Chapter 102

Chapter 102. Demon God of Vice (1)

There are countless works of fiction about demons.

But among them, the one that most closely resembles the demons of Pandemonium is probably Milton's epic poem Paradise Lost.

Paradise Lost is, as the title suggests, the story of Adam and Eve being driven out of Eden, but the true protagonist is Satan, who endlessly struggles against God.

Long ago, an angel of high rank led other angels in a war against the one true God.

Naturally, he lost.

He fell into Hell together with the other angels.

But he did not submit.

His very nature could never accept bowing before God.

In one corner of Hell, the demons built their great hall, Pandemonium, and held a council to decide how they would continue their struggle against God.

Countless Demon Gods argued fiercely, each presenting their own opinion.

God was simply too vast and powerful to oppose directly.

But their pride would not allow them to retreat either.

Then one strategy was proposed.

Instead of fighting God directly, they would destroy the human world He had newly created.

Satan accepted the proposal.

"Honor and danger go together."

With those words, he volunteered to personally carry out the dangerous mission.

After overcoming all kinds of hardships, he infiltrated the Garden of Eden...

And finally succeeded in corrupting humanity.

The Satan depicted in the story is almost heroic, endlessly rebelling against an overwhelmingly greater being. The other demons also possess their own pride.

As far as I knew, the demons of Pandemonium had experienced something similar to the story told in Paradise Lost.

And they were proud of it.

They defined themselves as beings who had rebelled against the one true God, lost, yet refused to surrender, instead building a new kingdom in Hell and continuing their struggle.

Whether that was merely their creation myth or an actual historical event, I had no way of knowing.

Either way, the demons of Pandemonium possessed immense pride.

The Seventy-Two Demons in particular, the leaders among them, were known as aristocratic beings who placed great importance on their own honor and sense of aesthetics.

Then how... should we fight beings like that?

Recalling what I knew about demons, I operated the observation device.

"There are too many of them!"

"Damn it! Why do they just keep coming?!"

Even after Phenex and Ha Mina disappeared, the danger wasn't over.

Humans transformed into zombie-like creatures continued pouring in from every direction.

"How many of these things are there?!"

"There were over ten thousand believers receiving supplies in this area alone."

"Damn it!"

Lee Jukheon clicked his tongue at Joo Minha's answer.

[C-rank Constellation 'Prince Who Killed His Father' feels fear at the endless swarm of strange humans.]

[B-rank Constellation 'Hunter Favored by the Moon Goddess' worries that there are too many enemies.]

With Phenex, the greatest threat, gone, Kang Yujin and Daji joined the battle as well.

But the enemy numbers were simply too overwhelming.

Even with six people, breaking through wasn't easy.

Fortunately, their equipment had all been upgraded by one level.

"Lee Jukheon! I'll take the right side! Let's make an opening!"

Seok Taejun was currently wielding a modified Durandal Replica in spear form.

This one wasn't borrowed from Kang Yujin.

It belonged to Seok Taejun personally.

He had obtained it as loot while fighting Cheon Sangwoon's close subordinates in the previous battle, then asked Number 49 to modify it into a spear.

His armor had also been completely replaced.

Seok Taejun now wore a protective suit in the style of a rider suit, similar to what Kang Yujin had once worn.

He also had protective guards on his forearms and shins.

As for his head, he was still wearing the hat he'd obtained from the ghost train long ago.

Recently, however, Seok Taejun had started growing his hair out again.

Once it reached a decent length, he planned to stop wearing the hat.

"Damn it! I've swung this sword so much my arms are starting to hurt!"

Lee Jukheon hadn't bought a new weapon because he already had Yoon Miho's sword.

But he had replaced all of his armor.

The outfit he wore looked like nothing more than black sportswear, but it was actually protective clothing made from magically processed spider silk extracted from spider-type monsters.

Ordinary blades or monster claws couldn't even scratch it.

Its price, however, was an astonishing 2.5 billion Coins.

Which meant Lee Jukheon was in debt again.

"We need to get out of the city. We have no choice but to keep moving."

Joo Minha had also purchased new equipment.

Unlike the others, however, she had only bought a pair of gloves.

Her clothes were still the same outfit that looked halfway between priestly robes and a magician's cloak.

The gloves themselves looked like ordinary black gloves.

But they cost one billion Coins.

Muscle fibers taken from a dragon's heart had been embedded into them, allowing the gloves to amplify the wearer's magic power.

Joo Minha was already rated A-rank as a magic-bullet-type mage.

With these gloves equipped, both the power and effective range of her magic had increased significantly.

[A-rank Constellation 'Adventurous Sailor' expresses satisfaction with their improved combat power.]

[A-rank Constellation 'Adventurous Sailor' sponsors Seok Taejun with 10 million Coins.]

[A-rank Constellation 'Adventurous Sailor' sponsors Lee Jukheon with 10 million Coins.]

[A-rank Constellation 'Adventurous Sailor' sponsors Joo Minha with 10 million Coins.]

On top of that, all three had strengthened their stats using the Enhancement Crystals they'd accumulated.

Their combat ability had risen another level.

"Everyone's fighting better than I expected."

"Yeah. One way or another, we have to break through and get out of Hanam!"

Daji devastated the enemies with powerful sorcery.

Won Pilso stood at the front with his shield raised, performing his role as a tank perfectly.

Kang Yujin also coordinated with his companions as they pushed through the zombies.

BOOOOM!

Then a massive explosion came from up ahead.

"What was that?!"

"Did something explode?"

"No! That's...!"

Seok Taejun shouted while flying through the air on Chimera.

"They're people! I think reinforcements are here!"

"Reinforcements!"

Just as Seok Taejun said, it was a group of Contractors.

There appeared to be at least several hundred of them.

They were sweeping through the zombies as they approached.

Among them was one man charging ahead alone.

His face was familiar.

"It's been a while, Kang Yujin."

The man smiled as he greeted Kang Yujin.

Long black hair fluttered behind him as he tore through the battlefield in a long coat.

"Ma Taesu?"

"Yes. Glad you remember me."

Ma Taesu of the Black Dragon Society, who had helped them back in the central-western region, had arrived with a group of Contractors.

"I was recently formally appointed head of the Black Dragon Society's Korea Branch."

"Korea Branch Head?"

"That's right. Thanks in no small part to all the help you gave us in the central-west."

As he answered, Ma Taesu looked around.

"The reorganization of the organization only just finished. I couldn't participate in the fight against Cheon Sangwoon, but this time I wasn't too late."

"Ma Taesu..."

"Today, I'll be the one helping you, Kang Yujin."

The force Ma Taesu had brought looked much larger than the troops he'd mobilized back in the central-west.

Kang Yujin had heard that the Black Dragon Society's influence was weak in the Capital Region.

Had they gathered forces from other areas as well?

"Let's withdraw toward the old Gangdong District. The Black Dragon Society Korea Branch has its main base there."

"Got it."

"You've probably gotten much stronger. It's been a while, so I'd like to see how good you are now."

Ma Taesu grinned as he raised the Green Dragon Crescent Blade.

"Hmm. So it was the Church after all."

After breaking through the zombie encirclement, Kang Yujin's group arrived at the Black Dragon Society Korea Branch.

"Considering the circumstances... Ha Mina must have decided there was no longer any way to hide everything, so she threw one final bomb behind her before leaving."

"It seems Ha Mina decided there was nothing left she could accomplish through the Church."

"Right. She used the Church executives as sacrifices for Phenex and turned all the believers in Hanam into zombies."

Seok Taejun and Lee Jukheon were currently receiving treatment for injuries they had suffered in battle.

Won Pilso had gone to meet Lee Hyeonje to report what had happened.

Daji had also disappeared somewhere.

So the only ones present were Kang Yujin, Joo Minha, and Ma Taesu.

"If Ha Mina went that far, it means she has no more business with humanity. I don't know what her true objective is, but she's one vicious woman."

"Ma Taesu."

Kang Yujin spoke to Ma Taesu, who was organizing the situation.

"Did the Black Dragon Society really have no idea that Ha Mina and the Church were working with Pandemonium?"

"None at all."

"The Black Dragon Society is the human organization closest to Pandemonium in Korea. And you still didn't know?"

"Pandemonium isn't a single unified organism. We're only close with the demons we actually trade with."

"..."

"Hmm. I suppose I should explain Pandemonium properly."

Ma Taesu crossed his arms.

"Kang Yujin, what do you understand Pandemonium to be?"

"A group of demons that invaded humanity starting ten years ago."

"Correct."

Ma Taesu nodded.

"But if you think of Pandemonium as nothing more than a group of evil monsters, that's a major mistake. They have a society just like humans do, and unlike ordinary monsters, they can communicate."

Which meant negotiations were possible.

Trade was possible too.

Come to think of it, Won Pilso had obtained demonic equipment through trade with Pandemonium and equipped his subordinates with it.

"I think of Pandemonium as something like a country."

"A country..."

"Yes. A country that fought a war against us before, so our relationship is bad. But there are several factions inside that country. Some want to interact with us, while others want another war."

Among humans, there were people willing to interact with Pandemonium.

There were also people who refused to tolerate Pandemonium under any circumstances.

In that sense, the two sides were similar.

"The faction our Black Dragon Society deals with supports gradually expanding interaction. That faction doesn't want war."

"They don't want war?"

"Not every demon in Pandemonium is consumed by the ambition to dominate the entire world. At the very least, it's true that they oppose Pandemonium's pro-war faction."

"The pro-war faction..."

"One of the most famous figures is Moloch, a Count of Hell and Governor. Phenex, the one you encountered earlier, is also part of that pro-war faction."

"Then Pandemonium's second invasion is being pushed by that faction?"

"You could say that."

Ma Taesu nodded.

Joo Minha, who had been listening beside them, spoke.

"Ma Taesu, as far as I know, Moloch also appears in Milton's Paradise Lost as a demon belonging to the pro-war faction."

"Does he?"

"Yes. On the other hand, there were also demons who argued for peace. Does that mean the Black Dragon Society trades with that peace faction?"

"Strictly speaking, we don't trade with the peace faction itself. We trade with demons within that faction who are interested in commerce with humans."

"Then which demon does the Black Dragon Society trade with?"

"Why do you ask?"

"Because it is something we need to consider when deciding our future strategy."

Joo Minha spoke in a calm voice.

"It is certain that Phenex was working with Ha Mina to prepare for a renewed invasion. If Phenex invades soon, the current forces in the Capital Region will have difficulty responding."

"That's true."

"Then what if we use Pandemonium's peace faction to delay the invasion as much as possible?"

"What?"

Ma Taesu looked surprised by Joo Minha's suggestion.

"What exactly are you saying?"

"I'm saying we should divide Pandemonium internally, Kang Yujin."

"Divide it?"

"Ma Taesu just said it himself. Pandemonium has a society similar to humanity and several factions. In that case, internal division should be entirely possible."

"Joo Minha, I don't quite understand."

Ma Taesu spoke with a serious expression.

"I remember you as someone who loved harsh trials more than anyone."

"Fighting Pandemonium will be harsh enough on its own. In that case, we should think of ways to improve our chances of victory."

"You believe we have no chance if we fight a full-scale war immediately?"

"What I truly want is to help Kang Yujin save the world. I have no desire to drive him into defeat."

As she said that, Joo Minha looked at Kang Yujin.

Kang Yujin thought for a moment, then spoke.

"I can't make complicated calculations. But if you're saying that, then you're probably right."

"Thank you for understanding, Kang Yujin."

"Ma Taesu, can you use your connections to interfere with Pandemonium's invasion like Joo Minha suggested?"

"Well, this is something."

Ma Taesu slowly shook his head at Kang Yujin's words.

Then, after a moment, he smiled.

"I'm actually grateful you brought it up first."

"What?"

"Our Black Dragon Society benefits from trade with Pandemonium. A renewed invasion is something we absolutely want to prevent. That's why we've already made considerable progress on that front."

"What kind of progress?"

"First, let me confirm something."

Ma Taesu looked around.

"I mentioned this when we came in, but Constellations cannot observe this place. However, if an Apostle has entered, they can still relay what is happening here to a Constellation."

"An Apostle..."

"And probably..."

Ma Taesu turned his head to the right.

"You're over there, aren't you?"

"...!"

Kang Yujin immediately looked in the direction Ma Taesu was staring.

Arlecchino Number 49 appeared from empty space.

"Ma Taesu... It's a little inconvenient when you call me out like that."

"My apologies."

Ma Taesu smiled at Number 49's complaint.

"Where is the situation here being broadcast?"

"It's currently being relayed only to the great 'Nameless King.' That's how I've configured it."

"Good."

Ma Taesu nodded.

"Then I'll speak under the assumption that the Nameless King is listening."

"Ma Taesu, what are you trying to say?"

"Kang Yujin, I want to propose something to you. More precisely, an operation."

"An operation?"

"Yes."

Ma Taesu looked at Joo Minha.

"Joo Minha, you mentioned the peace faction described in Paradise Lost a moment ago."

"Yes."

"Do you remember which demon was one of its most prominent representatives?"

"Of course."

Joo Minha nodded.

"Belial. The most beautiful among the angels cast out of Heaven."

"Correct."

Ma Taesu nodded and continued.

"That Belial secretly sent me an operation plan."

He paused.

"He wants us to infiltrate the northern region and eliminate Phenex."