Episode 529. Fake Dungeon

The core of the fake dungeon’s magic circle.

In the middle of the black space, a man was standing.

The horns and black wings he had always hidden were revealed.

The fake dungeon’s magic circle was quite taxing even for Lucifer’s abilities, so he had to unleash his full power.

“To be able to create such a large-scale magic… I truly question if they’re even human.”

Lucifer watched people fall pik-pik, wearing a bored expression.

From the core of the fake dungeon, one can command and oversee the entire dungeon.

It was information I naturally learned as soon as I seized the magic circle.

“Is it still lacking? Fine-tuning is needed. I need to get somewhat accustomed to it.”

Seuuk-

Lucifer naturally adjusted the magic circle with his fingertips.

Although it was a top-tier magic circle he’d never seen even in the Underworld, this dungeon was strangely composed of Underworld mana.

It’s mana familiar to Lucifer.

“It’s extremely alien magic. I don’t know what its purpose is.”

This magic circle cunningly drops living beings that enter its range into the specially crafted dungeon.

The dungeon is extremely solid, and everything is organically connected, making it virtually impossible to reverse-engineer from the outside.

From Lucifer’s perspective, he couldn’t understand what they intended to use such immense magic for.

“Moreover, it’s excessively considerate.”

If the purpose was to kill people, I could somehow understand it.

Because even if it’s inefficient, I could just think of it as the murderer having peculiar tastes.

But this dungeon lacked lethality.

The demonic beasts were practically non-aggressive, and

when a human inside the dungeon suffered serious injuries or neared death, they would lose consciousness and be isolated in a special area where healing magic was installed.

It was truly the height of inefficiency.

There wasn’t just one or two things that needed fixing.

Ominous mana seeped from Lucifer’s hand.

He began to imbue the dungeon with new mana.

He closed off the considerate healing area and increased the aggressiveness of the Underworld’s demonic beasts.

Simultaneously, he identified Lee Hoyeon’s location.

“…Is there a protector on the healing area? What a strange human. Or rather, perhaps not human after all?”

Lucifer, having strongly enhanced the demonic beasts’ belligerence, identified Lee Hoyeon’s location while increasing the dungeon’s danger level.

Since he had naturally memorized his mana, he could find him quickly.

“Hmm?”

While the other humans were huddled together trying to figure out the situation.

There was a single point rapidly approaching the core.

“An exceptional human, as always. You’ve realized I’m here.”

Lee Hoyeon.

His mana is approaching this way.

“I should prepare to welcome my guest.”

The reason I seized this dungeon is not to kill mere humans.

The primary objective is the capture of Lee Hoyeon.

Lucifer momentarily stopped the mana controlling the dungeon and walked towards the inner part of the core.

*

‘Acceleration.’

The remaining mana, filling my body, also swirled externally.

Lee Hoyeon ran towards the core, even using Acceleration.

Thump. Thump.

My heart, beating faster and faster, let me know I was getting closer to the core.

The path had twisted and become complicated, but since I fundamentally remembered the map, I could find my way here quickly.

Jiing-

Clunk.

As soon as I crossed a specific line, my head momentarily throbbed, and my surroundings distorted.

It was confusing enough that I wasn’t sure if I was properly standing on the ground.

Lee Hoyeon activated his mana, sharpening his mind.

“…”

It felt like when I used to spin around and around for no reason as a child and then suddenly stopped.

Lee Hoyeon shook his head, the dizziness lingering, and steadied his breath.

A dark space unfolded.

The core of the fake dungeon, which Lee Hoyeon had personally set up.

There stood a man wearing a black tuxedo, looking towards me.

Goat-like horns extended above his head. Sharp eyes that looked like a talented painter’s depiction of malevolence.

A deep gaze, as if he had mastered everything. A solid body and overflowing mana.

Lucifer was looking at Lee Hoyeon.

“An uninvited guest has arrived.”

“…The uninvited guest is you, punk.”

Lucifer scanned Lee Hoyeon up and down and said.

A low voice that struck strongly against the ear.

Lee Hoyeon glared at Lucifer, his brow furrowed.

Thump. Thump. Thump.

An intense presence could be felt just from him standing still.

Combat instincts wrapped around my body.

My legs trembled as if I were prey encountering a predator, my entire body screaming at me to run.

“…Fuck.”

Lee Hoyeon felt the urge to scream for his life and run away right then and there.

The thought even crossed my mind: wouldn’t it be easier if I just lost consciousness right now?

‘My opponent is the Demon King. It’s natural that he’s strong.’

The ultimate boss from the original work.

The strongest being of the Underworld, a monster possessing all sorts of bizarre abilities.

Lee Hoyeon managed his expression and opened his mouth.

“…Just how did you seize control of the magic circle? There were clearly no traces.”

“My demonic eye merely observes; it leaves no trace. While your magic circle was excellent for a human’s, it couldn’t evade my demonic eye.”

“Bullshit, seriously.”

“Aren’t you curious about the reason I seized the magic circle?”

“Shut up.”

Lee Hoyeon spat out a curse and bit his lip.

I once read a study that said cursing when stressed has a stress-relieving effect.

‘It’s not wrong.’

My mind wanted to run away right now, but spitting out curses made me feel at least a little better.

The reason Lucifer seized the magic circle was, naturally, Lee Hoyeon himself.

Knowing that, I ran here like this.

Lee Hoyeon wrapped his body in mana.

It was to fend off the intangible pressure flowing from Lucifer’s body.

“I have no memory of us sharing any acquaintance, yet your reaction suggests you know me well.”

“…I’ve overheard a lot.”

“If so, where should we begin? I had high expectations and great interest in a human like you, Lee Hoyeon.”

Lucifer’s demonic eye glowed red.

Lee Hoyeon was the target, but the result was, as expected, blurry.

That human’s strength, mana pattern, abilities. None of it could be seen through.

“Meeting you in person is even more astonishing. Not only can you evade my demonic eye, but you possess such talent and ability despite being human. I can only call it a blessing.”

“…”

Lee Hoyeon quietly listened to Lucifer’s words.

Everything coming from his mouth could be important information.

Lucifer, who had been watching Lee Hoyeon with an intrigued expression, hardened his features and continued speaking.

“However, today, I can see your emotions.”

“…What?”

The fact that his demonic eye didn’t work on Lucifer was like hitting a wall.

It was the same for the mana enveloping the Demon King’s castle in the Underworld, and it was the same in the human world.

The power of the Maestro attempting to summon the Demon King. And even Lee Hoyeon.

Among them, Lee Hoyeon was special.

Unlike the Maestro, whose power was only partially hidden, all of Lee Hoyeon’s power was concealed, and even his human emotions were only vaguely visible, mostly hidden.

There was a time when I thought Lee Hoyeon himself was a transcendent being.

But the current Lee Hoyeon, for reasons unknown, allowed me to see emotions a little more clearly than before.

“Are you afraid of me?”

“…”

“Your emotions seem that way right now. You’re desperately hiding the desire to run away disgracefully.”

The emotions he possessed as a human poured out towards Lucifer.

Fear. Dread. Foreboding.

Various negative emotions were felt.

I knew he wasn’t a transcendent being, but the strange thing was that the emotion of surprise wasn’t added.

Even though his emotions were completely exposed, Lee Hoyeon considered Lucifer’s demonic eye to be natural.

No, it seemed like he wasn’t curious about Lucifer’s existence at all.

“While you fear me, you don’t seem surprised at all that I can read your emotions. Furthermore, you seem to know me very well. Lee Hoyeon. Just what is your identity?”

Lee Hoyeon watched Lucifer talking and wondering to himself, then scratched his head vigorously.

From Lucifer’s perspective, it must have been absurd.

Because despite having his magic circle stolen, he wasn’t curious about the reason, and acted as if he knew Lucifer’s demonic eye well, even though he wasn’t visible to it.

But Lee Hoyeon had no reason to explain that.

It was none of his business what Lucifer thought of him.

Rather, if he were to have some strange misunderstanding, that would be even more welcome.

‘He doesn’t seem likely to reveal any information.’

Lee Hoyeon slowly calmed his emotions.

Erasing his emotions.

The trembling in his body gradually disappeared, and the thought of wanting to run away faded.

“What is this? My demonic eye…”

“It seems my demonic eye isn’t working so well now.”

Just like how I was surprised when I first saw Lucifer,

this time it was Lucifer’s turn to be surprised.

His demonic eye was, after all, a power of this world.

It couldn’t pierce through my own ability, received as a special privilege from God.

‘Sharp Mental Strength’

The reason Lucifer could read my emotions better was because Lee Hoyeon was consciously refraining from using ‘Sharp Mental Strength’.

Lee Hoyeon smiled as he looked at Lucifer’s expression, which clearly showed he couldn’t comprehend what was happening before his eyes.

“Are you afraid of me now?”

Eye Awakening.

Lee Hoyeon’s eyes shone with a golden light.

Lucifer’s red demonic eye narrowed.

“…Are you trying to fight me?”

“Then should I just let the guy who plundered someone else’s magic circle go?”

Blood Beat.

Lee Hoyeon’s mana circuits expanded more than twofold.

Thump. Thump.

Combat instincts awakened every single sense in my body.

The moment ‘Sharp Mental Strength’ activated, thoughts on how to efficiently deal with Lucifer filled my mind.

“This might not be a good choice. This place is filled with Underworld mana. No matter how much you struggle, you, a human, cannot defeat me. Perhaps having a conversation would be more beneficial for you.”

“That’s your opinion.”

While it was true that this environment was disadvantageous to Lee Hoyeon, this was not the time to consider that.

Currently, the owner of the magic circle is Lucifer.

The fake dungeon had degenerated differently from Lee Hoyeon’s intentions.

It had become far more dangerous than its original level, creating an environment where people could actually die.

Therefore, I must seize the initiative as quickly as possible.

Fortunately, Lee Hoyeon had created the dungeon based on the premise of a magic called ‘Emotion Amplification’.

‘Emotion Amplification’ was an important element in the fake dungeon’s magic circle.

Since it could amplify people’s anxiety and fear, there were fewer things to worry about to that extent.

Lee Hoyeon lowered the demonic beasts’ aggressiveness and eliminated almost all elements that might threaten the heroine.

‘Since I thoroughly blocked access to the healing area, he probably lacked the time to modify even that.’

Lee Hoyeon also didn’t want to continue fighting in this situation.

But now, I must accomplish it by any means necessary.

“Keuhaha… Keuk.”

Lucifer laughed, covering his mouth with an expression contrasting sharply with Lee Hoyeon’s.

Throughout his life, which was long if long and short if short, humans had always been insignificant beings to Lucifer.

That belief hadn’t changed, whether he was in the Underworld or the human world.

Beings he could erase from the world with a single gesture if he so desired.

The Lee Hoyeon before him was different.

A special being who could resist his demonic eye, and yet there were so many suspicious aspects.

A human filled with intrigue that stimulated his curiosity.

It was a turning point in his boring life.

Lucifer gathered the strength of his entire body.

The human species, compared to the strength they possess, has excessive pride.

There were many things (I) was curious about, but (I) could ask slowly after catching Lee Hoyeon.

Since the intention from the beginning was to capture Lee Hoyeon alive, the plan had not changed one bit.

“Good. Since I thought the possibility of resolving this through conversation was low from the start. Let’s forcibly create a setting for dialogue.”

The moment the words ended, Lucifer’s murderous intent exploded.