Editor: Cherish
Silence fell in the cave with Orias' sudden cry.
Yu Dae Shik, unaware of what had happened, raised his dumbfounded gaze at the monster.
— O Great Immortal! Wh-what happened?
— Immortal? Don't talk nonsense, son of man! We can't just rush to our own deaths!
— But you just said you enjoyed the pleasure of battle and murder…
— If you were in my place, you wouldn't be able to enjoy it anymore either!
'What is this nonsense?' He kept looking at Orias with a baffled expression.
Only a moment ago he was enjoying the battle and showing off all his power, and now he's talking nonsense.
'What happened?'
Where did the self-confident Orias go?
Before Dae Shik could blink, the demon's behavior had changed.
Though it wasn't a good comparison, the demon looked like a schoolboy playing an online game when Mom suddenly called in.
(Editor's Note: Comparing to teenage boys who curse a lot in-game and brag about themselves until their mom walks in and they stop acting so cocky.)
— Come on! Hurry up and cancel the calling! Please, send me back to Hell! — Orias was screaming like he was praying.
Dae Shik started biting his nails restlessly. His plan was falling apart.
'Why, among all the many demons, did this one come…?'
Dae Shik thought his luck had really run out.
He didn't think that a demon from the Seventh Thousandth Circle would be such a coward.
Dae Shik was confused.
He didn't have the slightest idea how to resolve this situation.
— You can't go back. But don't worry, great Orias! They are just pathetic mortals! With the power you possess, you can easily kill these weaklings.
— Pitiful mortals? Weaklings?! — The demon's red eyes flashed. — Stupid man! What do you know to say such a thing! You don't know anything. You have no idea who he is or what he's done! —
A look filled with horror. A voice that gives away fear.
More questions appeared in Dae Shik's eyes. He had no idea who could make a powerful demon scream in fear.
— Who are you talking ab- — Before he could finish, a deafening sound echoed through the cave.
It was Kang Yu, using the Power of Growing Strike.
He looked at Orias like he had a headache.
'Does he really recognize me?' He looked at the demon with disbelief.
Of course, Kang Yu was a famous person within the Ninth Thousandth Circle of Hell, as well as beyond.
But unlike the technologically advanced Earth, in Hell, rumors spread only through words.
That's why almost all demons have heard rumours about Kang Yu, but few knew what he looked like.
But the summoned monster seemed to recognize his face with great certainty.
If he was unlucky enough to get caught in a battle right now, Kang Yu would lose.
'Or is it the other way around…?'
Kang Yu looked at Orias, who was terrified.
Right now, the immense power Kang Yu had owned in Hell has been sealed.
Even though he was able to restore some of his Powers thanks to raising his Player level and the Power of the Devourer, it still could not be compared to his abilities during his period of reign.
In his current state, it would be quite difficult for him to fight the demon of the Seventh Thousandth Circle.
'But if he's scared like this to begin with, it probably won't be that hard to bring him down.'
The corners of his lips twitched upwards, and he licked his lips.
— You're Orias, right? — Kang Yu said in a way that only a monster would hear him.
— Oh! — Kang Yu's question reached Orias.
The monster was even more shaken up with fear. Just hearing the guy's voice, his muscles tensed up even more.
It's a feeling of horror that creeps to the bones. The Great Lord inflicted an irresistible fear in everyone.
— Y-yes… — Orias replied in a trembling voice.
— Speak in a way that only I can hear.
— Y-Yes! Got it! — The monster hastily nodded his head.
He made sure that no one else could hear what he was saying.
— Lord, why are you here?
— Did you just ask me a question?
— N-no! Excuse me! — Shaking in terror, Orias hurriedly shook his head.
Kang Yu had only said one line. Yet the reaction to that one phrase exceeded all his expectations. He smiled in content.
'This will be easier than I thought.'
It's easy for fear to override common sense.
Kang Yu didn't know where he'd been seen by the demon, but Orias was unmistakably filled with fear.
Since Orias had tucked his tail between his legs before the fight even began, Kang Yu knew that he had already won an unconditional victory.
(Editor's Note: For those unfamiliar with this expression, tail between legs = feeling shame, defeat and resignation.)
'The important thing is to avoid getting caught.'
As long as he doesn't give himself away and Orias doesn't find out about his weakness, there will be no problems.
'It's like taking candy from a child.'
It couldn't be easier. Truly a trivial matter.
— You seem to have interfered with my plans, — Kang Yu said pointedly.
Orias' eyes widened.
— P-plans?
— Do you intend to keep asking me questions?
— Oh… I'm sorry!
It was a one-sided conversation.
Orias fell silent, realizing he was wrong to speak up.
He was in a dangerous situation now.
His fear of the Lord enveloped him so much that he was afraid to move.
'The further I ask, the scarier he'll be…'
Orias considered the Lord's words.
He was trying to figure out what Kang Yu was talking about.
Kang Yu carefully looked at the pondering monster.
No matter how much the demon thought about it, he couldn't figure out what kind of plan the Lord had.
'I just said a meaningful line.'
To hide your weakness, all you have to do is keep your opponent away.
Orias' expression grew more and more thoughtful. He could not understand at all what was the plan in question.
After waiting enough time, Kang Yu continued in a low tone:
— I'll give you a chance.
— Oh… what chance are you talking about?
— If you succeed, I will let you be my servant.
— Servant? — In amazement, Orias repeated his words.
A servant of the Great Lord!
After the Seven Great Demons died at his hands, any being in Hell would be honored to serve Kang Yu.
Becoming the Lord's servant means being able to borrow some of his powers.
Even by taking over a small part of his powerful Magi, they could become incredibly strong.
Kang Yu was so powerful that even demons from other Circles of Hell didn't dare to ignore him.
It was this power that could make servants out of demons, for such an offer could not be refused.
— I will follow any of your orders! I, Orias, swear eternal loyalty to the Lord!
Having received such a sudden offer, he perked up.
— Defeat the people here without using weapons. I want to know if you are worthy to be my servant.
— Roger that! — Orias did not hesitate to nod his head.
Looking at the agitated image of the monster, Kang Yu grinned.
'You should try to turn on your brain.'
Fighting people without using weapons to test your strength. If it were a more intelligent creature, it would definitely question such a wish.
'Well, that won't happen.'
And the problem wasn't even that the demon was stupid.
It's just that such a proposal from the Lord of Hell was intoxicating.
Milgram's experiment had proved that obedience to authority is deeply rooted in people's minds.
And demons were no different from them. Orias was an excellent example.
Orias, following Kang Yu's orders, threw his sickle aside and kicked it far away.
With bare hands, he launched an attack on the Hwaran Squad.
— What is going on with that demon?
— I have no idea… — said Hwa Yeon, narrowing her eyes. — But it's a good time to attack him. —
No one could understand why the summoned demon was behaving like this, but it doesn't matter, because he's put himself at a disadvantage.
'West Wind.'
Hwa Yeon readied her sword.
A strong wind blew from the white edge of the sword.
Created and controlled by Maryok, it was an icy wind, inside which was hidden a force chilling to the bone.
— Ah! — Orias made an excruciating cry.
He tried to resist the wind with his bare hands, but it didn't work and the skin on his hands cracked.
— You ugly beetles!
Orias swung his fist, trying to resist Hwa Yeon's sword.
— Kh…
Hwa Yeon, not expecting him to rush right at her, was thrown back with incredible force.
The monster ran after her, but Young-ju blocked his way.
— Who are you calling bugs? Ha?
The girl stretched her hands forward, discontent. She closed her eyes and focused. The bracelets hanging on both wrists turned red.
'Blood Chains.'
From the bracelets appeared chains with sharp spikes.
Dozens of bundles of metal chains covered the entire floor of the cave, slithering as fast as snakes.
— Ahhh!
The sharp spikes pierced his skin and blood spilled from his wounds. The chains kept attacking Orias tirelessly.
His face twisting in agony, he looked at Young-ju.
'She's strong.'
So much so that he could hardly believe she was a mere human.
— Damn it!
He doubted that even a weapon would help him in this situation. His breathing grew heavy, and he looked down at his hands.
Ah, if only he was a simple demon who could always win fights with bare hands.
But he was so used to his sickle that his body was used to moving at a certain pace.
And now, when he was told to fight with his bare hands, he was powerless.
His movements were sloppy, and he lacked strength.
'But this is the Lord's test!'
Holding back the stifling feeling inside him, he kept fighting.
The more he fought, the more serious the wounds he received.
The passion that had arisen earlier subsided and his movements became slower.
— Khhh… — Orias fell on one knee.
He no longer thought he could resist the people, weapon or no weapon.
At that moment, Kang Yu, who was lifting his sickle from the ground and heading in his direction, came into his line of sight.
'Master will help me!' Hope sparkled in his eyes.
If he retrieved his sickle and received power from the Lord, he would easily overcome all these people.
He would simply crush the men threatening him like beetles!
'Yes, I can see it now! The picture is clear.'
The important thing is that he showed his intentions, the important thing is that he wasn't afraid to follow his master's orders!
Surely the Lord must have been moved by Orias' efforts.
— Ah… Kn… Huh?
The sickle he was hoping to get back was digging into his heart.
He looked down on his chest, unable to understand.
— But… why…?
— Don't hate me, Orias. — He pressed even harder on the sickle that pierced his chest.
Blood gushed out of the wound like a river.
A smile graced the man's lips.
— You just couldn't recognize the deception.
[You successfully destroyed the demon Orias of the Seventh Thousandth Circle of Hell]
[You get bonus experience points]
[You got a lot of experience points]
[Level up by 5 units]
[When you reach level 50, you get Rank 6.]
[You have a new special ability]