Episode 531. Fake Dungeon (3)

‘… why the hell am I acting like this.’

Lee Hoyeon’s emotions waver intensely.

Although Lee Hoyeon possesses a ‘Clear Mind’, he often gets flustered during sex or when it comes to matters involving women.

This isn’t a special perk or anything; it’s an innate problem that Lee Hoyeon, the protagonist, has.

In the first place, what’s the reason for suddenly saying something like that in the middle of a fight?

“I finally understand now why a human with strength like yours doesn’t give up the fight. Is it because of those women gathered in one place by the magic circle?”

“Stop talking bullshit and just come at me?”

“Interesting, Lee Hoyeon. To risk your life for a mere female, you are human too.”

Even among the demons of the Underworld, species attracted to the female form certainly exist, but Lucifer could not comprehend Lee Hoyeon’s thoughts.

In the Underworld, the standard for everything is strength.

Friends? Friendship? Women?

Those things are ultimately possessed by the strong.

It’s not just the Underworld; the human world is the same.

Lucifer doesn’t consider those things important, but if he set his mind to it, he could possess them at any time.

Ultimately, in the face of overwhelming power, they are utterly useless.

Risking one’s life for the sake of others is a foolish act.

‘However, that action cannot even be explained by the word ‘foolish’.’

If Lee Hoyeon were sacrificing himself for those human females, I could somehow understand.

I have seen countless foolish deaths like that.

But Lee Hoyeon’s actions are not sacrifice, but a waste.

Lucifer will leave the dungeon without hesitation after capturing Lee Hoyeon alive.

He has no interest whatsoever in whatever becomes of the remaining humans.

‘Do those females have something special about them?’

Among humans, there were some who had piqued Lucifer’s interest.

Shortly after arriving in the human world, when he was searching for Liliana Calliope.

There was a decent group of humans.

The human who had injured him and the humans fighting alongside them.

All were human females.

“Hoh…. A familiar magic was present. How did I not notice this?”

Lucifer checked the space carved into the magic circle once again.

Since Lucifer had perfectly grasped the magic circle, he could quickly figure out that space.

It was protected more strongly than a healing space, and served as a device that funneled humans with a special magic pattern into one place when they entered.

“This is quite interesting.”

After checking the inside of the fake dungeon, Lucifer nodded.

He had been so focused on Lee Hoyeon that he hadn’t noticed.

No, in fact, he hadn’t given much meaning to that space itself.

He never imagined Liliana Calliope was inside.

“Liliana Calliope is inside the magic circle. Was this also your plan, Lee Hoyeon?”

“….”

Why he was saying that, it seemed he was genuinely curious.

There was no need to give him information. Instead of answering, Lee Hoyeon raised his magic.

He shot lightning like flames, created wind, and changed the flow of air.

“If you were born in the Underworld, you’d have a face that could charm all Succubi, but being born human is your only flaw.”

“Can you shut up? Seeing you spout useless words means you’re losing it?”

“No. It’s just curiosity about a human like you. I have many questions, but I’ll create an opportunity for conversation and ask them slowly.”

Dark magic vibrated around Lucifer.

Manipulating his magic, Lucifer effortlessly blocked the wind created by Lee Hoyeon.

“You can show me everything you can do. I can handle any tricks you have.”

“Hmph.”

Lee Hoyeon scoffed, withdrew the wind, and immediately cast another spell.

He succeeded in deploying the Sky-Piercing Palace around himself, but against Lucifer, who controlled the entire space, such magic was difficult to counter.

‘I can’t close the distance.’

Was it because he was caught off guard once?

Lucifer didn’t take his eyes off Lee Hoyeon.

Thanks to that, a lucky break like before is impossible.

‘No, even if I close the distance, can I win?’

The spiral attack from outside his field of vision didn’t work.

Lucifer’s reaction speed was beyond Lee Hoyeon’s imagination.

Chwaaak-

Lee Hoyeon dodged Lucifer’s magic blades aimed at him.

The destructive power contained in each blade was enough to tear Lee Hoyeon’s body to shreds.

‘I need to break through once.’

As he dodged the successive attacks, he found himself unconsciously being cornered more and more.

If cornered, it becomes difficult to dodge magic cannons coming from all directions.

Lee Hoyeon gave up dodging and put up three layers of Rune Barriers.

“Now.”

Breaking through the blades and magic cannons aimed at his vital points, he accelerated simultaneously.

Lee Hoyeon charged towards Lucifer.

Kkadeuk-!

‘Crystal Field.’

At the same time, from the Arc hiding behind Lee Hoyeon, a cold chill erupted.

The extreme cold, capable of freezing anything it touched, bound Lucifer’s feet.

“Hoh.”

Hwaaak-

However, with just one flap of Lucifer’s wings, Lee Hoyeon was forced back.

The shockwave that shook the darkness not only blew away the Crystal Field, but also pushed back the accelerated Lee Hoyeon.

“Haa. Haa….”

“Is that all you can show?”

Ignoring Lucifer’s words, Lee Hoyeon checked the magic flowing through his body.

‘I’m starting to feel the strain on my body.’

Sky-Piercing Palace and Blood Beat.

Both are magic and skills that interfere with Lee Hoyeon’s magic.

He had already long surpassed his limits.

Although his high healing power was slowly healing him, he couldn’t stop his body from being eroded.

From now on, he had to endure with willpower.

“I’ll satisfy your curiosity. You seem to know the demons of the Underworld well, but there are many kinds you don’t know.”

Behind the smiling Lucifer, hundreds of black dots appeared.

The small dots grew larger, and each one transformed into a demon of the Underworld.

– Kuaaak-!

– Keureu, keureureung-!

– Kkueugeup. Kkuaaek.

Hundreds of Underworld demons, born from Lucifer’s magic, charged towards Lee Hoyeon.

The Underworld demons had appeared in the original work.

This is because the Demon King had a pattern that involved summoning the Underworld demons.

Information about them was, of course, inside Lee Hoyeon’s head.

Pajijik-

Magic began to vibrate around Lee Hoyeon’s body.

What he was creating was lightning.

To deal with such a large quantity, he needed to fight as efficiently as possible.

His golden eyes shone.

He accelerated his thoughts.

Lee Hoyeon didn’t stop calculating while casting spells.

He prepared for the speed and strength of the demons.

He calculated the most efficient movement paths and attack routes.

Kkwadeudeuk-

A blade made of lightning split the head of the demon charging at the very front in two.

The demons don’t just charge.

They are independent entities with their own thoughts.

That’s why the mental strain was even greater.

‘This kind of attrition battle is not good….’

One. Two. Three. Four. Five….

No matter how many he counted, he crushed the heads of the endlessly approaching demons, controlled lightning with the Arc, and pierced the hearts of the demons behind them.

Dodging the teeth of the demons relentlessly targeting his life, he exploited openings.

Unlike Lucifer, who received magic power from the massive fake dungeon magic circle, Lee Hoyeon’s mana was limited.

His mana control, pushed to the extreme, allowed him to kill demons with small amounts of magic, but the longer the fight dragged on, the more disadvantageous it became for Lee Hoyeon.

Hwareureuk-

“Kkuuaaaah!”

Gritting his teeth, Lee Hoyeon endured the throbbing headache and unleashed his magic.

While slicing off demon heads with sharp magic blades and controlling lightning with the Arc, he didn’t stop double casting.

Eclipse.

Light poured from the giant black sun, illuminating the center.

As much mana as was poured into it, the black sun swallowed the demons and fell towards Lucifer.

Lucifer, who had been wearing a relaxed expression, flinched at the black sun that approached instantly and retreated, but the Eclipse, which swallowed even the magic surrounding Lucifer, ultimately reached him.

“Kkeuk…!”

Lucifer let out a short groan and retreated.

Even Lucifer, with his strong body, could not escape unscathed if hit properly by such high-level magic.

He retreated as quickly as possible, but this time, his reaction was slow.

He never expected that Lee Hoyeon would prepare such a massive spell while fighting hundreds of demons.

Chiiik-

“….”

Lucifer stared, speechless, at his half-burnt right and left arms.

What he felt was surprise and anger.

It wasn’t the first time Lucifer had been injured in the human world.

He had been injured by a human when he met Liliana Calliope.

But back then, Lucifer had many excuses.

He hadn’t been in the human world long, he had been careless, and he wasn’t in peak condition.

So what about now?

Of course, since his objective was to capture Lee Hoyeon alive, he hadn’t used his full power.

However, that didn’t mean he was careless.

“Lee Hoyeon….”

Lee Hoyeon is a mage.

Therefore, he wanted to crush him with the same magic.

He believed it was a dignified act as the successor of the Demon King.

– Kkumulkumul

Black magic began to fill his partially severed arms.

Lucifer cast a cold gaze at Lee Hoyeon.

That human was still trying to find his opening.

‘The time is being delayed more than expected.’

The magic to summon an army of Underworld demons requires immense magic power.

Without the support of the fake dungeon’s magic circle, it would have been a great burden even for Lucifer.

Using magic beyond his capabilities and then getting injured by Lee Hoyeon enraged Lucifer.

If he hadn’t received help from the fake dungeon’s magic circle.

If this magic circle, created by Lee Hoyeon himself, hadn’t existed.

The thought that he might have been overwhelmed in a mage vs. mage battle crossed Lucifer’s mind.

“… This feels unpleasant. It’s been so long since I’ve felt this emotion, I don’t know.”

Peolleok-

Lucifer spread his massive wings.

He didn’t particularly like using his body.

It was undignified for the successor of the Demon King, and when facing a mage, using only magic was Lucifer’s expression of confidence.

And today, that confidence was shattered.

“I wanted to subdue you with magic, but time is short. I’ve only used my body in the human world when hunting, so you can be confident.”

“… Go fuck yourself. Really.”

Seureuk-

Lee Hoyeon wiped his jaw, blood dripping down it.

That last attack hurt quite a bit.

In fact, he wasn’t exactly sure what he had been hit by.

It was probably a fist.

Lee Hoyeon checked his condition.

Several bones seemed broken, and his internal organs had taken a severe blow.

Without the Rune Barriers, he might have literally turned to dust, not figuratively.

But he couldn’t fall.

‘… From now on, I just have to avoid getting hit.’

Dugeun. Dugeun.

His combat sense and Clear Mind allowed him to hold onto his consciousness even in this extreme situation.

His high natural healing ability forced him to endure even as his body was breaking down.

Lee Hoyeon straightened his posture, forced his aching body to move, and raised his magic.