Chapter 48: The Commander of the Gluttonous Legion (1)

It took a moment for everyone to grasp the gravity of the situation.

Just one step. That was all it would take to escape to the surface.

They believed, without question, that once they passed through the slowly opening door and into the sunlight, everything would be over.

The prisoners and the four Anatolian girls alike shared this belief.

But their faith was shattered by a single, unexpected blow.

“Huh?”

Isabella blinked in confusion, unable to process what had just happened.

What was going on?

Why was Karma’s body split in two?

Why had the door, which had been opening, stopped?

And why did the air suddenly feel scorching, as if they had been thrown into a furnace?

Most pressing of all, though…

“You finally betrayed us, Karma.”

Who—or what—was this monstrous figure that had appeared before them without warning?

“I can’t say I’m surprised. I always sensed that you were scheming something underhanded. But I thought you’d choose a smarter method than this. Did I overestimate you?”

The creature muttered in a voice filled with disdain and disappointment.

Its first impression was one of ‘fire’—intense, raging flames.

Its body radiated an overwhelming sense of power, muscles red-hot and pulsating as if ready to burst.

Six horns, resembling a lion’s mane, crowned its head, bestowing it with an emperor’s majesty. The faint flickering flames surrounding its body made approaching it unbearable, and its blood-soaked hands radiated a chilling terror.

An Abyssal Fiend. Among the myriad demons that inhabited the underworld, they were known for their immense strength, competing for dominance at the top.

And this particular fiend stood at the pinnacle even among his prideful kind.

“I don’t know what you were planning to do by escaping with these rats, but whatever your ambition was, it ends here. I will slaughter every one of your comrades for daring to invade my domain.

Consider it an honor. To die at the hands of me, Tarkus Hontail, commander of the Gluttony Legion of the Demon King’s army.”

Commander.

The moment that word was uttered, every face in the room turned pale.

Though 500 years had passed, there wasn’t a soul in Elpidion who didn’t know the name.

The names of the seven direct subordinates of the Demon King, who had once terrorized the entire continent. Even a single appearance by one of them would force a kingdom to mobilize its entire military strength to resist.

Pride. Greed. Envy. Wrath. Lust. Gluttony. Sloth.

Each one embodied one of the seven deadly sins, symbols of life’s most fundamental flaws—beings who transcended humanity’s limits.

Even if every person in the room joined forces, they wouldn’t stand a chance against such an opponent, not even in their wildest dreams.

“This is insane!!! Run!!!”

Therese screamed in a voice full of desperation.

She and Marianne were the only ones who truly understood the terror of facing a commander. Their ancestors, who were now imprisoned in the tower, had once fought against one of these commanders.

They knew all too well what it meant for someone like Tarkus to appear.

They had witnessed firsthand how easily their ancestor, weakened as he was in comparison to his prime, could reduce everything around him to ash.

And this fiend before them? Clearly a pure-blooded demon, far stronger than any weakened remnant of the past.

“Everyone, run back inside as fast as you can! We’ll try to buy you some ti—”

“Enough noise.”

Tarkus glared, his eyes flashing with irritation, and slammed the butt of his axe into the ground with a loud thud.

In the next instant—

“Ah…!”

“Khhk…!”

A suffocating pressure filled the entire cavern.

It wasn’t just a metaphor; it truly felt like the air was being squeezed out of their lungs.

The sheer weight of Tarkus’ presence made breathing difficult, his overwhelming aura pressing down on everyone like a physical force.

The weaker prisoners began collapsing one by one, clutching their chests and fainting from the crushing pressure.

The others weren’t faring much better. While they hadn’t passed out, their bodies had stiffened in terror, frozen in place.

“F-Frightful Presence…!”

Lancia gritted her teeth, barely able to stand as she used her sword for support, whispering through labored breaths.

Frightful Presence.

A power that only the strongest of demons could wield, capable of forcing others into submission by the sheer weight of their soul’s presence.

It was the same ability Xien had once used during the academy’s entrance ceremony to scare the new students, although she had significantly dialed back its intensity then.

This time, however, it was different. The aura that Tarkus emitted was filled with pure malice and unrestrained fury, a force that was being unleashed at full strength.

The pressure was on a completely different level compared to what Lancia had experienced in the auditorium before.

I can’t move!

Lancia gasped for breath, her legs trembling just from standing. From deep within, primal fear clawed its way up her spine. It was taking everything she had just to stay conscious.

At that moment, she understood.

Why humanity had been powerless against the demon invasion.

Why the goddess had been forced to create the Hero Party.

And why, aside from those heroes, the rest of humanity had been left with no choice but to defend and endure.

It was because of beings like this.

A force that could subdue entire armies without lifting a finger, that could annihilate thousands, even millions, through sheer presence alone.

If Lancia, who had undergone extensive training, could barely withstand this pressure, how much worse off were the others?

“Princess, are you okay!?”

She turned to check on Isabella, only to find her in a far worse state.

The princess clutched at her chest, gasping and choking for air, clearly struggling to breathe.

Tarkus, looking down at Isabella with clear disdain, raised the massive axe in his right hand.

“Tsk. I thought the ones who managed to recruit Karma might at least provide some entertainment. But it seems you’re just a bunch of incompetent brats.

If you can’t even withstand my aura, then you’re worthless. Die.”

Cold and merciless, Tarkus swung his axe down toward Isabella.

The weapon, a massive 3-meter-long monstrosity, was large enough to decapitate someone with just the wind pressure alone. And it was now hurtling straight for Isabella’s head, her body too paralyzed to even move.

-Clang!

At the last second, the blow was intercepted by a dark object.

“Ugh… Ah, damn… It’s ringing through my bones… This is why I prefer not to face blades with my bare hands. I can absorb the impact, but I can’t stop the pain.”

“Lady Therese?”

Lancia stared in shock at the girl in front of her.

It wasn’t just that Therese had moved freely within Tarkus’ aura, though that in itself was impressive.

No, what shocked Lancia was what had happened to Therese’s right arm.

Just moments ago, it had been perfectly normal. But now, it was pitch black, as if it had been drenched in tar.

Her arm had transformed, with jagged, sharp edges, more like the talons of a black dragon than a human hand.

“What… what is that? Has your arm been cursed?”

“Cursed? How rude.”

Therese lifted her arm with a grin.

“This is the power of the Demon King that I inherited! The ultimate shield and sword, stronger than any legendary weapon!

No matter how fierce your attack, this arm will block it. Want to try again, perhaps with some aura? You’ll see that it’s literally ‘impossible’ to cut through!”

“Oh…?”

Tarkus raised an eyebrow, clearly intrigued by Therese’s bold taunt.

“So, there’s at least one of you with a bit of skill.”

“However, watching you now, a question arises in my mind.”

“A question? What is it?”

Instead of answering, Tarkus ignited a flame in his left hand.

At first, it was the size of a matchstick flame. Then, it grew to the size of a lantern, a torch…

In a few moments, it had expanded to a roaring fireball, as large as a human body.

“What would happen if I burned not just your right arm, but your entire body?”

“…..”

Therese broke into a nervous sweat.

“Of course, that wouldn’t work, you idiot!

Do you even know who the Demon King is?! He’s way stronger than a mere commander like you! There’s no way that kind of trick—”

“Is that so? Then I guess it won’t matter if I throw this, will it?”

“W-wait, hold on! Wait a second! I made such a cool entrance, so shouldn’t you at least have the courtesy to exchange a few more blows with me first—?”

Whoosh!

Without listening, Tarkus hurled the massive fireball.

“AAAH! Damn you and your twisted sense of experimentation!”

Therese screamed as she frantically dodged backward.

Just as Tarkus had guessed, Therese’s ‘Hardened Form’ (which she liked to call ‘Wounds of the Abyss’—it sounded much cooler) had a significant weakness: it only worked on her arms.

If she were hit anywhere else—like her head or chest—she’d be completely defenseless.

While she could block physical attacks with her arms, wide-area attacks like this were impossible for her to counter.

There was nothing she could do but burn and turn to ash—

“Granfil Style Ultimate Technique: Ventus Tempest!”

Suddenly, a fierce whirlwind erupted in front of Therese.

The wind surged forward, colliding head-on with the fireball that had been barreling toward her. The powerful gusts of wind swept through the flames, redirecting them. Though the initial momentum of the fireball was too strong to disperse completely, it was enough to alter its trajectory.

-Boom!

The swirling fireball crashed into the cave wall, narrowly missing Therese. The impact caused debris from the ceiling to rain down.

“Haa… haa… Are you alright, Lady Therese?”

“Lancia…!”

Therese’s eyes widened in gratitude.

“Thank you! You saved my life! You’re my savior!”

“It’s mutual. If you hadn’t stepped in to block that first strike, we’d all be dead by now.”

As she spoke, Lancia glared at the monstrous figure before them.

Her legs were still trembling. But… they weren’t shaking to the point where she couldn’t move anymore.

Seeing Therese block that powerful attack had given her some courage.

At least this demon wasn’t attacking at an incomprehensible speed like Sion could.

Of course, if asked whether they could defeat this monster, the answer was still a resounding “no.”

“Interesting.”

Tarkus bared his fangs in a wicked grin. At the tips of his sharp teeth, a faint red flame flickered.

“Good. I was starting to regret killing Karma too soon, but you lot might make suitable replacements.

Struggle all you want. For now, I’ll play with you as a distraction.”

A mocking sneer appeared in the monster’s eyes.