Chapter 40: Great Master!

Elnair Grantz, the Blue Tower Master.  

She had recently teetered on the edge of danger due to a mental breakdown, but there was no doubt that she was a towering figure among high-ranking mages, having reached the very pinnacle of her craft.  

A veteran who had dedicated a century to magic, she had witnessed countless astonishing sights.  

Most research results or spells wouldn’t even make her blink, let alone impress her.  

Yet, even Elnair, the Tower Master, couldn’t help but be utterly shocked by the scene unfolding in the laboratory before her.  

“…What in the world? Are all these people named dark warlocks? And demons… wait, are those really demons?”  

She had recently lent a laboratory to her benefactor.  

She had heard he planned to invite dark warlocks and summon demons here, but she never imagined he’d pull off something on this scale.  

There were dozens of hollow-eyed dark warlocks in the room.  

Half of them, even if they’d used shortcuts, had reached the level of high-ranking mages. 

But what was even more astonishing was the presence of beings with combat power comparable to archmages.  

Seven noble-class demons—creatures rarely seen in a lifetime—were bound in pristine white chains, lying dazed in the lab.  

What is this? Am I dreaming?  

The destructive power in front of her surpassed that of a major nation’s military. 

And to top it all off, it was all surprise-hosted in the secret laboratory she had provided.  

Seven demons in one place—something you’d be lucky to see once in a lifetime. 

Am I under some illusion spell?  

Elnair Grantz, the Blue Tower Master, blinked repeatedly, scanning her surroundings as if she were seeing things. 

If these creatures broke free, it wouldn’t just be a matter of an S-rank dungeon break leveling Seoul—it could potentially annihilate the entire nation of South Korea if aid from other countries was delayed.  

Perhaps if the old monsters from the Academy lent their strength, they might be able to contain it.  

But even then, these were monstrous demons that would cause catastrophic damage.  

…Wait, how are these monsters so docile?  

Unlike the deceitful demons often described in texts, these ones were sprawled out like genuine wrecks.  

Seriously, what is going on?  

Completely baffled, Elnair Grantz, after much deliberation, had no choice but to bombard the man beside her with questions.  

“…Hrm, I have a lot I want to ask, but first—how in the world did you summon all these demons? I don’t recall lending you enough resources for that.”  

“Oh, I just handled it self-sufficiently by calling in those shady guys over there.”  

“What? Even if you gathered dark warlocks, how could you summon seven demons? Demons that are hard to see even once in a lifetime?”  

“Well, after summoning about three demons, I had them harass each other into summoning more.”  

Apparently, when you use a demon’s own mana as an offering for the summoning circle, the cost goes down significantly—  

As the man, Shin Yuseong, casually dropped this bombshell, the Tower Master stared at him, mouth agape, utterly dumbfounded.  

Wait, is this for real?  

“Would it help if I showed you how it works right now?”  

With a bright smile, Shin Yuseong began pressuring the nearby dark warlocks and demons to start drawing a summoning circle.  

For a moment, Elnair wondered if the man in front of her had lost his mind—or if she was the one going crazy again.  

***

The world contained multiple dimensions, multiple universes, multiple Earths.  

In modern terms, a multiverse.  

When you cross world lines, you encounter people living in worlds that are similar yet different.  

This Reversed Earth also had its own distinct universe, with higher dimensions like the Divine Realm and the Demon Realm existing in their own unique forms.  

Unlike the alien planets Shin Yuseong had shattered, which felt somewhat interconnected, the dimension known as “Hell” existed as a far more independent and isolated world.  

It wasn’t something you could reach with long-distance teleportation magic from a forward base on an alien planet—it was an entirely separate realm.  

As a result, summoning demons to this world required immense effort, and when they crossed dimensions, they were significantly weakened by the laws of causality.  

Not only did summoning them demand a massive offering, but their combat power was often underwhelming upon arrival, which naturally reduced the frequency of such summonings.  

The relatively peaceful state of Earth, with low crime rates and few major incidents, also played a role in this.  

Thus, demons and fiends from the same dimension as this Reversed Earth had limited means to reach the mortal world, and opportunities to interact with them were rare.  

Especially for noble-class demons, the mightiest among Hell’s denizens, the offerings required were so vast that few dared to attempt summoning them.  

Many called their names, but few could meet the conditions.  

In terms of human lives, it would take thousands or tens of thousands as sacrifices to even have a chance—and in a modern world like this, gathering such offerings was no easy feat.  

***

[Ahh, an endless string of tedious days…]

Thus, Albania, the Demon Countess of Illusions, lounged on a sunbed as usual, gazing at the black, blazing sun of Hell.  

She was undoubtedly a mighty denizen of Hell.  

But all the menial tasks were handled by her subordinate demons, and the most she ever had to do was occasionally show her face on a battlefield to flaunt her dominance.  

Truly devilish dopamine-inducing moments were rare.  

It had been centuries since she’d last been summoned to another dimension to wreak havoc.  

Dwelling on it only left her feeling unsatisfied.  

For this reason, whenever she had free time, Countess Albania would bask under the crimson sky, staring at Hell’s black sun, as if photosynthesizing.  

Hummmm—  

This was a privilege of nobility. 

Demons could more easily amass their unique mana by gazing at Hell’s sun.  

In other words, they gained power just by breathing, making the might of Hell’s noble demons beyond imagination!  

Aside from celestial gods or demons of equal rank, there was no one who could compare, so concepts like fear or caution were practically nonexistent for noble-class demons.  

[…Oh?]  

Which meant that when a summoning circle appeared before her, she didn’t hesitate for a moment before leaping into it.  

Dangerous, you say?  

Dangerous for whom? 

For me?  

For Albania, the great Countess-class demon among Hell’s destructive beings?  

Albania, brimming with confidence in her power, made a hobby of scoffing at cowards who worried about such foolish things.  

No matter how strong a mortal human might be, they’d be at the level of a high-ranking demon she could enslave, and even in a weakened state, she could easily crush them.  

Sure, she might get a little hurt, but to miss out on a chance to legally wreak havoc and have fun in another dimension just because of some petty fear?  

If there was such a coward in Hell, they’d be a disgrace to demons and fiends alike.  

In contrast, Albania, a 100% pure noble demon, eagerly accepted the summoning request and faced her summoner with a smug expression.  

[Oh, foolish one! What could you possibly desire to have summoned me, Albania of Illusions?!]  

That’s what she declared, but…  

[Hic, hic, I wanna go back to Hell…]  

[Arghhh! It’s finally done! Master! I’ve met my quota, so I can go now, right? I’m a free demon now, right?!]  

[I’m so jealous… This filthy world where you need a fortune to buy your freedom! Why didn’t I hoard more treasures?!]  

[Kieeeek! Please send me back!]  

[Hehe, a newbie’s here.]  

What greeted her was a demon-summoning scene wildly different from what she’d imagined.  

Even if the trends had changed in the last few centuries, this sight was utterly incomprehensible.  

Countess Albania froze for a moment.  

It wasn’t uncommon to see summoners looking like wrecks, but why were the summoned demons also…  

Surely it was a mistake, but they looked like exploited slaves or mental patients, giggling deliriously.  

…No, is this really a mistake?  

Something—something was off.  

Spotting a demon in the corner with a sly, mocking grin only amplified the growing dread in her chest.  

In a flash, using the brilliant mind of a transcendent demon, Albania reached a terrifying conclusion.  

It was an absurd thought, but what if this wasn’t a mistake? What if this was actually a scene of demons being exploited?  

And what if she had been summoned into this den of evil?  

Shudder—  

She had to escape before it was too late.  

Chills running down her spine, Albania hurriedly tried to cancel the summoning spell.  

Despite her carefree past, she was a noble among magical demons, and with swift mana manipulation, she attempted to undo the summon.  

But just as she did, another chill ran through her, and she glanced to the side.  

There stood a man, wielding a blindingly radiant white sword, mid-swing.  

[…Oh?]  

For a moment, starlight flashed in her eyes.  

Normally, a demon of her rank could easily shrug off a sword strike from a puny human.  

But there was something unsettling about this man who had approached unnoticed and the white glow of his blade.  

Not only was the strike impossibly sharp and powerful for a human, but there was something even more chilling about it.  

Her blood froze, and she felt as though her breath had stopped.  

Could she really return to Hell unscathed after taking that hit?  

It didn’t feel like just one part of her would be cut—it felt like her entire body would be cleaved in two.  

In a split second, her demonic neurons fired frantically, weighing her options, but all she could think was that she’d die if she took that hit.  

To put it bluntly, Albania of Illusions was terrified of getting obliterated.  

Freezing all her previous actions, she threw herself flat on the ground.  

[…Great Master! If you spare me, I’ll serve you with utmost devotion until the day I die!]  

It was the fastest surrender ever witnessed in that secret laboratory.  

“…Oh.”  

In all his twenty years of adventuring as a hero, Shin Yuseong had never seen such a groveling demon.  

He stared in mild amazement at the Countess-class demon prostrating before him.  

Could this be a deception?  

Out of habit, he moved to press his holy sword against her arm, but—  

Flinch—  

Was it instinctual fear or repulsion?  

[…If you want me to summon other demons, shall I call some more for you?]  

Even without taking a single hit, this demon’s cunning mind was already selling out her comrades.  

She even writhed and fawned, putting on a seductive display.  

The other demons and dark warlocks stared down at her submissive posture in utter shock.  

***

[…Hehe.]  

This demon’s will to survive was astonishingly strong.  

To be continued…