Ch.12Ep.12: Towards the Demon Prison

# Demonic Prison.

One of the three forbidden areas of Kadinant, and a region belonging to Noslet, notorious for its treacherous terrain.

In the past, when Cronos’s neck was severed in two by Zeus during the Titanomachy.

His blood fell like a flood, creating a place where Kadinant’s worst demonic beasts live in hordes.

Though vicious demonic beasts swarm in the Demonic Prison, they can never escape from it.

This is because the magical energy that seeps from Cronos’s blood absorbed into the ground has transformed their bodies.

The problem was that the already insane Demonic Prison.

Even the current Radios couldn’t know how much more insane it had become.

And for good reason.

‘We fought our first battle against the otherworlders there.’

It was a strategy that came from Arsia’s brain.

To lure the otherworlders into the Demonic Prison and wipe them all out.

The result was half a success.

They succeeded in confusing the otherworlders.

But because the strength of the Demonic Prison’s beasts was greater than Arsia had anticipated.

Not only did the enemy suffer casualties, but friendly forces suffered severe losses as well.

It could rightfully be called hell rather than a Demonic Prison.

Here’s where the problem emerged: all those who met their deaths in the Demonic Prison were beings who possessed magical energy.

This meant that their corpses became nutrients that made the demonic beasts of the Demonic Prison even stronger.

Hades, also knowing what kind of place the Demonic Prison was, questioned Radios.

[You’re going to the Demonic Prison…? Is your head alright?]

[Your reaction is a bit annoying?]

[That’s not it… Even you in your prime avoided that place, the Demonic Prison. What’s your reason for wanting to go there now?]

[You don’t think I’d go to the center of the Demonic Prison, do you? Of course not. My goal is to improve my skills by dabbling around the entrance.]

Even with his prime abilities, going to the center of the Demonic Prison with just Arsia?

That’s just saying he wants to commit suicide.

[Is that all you wanted to talk about?]

[Actually, there’s one more thing.]

[What else? What is it?]

[The movements of the Outer Gods are concerning. I feel like they might summon the Great Old Ones to Kadinant.]

The Great Old Ones.

Radios frowned when those words came from Hades’ mouth.

Among the apostles of the Outer Gods who are now dead, there was a traitor.

He revealed to the Guardian Spirits the identity and purpose of the otherworlders, and the power of the Outer Gods.

Upon learning this, “The Formless Remoteness” killed its apostle who had leaked the information.

That otherworlder had also mentioned the Great Old Ones.

He explained them as demi-gods with mediocre power, not qualifying for the position of Outer Gods.

Of course, even as demi-gods, they would be stronger than humans.

[So when do you think they’ll appear?]

[I don’t know that either.]

[…]

At Hades’ attitude of boldly admitting he didn’t know, Radios felt the urge to tear off his mouth.

No, he also didn’t know when Elysse would be sent to Kadinant.

He also didn’t know when the Great Old Ones would appear.

Even if he knew something, why was there always a screw loose somewhere?

[Alright, now please get out.]

[Wa, wait–]

Radios took off Kynee while clutching his throbbing head.

As time, which had been paused, began to flow normally again.

Arsia asked with a face full of questions.

“You need to explain, Captain. What exactly happened to you during those three years?”

“Well, about that…”

As the Sword of Judgment was deactivated and Radios’s face changed again.

Arsia became very, very curious about what Radios had experienced during those three years.

Naturally, he told her about what had happened in the Underworld.

She listened to the story thoughtfully before falling into her own contemplation.

Radios could only wait for her to speak.

Fortunately, she didn’t maintain her silence for long.

“So… you’re saying you’re our last hope?”

“That’s right.”

“To think the reason the gods didn’t help us was because of the Outer Gods…”

The deity Arsia served was Artemis, the moon goddess, one of the 12 Olympian gods.

Because of this, Arsia was stronger at night than during the day.

Limited to nighttime, she could exert power comparable to Radios.

However, she couldn’t use these characteristics in the war against the otherworlders.

This was because Artemis was too focused on fighting the Outer Gods to look after her apostle.

This was true not just for Arsia, but for all Kadinant people.

“How outrageous. They interfere with us when we don’t need them, but when we actually need them, they do nothing.”

“Right?”

“Come to think of it… it wasn’t Serena who betrayed us, but the gods who betrayed us first.”

Crunch.

Arsia, now knowing the truth, also gritted her teeth.

Because the reward for their faith was complete neglect.

And now, only when everything has gone to hell, they cling to our pant legs and obsess over us.

“Gods… they just seem like idiots.”

“I agree.”

“Sigh… suddenly makes me wonder why we’re even doing this.”

She sighed and covered her face with her right hand.

Radios could understand Arsia.

The establishment of the Guardian Spirits was not only to protect Kadinant but was also influenced by religious devotion.

But the gods betrayed those Guardian Spirits.

It’s vexing that they’re now frantically trying to help just to save themselves.

“Let’s put this issue aside for now… what’s our next move?”

“I’ve been thinking about going to the Demonic Prison.”

As soon as she heard Radios’s words, Arsia asked with a dumbfounded face.

“…What? Did you lose half your brain during reincarnation or something?”

“…”

What kind of scathing insult was that?

While Radios was opening and closing his mouth, taking damage from an unexpected direction.

Arsia, smiling sweetly but with cold eyes, shot at him.

“You haven’t forgotten that we almost all died there, right? You know how insane that place must be now!”

“That’s exactly why we should go. The otherworlders won’t follow us there.”

“And if we meet some demons…!”

“We’ll just dabble around the entrance, so we won’t meet any.”

As she continued to object, Arsia writhed as if she was about to tear her hair out.

“Argh! I don’t care! We almost died anyway, so what’s the big deal about going to the Demonic Prison? Go! Go ahead!”

“Y-you don’t need to get so upset?”

“Find me someone who wouldn’t get upset about going to the Demonic Prison! I guarantee if you’d mentioned this to anyone else, you’d have gotten slapped at the very least!”

“…”

Despite Arsia’s intense reaction, Radios had no choice.

After all, the place they were going was the Demonic Prison.

That Demonic Prison!

As if demonic beasts strengthened by Cronos’s magical energy weren’t enough, now corpses full of magical energy had fallen among them.

No one knows how the Demonic Prison has changed now.

Neither Radios nor Arsia could be considered in a normal state.

Radios still had his powers sealed, and Arsia’s body had weakened due to her long imprisonment.

“We still have to go.”

Nevertheless, Radios was resolute.

Knowing her captain’s stubbornness well, Arsia had no choice but to go along with his plan.

“You must have something special there, I guess? Sigh, fine, I’ll go…”

“Thank you.”

And so, Radios’s party (though it was just the two of them) set their next destination as the Demonic Prison.

***

“Arsia escaped?”

“Y-yes… A remnant of the Guardian Spirits suddenly appeared, caused a volcanic eruption, and broke Arsia out…”

“What about Kim Aram?”

“Communication was cut off. She is presumed dead.”

Tremble, tremble, tremble.

The woman giving the report trembled like an aspen tree.

Why? Because the person she was reporting to was none other than…

The number one in combat power among the apostles of the Outer Gods, and the strongest apostle ruling over Kadinant.

The apostle of Yog-Sothoth, the Lurker at the Threshold.

Namgung Ihyun.

Lost in thought, she remained silent for a long time after hearing the report.

In reality, less than three minutes had passed.

But to the woman giving the report, it felt like three years.

“Arsia Cromwell’s escape… this should be interesting. You may leave now.”

“Th-thank y–“

Slash!

The moment the woman raised her face with a look of relief.

With the sound of something being cut, the woman’s vision rotated 180 degrees.

As she saw blood spurting from her body.

She realized her neck had been severed, and with that final realization, her breath ceased.

“The satisfaction of killing Kadinant people is truly exquisite.”

Afterward, Namgung Ihyun licked the blood on her fingers.

Shudder.

She trembled at the thrilling sensation from the blood.

As always, the blood of Kadinant people gives an indescribable pleasure.

Once you’ve tasted it… you can never go back.

This was true for Namgung Ihyun as well.

“Mir.”

“You called, Apostle?”

“Summon Serena Tolos. I think I need to meet her.”

“I receive the Apostle’s command.”

A man with a long vertical sword scar on his right eye nodded at Namgung Ihyun’s words and disappeared.

He was the one who had received an indelible scar from Serena Tolos in the past.

Namgung Ihyun knew well that a fight would surely break out when Serena and Mir met.

Yet she sent Mir anyway, well…

Perhaps because it seemed entertaining?

Of course, Namgung Ihyun was aware.

That she was so insane she could be called a psychopath.

At the same time, she knew she could never go back to her past.

From the moment she was chosen by Yog-Sothoth and came to Kadinant.

She had no path but to continue a life of slaughter.

She had chosen the wrong path and was walking in the wrong direction.

The original Namgung Ihyun in her world was a person evaluated as very pure and virtuous.

But perhaps because she was too pure.

The moment a drop of ink fell on that pure white, Namgung Ihyun stepped onto an irreversible path.

The worst desire that a human should not have: the impulse to kill.

“He could satisfy me.”

Namgung Ihyun’s tongue licked her lips.

During the fierce battle that broke out with the Guardian Spirits upon arriving at Kadinant.

While Namgung Ihyun tasted the crisis of death, she saw a new world.

A man fighting like mad, covered in the blood of both comrades and enemies.

Though his entire body was drenched in blood, to Namgung Ihyun, he seemed like a prince on a white horse.

Her already twisted ideology found his blood-covered appearance sexy.

His cold eyes full of killing intent seemed more beautiful than any color.

Namgung Ihyun wanted to possess him.

Perhaps if she possessed him, she could escape this persistent murderous impulse.

But regardless of her wishes, his resistance was fierce.

Stubborn, and showing no sign of submission despite continued defeats.

So she discarded him.

But after discarding him, she could feel it.

Ah, she had been enjoying this relationship.

Somehow, he had become involved in every aspect of her life.

Although it was just her own delusion, Namgung Ihyun regretted killing him.

After three years passed, Arsia escaped.

Without any clues, Namgung Ihyun could be certain.

This incident was undoubtedly his doing.

With an excited face, Namgung Ihyun murmured.

“I hope you appear before me with dignity. Radios Magnum… hehe.”