Ch.13745. Entangled Stubbornness (2)

I want to be happier than anyone else.

I was born noble.

I want to live joyfully forever.

Focusing on official duties is just annoying and tiring.

Even if I don’t do it, there are plenty of others who will do it for me.

They even beg me to play with them.

They say they’ll take care of all the difficult things.

But it’s not like they do a terrible job either.

So what, I should just enjoy myself, right?

Eating delicious food and mingling with beautiful children.

Even then, there’s not enough time.

Days end quickly, and the sun rises again just as fast.

Even though I want to play more… I wanted to eat more.

At some point, my body stopped keeping up.

No matter how much I enjoy myself, something feels unfulfilled.

Then I suddenly wonder.

…How long will this decline continue?

Though I was born with noble blood and innate magical talent, there are greater magicians everywhere.

You say I could surpass them if I tried? But trying is hard, isn’t it?

Why should I have to try? It’s strange. Can’t I just reign like a god without putting in effort? Why not?

Why can’t that happen? It’s not like I’d drive the world to ruin like a Demon King, so why not allow it?

I am the great Mage King, aren’t I?

I have noble blood and a great lineage, the rightful ruler of Paceran, right?

They say the Great King Fludio, who once ruled the entire eastern region, was an incompetent nobody.

Surely I, a magician, should be superior to him, shouldn’t I?

But why can’t I be like him?

Why can’t this country freely expand its territory and why must we constantly be mindful of neighboring countries?

It’s strange. Too strange.

‘Why is this happening only to me?’

I even obtained immortality through a deal with a great demon.

What is this person even saying?

“Aaaaargh!”

Swoosh!

A black flash penetrates without warning or sign.

Chunks of flesh fall away, cut without me even realizing it.

The cut areas turn black, preventing proper regeneration.

‘Why.’

Why am I so incompetent?

Why am I so powerless?

Aren’t you a great demon?

Did you lie to me?

“This isn’t a problem that can be solved with childish tantrums.”

The man embodying darkness showed no tension or fear in his expression or eyes.

He was looking at me as if observing the surrounding landscape, as an object. Studying me.

I inflate my body, crush straight trees with my bare hands to intimidate him, and throw real threats.

But that man doesn’t even blink.

Not even a twitch of his eyebrow.

He simply swings the pitch-black weapon in his hand with precision.

But by the time I realize he’s swinging, he’s already completed several strikes.

Sometimes visible, sometimes not.

Even when visible, it’s hard to react.

What’s the problem?

Why am I being beaten so helplessly by this person?

My body is mutilated, reduced to rags.

I try to inflate my body to cover and wrap the wounds.

But the injuries and damage only increase.

I really feel like I’m going to die.

It’s too painful.

It hurts! It hurts!

Why are you doing this to me?!

“Waaaah!”

I want to cry.

I’m already crying.

My body, now several times larger than before, writhes like a child throwing a tantrum.

I rampage and destroy the backyard, sweeping through the garden and small forest path behind the royal palace.

Amidst my wailing, I struggle desperately until exhaustion, gripped by fear.

But no matter what I do.

I don’t seem to pose any threat to him.

When I pounce, he effortlessly slips away.

When I try to hit him, he either dodges or cuts my arms and body, causing only pain.

I smash the ground with all my might and throw the debris.

I swing and throw entire fallen trees.

He doesn’t get hit even once.

Instead, while I hesitate, my irreparable injuries only increase.

It hurts. It hurts so much I feel like I’m going insane.

“Are you mocking me?! How dare you! Are you making fun of me?!”

“……”

After brushing off the scattered debris and dust cloud with his black cloak, he looked up at me with eyes as unyielding as gold.

“How long will you live like a child?”

I’m young?

I haven’t learned enough yet?

What does that matter?

This isn’t an age or world that considers such things.

Rather, children are treated as demons, persecuted as devils, and oppressed for not fulfilling their roles—that is the fate of children in this era.

Other races may be different, but humans at least were like that.

Not everyone is like that.

But the more difficult the circumstances, the more people want to treat their children like livestock, claiming they have no leeway.

Not all countries are like that.

However, those who kindly care for children without guardians are extremely rare.

Even if there are guardians, they too face threats and persecution in this era.

In such circumstances, people’s character and will are tested.

It’s a miserable and frightening world.

And yet.

“……”

Why is he wailing as if he’s been wronged after only enjoying himself?

Is this what the tears of a bloated pig look like?

“Why are you tormenting me! Do you hate seeing me happy?! Is that it?!”

“Haah….”

What an extraordinary mindset.

Only concerned with himself.

For his pleasure and happiness, others can bleed, burn, and be mutilated.

Perhaps he doesn’t care at all.

Do such wretched beings live in this world, wearing the same skin as us, with the same limbs?

“Enough.”

Even the slightest expectation is meaningless.

No, was there ever any reason to expect anything?

At this point, it’s not being meddlesome—it’s just stupid.

They say everyone deserves salvation.

…But not him.

“The world is all wrong! This can’t be happening! Why am I the only one suffering? Your existence proves how unfair this world is! If there were a god, this couldn’t happen!”

“That’s exactly right.”

There may be many countries and royal families in the world.

But they should be the pillars, shields, spears, and swords that support their nations.

In other words, he should have been a father to this country.

Of course, there are examples of parents abandoning, selling, or even eating their children.

…But when that level shifts from family to national scale, does it become this wretched?

What if this young king had been a bit more competent?

He might have died miserably in power struggles, of course.

He might have lived a mediocre life by being cautious, enjoying a thousand years of good fortune or dying if unlucky.

“Indeed, it’s incredibly unfair.”

If there’s such a thing as cause and effect, and the people of this country were born under him, and he became king as predestined harmony.

If we assume nothing in the world is useless, what is the purpose of his existence?

A trial? A bad example? An enemy to confront and overthrow?

“I give up.”

Most people.

Would have given up here.

They would have decided it’s better to deal with such a thing than to understand it.

They would have made that judgment unconditionally.

However.

“Giving up on expectations doesn’t mean giving up entirely. I never had expectations to begin with. But if I abandon you here, you’ll reach a point of no return.”

So even if it kills me.

I must teach you one thing.

And thoroughly, so you don’t let it go in one ear and out the other, or treat it half-heartedly.

“Therefore.”

As the pitch-black sword dispersed.

Kariel, now empty-handed, finally placed his foot on the swollen body.

“Ugh!”

A mere human, not even as big as a palm.

Yet somehow, just by standing on his sprawled body.

…An irresistible weight is felt.

It feels like the entire world is pressing down on his body.

“I’ll show mercy just this once.”

Clenching his fist and walking steadily across the upper body, he finally reached the face.

Lowering his posture, he brought down his clenched fist.

Boom!

“?!”

The impact spreads throughout the body.

Not only is there an enormous weight pressing down on the entire body, but on top of that, another massive impact falls.

Like hammering a nail fixed in place.

The thick skin and muscle layers burst from the impact.

Since there’s no space for it to burst outward, it bursts internally, and eventually, the damage erupts through the holes that form.

“Keck!”

Boom! Boom!

The punches land heavily, like the footsteps of a giant.

With each blow, the ground shakes, and the area trembles as if in an earthquake.

Why.

Why can’t I shake off even this small human?

More importantly, why must I be so helplessly beaten by this small human’s violence?

Magic? Is this magic?

Boom! Boom!

“Kheuk! Keack! Sto—”

Boom! Boom!

Like a craftsman carving a statue with chisel and hammer at a steady pace.

Kariel’s monotonous punches penetrate relentlessly.

Boom!

“Keck!”

Boom!

“Kuk! Kuluk!”

Boom! Boom! Boom!

Though he’s only striking a small part of the face, specifically a portion of the cheek.

The impact spreads throughout the entire body.

Internal organs burst first, and the shock is fully transmitted to bones and organs within.

Gums and teeth crack, split, break, and fall out in chunks.

Eyeballs partially burst, turning blood-red.

Blood pours out like a fountain through the punctured areas.

“Ugh!”

Boom! Boom!

Screams don’t continue.

Even sobs don’t flow properly.

The violence overwhelms everything.

“This.”

Boom!

“Is what you’ve been doing as easily as breathing.”

Boom! Boom! Boom!

The pace gradually quickens.

Yet Kariel’s expression remains dignified and calm.

He felt no particular pleasure, sense of achievement, or the cumbersome satisfaction that comes from despising and trampling others.

I’m doing this because.

“You need to learn.”

Boom! Boom!

Though he became king at a young age due to cursed circumstances, there might not have been anyone to guide him properly.

When everyone urges you to do only what’s easy and enjoyable, how many fools would refuse?

So, I express regret on that point.

However, it cannot be justified.

If we judge right and wrong that way, where in this world is there a being without cause or reason?

When we start looking for reasons, each one becomes plausible.

By their own standards.

Universally, that’s not appropriate.

Even relatively, it’s not suitable.

“Aah! Ah!”

“Quiet.”

Boom! Boom!

Though the punches were the same, the impact became more intense.

The ground, which had been shaking from the aftershocks, now produced friction sounds as if being firmly driven in.

Originally, is it even possible for such a small fist to gauge and inflict damage on a gigantic body that resembles a giant?

“……”

It’s not impossible.

Rather, this is the most fundamental aspect.

Since learning Grandeus’s sword, breaking the center and balance of the opponent and seizing control is the foundation and essence.

Using mana in reverse? Disrupting or cutting off the flow of mana in the body, causing it to flow backward or suppressing it?

That’s just a process to achieve this.

In that fleeting moment, if it incapacitates and breaks the opponent, then everything afterward will proceed according to my will.

In that sense, this was similar.

Controlling the impact, the force being poured out.

The striking force, beyond just being driven in, beyond the level where the impact disperses through flesh and muscle.

Some penetrate directly, and even the scattered remnants spread to the very edges without a single point of waste, all controlled.

And even the direction.

That’s why it’s possible for a blow to one spot to spread its impact throughout the body.

Rather, because the shock waves extend to the ground, it’s painful but doesn’t lead to catastrophic physical damage.

In other words, this isn’t violence wielded with the purpose of killing the opponent.

It’s assault meant to inflict pain.

Not a strike but simply an act of pushing away.

However, depending on how much force is applied, even that act can function as unexpected violence.

Still, this much is necessary.

Considering the opponent’s cursedly abnormal regenerative abilities, even this is mild.

So I use the sword wounds I’ve already inflicted to disrupt the body’s regeneration itself.

That alone would be painfully fatal, but I demand more.

And so.

“Uh, ugh….”

Relentless assault.

By the time his mind is half-gone from the incessant pain being inflicted.

Kariel delivers the final blow and makes contact with his consciousness.

“……”

And this time, it’s not about tracing the opponent’s memories to understand them.

It’s the opposite.

Therefore.

The young king and what “some people unilaterally mistook for a great demon” that had seeped into him.

Were suddenly dragged into an unknown space.

“Huh?”

There was nothing.

Just a pale world.

And the great demon.

Was not one.

Hundreds, perhaps thousands of bizarre forms of various shapes.

The young Mage King, as if he had fallen on his backside, experienced an indescribable thrill and terror at the sight of these forms filling the world.

‘That….’

Was inside my body?

All those many things? All of them?

How is that possible?

The great demon wasn’t just one?

They wail.

They emit screams and sobs.

Shrieks spread like songs.

Laughter bursts forth in all forms.

Truly.

It makes one realize they’ve been thrown into the middle of hell.

If this isn’t hell, then what is?

No, it’s certain.

With so many demons, if this isn’t hell, then what is?

“Even that is just a small part.”

The Mage King instinctively shuddered at that voice.

A voice he never wanted to hear again.

“And each one of those is another future of yours.”

“My, future? Are you saying someone as noble as me will become those, those wretched and filthy… things?!”

“You misunderstand.”

Kariel spoke as if to correct him.

“It’s not about becoming like that; you’re already one with them. It means you’re the same kind of being as they are.”

“That’s absurd!”

He shouts in disgust, as if struggling.

In response, all those demons laugh in unison, as if in agreement.

Then they all curse, insult, and mock the black-haired young man.

Despite appearing incredibly lonely, without a single ally in this world.

“Where do you think demons crawl out from?”

“Demons? That… they’re in hell, right?”

“Were they born there? Were they?”

“How, how would I know that?!”

“True. This wasn’t a situation that required riddles.”

The Socratic method, which enlightens the other person through questioning, has its appropriate subjects.

For that immature child in front of him who’s busy escaping reality.

…This approach would be more fitting.

“Demons are our past and future.”

To be more precise.

“They are the past and future of all rational living beings.”

“??”

“Even a cursory look at religious doctrines makes the answer obvious. Ah, right. You might not know because you’ve been too busy playing.”

Born, died, and those who couldn’t ascend to heaven all go to the abyss.

Those who aren’t reborn also go to the bottom.

And since the beginning of this world.

…How many lives have been born and faded?

It’s probably an uncountable number.

And there’s no need to limit the criteria to just humanity.

If we include non-human beings as well.

Perhaps counting itself becomes meaningless.

“The first thing we acquire when we’re born is a physical body, and the next is a sense of self. That’s precisely our qualification and privilege.”

And those demons.

They don’t have that.

Neither body nor self.

That’s why they’re desperate to obtain it.

If not alone, then by gathering in groups.

They try to form it by any means necessary.

But if they feel that’s not enough on their own, they ultimately rely on something other than themselves.

That’s why they need notoriety, the fear and attention of others.

In other words, they need belief.

Because others’ fear forms belief in me.

Because it reflects me more clearly.

I don’t exist, but because they believe, I exist as myself.

They are, in fact, keeping me alive.

So demons curse.

Those who cannot possess themselves as themselves curse those who casually possess their own selves.

Evil spirits hate the living for the same reason.

“You were never used by them in the first place.”

Nor did the demon use you.

And it certainly didn’t capture your body.

“They took root in your vain desires and obsessions, your stubbornness and arrogance, your anxiety and fear. That fantasy and greed that can’t be filled no matter how much you try to fill it. But its essence is, in the end, entirely yours, not a demon’s or anything else’s. Now it is. It wasn’t yesterday, but now it is. And you, swept up in it and now in that form, are you still the same as before? Was that the change you wanted?”

Even born as humans.

Those who can become more hideous and vicious than demons.

People often say such individuals make even beasts and demons weep.

But that’s incorrect.

Because.

They themselves are demons.

And in the future eternity, they will be thrown into hell and the abyss.

The great and small demons of the future.

The reason it’s not now is because they’re protected by the blessing of being alive.

Even so.

It’s not strange at all for the living to act demonically, is it?

“Ac-according to you… demons, demons weren’t in hell? Ah, I know demons are insignificant! But what about great demons?! Aren’t they different?!”

“No, they are there. From the beginning. Now, and after.”

“What’s with this back and forth?!”

“You’re not understanding. I’m saying both. Do I need to explain more simply? Haah. Fine. Let’s say there are those with the occupation of demon, and there are real demons. Are these two different?”

To say that demons were in hell, that they emerged there, that they were born there.

Who decided that in the first place?

It may be written in scriptures and doctrines… but who told us that?

Irenis never directly explained the birth of demons in detail, though she did use metaphors.

However.

There is an example where she mentioned that the king of demons who once tested her was once a morning star from the heavens who fell.

But that doesn’t necessarily mean it was the birth or first occurrence of demons.

Moreover, among those called saints and sages before Irenis.

…Who would know this fact?

Kings are special.

If it’s the demon among demons, their king, that’s even more so.

But we can’t definitively say that being was the first.

And.

The world has steadfastly continued from ancient times.

It may be a concept, perhaps a fantasy or nightmare.

“Aren’t you the ones who go to that hell?”

And such beings, we.

“Would call demons.”

Like flowing water eventually reaches the sea.

Isn’t it a natural result?

If one is aware of the concept of hell, isn’t it strange not to think of this?

Yet why does he tremble as if shocked?

“That, that means, I… will fall to the netherworld, to hell?”

“Just as we call you humans because you were born as humans.”

We call those who fall to hell demons, what else would we call them?

“Demon is a concept, but those of you who chose to become that way are also demons in line with that concept. Didn’t I say? Both.”

And hell is your dwelling place.

It’s truly a world without answers.

And I got to see the demon realm, which is similar to hell, through her consideration.

The Demon King once said:

[If you want to see hell, first look around the demon realm. This place is the entrance to hell.]

I saw it.

And now.

“I’ll show you too.”

Whether this becomes a lesson or despair.

Let’s experience it once.

“Uh, huh? D-don’t come… closer?!”

Despite taking just a few steps.

The Mage King was helplessly grabbed by the head by Kariel, who had somehow approached.

“Wh-what are you doing?! No! Don’t! Let go—!”

The white world and the image of the black-haired young man holding his head disappeared in an instant.

And finally, the gates of hell opened.

Before the young Mage King’s eyes, an indescribable hell began to unfold one after another.

Despair, overwhelming despair covers and completely buries his mind and body.

The once noble young Mage King.

In that moment, became nothing at all.