Chapter 135: Great Escape (3)

“Ughhhhhhhhhh!”

Imps were the weaklings of the Demon Realm. They were a race that grew stronger by making contracts with humans and absorbing their souls. While they could become infinitely stronger by directly extorting human souls, they were the Demon Realm’s punching bags, possessing the strength and physique of children.

All demons despised the weak and servile imps. The way they groveled, citing contracts with humans, or the way they tried to beg for pity like beggars by latching onto stronger demons – these were sights no demon living in the Demon Realm could ever stomach.

Furthermore, due to the imps’ characteristic weak stamina, they couldn’t even endure the rituals for becoming subordinates, and they would always switch masters the moment the tide turned against them. Cowardice and servility. Imps were endlessly persecuted in the corners of the Demon Realm, forever associated with these two words that symbolized them.

“I won’t forgive you!”

Even among such imps, anomalies were bound to appear. Three brothers. K-Sai, Krik-Sai, and Drak-Sai.

Drak-Sai was a being born with an exceptionally large build and great strength, even among imps. Immediately after birth, he realized he possessed the ‘strength’ to lead the Imp race, and he strangled a demonic beast that was tormenting the imps at the time with one hand.

Seeing his heavy power and talent, different from ordinary imps, numerous demons tried to persuade him to join them, but Drak-Sai never yielded to their demands. This was because he was well aware of the suffering his brothers and the imps had endured up until now.

The humiliation of their entire race being despised because there was no one strong.

The environment that forced them to grow up cowardly and servile because they had no one to rely on.

Drak-Sai wanted to become a beacon for the imps. He wanted to be a great pillar and a king solely for the imps, embracing them.

“Baara! Come out right now!”

K-Sai and Krik-Sai went forth into the human world to help their brother’s grand dream. They wanted to gather souls to increase their size and strength, and then stir up the Demon Realm as Drak-Sai’s retainers and steadfast companions. They wanted to make humans realize the terror of imps, who were looked down upon even by them, and suck away all of humanity’s souls.

Thus, the three of them had promised to ascend to the position of Demon King and rule the world.

“Baara!”

Yellowish sulfur-like tears flowed from Drak-Sai’s eyes. Before his eyes, he saw the tent where Baara resided. A narrow entrance that Drak-Sai’s body couldn’t squeeze through, and iron bars filling the surroundings. People were huddled within the iron bars, and bones were scattered around.

They were trembling at the sight of a demon they had never seen before. Drak-Sai knew it wasn’t the time to covet humans right now. He didn’t care what happened to the humans. He pulled his leg back and kicked the tent as if kicking a soccer ball.

The entire tent collapsed, and wind blew. The wind, which struck the ground like a heavy hammer, plowed the earth like a plowshare, uprooting the tent. The iron bars that imprisoned the humans were also terribly mangled, and the humans trapped inside rolled around on the ground like fruit spilling from a basket.

The humans looked back and forth between Drak-Sai’s furious face and the still-disheveled appearance of the beastmen, and without anyone starting it, they began to run towards the forest. Someone’s voice was heard from behind the humans.

“The humans are escaping!”

Hearing that voice, the people started running even faster. Even as old tree roots scraped their ankles and frozen leaves slapped their faces, they did not stop.

******

Baara, holding a wine glass, tried to comprehend the situation before him. Just as he felt a powerful aura emanating from somewhere, the tent suddenly flew away, and before his eyes stood a large demon resembling an imp, glaring at him as if intending to kill him. Krampus and Cyclops, who had been enjoying the party beside him, stared with wide eyes at the imp-like monster.

“…..Who are you?”

Drak-Sai shouted with a voice boiling with rage.

“Baara! I’ve come to avenge my brothers! I will kill you! And make this land a paradise for imps!”

Baara had no intention of taking Drak-Sai seriously. Even a large Imp was still an imp. There were far too many foolish groups in the Demon Realm who exaggerated their strength to coerce opponents into surrender. How many demons had been fooled by such bluffs and used like fools? Baara was convinced that the Imp before him was one of those types. He nodded his head. Cyclops and Krampus rose simultaneously and charged towards Drak-Sai. Their movements were rough and sharp like a torrent.

Cyclops took off his belt and swung it like a whip, while Krampus spun his scythe, blocking the Imp’s escape route. But that was all.

When Drak-Sai swung his fist, Cyclops’s face, unable to dodge in time, was crushed. His hard, thick face flattened like a pancake, and his eyeballs popped out, rolling around. Krampus, who narrowly dodged the attack by rolling sideways, was aghast at his comrade spasming and expressing his death throes like performance art.

“Where are you looking?!”

And then the next blow. Along with Drak-Sai’s shout, a massive fist flew in.

Krampus’s scythe, held forward for defense, shattered like shards of glass. Krampus, frozen with his mouth agape, was hit by the fist and sent flying backward. When Baara turned his head, he could see Krampus’s body flattened and pressed against the wall like a mural.

The beastmen clung to Baara, trembling, and Baara contorted his face. He had heard that the so-called King of Imps was incredibly strong, and that rumor was neither a joke nor a bluff. The imp-like monster before him right now was truly powerful.

Drak-Sai brandished his dripping fist and shouted at Baara.

“Baara! Do you remember the names of my brothers you killed?!”

“I don’t. I don’t bother remembering the names of every single one I kill.”

Baara, still seated, forcefully extended his legs. The table laden with appetizers flew into the air, and the food spilled out. The beastmen fled in a hurry, without anyone needing to start it, and Drak-Sai smashed the table that was blocking his view.

And then, anticipating a surprise attack, he unconsciously took a defensive stance.

“Hmph.”

But nothing happened. Only Baara’s mocking laughter echoed across the clearing.

Through the wooden debris, Baara could be seen still sitting leisurely. Drak-Sai’s face contorted further at that seemingly dismissive action.

“You bastard…!”

“You’re quite timid! Imp. Check for yourself. Are your brothers here?”

Saying that, Baara moved his foot under the sofa. Every time he flicked his toes, the frozen corpses of imps rolled out from under the sofa with a ‘tok tok’ sound. Imp heads. Imp wings. The mummified bodies of imps and faces contorted in pain.

The imps Drak-Sai wanted to protect so badly were suffering here.

Yellowish sulfur-like tears flowed down Drak-Sai’s face. Those tears weren’t born merely from sadness. They were tears of self-reproach for his own complacency, resting in the Demon Realm while such a situation unfolded.

Baara chuckled heartily upon seeing his tears and said.

“Are you crying because you’re scared? Huh? They say a demon who took down a branch manager appeared among the imps, but seems like their disposition is that of a little girl…!”

Baara couldn’t finish his next sentence. This was because Drak-Sai’s body swayed, and then he threw a punch like lightning. Although Baara dodged the punch by moving his head, his laughing cheek was torn open, splattering droplets of blood. The rock wall crumpled like a sponge. Drak-Sai shouted with a face full of rage.

“…I’ll kill you! I’ll kill you! Enemy of the imps! I will sever your head and appease the souls of my brothers!”

Instead of replying, Baara stood up and clawed at Drak-Sai. As his giant claws grazed past, a shallow wound remained on Drak-Sai’s chest. Drak-Sai stumbled backward and checked his body. It was certainly a threatening claw, but he could endure this much.

Baara wiped the blood flowing from his mouth and said.

“Until now, I’ve never taken an Imp as my subordinate. However, it seems I’ve finally found a usable imp! I promise! After I defeat you! I will make you my thrall! I will ride you like a horse! And use you as a banquet table!”

As if not to be outdone by Baara’s shout, Drak-Sai yelled back.

“I’ll peel off your hide! And use it as my armor!”

Drak-Sai’s fist flew towards Baara once more. Baara bared his claws and fangs. His gaping maw let out a roar at the reckless Imp challenging him.

“Do you think you can defeat all the beastmen in this valley by yourself! This is my territory! Don’t blame me for cowardice when my subordinates swarm you!”

“If you talk about cowardice to that extent! How will you ever ascend to the position of Demon King!”

Two branch manager-level demons clashed. Along with heavy roars, a chilling demonic energy created a storm.