Chapter 80: Glorious Demon Lord

“

Arghhhh!

”

“G-Goddess! Save us!”

“No! Not like

thiiis! Aarrghh!

”

The imperial soldiers cried in despair as they burned to death.

“N-no! Apostle of God! Please stop! This isn’t what we agreed upon! The emperor will never overlook this!” Goddess Arachne screamed, yet the flames never ceased.

Swoosh!

-

Kehaha!

Sacrifice! Offer them up to me!

Chariot of Fire spread its mouth wide, greedily absorbing the burning soldiers. Yes, all 100 billion of them. The sight, which expanded for several kilometers, was terrifying.

I can wait until only that chariot is left and crush him!

Surely, fighting that chariot was much easier than dealing with 100 billion insects? But that thought only lasted briefly, until I saw the chariot expand to a towering 300 meters in height.

“Impossible!”

Fuck!

It was still growing! 400 meters, 500 meters, 600 meters... And the flames grew in proportion as well!

Kwaaaa! Bubble bubble!

Its heat melted everything in its surroundings until it became a sizzling lava.

Bam bam bam! Thuuud!

“

Haaap!

Muuuuscles!

” Il-Ho smashed through the nearby walls, before hauling debris the size of a house. “Chariot monster! Smash!”

Vrooom!

A huge boulder flew straight toward the chariot’s head!

Boom!

Yet, before the boulder could come close to the chariot, it was instantly dissolved by its flames. The sight rendered me speechless. Just how hot were those flames?!

-

Kehahaha!

This is the power of my master, Fire Shining in the Highest Skies!

Kwaaaa!

The increasingly sweltering flames of the chariot made it feel like the sun had descended.

Sizzle!

Its heat spread to us, who were quite some distance away, and white smoke rose from the ground.

Il-Ho frowned. “L-Lord Yu Il-Shin! What do we do now?”

Honestly, even I had no idea what to do in this situation.

Wooong!

-

Keke, kekeke!

Just then, Sword God gave Il-Ho and me a condescending look.

-

Keke,

useless! Do you even need to ask?!

“Well, do you have any good ideas?”

Sword God shouted arrogantly in his frenzied voice.

-

Keke

, cut it down! Slay that lowly chariot and end this war!

Lowly? You call those flames lowly?

After devouring a third of the imperial army, Chariot of Fire now stood one kilometer tall.

Bubble bubble!

The heat from the chariot spread outward like an overflowing river, and the surrounding ground boiled like lava.

When I looked skeptically at Sword God, the eyes on the hilt turned red.

-

Kekeke!

Fool! Believe in me! In this world, there’s nothing I can’t cut!

“...Fine.”

Not like there was anything else I could do.

I drew back the hand that held the sword and said, “Skill Sharing, Sword Demon. First Stance of Demon Lord’s Heavenly Sword, Demon Lord’s Descent!”

Then, I swung Sword God at the nightmarish Chariot of Fire.

Ssss!

An invisible sword qi was unleashed! Extreme tiredness overtook my entire body.

-

Kehaha!

Sacrifice! Bring me more...!

Cough!

The chariot was laughing boisterously as he absorbed the imperial troops when it suddenly vomited lava-mixed blood.

Riiip rippppp!

Starting from the center of its human head, the disgustingly huge chariot had split diagonally.

-

Keke,

I did it!

-N-no! My body! My precious body, given by my master...

Arrghhh!

Bam bam bam!

Chariot of Fire fell apart, disintegrating. The impact shook the ground like an earthquake. Flames shot upward, threatening to pierce the sky.

-

Kekeke!

Did you see that! This is

my

power!

Sword God yelled arrogantly.

Even though I was the one who unleashed it?

“

Huff! Huff!

This is killing me...”

My sword hand trembled uncontrollably, and my entire body was drenched in sweat. Nevertheless, compared to my last fight with Gustav, where I fainted for a week after just one swing, this was a huge improvement.

I didn’t get tormented by those stalkers in my dreams for nothing!

[Silently Crawling Nightmare says to not let your guard down just yet.]

[Infinite Abundance anxiously stares at the fiery red sky.]

...And they chimed in just as I thought of them.

Fiery red sky?

I looked up.

Kwaaaaa!

The sky was burning red. At the epicenter was a familiar huge fireball. It looked exactly like the head on Chariot of Fire that I had cut down.

I was dumbfounded. “Sword God. Can you cut through that too?”

Sword God was silent.

Upon using my appraisal skill, I saw that the information on the chariot had changed.

-----

[Brother of Fire Shining in the Highest Skies (Released from seal)]

Originally, there were two Sun Gods in Antrinia. The two gods fought for the supremacy of the sky. Half of the continent burned down in the wake of their battle. After the seven-day duel, Fire Shining in the Highest Skies emerged victorious, ultimately becoming the one true Sun God in the world. Meanwhile, the loser lost its power and perished.

However, feeling sympathy for its own brother, Fire Shining in the Highest Skies sealed a fragment of it onto the chariot, naming it their apostle. But now, the seal had broken.

Special note: Resents Yu Il-Shin for destroying its body, a symbol of the apostleship. Seeks to burn the world out of the immense hatred.

-----

Kwaaaaa! Swoosh!

“

Arghhh!

Save me!”

“

Aaah!

I don’t want to die like this!”

While all of this took place, the imperial troops were still being devoured.

Sizzle!

Finally, all 100 billion imperial soldiers were consumed by the apostle. The remaining ashes fell onto the battlefield like black snow.

Ruuuumble!

-How dare you destroy the body my master has bestowed on me!

You!

You lowly evil god! I’ll reduce you and your world to ashes!

The blazing skull, now ten kilometers in diameter, spewed flames at me while yelling.

Gulp!

“Stalkers, what should I do now?”

[All-Cutting Heavenly Sword chuckles, saying your opponent is a High-tier God, so it’s best to just give up.]

This fucking geezer! Do you still remember how much Godcoins I gave you?!

-I’ll kill all of

youuuuuu!

Kwaaaaa!

The scourge of fire cended, threatening to set the world aflame.

“Fuck this!”

I was overwhelmed with despair. How do I stop this catastrophe?

Kwaaaa!

As the apostle drew nearer, the heat became too much to bear, and the people of Gayami screamed in agony.

“

Arghhh!

God Yu Il-Shin!”

“So hot! Please save us, God Yu Il-Shin!”

Their pain and despair were vividly conveyed to me.

“Darn it!”

Gritting my teeth, I raised my hand toward the burning red sky and unleashed all my powers.

“Crushing Forefinger of God! Convicting Middle Finger of God! Proliferating Thumb of God!”

It was such a reckless act, akin to trying to extinguish a forest fire with a single extinguisher.

“

Ughhh!

”

I couldn’t even stop the incoming calamity for even a second.

[Insufficient divine power!]

Pwooosh!

Along with that message from God-Maker, blood gushed out from my nose and ears.

I-I don’t have enough power!

Just then, Il-Ho yelled, “Lord Yu Il-Shin! I offer you this beast!”

Ding!

[Your devout believer and temporary apostle, Il-Ho, offers you the Apostle of Beast of Deceit and Rapacity.]

Even though I didn’t take it down, God-Maker still responded. It treated the beast as an offering from Il-Ho.

Tzzz!

The slain apostle crumbled into sand, before being absorbed by my body.

Ding!

[Congratulations, God Yu Il-Shin. The Apostle of Beast of Deceit and Rapacity, offered by Il-Ho had offered you, is a sacrifice equivalent to two S-rank beings.]

[The number of sacrifices of S-rank and higher intelligent beings with potential for transcendence has increased.]

[Additional targets: Johan, Gustav, Ruler of the Abyssal Swamp, Beast of Deceit and Rapacity.]

-----

[Quest: Low-tier Malevolent God Promotion (In Progress)]

Normal sacrifice: 52,023,002 /1,000,000,000

Sacrifices of S-rank or higher intelligent beings with potential for transcendence: 10(4+6)/10

-----

Ding!

[You have completed the quest.]

[Congratulations. Yu Il-Shin has been promoted to a Low-tier Malevolent God.]

Kwaaaa!

Domineering darkness exploded all over my body, and my depleted divine power surged tremendously. Was this the power of a Low-tier God? My original power had increased by tenfold, if not more!

“God Yu Il-Shin! Please give us strength!” Il-Ho prayed to me, clasping his hands tightly with desperation in his eyes.

“

Sniff

, God Yu Il-Shin! Puck puck!”

“P-please grant us salvation.”

Following Il-Ho, the people of the Gayami nation prayed to me, looking at me with a mix of fear and reverence.

Yes, I am your God.

“

Ahhhh!

Get away from my children!”

Along with that vicious cry, I poured all of my power into the fiery flames.

***

At the same time, in reality...

Ruuuuumble! Flash!

“Mister! Are you here?”

Accompanied by a dazzling light and a deafening sound, Sung Mi-Ri appeared at the training room.

With the help of Sung Mi-Na, Sung Mi-Ri’s seal had been broken, allowing her abilities to grow by leaps and bounds. Finally, Sung Mi-Ri had become the S-rank Hunter she’d always wanted to be. Compared to when she was an A-rank, her body was now as light as a feather. At her full strength, she could decimate a small mountain.

Sung Mi-Ri wanted to share this good news with Yu Il-Shin as soon as possible! Except, no matter how hard she looked, she couldn’t find him.

Then, she spotted Sword Demon practicing swordsmanship all by himself.

“

Haa

... He isn’t at home. Where is he? Uncle Sword Demon, have you seen my teacher?” Sung Mi-Ri asked.

“...

Huff, huff!

There are Eight Burning Hells in the afterlife, so the Second Stance of Demon Lord’s Heavenly Sword originates from...” Sword Demon, drenched in sweat, muttering unintelligible words. He continued swinging his 500 kg black sword. “Just a little more, a little more...”

Sword Demon had been training with that sword for days like a madman.

“

Haa

... At this rate, you’ll collapse. I know you and Hades have some kind of rivalry going on, but get some rest.”

Grr! Flash!

Shaking her head, Sung Mi-Ri left the room with a thunderous boom.

“I must get stronger. I mustn’t become a burden to Mr. Sword God any longer. I must become the true Sword Demon.”

Crack!

Clenching his jaws tightly, Sword Demon swung his sword down for the millionth time.

Wooong!

Briefly, a faint spark flickered from his sword. It was an extremely fleeting realization, but...

Woooong!

It awakened a fragment of a forgotten memory of someone from God-Maker, with whom Sword Demon was connected through Yu Il-Shin.

***

-It’s useless to try! Accept your fate and perish with this world!

“Shut up, Fire-breather!

Ahhhh!

Convicting Middle Finger of God!”

Kwaaaa!

I barely stopped the apostle’s descent with my black flames.

Tzzz! Bubble bubble!

The fortress walls surrounding the Holy Nation of Gayami melted like chocolate bars.

I-I can’t go on...

Was it because it had consumed a hundred billion sacrifices? Or was it because it was a former Sun God? I didn’t know. Nevertheless, I was certain I couldn’t stop this calamity even as a Low-tier Malevolent God.

Dammit, I have no other choice.

Still, I did have one last trick up my sleeve. The Heavenly Sword Treasury.

During my battle with Johan, the God of Destroyer “???” tried to descend onto Earth. I still shuddered whenever I recalled that moment. And that was only a fragment of its main body...

I want to save it just in case I run into him in the future, but my hands are tied.

This disaster, spanning over ten kilometers, was on the verge of setting the sky on fire.

At this rate, both the Gayami nation and I would perish! Maybe the Mountain-Gnawing Titan’s sword from before could help avert this crisis!

“

Keugh

, Heavenly Sword Treasury...”

Just as I was about to summon the treasury...

Grab!

A rough, wrinkly hand grabbed my arm with a crushing grip.

“

Keke

, fool. Don’t waste your energy. The Mountain-Gnawing Titan’s sword will never be able to cut through fire.”

The hand belonged to a gaunt old man with a scruffy beard. Why did he look so familiar?

“W-who are you?”

“

Keke,

I’m but a fool who sought power to slay the God of Destroyer, only to go berserk and destroy the world on his own.”

The old man cried as tears of blood streamed down his face.

“The Demon Lord.”