Chapter 77 – The City of Demons

Se-min’s group disguised themselves as Orcs and departed the Grand Marino Sea of Trees.

However, Kaorak, who had a large size difference, Bi-ryu, who was weak in field battles, and Kebalar, whose combat power was still lacking, were excluded. Se-min, Shozen, Gulad, and Maktar were mobilized for this operation.

“Their base is connected by a gate.”

“Rather than being here?”

“Yes. They use a mysterious gate to come from their base to this place in an instant.”

On Earth, gates were regarded as a kind of natural phenomenon. They thought that for some reason, Earth and the other world were connected, and demonic beasts were sucked in there and appeared on Earth.

However, having learned of the existence of Badurbarok, Se-min came to think that the gates might be artificially created.

Hearing Maktar’s words made him think so even more.

“Can they use the gates at will?”

“I believe so. Even if not always, they would be able to mobilize them when necessary. So they must have used the gate to attack my fortress back then too.”

“Is that so.”

Se-min’s group advanced to a point on the plain.

It was a place not very far from where Maktar’s old fortress had been.

Demonic beasts could be seen loitering. Even at a glance, the density of the demonic beasts was high. Perhaps it was their habitat, as all kinds of demonic beasts stayed there without even fighting each other.

It was a sight that an ordinary person would not even dare approach.

“That is it.”

At the end of where Maktar’s finger was pointing, there was a black pit.

It was a bottomless hole that emitted a gloomy energy as if harboring darkness.

Se-min’s face solidified.

It was something he had already seen before.

The dark gate that Noh Hak-jae had struggled so hard to destroy in the past was open here.

“Since when has that been here?”

“I heard it has been here since a very long time ago.”

“Was it not only one?”

Perhaps the Hell Gate was different from what he had thought.

Se-min placed his hand on the hilt of Lupus.

Once they go there, they will find out.

Se-min’s companions approached the gate, each holding their weapons. The demonic beasts that noticed their presence raised their heads. The beasts bared their teeth and growled.

“I’ll go first.”

Maktar ran to the front.

He let out a shout and lunged into the horde of demonic beasts. The moment he faced a beast, he swung his axe. The demonic beast’s body burst apart. Debris of the corpse scattered.

The monster’s roar shook the area.

Subsequently, Se-min joined and drew a long sword energy.

Several beasts were sliced to death in an instant.

Shozen and Gulad also joined the battle without falling behind.

The two had occasionally received instruction from Se-min, and in Pandemonium, they had gained experience by training with the goblins. Having originally been the top gladiators in Sargassonia, they had become even stronger. As the two lunged into the horde of demonic beasts, a fountain of blood arose.

The battle was not long.

In particular, the momentum of Se-min and Maktar was terrifying. Every time they swung their weapons, the plain was stained with blood.

Soon, all the demonic beasts were cleared.

Se-min’s group checked their bodies to see if the Orc disguises had fallen off, then approached the gate.

Se-min stood in front of the pit.

Old memories came to mind.

He had struggled with Noh Hak-jae to destroy this. Although they eventually broke the gate, the two fell beyond it.

At the very end, Noh Hak-jae pushed Se-min away to save him.

‘Live.’

Se-min would never forget Noh Hak-jae’s final appearance as he whispered those words.

Maktar approached and asked.

“Why is that? Are you afraid?”

“You have no tact.”

Se-min said so, and leaped into the gate without even listening to the answer.

It was the same sensation he had experienced before.

Sceneries of time and space were projected around him. Se-min could see unfamiliar sceneries of the other world that he did not know.

Hordes of demonic beasts and plains were visible, and Sargassonia was also projected. It seemed he caught a glimpse of the third and fourth ancient races they wanted to meet, but the scenery transitioned too quickly to be certain.

Se-min saw and passed by too many things to distinguish. He crossed the two moons and penetrated the universe.

And at some point, he was thrown to the ground.

He lost consciousness for a moment.

He felt as if he had seen something in that unconsciousness, but he did not remember.

Se-min opened his eyes.

It was impossible to tell how much time had passed. Several hours, or perhaps just a moment.

“Are you here?”

Turning around at the sudden voice, Maktar was standing.

“When did you arrive?”

“Just now. Since you jumped down, I also jumped immediately. Speak before you move.”

Subsequently, Shozen and Gulad crashed to the ground. The gate that spat them out did not fade, leaking darkness.

“How can you go so hurriedly?”

“I feel like vomiting.”

Losing consciousness seemed to have been a brief moment. Se-min looked around. It was dark.

“Is this the base?”

“The beasts came through this gate. It must be nearby.”

Se-min did not let down his guard.

It was a gate that allowed passage to another world. It made no sense to leave such a thing unguarded. Perhaps the news of their arrival had already been transmitted.

“Stay tense.”

The surroundings were desolate. The ground was hard rock, and no terrain features like trees or rocks were visible.

Only a low hill was visible in the distance, and all sides were open. It was a landscape as if someone had deleted the details.

Se-min raised Lupus.

“They are coming.”

Demonic beasts were caught in his senses.

They were drawing close.

Soon, their figures began to be visible. The news that someone had crossed the gate was transmitted.

Se-min grinned and began to run toward the direction the demonic beasts were flocking.

“Go slowly!”

Gulad called from behind, but Se-min ignored him and dashed forward.

The horde of demonic beasts opened their mouths and roared at him.

Roughly, there seemed to be several hundreds. Strong demonic beasts that would be of a level to destroy cities on Earth were gathered in hordes like low-ranking foot soldiers. This was Badurbarok’s power.

Strength entered his hand holding Lupus.

The stronger the enemy, the more his anger repeated.

Se-min and the horde of demonic beasts rushed toward each other.

Right before the clash.

Lupus was sliced horizontally.

The leading demonic beasts burst apart.

A fountain of blood covered the demonic beasts in the rear. Se-min spun once in succession and cut the demonic beasts again.

This time, about half of them managed to cope.

Indeed, they were not easy.

The demonic beasts that received the attack surrounded him, filling all sides, and brandished teeth and claws.

It was right before their attacks reached Se-min.

Depending on how one looked at it, it was a desperate crisis.

However, Se-min felt more comfortable in this brief moment of battle.

Because the single thought of killing the enemy was more than enough.

Se-min activated the Tai Chi Wisdom. Something was different. Se-min felt a sense of foreignness, but did not stop and accelerated his aura.

The Tai Chi Wisdom blazed violently. The Tai Chi Wisdom he knew was harmonious, but now it emitted a destructive energy.

But there was no time to continue the thought. Se-min discharged aura around him. The attacks of the demonic beasts were neutralized, and their bodies were torn apart.

The pulse of the Tai Chi Wisdom swept the area.

“You are strong, Emperor!”

Maktar’s voice was heard from behind.

Just like when he fought Se-min, he charged toward the enemy with aura all over his body.

His figure passed Se-min, directly striking the buzzing horde of demonic beasts. The entire formation of the demonic beasts was pushed back as if struck by a hammer. It was a massive impact force.

Subsequently, Shozen and Gulad joined. Their blades sliced the vital points of the demonic beasts.

The number of demonic beasts rapidly decreased.

Se-min leaped into the center of the horde and went wild. He looked like a person who couldn’t endure unless he made the demonic beasts pour blood.

“To think so many demonic beasts are already dead?”

Shozen said, catching his breath with his hand on his waist. It was a war result hard to believe even though they had done it.

It was a slaughter that occurred in an instant.

“Those two are monsters.”

Gulad said. He had an unsatisfied expression. A competitive spirit was laden in his eyes looking at Se-min and Maktar. He also wanted to become strong like that.

Se-min laughed at his gaze.

“Effort, effort. Right? It’s because your passion is lacking.”

“You sound like a geezer.”

Gulad shook his head.

Se-min stared in the direction the demonic beasts had run from. It was the direction of the low hill. Beyond that ridge, an unknown ominous energy rose.

Se-min felt intuitively that something was there.

“It’s that way, right?”

Maktar was also looking at the same place.

“Yes.”

Se-min advanced in that direction with the companions.

Although they killed all the demonic beasts, there might be a fellow watching that scene from somewhere. Badurbarok’s army was not lax.

They climbed the ridge and looked down.

And everyone opened their mouths.

A shocking sight was spread out.

“That…”

“Is that the reality of the demonic beasts?”

Maktar let out a groan. Shozen and Gulad were also lost in thought.

There, a hideous city was constructed.

***

Se-min advanced, killing his breath. The touch of the ground stepped on by his feet felt sticky. Viscous fluid was covering the area. It felt as if they were on top of a part of a living creature.

Things like buildings were also set up here and there.

But they were not in the style humans knew.

Biological organs.

They were set up like buildings.

They throbbed periodically as if a heart beat. The large ones were about the size of a building, excreting demonic beasts from holes that looked like anuses.

Se-min came to know what the appearance of a newly born demonic beast was.

Bizarre species whose breeding method was unknown were all born in this way.

The companions were all silent.

Shozen kept glancing at one spot and lost his footing. Se-min gave him a warning.

“Snap out of it.”

“Yes.”

There, a demonic beast was being constructed.

Literally. A monster of a massive size stood, and small demonic beasts climbed its body to shape the physical form.

Of course, that work was also in a way they had never imagined.

Those fellows transplanted the same demonic beasts, or things like goblins and Orcs, into the monster.

A mouth-like thing appeared on the skin of the monster and swallowed the sacrifices, and as a mysterious biological organ was added to that spot, the size of the demonic beast grew larger.

That giant body was made by combining numerous other demonic beasts.

Se-min recalled the demonic beasts he had faced.

Odoros, Black Castle, demonic beasts of hideous appearances that could by no means be thought of as living creatures.

Badurbarok had created such abnormal things by connecting, bonding, and cross-breeding each monster.

It was like the landscape of hell.

“Let’s scout a bit more.”

Seeing this shocking sight, Se-min thought it would be better to get as much information about this place as possible before moving, rather than attacking the city immediately. The other companions agreed.

The vague predictions about Badurbarok were all shattered. That guy was an existence far more terrifying than imagined.

“To think we tried to face such a guy…”

Gulad shook his head. He hated even stepping on the ground here. He thought the floor was also made in that way.

“Kill your sound.”

They soon approached the biological organ located at the center of their base. It rose like a spire. That seemed to be the center directing everything.

Se-min’s group hid in the corner and watched Badurbarok’s city for a while.

There was a system unique to the demonic beasts.

When the time came, Se-min said.

“I don’t want to stay here anymore.”

Everyone agreed.

If they kept watching this scene here, their minds would go strange.

Se-min raised Lupus.

“Let’s begin.”

After locking eyes with everyone, Se-min withdrew the shroud of aura he was raising.

The moment Shadow Stealth was released.

The entire city stared at them.

The demonic beasts were swift. The workers retreated, and the combatable types appeared in front of Se-min’s group and built a barrier. They did not attack first but waited. They seemed to be waiting for reinforcements.

Se-min moved immediately.

Toward the demonic beasts, he discharged sword energy. The demonic beasts fell dead. As blood flowed to the ground, the viscous floor immediately sucked in the blood and flesh.

That would be used to produce demonic beasts again.

It was a disgusting place.

“Damn it. What is this?”

The companions watching from the side were tensed.

Things like tentacles rose from the ground they stepped on and fumbled their feet.

He loaded aura into his feet and crushed them. Although it didn’t have a large impact on the battle, it kept grating on their nerves.

“There are too many enemies.”

Se-min said.

He didn’t mean that the enemies they were facing now were many. But demonic beasts were continuously being added, and even newly produced young demonic beasts bared their teeth at them.

This was the middle of the enemy’s city.

They couldn’t stay long.

“We scatter first. Everyone, save yourselves.”

Everyone nodded at Se-min’s words.

“Maktar and I will draw their eyes as much as possible…”

Se-min continued, looking back at Maktar, Shozen, and Gulad.

“Don’t die.”

They all grinned.

The four scattered in all directions. Se-min sliced the neck of a demonic beast pursuing him and glanced at the retreating backs of the companions.

He did not worry.

They were all sufficiently strong.

Se-min stared at the tall biological organ set up in the center. It was estimated to oversee the city. Striking that down seemed like it would be a sufficient provocation.

He raised Lupus and raised his aura. His clothes fluttered.

Because he wrapped too many useless things to disguise as an Orc, he felt uncomfortable moving, but once he focused on the battle, all such cumbersome feelings disappeared.

He focused solely on the fight.

Se-min literally slaughtered the demonic beasts he ran into, advancing toward the center of the city.

Judging by the wails of the demonic beasts heard from far away, the others also seemed to be doing well.

Se-min stared at the giant biological organ nearby for a moment, then swung Lupus and cut the wall. Blood poured from the wound. He also seemed to hear something like a scream.

And an unexpected thing happened.

The biological organ regenerated the part cut by Se-min, then made a hook-like thing and attacked Se-min.

Flustered by the sudden reaction, Se-min dodged narrowly, and the demonic beasts did not miss that gap and cooperated to attack him.

They were always fellows who exceeded expectations.

After blocking the attacks of the demonic beasts, he escaped the encirclement. Since he attacked the biological organ, the resistance became even more fierce. Tentacles and hooks also rose from the floor to target Se-min.

“These things.”

Se-min loaded aura into Lupus. While dodging the attacks of the demonic beasts continuously, he raised and raised the power of that aura. Se-min’s Lupus gradually began to shine dazzlingly.

Soon Se-min backed away to a distance.

At that, the demonic beasts, their city, and the spire-shaped organ rising high came to be located within his vision.

He captured all this in his vision.

And fired.

The sword energy that rose like a tsunami covered the entire vision.

All things that blocked the front were dismantled. The demonic beasts died and turned to powder, and the organs supporting the city collapsed just like that.

The sphere of aura he threw did not stop and advanced toward the central organ managing the city.

The cries of the demonic beasts distorted his ears.

Se-min did not doubt that his aura would collapse that spire.

It was then.

A black current flying from somewhere blocked Se-min’s aura. Se-min’s aura faded without a trace.

Se-min instinctively stared at the direction the current flew from. Nothing was there.

That meant the enemy had approached.

Se-min instinctively backed away to a long distance. It was a good choice. In that brief moment, a mysterious blade popped out in the air and sliced the spot where Se-min had been standing.

He strained his eyes to see it.

But he couldn’t grasp it. Once the trace of the sword that sliced the air faded, the enemy was lost in the fog again.

Se-min tried not to stay in one place while wrapping his body in aura.

Every time he leaped, the invisible blade pursuing him narrowly missed Se-min.

He kept dashing through the city, killing those who caught his eye and destroying annoying things. At that, the number of demonic beasts pursuing him increased.

While they built an encirclement targeting Se-min, every time he destroyed something, they used moves close to self-destruction. The invisible blade kept targeting Se-min’s rear.

At some point, Se-min stood on top of a biological organ.

Below, demonic beasts were continuously being produced.

In the distance, Shozen and Gulad, who were killing demonic beasts, were visible. The two were doing their work steadily. Maktar was not visible.

Wiping the sweat on his forehead with the back of his hand, Se-min looked back at the traces of destruction he had made.

Blood was gushing out here and there in the city of the demonic beasts.

“It is going well.”

He muttered so.

And immediately bowed his head.

A black blade popped out and sliced the spot where he had been standing. Several strands of hair fluttered. If he had been a bit late, his neck would have been cut.

Without losing that opportunity, Se-min raised Lupus and stabbed the spot where the enemy was. He felt a sensation of something catching, but it was not the feel of tearing flesh.

[Argh!]

It was a strange voice.

Se-min did not lose the enemy and kept swinging Lupus. Every time he cut the space where the enemy was estimated to be, a repelling force arose.

It was like hitting a mass of energy.

He accelerated the Tai Chi Wisdom. At that, vigor was added to the movement of Lupus. Se-min now completely grasped the enemy’s position and sliced it into dozens of strands.

Eventually, the enemy’s form was revealed.

[Dirty Orc bastard!]

Se-min was shocked twice.

First, it was because the appearance of the enemy was what he knew. The enemy looked as if black darkness had gathered to shape a human form.

It was the same as that guy who killed Noh Hak-jae.

But he could feel it was not the same entity. The energy felt was different. Compared to the guy he saw in the past, this fellow was at an immature level.

And the second shock was because that guy truly mistook Se-min for an Orc.

“What? I am a dirty Orc?”

[Dirty things. I’ll kill you.]

“You said Orc to me, right?”

[Not just an Orc. A dirty Orc.]

Se-min glanced at Lupus and twisted the blade to reflect his appearance.

Although blurry, an Orc with green skin was projected on it. Even the drawing of the tusks looked real.

Se-min cut him with anger.

The guy backed away. Se-min kept cutting. Lupus kept pressing him without giving him leeway.

[Ugh…]

Struggling under Se-min’s offensive, the guy backed away to a distance.

[Are you an Orc practitioner?]

“…”

Se-min did not answer. The guy continued speaking alone.

[Yes, if you are a guy holed up deep in the Sea of Trees, you might be this strong. But keep in mind.]

The black sword he held grew large as if burning.

[What kind of result your action will bring. We have obtained enough information about you Orc bastards. Leaving you alone was merely because we showed mercy.]

Se-min shouted as if flustered.

“S-say, you bastard! Do you plan to strike the Grand Marino Sea of Trees?”

[I’ll turn it into a sea of fire.]

“Tolerate that at least! Only my companions and I who came here should receive punishment, why do you try to kill even innocent Orcs!”

[Hahaha! Are you afraid now? But it’s late. Since you came this far, the fate of your race is as good as decided.]

“This! Shiver shiver!”

Because he was absorbed in acting, Se-min made the mistake of directly speaking the mimic word. But the guy didn’t seem to pay much attention.

Se-min thought this was enough and shut his mouth. He glanced to locate the positions of the other three.

[Your companions will also die in turn, so there’s no need to worry.]

Staring at the black form, Se-min asked.

“Let me ask one thing. What is your name?”

[My name?]

“Yes. One should know the enemy’s name before dying, shouldn’t he?”

[You don’t need to know. Just remember this.]

The mouth part in the demon’s form split long. He laughed literally like a demon.

[I am your ‘despair’.]

Se-min muttered.

“Wow, this guy…”

He was not a normal guy.

He thought there were only true demons in Badurbarok’s army, but there was also a guy who suffered from eighth-grader syndrome. He was more serious than Shozen.

Since he didn’t want to converse further, Se-min stabbed his sword.

The self-proclaimed ‘despair’ swung his black blade to block the attack.

But the harmonious energy of the Tai Chi Wisdom loaded on it whirled, sending him flying.

He crashed to the ground.

“Not despair, but complete despair.”

Se-min said. The guy writhed on the floor, then hid his form as he had done so far.

Since it was obvious the guy would target him, Se-min immediately turned his body and ran to Shozen first.

He was fighting a bloody battle.

Demonic beasts surrounded him and were beating him up. Although Shozen was enduring with brilliant skills, it seemed he would eventually be done in if a bit more time passed.

Se-min squeezed in between.

“Your Majesty!”

“Let’s go back now.”

“Already?”

Shozen showed bravado despite being already exhausted.

“You are already exhausted.”

“I am fine. If it is for Your Majesty, even if this body…”

“Stop acting like a loyal subject.”

To learn about this demonic city was already a major harvest. Since despair or whatever guy said he would strike the Orcs with his own mouth, there was no need to stay further.

“Go to Gulad. I’ll clear this and follow.”

“How can I leave Your Majesty…”

“I told you to cut it out.”

“Yes!”

Shozen fled without even looking back.

Se-min smiled, looking back at the demonic beasts targeting him.

And swung the Tai Chi Wisdom.

The aura harboring the way of Tai Chi turned even more destructive here. The demonic beasts were torn apart.

The corpses of the demonic beasts were scattered on the viscous earth.

They were absorbed back into the earth, and tentacle-like things protruded and swayed.

At that unpleasant sight, Se-min furrowed his brow and ran after Shozen.

“Gulad! Let’s go back!”

“Understood!”

Gulad caught his breath, bending his waist. Around him, the corpses of demonic beasts were piled up.

“Where is Maktar?”

“I don’t know. I saw him running over there earlier…”

The direction he pointed was where the giant monster was being constructed. Above the biological organs, the upper body of the beast was visible.

“Endure. I’ll bring Maktar back.”

Se-min entered the center again. Se-min soon reached the feet of the giant monster. Blood was gushing out there.

“Argh!”

Maktar was hacking at the monster’s legs like crazy.

Tentacle-like things crawled out from the floor to keep repairing the wounds. A battle of attack and recovery continued.

“Maktar! Let’s go back!”

“I’ll destroy this!”

“Hey! I said let’s go!”

“I’ll destroy this and go back!”

In the end, Se-min gave a flying kick to Maktar. Maktar fell on the floor, and Se-min snatched his axe and fled.

Maktar looked back and forth between his empty hands and the monster in front of him, spat out a curse, and ran after Se-min.

“Give me my axe!”

“I’ll give it back when we return!”

“Ugh!”

Se-min and Maktar dashed. Shozen and Gulad, who were dealing with the demonic beasts, also joined.

Four Orcs—no, one Orc and three disguised Orcs—began a great escape.

Hundreds and thousands of demonic beasts ran, chasing their tails.

Se-min shouted, running at the front.

“I want to go back!”