘In a Devour that has been standardized due to demons, being at the peak of the spectrum means I won’t suddenly meet an untimely demise.’
With no transcendent-level strong enemies remaining, it wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say that McCarthy was effectively the strongest in Devour.
I’ve acquired a useful ability.
I nodded in satisfaction.
An ability obtained through the process of defeating the Infinite Great Demon that boosted McCarthy to such a level.
This power would become a massive weapon to contend against the Buncheon Head who manipulates space-time.
‘Just as I used it on McCarthy, it could also be utilized in his training.’
Of course, there were still aspects that needed improvement.
Since McCarthy was in a subservient position to Hans, he had real-time opportunities to correct problems, but he wasn’t skilled enough to utilize it perfectly as I desired.
‘Well, that’s a problem that will resolve itself over time.’
I shrugged lightly.
Most importantly, Hans’s interdimensional conquest wasn’t finished in Devour.
He had captured many transcendents belonging to the Buncheon Society,
And there were still a few dimensions left for him to visit through them.
