After Ten Millennia in Hell

Oh Kang-Woo turned his head toward her.

"You know him?"

"Yeah. He's a powerful Lich living in the Land of Death, the northern end of the continent of Aernor. The people of the continent call him… the demon king."

Echidna looked at Vaal Zahak warily.

"Hmm."

His eyes shone. He turned his head to the skeleton wearing a black robe.

'Demon king, huh?'

To be honest, it wasn't important whether Vaal Zahak was a demon king or not. The important thing was if he would be helpful as a summoned beast.

'But is he really a demon king?'

Kang-Woo could feel powerful demonic energy from him. He was definitely stronger than Echidna. But if one asked him if the demonic energy was strong enough for Vaal Zahak to be called a demon king, he couldn't help but tilt his head.

'He doesn't seem that much stronger than that Anton guy.'

He wasn't sure exactly how strong he was, but he seemed similar to or a bit stronger than Anton Sidorovich.

[I will ask you again. Where am I?] Vaal Zahak said in a dreadful voice, demonic energy swirling around his body.

Kang-Woo smirked.

"I summoned you."

[You summoned me?]

"Yeah, because I needed more summoned beasts."

[…]

There was silence.

Yellow light flickered from Vaal Zahak's eye sockets.

[A summoned beast…? Do you mean to use me, Demon King Vaal Zahak, as your Familiar?]

"Yeah, more or less."

Kang-Woo nodded.

[Hah.]

Vaal Zahak laughed in disbelief.

[HAHAHAHAHAHA! Interesting! How very interesting!]

Clack. Clack.

The clacking of bones as the skeleton's jaw moved could be heard. A strong bloodlust came out from Vaal Zahak, and his eye sockets shone with a ferocious yellow light while looking at Kang-Woo.

[A mere human dares to use me as a Familiar?]

"Well, I'm not technically human… Man, this is kinda hard to explain." Kang-Woo scratched the back of his head. "Anyway, it's true that I'm trying to use you as my Familiar. In exchange, I can promise you that as long as you pledge loyalty to me, I swear I will live up to it."

It was a principle he had kept ever since he was in Hell. He'd sometimes felt annoyed by Balrog's extreme loyalty, and he'd also screamed quite a few times after seeing Lilith infiltrating his chambers. But still, he answered their loyalty with appropriate rewards and trust.

'That's the role of a lord.'

A lord who didn't care for his subordinates was just an insane tyrant. The way to rule over a group was to repay loyalty with trust and rebellion with severe punishment.

[HAHAHA! You're quite fearless for a human!]

Vaal Zahak laughed and slowly raised his hand.

[Humans lacking fear just need to be beaten to be cured.]

He moved his finger. It seemed like he was casting a spell.

Kang-Woo sighed after feeling the thick bloodlust Vaal Zahak was exuding.

'I guess it won't be as easy as it was with Echidna.'

Riiing.

[The summoned beast is expressing hostility toward its master! The effect of the contract is weakening!]

[You are unable to give forced commands due to your weak bond with the summoned beast!]

Blue message windows appeared as if they were answering his question.

The demonic energy coming out of Vaal Zahak's hands seeped into the ground around him.

Clack. Clack.

Hundreds of skeletons dug themselves out of the ground. They weren't regular skeletons—they were wearing armor that resembled what knights used to wear in the Middle Ages.

Vaal Zahak spread his arms out and shouted, [Look! Feel! Tremble in fear! They are the pawns of the mighty Demon King Vaal Zaha—]

Tap.

Kang-Woo lightly flicked his finger.

Crack.

The Authority of Waves expanded and swept away the skeletons. The armor they were wearing was distorted, and the skeletons shattered and dispersed.

[Huh?]

A confused voice came out of Vaal Zahak. He looked around at his annihilated skeletons in disbelief.

[You're quite strong for a human!]

He began shouting as his eyes shone. He put both hands in front of his chest, and a ball of demonic energy formed between his palms.

[But will you be able to win against Death Knights?]

The ball between his hands started to grow, becoming three meters wide. Just like how demons emerged from the Rifts, skeleton knights appeared from the sphere.

"Wow."

Kang-Woo's eyes shone. Certainly, he could feel a pressure he wasn't able to feel from the skeletons.

'There are about twelve of them.'

Vaal Zahak commanded the Death Knights, [Go, Knights of the Round Table! Kill the human who has dared to mock me, Vaal Zahak!]

The Phantom Horses that the Death Knights were riding snorted.

"Kang-Woo!"

Echidna stood between the Death Knights and Kang-Woo.

Kang-Woo, who was about to create a weapon with the Key of the Demonic Sea, stopped.

"Hmm…"

He stroked his chin and thought for a moment.

"Well, this is a good opportunity, so maybe I should leave things to Echidna."

He thought it would be good to leave things to her once in a while.

'Getting real battle experience will be good for her.'

Kang-Woo crossed his arms and took a step back.

"Echidna, you try taking them on."

"Okay! I'll take them on!"

Echidna clenched both fists. It was her time to shine.

'I'm gonna be praised by Kang-Woo!'

Intense conviction burned in her eyes. Her body was surrounded by blue light.

Graaaaahhhhh!

Echidna instantly turned into a giant dragon over twenty meters tall.

Vaal Zahak's eye sockets shone yellow after seeing her.

[A demonic dragon, huh? I guess he wasn't just an idiot who didn't know his place.]

A human who controlled a demonic dragon? He'd never heard about such a being, even in the continent of Aernor.

[How interesting.]

Vaal Zahak let out a creepy laugh and turned his head toward Kang-Woo.

[He might be better than Reynald.]

Reynald was the prince of the Arnan Empire, the hero who had awakened as a Protector after being chosen by the gods.

Vaal Zahak had targeted Reynald and tried to turn him into the strongest Death Knight quite a few times. He had failed every single time due to interruptions from various gods, but he couldn't feel the energy of the gods from the human in front of him.

He would be a good alternative to use instead of Reynald.

Vaal Zahak realized that Echidna was just a hatchling after seeing her full size, so he shouted, [It's nothing but a hatchling! Kill it!]

The twelve Death Knights raised their weapons and charged toward Echidna.

[Now, then…]

Vaal Zahak turned around. There was one thing he had to do while the Death Knights fought the demonic dragon.

[Huhuhu. How pitiable, human. To make me, Vaal Zahak, take action… Despair from your own weakn—]

"Right. Let's fix that manner of speech first."

Kang-Woo clapped his hands together, thinking of the first thing he had to do.

[… What are you talking about?]

"Saying your own name is just so goddamn stupid."

He shook his head while making a tired expression.

"Satan really annoyed me because of that. I can't let my summoned beast be like that."

[Who are you calling your summoned beast?!] Vaal Zahak angrily shouted.

Strong demonic energy gathered in his hands.

[It seems I won't be getting through to you with words.]

"I agree."

Kang-Woo created Gáe Bulg with the Key of the Demonic Sea.

If they couldn't solve the situation by talking, then there was no other way than to overwhelm the other with strength.

'But the demon king of Aernor, huh?'

Kang-Woo remembered that Vaal Zahak had called himself the demon king. To be honest, he knew almost nothing about the continent of Aernor. He had heard some information from Echidna, but he only considered it a place resembling a fantasy novel.

'But if this guy is the strongest being in Aernor…'

If Vaal Zahak was indeed the 'Demon King' as he had claimed…

'… Then I won't have to worry about Aernor.'

Slam!

He stomped on the ground. He used the Authority of Haste, and his body shot forward like light. He thrust Gáe Bulg at Vaal Zahak.

[Huup!]

A barrier of demonic energy was created.

Kang-Woo didn't stop and thrust the spear, destroying the barrier.

Vaal Zahak quickly twisted his body and waved his hand, creating a black blade that targeted Kang-Woo.

Clang!

Kang-Woo deflected the blade with Gáe Bulg.

[Kuh!]

Vaal Zahak was a mage who fought at a distance while having summoned beasts protect him. He was a textbook necromancer commonly seen in video games.

Whish! Whoosh!

Kang-Woo thrust Gáe Bulg at an incredible speed and didn't give Vaal Zahak time to cast a spell. It was an attacking style specialized in countering.

The yellow light in Vaal Zahak's eye sockets trembled.

[H-how could a human be so…]

He couldn't understand Kang-Woo's strength. Even if a caster was weak in close-range combat, it was the first time he'd been pushed so much.

[I guess I have no other choice.]

At this rate, he would surely lose.

Vaal Zahak ripped off the bracelet he had on his arm, and the bracelet's black gem fell to the ground.

Since things had turned out like this, he had no choice but to use his trump card.

'I never imagined I'd have to use this here.'

The Blood of the Evil God.

It had the ability to temporarily summon a being from the demon realm that appeared in ancient mythology.

It was an item he had kept in case he encountered a situation he couldn't handle.

Rumble!

The surface shook, and a huge storm of demonic energy raged.

Demonic energy more powerful than Vaal Zahak's dyed the surroundings.

'Hmm?'

Kang-Woo's eyes shone.

It was the first technique of Vaal Zahak's that he found menacing.

He could feel a thrill in his skin. His body trembled in excitement at the thought of battle. No, it was energy so strong that it even made him feel slight fear.

'It's dangerous.'

He became nervous. The energy was on another level compared to Vaal Zahak.

[Come forth! Oh, one that lives in the deepest part of the Abyss, longing for eternity!]

Crack!

A giant Rift appeared.

The air cracked as if a window were shattering, and…

[Who dares to call me?]

It had goat horns, purple skin, and a giant body over five meters tall.

The demon that appeared from the Rift stomped on the ground.

[I am Doomguard, a demon of the Ninth Hell and the protector of destruction.]

"…"

Kang-Woo's mouth fell open. It wasn't because Vaal Zahak had summoned a demon from the Ninth Hell.

[Aahh, great being from Hell. Please listen to the request of the lowly mortal that has summoned you.]

[You may speak,] Doomguard replied in a low tone.

Vaal Zahak pointed at Kang-Woo.

[Please bring death to my enemy!]

[Hmm. A battle, is it?]

Doomguard turned his head. His eyes meet Kang-Woo's.

[Huh?]

Doomguard's eyes widened.

[Why, if it isn't my lord Demon King?!!] He shouted flippantly while waving his giant arms. The overwhelming presence he'd just displayed crumbled almost instantly.

"… Long time no see."

Kang-Woo sighed as if he couldn't believe what was happening.

Doomguard, the protector of destruction…

That was the name of the demon in charge of the 3rd Battalion of Kang-Woo's demon army.

[… Eh?]

Vaal Zahak was surprised at the meeting of the two demons.

[What's going on?]

Demon King Vaal Zahak, the one who had terrorized the continent of Aernor, looked around in confusion.