Episode 661. Hall of Hyunjwol (1)

The Demon King’s Castle’s magic exerts overwhelming power in the Underworld.

And even on Earth, which was assimilating with the Underworld, that power remained unchanged.

The Underworld’s magic spread across Earth made the Demon King’s Castle’s magic even more solid, and Earth’s beings should not have been able to penetrate the Demon King’s Castle’s magic.

That was the flow of this world observed by the Demon King.

“This…?”

Then, what in the world is that being who broke through this darkness?

The Demon King widened his eyes and distanced himself from the unknown magic.

Hwa-ah-ah-

The fully bloomed flower of darkness began to take the form of a person.

Lee Hoyeon, regaining his senses during a brief opening, slowly opened his eyes and looked straight ahead.

The impact throughout his body remained, but at the human shape appearing before his eyes, Lee Hoyeon couldn’t help but widen his own.

“If Mom hadn’t held me back, I would have come sooner. Sorry?”

Such a familiar, bright voice.

Long, glossy hair and goat horns protruding above her ears.

And even a tail swaying gently.

It was the back of a Succubus he had seen many times.

She turned around and smiled.

“… Liliana?”

Lee Hoyeon couldn’t properly comprehend the situation before him.

He hadn’t not thought that someone would break through this darkness, but he had never imagined it would actually be Liliana.

“They say heroes always show up at the last minute. That’s the right saying for this situation, isn’t it?”

The same nonsense came from her mouth as always, but the atmosphere was a bit calmer than usual.

He slowly shifted his gaze.

A black flower blooming in Liliana’s hand.

Lee Hoyeon felt a strange sense of déjà vu from that magic.

“Liliana…. Did you get your memories back?”

It was Liliana Calliope’s magic, the one he saw in Chiron’s memory orb.

Liliana was manifesting that magic exactly.

“Well. It just sort of happened. I’ll tell you more at home later.”

Liliana looked at Lee Hoyeon with an awkward smile.

Visually, Lee Hoyeon’s physical condition was far from normal.

The Liliana from a few hours ago would have rushed straight to Lee Hoyeon, perhaps panicking about whether he was going to die.

Unfortunately, I guess that won’t happen anymore.

“The situation outside… No, are you okay? How did you get inside?”

The people outside were still trying hard to break through this darkness.

He deliberately avoided checking the heroines’ faces, lest distracting thoughts arise, but it was certain they couldn’t break through the darkness either.

Yet, with Liliana appearing right before his eyes, Lee Hoyeon couldn’t understand the situation.

“Don’t worry about me. You and I are connected by the contract between Master and Succubus, right? I just used a magic to teleport to Master. This darkness can’t stop me.”

The source of the Demon King’s power is the magic of the Demon King’s Castle.

The moment she sat in the position of Demon King and accepted the Demon King’s Castle’s magic, Liliana’s body rejected that magic.

That was the nature inherent to Liliana Calliope.

“I wish I could heal you, but I don’t have that kind of talent. So just rest for a moment.”

Liliana also knew that Lee Hoyeon’s natural healing ability was monstrous.

Even if she just bought him a little time, he would soon be able to move properly.

“Uh, yeah.”

Liliana chuckled, looking at Lee Hoyeon’s bewildered expression.

Seeing that face still brought a smile to her, even after regaining her past memories; it seemed coming here was the right choice after all.

Liliana turned her head and looked at the Demon King, who was intently watching them.

Just as Mom had said, he was exuding a terrifying aura.

How on earth had Lee Hoyeon been alone with such a monster?

Unnecessary fear enveloped her body, but she had no intention of running away now.

“You… what exactly are you? There’s no way anyone could enter this darkness?”

The Demon King frowned as he looked at Liliana.

A Succubus.

One of the common creatures of the Underworld.

However, the black flower that bloomed as she appeared drove away his darkness and completely reversed the flow of magic in the space.

In this world, there are no Underworld creatures that can resist the Demon King’s Castle’s magic.

Now that common sense was shattered, the Demon King felt confusion.

“Calling me ‘you bitch’? That’s not something you should say to your daughter after meeting her for the first time in ages.”

Black flowers and pitch-black magic blooming around Liliana’s body.

Her full power is displayed on the battlefield, but that doesn’t mean she can’t fight in a situation like this.

“A creature of the Underworld, daring to resist the Demon King’s magic? How could such a being reach the Demon King…!”

A creature resisting the Demon King’s Castle’s magic.

He couldn’t understand why such a being existed in his world.

No, it could exist.

This world has repeated countless times, but even the god of this world doesn’t grasp the life of a single bug.

Somewhere in the Underworld, such a creature might exist.

However, this Succubus had never reached the Demon King in any previous worldline.

Why were such special events happening only to the 8th human?

The Demon King could not accept this phenomenon.

“That changes nothing…! Do you really think a mere Succubus can defeat the Demon King?!”

Although a sudden reinforcement had appeared, nothing had changed.

The 8th human cannot use magic yet.

In the meantime, he just needed to deal with the Succubus and finish off the 8th human.

Kuwung-!

The Demon King stirred up the darkness within the space.

It didn’t matter if the Demon King’s Castle’s magic couldn’t penetrate.

The Demon King is originally the strongest being in the Underworld.

There’s no way he couldn’t defeat a single Succubus.

“It’s been a while since I fought…. Back then, there was nothing more fun than fighting.”

Liliana’s magic began to dominate the space.

In the past, when she roamed all over the Underworld with the ambition of becoming the Demon King, Liliana always threw herself into battle.

But her mindset was different now.

Liliana Calliope simply wanted to become the Demon King.

Because the Demon King’s throne seemed like the only thing that could pique her interest in the Underworld.

What filled her mind now wasn’t interest.

‘To protect someone precious…? Hmm. That’s way too cheesy. Let’s not say it out loud.’

Well, does it even need a reason?

Liliana Calliope doesn’t let go of what she wants.

That should be enough.

“The word ‘Dad’ feels a bit awkward. Honestly, you never acted like a parent, did you? I won’t act like a daughter either.”

The Demon King before her eyes is her biological father.

But Liliana has no memories of him as a father.

He merely pursued attractive beings as the Demon King; there was no paternal love.

Besides, it was natural since his children couldn’t possibly be strong.

Even now, facing each other, neither considered the other family.

“You damn Succubus… Do you have any idea who I am to spout such nonsense…!”

Liliana’s magic heavily pressed down on the space.

The moment the seal was broken and she realized her secret, Liliana remembered all the combat methods she used in the past.

Wuwuwung-

Liliana’s magic, known as the Slaughter Succubus in the Underworld, was destructive.

She used magic, but without the complex calculations of a wizard.

She crushed and dominated opponents with overwhelming magic.

It was a fighting style befitting Liliana Calliope.

‘What incredible magic power….’

Lee Hoyeon swallowed hard, watching Liliana’s magic.

Liliana freely wielded the Underworld’s magic, seizing control of the space.

There were no calculations or high-level mana operations in that phenomenon.

Overwhelming power.

Liliana’s magic destructively devoured the Demon King’s magic.

‘Is she devouring the darkness? … No. The darkness is being forcibly pushed back.’

Although he couldn’t use his awakened eyes due to recovering his disrupted mana circuits, he could at least read the flow of magic.

Every time Liliana’s magic moved, the Demon King’s darkness retreated like a herbivore encountering a predator.

Kwa-ah-ah-!

Perhaps unable to just watch, the Demon King’s darkness began to move like a living entity.

The darkness, split into countless fragments, avoided Liliana’s magic and surged towards her.

Tadat. Liliana, quickly dodging, manipulated the surrounding magic.

The trait of ignoring the Demon King’s Castle’s magic applied equally to Liliana’s magic.

Liliana’s magic, covering the space, pushed back the Demon King’s darkness.

“Keu-eup…!”

The Demon King retreated and condensed the darkness into points.

The Demon King’s darkness, capable of inflicting fatal wounds with just a graze, covered the space, but it couldn’t reach Liliana at all.

This was because a magic that swallowed darkness occurred behind Liliana.

“… Rune Tracer.”

The magic that absorbed the darkness surged towards the Demon King. Although it didn’t reach him due to the distance, it was enough to make the Demon King step back slightly.

In the meantime, Lee Hoyeon, who had been collapsed behind Liliana, slowly got up.

His body still hurt, but he now had enough strength to move.

“Lee Hoyeon. You can move already?!”

“I’m fine, so don’t worry.”

Actually, he wasn’t quite fine.

He just couldn’t stand by and watch Liliana fight alone.

“Y-You bastards….”

Seeing Lee Hoyeon join the battle, the Demon King’s expression contorted.

The 8th human’s magic is burdensome enough that even the Demon King must be wary of it.

The Succubus and the 8th human attacking together might be more dangerous than he thought.

The infinite magic of the Demon King’s Castle is the source of the Demon King’s power.

However, that magic was becoming a poison instead, all because of the single Succubus before him.

His entire plan was ruined because of one creature he didn’t even know existed in his world.

The Demon King, the god of this world, unconsciously thought of a ‘Second Plan’.

‘…No. With this body, I can overcome it.’

Possessing the Demon King’s body was the maximum intervention the god of this world could make.

If he broke the rules any further, it would violate the rules of the ‘bet’.

He was already inside the bet created by the God of Betting.

If he ignored the rules within this, even the god of this world couldn’t finish the bet safely.

“Kuaaah!”

The Demon King shook off his distracting thoughts and raised his magic.

There was no need for a Second Plan.

Although his plan was ruined, the ending of this world would not change.

The Demon King had already observed the flow of the world.

The Demon King’s Castle’s magic, which constituted the darkness, began to be absorbed by the surrounding objects.

From a tiny grain of sand on the floor to rolling pieces of trash.

Instead of directly attacking Liliana, the Demon King’s Castle’s magic strengthened the objects existing in this world.

If magic couldn’t penetrate, he intended to subdue them with physical force.

“Liliana. Do you think you can block those?”

Lee Hoyeon looked at the objects floating in the air with his awakened eyes.

Although the objects were strengthened by the Demon King’s Castle’s magic, strangely, no magic could be felt from them.

Perhaps they had killed its properties by using extremely diluted magic for strengthening.

“I don’t know. It seems okay if that magic touches my body… but if the Demon King’s Castle’s magic disappears while strengthening the objects, then I won’t be able to block them either.”

“Then I’ll handle those. You aim for the main body.”

Lee Hoyeon thought he was having a productive conversation with Liliana for the first time in a while.

Perhaps thanks to regaining her memories? She felt smarter than before.

Dugun- Dugun-

His body, regaining its fighting spirit, reignited his combat senses.

His mana circuits, having recovered from damage, moved mana, responding to Lee Hoyeon’s will.

Even though Liliana, who resisted the Demon King’s Castle’s magic, had appeared, the pounding in his chest felt similar to the beginning.

In fact, the Demon King instantly devised combat methods to counter Liliana.

The Demon King before him was that strong an enemy.

“Let’s go. Liliana.”

However, strangely, he didn’t feel like they were going to lose.

Lee Hoyeon sharpened his senses.

His golden irises shone in the middle of the darkness.