Chapter 243: Chapter 242

Rumble!

The pure white ground began to boil like lava under Suho's black shadow.

Kyaaaaaaaaaaa—!

The sight of demons writhing in pain and melting like wax in the crimson inferno...

Was truly hell.

Crackle!

Crash!

Above their heads, the blue storm created by their king still rained down thunderbolts. But even Baran, their king, couldn't help them.

[What the...] Baran was also in shock at the sudden situation unfolding before his eyes.

[This is absurd...] His eyes shook violently.

It was truly ridiculous.

The crimson ground turned into lava.

The sky with a blue storm raging.

Seeing the demon souls dying helplessly between them, Baran couldn't help but be astonished.

[How can a mere human wield such destructive power—!]

He had a hunch based on the energy he felt that Suho might be a descendant of Antares. But even if he was a descendant who inherited the power of a Monarch, Baran didn't care.

No, it was rather good news. The weakened ultimate soul had walked in on its own. But... an incomprehensible situation occurred.

[A mere descendant of a Monarch...!] It was absurd that he could fight on par with him, a true Monarch!

[Moreover, this world is solely for me!] The anger he spewed echoed resoundingly from the depths of hell.

[The King of Dragons, the Monarch of Destruction, grins with a ferocious glint in his eyes.]

The Dragon King couldn't help but laugh in satisfaction. No matter they all were defeated and died in the war, there was a clear hierarchy among the dead Monarchs. And excluding the irregular Shadow Monarch, he, the Monarch of Destruction, was the apex. He was the leader of the Monarchs. So, shouldn't his successor, who inherited his heart, show this level of performance to save face as the Monarch of Destruction?

Kyaaaaaaaaaaa!

Even as this was happening, numerous demon souls were screaming and melting from the destructive mana emanating from the 'Dragon King's Heart'!

[Ugh!] Baran quickly came to his senses and shouted at the soldiers again.

[What are you doing! Endure and persevere! You are already dead souls! What are you so afraid of, that you stop your advance?!]

[...!]

Those words were actually true. The demons whose bodies were melting in the hellfire barely regained their senses. The pain was still terrible, and their whole bodies were burning, but they couldn't disobey the king's order.

[Kill him!]

Kyaaaaaaaaaaaaa!

The demon souls, engulfed in flames and turned into even more horrifying figures, rushed towards Suho, screaming. Like a horde of zombies.

But in the midst of that madness, Suho was still leisurely smiling with hands behind his back. Because the victor had already been decided. He looked straight at Baran, who was across from the demons, and said,

"Yes, you're right. You can't kill a dead soul again. But you know what?"

Baran suddenly felt a sense of foreboding. Suho's eyes were gleaming intensely.

"I am the son of my father before I am the descendant of the Dragon King."

Just then, Suho's gaze fell upon the demon souls that had reached right in front of him.

[Extraction is impossible due to mana contamination.]

[Extraction is impossible due to mana contamination.]

[...]

[Extractable target.]

[Extractable target.]

[Extractable target.]

[...]

The demon souls engulfed in flames were rapidly being 'purified' by the power of destruction one by one. Suho, who was watching the scene, finally extended his hand, which had been behind his back, slowly forward. And...

"Listen carefully. My name is Sung Suho. I am the son of Sung Jinwoo, the Shadow Monarch, the king who rules over death."

Therefore...

"Arise."

Using his father's name. He simply gave the order and then, a miracle happened.

Whoosh—!

[Shadow extraction successful.]

[Shadow extraction successful.]

[Shadow extraction successful.]

[Shadow extraction successful.]

[...]

Suho's shadow swallowed the demon souls that were engulfed in the flames of destruction whole. And then they began to be reborn on the spot.

[Shadow Demon Soldier Lv.1]

[Shadow Demon Knight Lv.1]

[Shadow Demon General Lv.1]

[...]

Crackle! Crackle! Crackle—!

The demons, emitting black steam, stopped attacking Suho and instead knelt before him.

Like knights serving a new liege.

[N-no...! How can this be...!]

There was nothing the Demon King Baran could do. All he was capable of was despair and rage. Even during the war between the Rulers and Monarchs, this had never happened. The demons were a superior race that couldn't be taken away by the Shadow Monarch. But with the appearance of a being who possessed both the power of destruction and shadow, such an absurd result occurred!

[No! Th-this can't be happening!]

"Why can't it?" Suho smirked and beckoned his finger towards the shadow demons waiting for his orders.

"All forces, charge."

Following Suho's finger, the shadow demons simultaneously turned their heads glaring at Baran. Then they rushed, as if to devour him like true demons.

Kraaaaaaaaaaa!

[Kyaaaak—!] Baran completely lost his mind at that sight.

[Who dares rebel against the king!] In the end, Baran, enraged to the limit, reached out and grabbed the demons that attacked him first.

Crunch!

Baran's teeth swallowed the demon soul whole. And after gulping it down, he spread his hand to find the demons that hadn't been purified yet.

[Come to me, all of you! Become one with me!]

[Demon King Baran uses Skill: 'Blood Crystal'.]

Whoosh—

Blood Crystal.

An ability superior to the Bloodstone, the unique ability of demon nobles. That power sucked in the souls of the demons that hadn't been purified by the power of destruction into Baran's body. Then, he began to grow larger, and his huge fist struck down towards Suho.

Crash!

But...

"Oh...? You desire a contest of strength?"

[...]

Suho didn't dodge, it was a contest of strength that he wanted.

"Are you sure about this?" Suho, who easily withstood Baran's giant fist with just his strength, glared.

[...Kyaaaaa! How dare a mere human—!]

Crash!

Bang! Bang! Bang—!

The enlarged Baran went berserk and began to launch a fierce attack.

[Demon King Baran uses Skill: 'Blood Crystal'.]

[Demon King Baran uses Skill: 'Blood Crystal'.]

Even as this was happening, Baran continued to grow larger, absorbing the demon souls. But Suho fought him head-on without retreating a single step. Of course, he wasn't alone...

Kyaaaaa!

[You insignificant insects!]

Attacks from the shadow demons poured in from all directions towards the enlarged Baran. A bloody battle where neither side yielded an inch. And there was a being who was most delighted by that sight, the Dragon King Antares.

[The King of Dragons, the Monarch of Destruction, feels his blood boil as he watches the fierce battle.]

[The King of Dragons, the Monarch of Destruction's hands are itching.]

At this moment. The Dragon King was recalling when he, who had died and returned to nothingness, first met Suho. The conversation he had with the 'Sung Jinwoo's' illusion who stood before him.

– Antares. – Sung Jinwoo made him an offer.

– I know that my son's vessel is far too lacking to inherit your power. He's not even a dragon. So I have a proposal.

– Proposal? – Antares frowned immediately at that time.

But thinking back...

Sung Jinwoo was the one who knew his personality better than anyone in this universe.

Who was he?

The great King of Dragons, the Monarch of Destruction, a terrible battle maniac who only felt the thrill of life in bloody battles. The true embodiment of destruction. That was Antares, a clear identity he defined for himself. That's why Sung Jinwoo was certain...

– You must be bored after dying, don't you want to run wild outside?

...That he would never refuse this attractive offer.

Ding!

[Pet: 'Ragnar' is summoned.]

[The spirit of 'Antares' possesses the Priest's body.]

In the end, the Dragon King descended into the Demon King Baran's world.

[Khahahahahaha! This is fun! Sung Jinwoo! It was a good decision to accept your offer!] True destruction had come to this land, which had turned into hell due to Suho and Baran's battle.

Gray, the descendant of the Fang Monarch, could only do this because Suho allowed him to possess his body, but comparing the little wolf's level to the Dragon King's was a great insult to Antares. Moreover, he was the only one among the dead Monarchs who obtained a new body and proudly escaped death. Of course, in the real world, he was struggling with mana deficiency, but that didn't apply here because Suho's mana was the Dragon King's mana.

[Sung Suho, my successor.] With a wide grin The Dragon King, so pleased with this world full of destruction, said to Suho, fiercely fighting Baran,

[I'll show you how to use the true power of destruction.]

Ding!

"Huh?" At that moment, a quest window popped up before Suho's eyes.

[Job Change Quest: Dragon King's Trial-3]

[The Dragon King Antares wants to teach you how to wield the power of destruction.]

[If you succeed in destroying the Demon King Baran's soul with the power of destruction...]

[You will receive a great reward.]

[However, if you fail, the 'Dragon King's Heart' will once again burn your body.]

Suho had a puzzled expression. He thought the trials were over after reaching level 100, but the third one suddenly began.

"What? There was another trial?"

[Of course there was!]

'Well, if the job change quest was over, my job title wouldn't still be empty.' Suho quickly understood and shouted at the Dragon King,

"Okay! What do I have to do?"

[Watch and learn. This is how you use my power.] The Dragon King's eyes gleamed.

Flare!

At that moment, Ragnar's small body, which he was possessing, slowly floated into the air, and crimson flames swirled around him. His small mouth opened wide.

[The King of Dragons, the Monarch of Destruction, uses Skill: 'Breath of Destruction'.]

Kraaaaaaaaaaa—!

𝒇𝙧𝙚𝓮𝙬𝙚𝓫𝒏𝓸𝓿𝓮𝒍.𝓬𝙤𝓶

'...!' At that moment, Suho confirmed that a large portion of his mana was drained.

And at the same time, the Breath of Destruction that erupted in a straight line from the Dragon King's mouth pierced a huge hole in Baran's side.

[Kyaaaaaaa!] Baran, half of his body charred black, flinched and retreated, belatedly realizing that the small dragon in the distance was the Dragon King Antares, whom he hated so much, he erupted in fury.

[Dragon King, you bastard—!]

Thump! Thump! Thump! Thump!

Baran abandoned Suho and ran towards the Dragon King at terrifying speed to attack him. Even as he watched that intimidating form, Antares just smirked.

[You dodged well. I was aiming for your heart.]

As expected, it was impossible to exert the same power as in his prime with Ragnar's body. But wasn't this rather good for educational purposes?

[Now, try dodging this one too.]

[The King of Dragons, the Monarch of Destruction, uses Skill: 'Breath of Destruction'.]

Kyaaaaaaaaaaa—!

The Breath of Destruction once again erupted in a straight line from Ragnar's small mouth. But this time, Baran wasn't going to just take it. Baran's fist, barely dodging the Dragon King's attack, struck Ragnar's tiny body.

Crash—!

The ground cracked and shattered from the tremendous attack. But the Dragon King was safe. Suho had the shadow demons quickly evacuate Ragnar, who had no defense compared to his attack power. Even though he almost died, Antares was just giggling incessantly, held in the arms of a shadow demon. He turned his gaze to Suho and asked,

[Now, I've shown you twice. You can do it now, right?]

His tone was light, but Suho knew that its meaning wasn't light at all.

'However, if you fail, the 'Dragon King's Heart' will once again burn your body.'

He had personally experienced how painful the aftereffects of failing the quest were.

[Why? Can't you do it? Then I'll be a little disappointed.]

"No, it's enough." Suho was already moving.

[Don't get in my way!]

Dash—!

Baran swung his arm at Suho, who was blocking his way to the Dragon King. Jumping high, he ran across that giant arm, and concentrated his power in one hand.

"I've roughly grasped the trick."

[Oh?]

Just like when he defeated Siddharth Bachchan in the Loktak Field, but... After concentrating the power of destruction in one point, much more precisely and perfectly than back then. He opened his hand towards Baran's face, which was glaring at him.

[Skill: 'Breath of Destruction' has been learned.]

At that moment Baran's eyes widened as he saw the mighty force of destruction flying towards him in a straight line.

[Using Skill: 'Breath of Destruction'.]

Kraaaaaaaaaaaaaaa—!

[...!]

[The soul of Baran, the King of Demons and Monarch of the White Flame, has been defeated.]

[Calculating experience points.]

[It may take some time as a large amount of experience points is being processed.]

'Huh?' Suho's eyes widened.

Ding!

Ding!

Ding!

Ding!

...

The mechanical sound continued endlessly.

Suho could see countless system messages filling his vision.