The Modern Founding Chronicles of the Returned Demon King

The Modern Founding Chronicles of the Returned Demon King

Episode 30: The Demon King of Greed (6)

“Clean.”

“Thank you, Your Majesty.”

After wiping out an entire group of demons, I meticulously cleaned the blood off Quel.

Indeed, it was more satisfying to chase and tear apart the Adoniya demons one by one rather than kill them all at once.

Their existence had damaged the reputation of demons, and they were the enemies of my parents.

Once the situation settled, I approached Kim Jin-woo and Park Sang-cheol.

“Any injuries?”

“Thanks to you, Seo-jun…”

“Good, I thought you were dead. I couldn’t see you.”

Of course, if I had arrived even a little later, they would have ended up as unrecognizable corpses.

Just then, a Western-looking woman approached.

“My God, are you really Seo-jun?”

“…Yes, I am.”

“Thank you for saving us! I’m such a fan, and it’s so great that we can communicate!”

She got so close that my face reflected in her clear pupils.

Just then, Quel stepped in.

“Rude. You’re too close.”

“Ah, you’re Quel, right? You’re even more beautiful in person!”

“…Hmm, go on.”

“Just look at your porcelain skin! Where do you get your skincare…?”

It was unsettling that she was so upbeat given that a person had just died and she had almost died as well. A seemingly carefree woman.

…No, upon closer inspection, that wasn’t it.

Current thoughts: I’m scared, I don’t want to die, Mom, can I go home?

This was her way of coping. To survive in this place, she was feigning calmness.

Park Sang-cheol, who had quietly approached, asked a question.

“Seo-jun, are there more demons deeper in?”

“Yes. They’ll increase not just in number but also in quality.”

The demons we’ve seen so far have been at most of a Baron rank.

Beneath that are Viscounts and Counts. The Mutant Behemoth could be considered around the Knight level.

“I see…”

“That’s why you should not go any further. Other S-rank Hunters from Korea have already decided not to.”

“Have you met the others? Are they all alive?”

Kim Jin-woo was the one who asked.

I looked at them quietly before answering softly.

” Jeong Dae-jin was injured, Ha Seong-woo was on the verge of death until I healed him, and Jang Min-tae is dead.”

“…What?”

They were understandably shocked by my bland revelation.

Park Sang-cheol covered his face with his massive hands.

“So he’s dead…”

“Yes, and not by a demon, but by humans.”

“You mean the guys in robes?”

“Have you met them as well?”

“Yes, they suddenly attacked us.”

“I see.”

They must have met the cultists. If they had encountered anyone higher than a priest, they wouldn’t be this well off.

The Cult of Great Sin is not to be underestimated. Their leader alone would be nearly catastrophic for them.

I’ve always wondered why they’ve been so quiet until now. With their power, they could easily conquer a country.

It almost felt as though they were deliberately lying low.

“Anyway, based on what just happened, you should realize your limits and stay here.”

They would undoubtedly die if they encounter a higher-ranked demon or a larger number of Barons.

I hadn’t discouraged them from entering, but I had no choice but to discourage them from going all the way to Beelzebub.

“…We understand. We’ll stay here.”

“Me too…”

Park Sang-cheol, Kim Jin-woo, and the woman all agreed. They had felt their own powerlessness from the previous event.

However, one man was different.

“I’ll follow you.”

“…What?”

“Admittedly, I can’t be of much help in combat, but my strength lies in debuffing. I’ll use my abilities from a distance.”

Looking at the man with determined eyes, I sighed.

“I’ll have to rephrase my earlier statement.”

While he might consider this courage, it looked like recklessness to me.

“Get lost.”

“…What?”

“You said you’ll debuff from behind? I guarantee, you’ll die before you even get a chance.”

“I’m an S-rank Hunter. I only need a second to—”

“Yes, that one second.”

“…What?”

“In the time it took you to respond, I could have slashed your throat. And the demons inside could have done the same.”

Even if he debuffs, it wouldn’t have any effect on demons of higher ranks, so taking him would be more of a hindrance.

Still, the man insisted.

“I understand that the demons are strong. But I doubt it’s to the extent that—”

Crash!

At that moment, someone slammed the man’s head onto the floor, interrupting him.

It wasn’t Quel. She would never do something so rash without my permission, no matter what someone said to me.

The one who did it was a man with an imposing physique.

“Haha… Seo-jun, don’t worry about him. I’ll handle this one,” said Park Sang-cheol, pressing the man’s head down as he forced a smile.

…Well, he didn’t need to go that far. The man had meant well, and if it were another version of me, I would have used force by now.

“If this guy has offended you, Seo-jun, I’ll apologize on his behalf. Leave it to me.”

But since things ended up going my way, I decided to let it go.

That level of injury could easily be healed by the woman’s abilities.

“Fine, go ahead. There are others in that direction, head over there.”

“Thank you.”

Park Sang-cheol carried the unconscious man towards the direction I pointed to.

Even if he was physically inferior, to knock out an S-rank Hunter in one go…

Park Sang-cheol seemed stronger than I thought.

“Wait.”

I halted them at that moment.

Park Sang-cheol looked back, his face tinged with fear.

“…Is there a problem?”

“Stay right there.”

My eyes grew cold, and my hand reached for my sword hilt.

It was an instinctive series of actions.

“It seems it’s already too late.”

My gaze shifted past them, specifically toward the center of the floating island.

From there, an ominous energy emanated.

“Quel, protect them.”

Before Quel had the chance to reply, she grabbed the confused group and moved them out of the way.

A sharp voice echoed from the sky at that moment.

“I’ve found you.”

Swoosh!

A murderous intent pierced deep into my body.

A demon floating in the air lunged toward me. A crimson lump, inflamed with malicious intent, broke through the sunlight.

I drew my sword, and the creature unleashed a fist wrapped in crimson Magi.

Kwaang!

The earth-shattering noise rippled the short grass on the ground.

I parried the attack and looked at the creature’s face.

But it immediately put distance between us, leaving only a chilling smile in my field of vision.

“Stopping my surprise attack, you really live up to your reputation. And I even concealed my presence to the max.”

The creature landed and spoke.

“So, the prophecy that Asmodeus left is true, isn’t it? Are you not Solomon’s demon king?”

I scanned the newly appeared Beelzebub.

His crimson physique and the two antennae on his forehead, accompanied by two wings as thin but as strong as steel—

He looked like a fly that had morphed into a malicious demon. His height was similar to mine, adding an eerie aura.

“A surprise attack… A tactic commonly used by the weak, I see. Should I take your actions as acknowledgment of your own weakness?”

Beelzebub’s expression flickered with anger momentarily but quickly subsided.

“…You’re quite eloquent. It makes me want to rip your mouth open right now.”

Beelzebub pointed his sharp fingers toward my mouth.

Then he showed a puzzled expression.

“But how are you even on this realm? You shouldn’t be here. And you even seem free of any restrictions.”

Indeed, it would be strange for me, who should be in Solomon’s demon realm, to be here.

There were multiple reasons, but I was originally a human from Earth, so it was only natural.

However, there was no reason to explain that to him.

“The true king is not bound by any rules.”

“…So, are you saying I’m not a true king because I am bound?”

“Such a shame if that’s what you think.”

Upon hearing my words, Beelzebub’s face twisted grotesquely, as if made of clay.

“Kuk! Hahahahaha!!”

He burst into raucous laughter, clutching his face with one hand.

Raw, predatory energy swept over me. A gagging sound came from behind me; it seemed the lady could barely stand to face this force.

As Beelzebub lifted his face, the laughter disappeared, leaving only a menacing gaze.

“You audacious brat. Your arrogance soars just because you thwarted Asmodeus once. But don’t you think this time is different?”

“What are you talking about?”

“Back then, you had other legion commanders and troops. Asmodeus would inevitably face difficulties.”

Beelzebub spread his arms as he spoke.

“But now? Those people are not with you. In contrast, we have our full forces.”

Beside him, various demons had appeared out of nowhere.

Beyond counts and dukes, even marquises. Not to mention all kinds of other creatures.

His gaze then turned towards the area behind me.

“Well, if there is anyone, it would be that female dragon. Surely you haven’t brought those microbes as your full force.”

Microbes, that’s how insignificant they were to Beelzebub.

“Getting the picture now?”

“…”

“From this point on, I’ll rip you apart and shatter this realm you wish to protect, to the point where no one will even know you existed here.”

I sighed deeply at Beelzebub’s arrogance.

“You’ve been talking a lot…”

“What?”

I casually walked toward him.

“So, what do you want me to do?”

Swish!

I swung my sword lightly in a diagonal slash, sending a blade of energy his way.

He crossed his arms to parry the attack.

A moment later, as the aftershocks subsided, he spoke.

“It seems to me you look scared, as if you hope I would back off.”

“Nice chatter.”

“If that’s not the case, then shut up and come at me. I’ll squash you like a fly.”

“…”

The mood turned heavy as the word ‘fly’ was mentioned.

I paused, sensing he might attack any second now.

“Ah, before that, how about we change the location? Neither of us wants to destroy this land or that castle, right?”

This consideration was not for him but for myself.

Because this place would soon be under my control.

“So, you’re saying you’ll fight me wherever I want?”

“Yes. Use the terrain, use tricks, struggle all you want. So, you can’t make excuses later.”

“Remember your words, they’ll make you regret.”

“I’ve never had regrets.”

I chuckled as if it were a joke.

Beelzebub smirked and slammed his hands on the ground.

“Don’t resist this energy.”

A dark energy emanated from his hands and spread over the ground.

It quickly reached my feet and stopped when I did not resist it. The entire landscape turned dark.

“Your Majesty!”

“You stay back and protect them.”

I left a word for Quel who was shouting from behind.

The grass, trees, and sky disappeared, replaced by black walls. There was no light, but I could clearly see their figures.

From the energy, it seemed similar to the barrier that had surrounded the central region earlier.

“Does the location satisfy you? No matter how much we rampage here, it won’t affect that place.”

Using [Lezie’s Insight] on Beelzebub in front of me confirmed that it was true.

“Yes.”

“I won’t be careless like Asmodeus. I’ll win by any means necessary.”

Beelzebub had created a barrier containing demons of the rank of Marquis or higher.

In contrast, I was alone.

From their point of view, I would seem to be at a numerical and geographical disadvantage.

But from my perspective, I was not at a disadvantage at all.

“Do you know?”

As always, I calmly raised my sword.

“…What?”

“When humans catch flies, they use various methods. They prevent entry with insect screens or trap them with bait. But my sister prefers the electric fly swatter.”

“…What’s with the nonsense?”

“I’m thinking of using that method as well.”

I smirked as I looked straight at Beelzebub.

In response, the ruby on my sword shimmered red.

“Thunderbolt.”

Crackling!

Intense bolts of lightning surrounded not just my sword, but my entire body.

An ability I acquired from Ryu Chun-ji, [Thunderbolt].

More than just enveloping my body with lightning, it overloads my nerves to elevate my physical capabilities.

From now on, I will use this to

“Go ahead and try to run away.”

Catch Beelzebub, the fly.

(To be continued in the next episode)