Chapter 119 – Annihilation

===================

Translated by Heavenly Cat

Read it only at Novelbyu.com & Utoon.net

===================

Oath.

That was a story from when the King of the Dwarves was alive.

The one who brought down the Dwarf King who was like a great mountain was neither an Elf, nor a Dragon, but merely a small lesser demon.

“O King. Are you perhaps taking absurd stories too seriously…….”

Because it was so small.

Because it didn’t even seem like a threat to the great mountain.

Not striking it down from the beginning was the source of trouble.

“Be quiet. It is because such rumors from the outside cannot be commonly heard.”

Dwarves, who had little contact with the Arcana continent.

The lesser demon gained the trust of the Dwarf King using news of the continent as a pretext.

An impure intention showed through the stories the bastard told.

“The human bastards are fearing the technology of the dwarves while also being jealous of it. Right now they are humans fighting each other but. Later on, wouldn’t it be an unknown matter? Moreover, there is something I have seen…….”

Is it the truth?

Is it a lie?

However, to the dwarves, there was no way to distinguish the truth or falsehood of those words.

In the end, playing into the bastard’s ‘malice’.

Was an obvious thing to see.

“Shut up.”

“Do not interfere with my amusement.”

“Yaaawn. Domestic affairs, such an incredibly boring story.”

The great mountain withered into evil at a rapid pace.

The Dwarf King was no more.

There was only a puppet moving according to the will of the lesser demon.

The dwarves put their heads together and agonized.

“Is there truly no way to turn our Lord’s heart around?”

“Damn it…….”

“Since he does not even try to listen to our stories.”

“Like this……. It is exactly like looking at a completely different person.”

Technological prowess comparable to the magic of the Mage Tower.

Brilliant brains that achieved a radiant machine civilization.

However, even putting such heads together, an answer did not come out.

“But, couldn’t the bastard’s words be true?”

“……What? What kind of nonsense are you saying right now!”

“No, I also think it shouldn’t be treated as nonsense.”

Rather, to the extent that internal strife occurred even among the dwarves.

That agony did not end easily.

Then one day, it was.

“Your Majesty, why are you alone today……?”

The lesser demon that hovered by the Lord’s side had concealed its traces.

It was truly something to rejoice over but.

They couldn’t.

“!”

Why is that?

The Lord’s pitch-black pupils that looked blacker and darker than usual.

Because his tone of speech, which they had heard all their lives, had clearly changed.

“Yes. Prattle on today as well.”

“……?”

“Since my mood is refreshing today of all days. I am saying try blabbering to your heart’s content.”

“!”

It was certain.

That was the tone of the lesser demon.

Those who noticed the change were not just one or two.

However, it was words they couldn’t easily bring out of their mouths.

“This treason charge is truly convenient.”

“……?”

“If someone is impudent, it means I can just kill them, right? Driving them as traitors.”

Just how are they supposed to resolve this situation?

Literally pitch-black.

An abyss of despair they couldn’t get out of.

It was utterly unbelievable.

That all of this started from merely a single small demon.

So they couldn’t even imagine it.

“A man? How did a human find our hometown?”

Even until they heard the soldier’s report.

“According to the man’s words. He says he is a Demon Hunter from Akshan. He said he arrived here after chasing a demon’s presence felt during a hunt.”

“……!”

To think merely one man would resolve this situation.

“……What have I done until now?”

After that day.

The awakened Dwarf King and Akshan forged an oath.

It was practically cooperation to hunt demons.

“Demons are existences more dangerous than anything else.”

The Klunberg Machine Towers built all over the Arcana continent were precisely the symbols of that oath.

Even if the King lived out his natural lifespan and closed his eyes, the dwarves did not forget that dying wish.

Holy War.

Even impending the Great War, the oath between the dwarves and Akshan was firm.

They thought they could finally repay the debt they owed to Akshan.

However, they couldn’t.

Like a lie, exchanges with Akshan were cut off.

“……There is no answer returning from Akshan.”

Although they couldn’t exchange telepathy like mages.

Between them and Akshan, there was a machine mimicking that.

It was a machine they, the dwarves, had made.

It wasn’t a problem with performance, they could be certain.

“Unless it’s from one end of the continent to the other. Their voices should be transmitted no matter what region they are in……. Weren’t we conversing perfectly fine just until last night?”

It was unknown if a mishap had occurred in Akshan.

The dwarves sent letters to the factions that participated in the Holy War, just like themselves.

Asking if there was any news heard regarding Akshan by any chance.

And they realized it.

“……If something has gone wrong, it has gone completely wrong.”

Those attitudes of theirs, including the Goddess Order, that changed suddenly overnight.

When they realized the seriousness of that situation, it was already too late.

“It makes no sense……! How could……!!”

Akshan had disappeared from the continent in just a single morning.

.

.

.

Through the Holy War, the dwarves resolved.

That they would never show their figure.

To the humans of the Arcana continent ever again.

They couldn’t know if ugly schemes were entangled around the Holy War but.

Since Akshan had disappeared, to them, humans were merely a race no longer worth dealing with.

That was right.

Whether the Arcana continent was trampled by demons.

Or the Empire’s soldiers were annihilated, it was not something to care about.

Clank!

Symbol of the oath.

Akshan’s decisive battle weapon that they developed.

Until the Klunberg Machine Towers activated.

“Demon Hunter! A survivor of Akshan has been found!!”

Leader of the dwarves, Chain Walker Hardrock.

Chain Walker could be certain.

“……It is him.”

That the silver-haired man pouring magic into the Demon King, was certainly the Demon Hunter who activated the Klunberg Machine Towers.

It was thanks to the afterimage remaining in his memories.

“Can you not see it too? A demon trembling in fear.”

In the past, the Dwarf King.

No, the lesser demon wearing the mask of the King.

The bastard who was kneeling and begging servilely in front of the Demon Hunter.

-“I, I was wrong. Spare me. Please!!”

Because the bastard pleading from the ground overlapped with the Demon King.

However, back then and now.

There was no mercy from the Demon Hunter.

“Akshan, we have ended up being indebted to you once again.”

So Chain Walker did not hesitate.

“Iron Castle, descend altitude right this instant!”

From now on was exactly the moment to fulfill the oath with Akshan.

*

Stab

Demon Legion Commander, Etyo.

Kitch pulled out her dagger from the bastard’s nape.

Gush.

Blood pouring and swaying.

Kitch shook off the blood without blinking an eye. At least when she was holding a dagger in her hand, Kitch was a crueler and colder assassin than anyone.

However, such Kitch’s eyes went wide.

“He, he’s doing that nonsensical act again……!”

Know your enemy, know yourself.

Kitch had magical knowledge comparable to any decent mage.

On the Arcana continent, the breed called mages were existences buying resentment in many ways.

Because requests wanting their lives even if it cost a fortune would often come in.

“Since he’s pouring it out like that, there’s no way to dodge.”

However, the magic Ho-yeol manifested was on a different level.

No, accurately speaking, magic(s) would be right.

To an extent that couldn’t be grasped even with Kitch’s discerning eyes.

It was a feast of simultaneous magic manifestations.

“Indeed.”

Marcelo knew the magic tool, One Hundred Colors Outer Wings.

Because magic tools capable of storing magic were not common even in the Mage Tower.

However, he had judged that its utilization value as a magic tool was small.

‘Even if the exploration process can be omitted through storage.’

Because the recoil of interference and manifestation must be wholly borne by the user.

Even if one hundred elemental magics could be stored.

It meant the magics a user could draw out couldn’t help but fall far short of that.

Without going far, even for himself, drawing out about a dozen magics would be the utmost.

However.

“There is no one who can utilize that magic tool better than Sir.”

To Ho-yeol, it was merely an unnecessary concern so.

Marcelo was able to smile slightly.

“As expected, because Sir is here, I can be at ease.”

.

.

.

Damn it.

No matter how much it’s Granfel’s body optimized for tricks.

This time, the recoil was out of the ordinary.

‘……Because this is my first time being this incredibly ignorant too.’

Consuming elixir herbs like that.

And plastering my body with magic regeneration-related items but.

As expected, drawing out one hundred magics simultaneously was not easy.

Moreover, are these magics ordinary magics? There were one hundred elemental magics that were practically hippos eating magic power……!

Magic power exhaustion.

The feeling of exhaustion binding my whole body.

However, I.

Stared at Demon King, Flauros with an unwavering gaze.

Light element magic made the bastard’s skin fragile and.

Fire element magic burned the fragile skin.

Fierce winds boosted the flames even more fiercely and.

From the sky, judgment, lightning struck.

Demon King face and all, wouldn’t you want to dodge if you could dodge?

However, these are magics stored for annihilation.

Among them, naturally.

The only magic of a realm I can manifest.

To say [『Absolute Zero』] is also included.

“Inferior demon styling yourself a king.”

“……?”

“Bear the weight of that arrogance.”

“……!”

[‘Freezing’ occurs on Demon King, Flauros.]

Absolute Zero.

The extreme temperature where even molecules stop their movements.

The peak of fire magic boasting extreme compatibility advantage with freezing magic, [『Anomaly』] that even Karimzeva couldn’t do anything about. That the bastard couldn’t resist it was extremely natural.

Soon, messages popped up before my eyes.

[Level has risen.]

[Level has risen.]

[Level has risen.]…….

A boss monster with a whopping level 850.

Whether I used a frontal attack or used a trick.

The fact that I defeated the bastard alone remained unchanged.

It meant I acquired experience points to the extent of lightly fulfilling and surpassing the required experience points that increased exponentially per level up.

Moreover.

[Demon King, Flauros vs Dwarves]

Demon King and Dwarves.

Who is the one to emerge victorious?

Demon King’s Castle and Airship.

What is the symbol that is left behind?

Everything depends on your judgment.

Depending on your merits, you shall obtain the rewards of victory.

─Emerge victorious in the war against Demon King Flauros. (Success)

●Defeat Demon King Flauros. (Success)

Quests couldn’t be left out either, right.

The goal was to help the dwarves and emerge victorious in the war but. As you can see, I even achieved the additional goal, defeating Demon King Flauros. Right, the merit measured from that was…….

─Current Merit: 1,000,000p

Exactly one million points.

Of course, because I was the only player progressing this quest.

There was no target of comparison to compare the merit value.

However, it means I have tact too.

I omitted the process, and as a result, I defeated the Demon King alone so.

‘Still, I should be able to expect that thing called reward, right?’

Suddenly, the [Recapture of Frost] quest comes to mind.

That quest reward was the activation of Frost’s [Authority Function] due to increased relationship and influence.

But are the dwarves and I in a relationship where we judge relationship or influence?

It means it’s a relationship bound by a thicker oath than that.

At least a reward different from Frost’s time would be given.

Even if it’s not necessarily a reward, there was something I needed to owe the dwarves.

It’s right to say precious minerals kept in the inventory, the Ghost Iron that becomes the material for ego equipment.

‘I have a lot to say about this in many ways.’

[You have succeeded in the quest.]

I lifted my stiff head and looked at the airship of the dwarves.

Since I also succeeded in the quest.

If it were my true heart, I would want to encounter the dwarves right away.

And converse with them while having a leisurely tea time but.

[You have cleared the Demon King’s Castle of Hunting rift.]

The message announcing the rift clear.

Crack

At the same time, the space of [『Anomaly』] beginning to collapse.

Through it, the scenery of reality beginning to pour in.

Kitch glanced at the airship and then asked me.

“……Will it be alright to part ways here like this?”

Since it wasn’t the first rift Kitch entered either.

She must know that reuniting with them is difficult.

However, it is not a remark applicable to me.

“Hiel.”

Because to me, Hiel Chrysead…….

No, the rest is omitted.

There was Hiel who became the eyes and ears of the Arcana continent.

“Hiel, responding to your call.”

……But somehow he seems to have become more elegant?

His appearance changing every time I see him, I’d almost misunderstand if there’s a growth period even for Spirits. However, I knew from hearing it from Spiritology Senior, Feiyan.

Thanks to me giving him the name Hiel.

Him being reborn as a {Unique Spirit} must be the cause.

“……Y-You even contracted with a Spirit?!”

Marcelo exchanged a brief eye greeting with Hiel.

Kitch substituted her greeting with a hiccup.

Of course, there was no time for me to exchange leisurely greetings either.

Because even at this moment, the rift was collapsing.

I sent telepathy to Hiel.

Hiel, who immediately understood my intent, turned his gaze toward the airship.

Then, he bowed his head and greeted elegantly right away.

“I shall follow that intent.”

Summoning Hiel on top of telepathy.

……This is really the limit of my magic power!

I aggressively scraped the bottom of the revealed pot, truly.

So I turned my back without lingering attachment.

Swoosh

Only for now is it uselessly flashy and trailing.

I am thankful for the white outer wings.

Because it will be able to hide these trembling legs…….

To such a me, Kitch barely stopped her hiccups and asked.

“Th-that, um……. Are you okay not picking up things like loot?”

Since Granfel is integrity and innocence itself.

Even if he is a character transcending greed.

I, Lee Ho-yeol, am not.

Is there a way such a me would forget loot.

A Demon King drop item at that.

[Loot is acquired automatically due to high kill contribution rate.]

It means it is already carefully preserved in my inventory.

.

.

.

[Demon King’s Castle of Hunting].

The players hesitating to enter finally made a decision.

“……Right. It’s not any other player, but Ho-yeol-nim is there!”

Because there were actions Ho-yeol had shown so far.

It was a decision they could make. Whichever recommended level the rift was, wasn’t it Ho-yeol who entered earlier than anyone else, and also without fear? A decision made because there was belief in him.

-Finally done collecting money hahahahaha

-Alright let’s go in

-I thought it would drag on for a few more minutes but nope hahaha

-His broadcasting sense is fully alive fr

It was barely over 10 minutes.

Therefore, they truly couldn’t even imagine.

A player who had finished full preparations suddenly stopped their steps.

“……W-Wait a minute!”

-???

-No what’re you doing —

-Fcking no fun

-Crazy? Looking to collect money here???

-Lost all sense

The exploding chat window.

However, the misunderstanding did not last long.

Because soon, the reason the players’ faces turned pale popped into the camera angle.

Pouring light.

The vanishing rift.

Ho-yeol and two people revealing their appearances from within that intense light.

That was right.

After Ho-yeol entered the [Demon King’s Castle of Hunting].

Currently, exactly 10 minutes and 41 seconds had elapsed.

The [Demon King’s Castle of Hunting] rift had been cleared.

Right after the regular update.

The three Demon King’s Castles that appeared.

The time it took for the three Demon Kings to be defeated was.

Merely over 10 minutes.

There was one word that could summarize this Great Incident.

Right.

Truly.

Annihilation.