Chapter 201
The Demon King of Azure Flow gave a simple answer.
[Transcending the limits of mortality is the desire of all who seek the Absolute.]
A lie.
Chris felt it instantly—intuitively.
“She definitely has another reason.”
But she wasn’t going to reveal it.
“I’ll have to dig it out when the opportunity comes. It could end up being an unexpected weakness.”
At that moment, the Demon King of Azure Flow set down her pipe.
[Have I satisfied your curiosity? Then what is your answer?]
In that instant, an irresistible pressure crushed down upon Christian.
It wasn’t something as simple as aura or killing intent.
It was a far more elevated force—spiritual pressure, one that weighed directly on his soul.
For those with weak souls, this pressure could suppress their spirit entirely.
But to Christian—it was surprisingly bearable.
Because the level of his soul had already reached that of a half-demon. He had resistance to most forms of spiritual oppression.
And as the Demon King of Azure Flow saw that he withstood it, her expression flickered with faint surprise.
“I’ll now answer your proposal.”
Christian looked directly at her and spoke clearly:
“I refuse.”
[!!]
“I’m sorry, but I have no need of Your Majesty’s assistance to take control of the Dark Demonic House.”
The Demon King of Azure Flow stared at him in silence.
[You say you’re capable of achieving that on your own? You truly don’t understand what kind of despair awaits you.]
“I’m well aware.”
[Aware, are you? You seem to be relying on that pitiful talent of yours, but it won’t take long before you’re crushed like an ant.]
A chilling declaration.
And truthfully, it wasn’t an exaggeration.
Chris would soon face overwhelming enemies—starting with Marquis Langham, and many more who could hardly be resisted head-on.
It was despair, just as she said.
But—
“It’s not just pitiful talent that I have.”
[!!]
“Even without Your Majesty’s help, I’ll accomplish everything on my own.”
Christian bowed slightly.
“I’ll pretend I never heard today’s conversation. It was an honor to meet someone as powerful as you.”
It was polite—but unmistakably a dismissal.
A formal rejection.
[…….]
The Demon King of Azure Flow fell silent.
The air turned heavy with tension—but Chris met her gaze without flinching.
She was an enemy either way.
There was no need to show weakness.
[You certainly don’t lack confidence.]
The Demon King of Azure Flow let out a faint smile.
[Very well. I’ll be watching—let’s see just what you’ll become. But remember this—]
“……”
[If, in the depths of despair, you ever seek help—come find me. I’ll offer you as much assistance as you desire.]
Leaving behind a whisper like the seductive temptations of demons, the Demon King of Azure Flow vanished.
* * *
“Will you truly be all right, Your Majesty?”
When Aria, the Demon King of Azure Flow, returned, an elf spoke with concern.
He was a steward of the Demon King's citadel—her loyal aide who had served her since her days as the Fairy Queen.
[Ah, I never expected him to agree in the first place.]
“But… isn’t obtaining the Sacred Darkness an absolute necessity?”
The elf hesitated as he continued.
“For Your Majesty to receive… ‘salvation.’”
Salvation.
A weighty and ominous word.
[That’s right. But it’s fine.]
The Demon King of Azure Flow lazily unfolded a letter.
[Yulian… That child is finally ready.]
Her gaze turned still and cold.
[Despair will descend. Soon, the Dark Demonic House will be drowned in horrific bloodshed.]
A chilling prophecy.
It meant Yulian was about to unleash some catastrophic event upon the Dark Demonic House.
The Demon King of Azure Flow exhaled a plume of smoke and smirked faintly.
[I wonder… what that arrogant little boy will look like when he's submerged in despair.]
* * *
Meanwhile, at that very moment—
There were those speaking of Christian from an entirely unexpected location.
High above the clouds.
In a place so elevated even the clouds lay beneath it, a colossal creature beat its wings.
A Demonic Dragon.
But this was no ordinary dragon—it had six wings, and its body was as massive as a fortress.
Even more astonishing—upon that enormous body stood a man.
No—he wasn't just standing.
He was leisurely lying down.
Despite the violent winds howling like madness, the thin air, the staggering speed of the massive creature, and its turbulent movements with every beat of its wings…
The man lay there, unfazed by it all.
He was impeccably dressed in a fine gentleman’s suit, not a single wrinkle on him despite the brutal conditions.
Even the hat on his head didn’t so much as tremble.
It was proof—he had total command over his surroundings.
He appeared to be in his early twenties, with jet-black hair and striking blood-red eyes.
A handsome man, exuding elegance, with a soft smile playing at his lips.
But in the narrow slits of his eyes, there shimmered a dangerous gleam.
A faint glint shone off the monocle over one eye.
And then, the man finally spoke.
“Hey. Ashtarte.”
It was an astounding exchange.
On the entire continent, the name Ashtarte referred to one and only one being.
The Demon Dragon King.
The very dragon now beating its wings through the skies was none other than the ruler of the Northern Magic Nation within the Magus Empire, and also the fifth-highest ranked Demon King in the imperial hierarchy.
But even more shocking was the answer the Demon Dragon King Ashtarte gave:
[Speak, my lord.]
A tone brimming with deference.
[O Great Chancellor.]
The Chancellor.
There were many chancellors in the world, but for the Demon Dragon King to use such a respectful title, there was only one possible person he could mean.
The Magus Chancellor.
The third-highest ranked Demon King of the Magus Empire. The one who ruled the empire in all but name in place of the Demon Emperor himself.
He had once been feared across the continent under the title Demon King of Annihilation, a living nightmare to countless demons and humans alike.
That very man spoke.
“I’m bored.”
[…….]
“I said I’m bored. The work’s endless. Why the hell did I ever agree to be Chancellor? Ugh. I want to quit right this moment.”
A complaint entirely unbefitting his fearsome reputation.
But Ashtarte responded calmly, as if he’d heard this many times before.
[Didn’t His Majesty the Demon Emperor assign you to the role? It’s been nearly 200 years now. Perhaps it’s time you accepted it.]
The Chancellor sighed.
“Anyway, how are things on your side? The Shinbi bastards—how are they moving these days? They're under your jurisdiction, aren’t they?”
[They’re moving covertly. The Magus Smithing House has already been half-subjugated in the shadows, and the Obsidian Fey are resisting, but… I doubt they’ll hold out.]
“Let the Shinbi do whatever they want. If the Magus Smithing House calls for help, do not respond. Under any circumstances.”
[Understood.]
It was an incomprehensible order—telling him to intentionally neglect the Shinbi Demonic House?
But the Demon Dragon King offered no objections and simply shifted the conversation.
[What about the south? The Demon King of Azure Flow seems to be stirring up trouble. Will you just watch?]
“Of course I will. That is the will of the Great One.”
The Great One.
That referred to the Demon Emperor.
The Demon Dragon King paused for a moment before cautiously replying.
[But isn’t that contrary to your own will? At this rate, the Dark Demonic House will drown in blood.]
At those words—
The expression vanished from the Chancellor’s face.
“What does my will matter?”
[!!]
The Demon Dragon King flinched instinctively.
The very same creature said to have once destroyed an entire nation overnight now trembled in fear.
But it made sense—because the Demon Dragon King knew all too well…
That seemingly lighthearted man—
How terrifying and extraordinary he truly was.
His past title as the Demon King of Annihilation didn’t even begin to explain half of the fear the Magus Chancellor instilled.
Among all the Demon Kings, the Magus Chancellor was an existence beyond ranking.
If he so desired, he could crush even the Demon Dragon King like an insect.
“Even the 4th-ranked Grand Marshal—the Demon King of Crimson Heavens—pales in comparison to the Magus Chancellor.”
Fortunately, the Magus Chancellor didn’t display any further anger.
He merely continued in a calm voice:
“The Great One—the Demon Emperor—told me only to observe. But there’s no way he didn’t foresee what’s happening. That means… everything happening now is within his will.”
[…….]
“What His Majesty truly intends, or what he actually desires… is beyond my guessing. But that doesn’t matter. We are his servants—we follow, nothing more.”
The Demon Dragon King felt a sudden urge to ask—
“Do you truly not know the Demon Emperor’s will?”
But of course, that couldn’t be.
The Magus Chancellor was the Demon Emperor’s closest confidant.
Still, he had never once revealed the true intent of the Demon Emperor.
Whether that was due to loyalty or for some other reason—no one could say.
Instead of pursuing that line of questioning, the Demon Dragon King asked something else:
[Then, why have you come to the Southern Magic Nation?]
Right now, the Demon Dragon King’s massive form wasn’t just drifting aimlessly through the skies.
He was flying above the southern central regions—specifically over the airspace of the Southern Magic Nation.
To be precise—above the territory of the Venomous Demonic House.
“Ah… I wanted to see something with my own eyes.”
The Magus Chancellor glanced downward.
His black-streaked, blood-colored eyes pierced the great distance and locked onto a single individual.
Christian.
“That child… is he truly ■■■…?”
The Magus Chancellor murmured in an unreadable tone.
“I wonder how it’ll turn out. Will he meet his destined fate—or defy the heavens altogether? No, more precisely…”
His voice sank even lower.
So quiet that no one could hear it.
“Will he be of use to my will…?”
A cryptic remark.
The Magus Chancellor shifted his gaze once more.
This time, his eyes landed on another person standing beside Chris.
A strange smile crept across the Magus Chancellor’s lips.
“It’s been a while. I hope you’ve been well.”
A puzzling statement.
It meant that someone next to Christian had some sort of connection to the Magus Chancellor.
But he offered no further explanation.
Instead, still lounging atop the Demon Dragon King’s massive body, he spoke in his usual relaxed tone:
“Ugh, my back... Well, I’ve seen enough. Let’s go home.”
[…Understood.]
And just like that—
The Magus Chancellor disappeared, leaving behind only a strange lingering resonance.
All of this had unfolded without Christian ever knowing.
* * *
For the return trip, they used the warp gate.
When heading to the Venomous Demonic House, the ongoing conflict had made warp gate use impossible, but now that everything had been settled, the path was open again.
Thanks to that, Christian was able to return quickly to the Dark Demonic House, where he was greeted by an outpouring of thunderous cheers.
“Woooooaaahhh!! Long live the Grand Duke!!”
“The Grand Duke is the greatest!!!”
It was the kind of applause that would befit a hero.
And indeed, he was one.
After all, he’d dismantled the schemes of the Venomous Demonic House and, on top of that, struck back so ruthlessly they were forced to pay a heavy price.
“What a reception,” Melin said, eyes wide with amazement as she gazed at the massive crowd of demons. “It looks like nearly every ordinary demon of the House has come out to welcome you.”
“At this point, I doubt there’s anyone left in the Dark Demonic House who doesn’t support you, Grand Duke.”
But Christian flatly denied it.
“No. That’s not true.”
“There are still plenty of people who oppose me.”
Indeed, Christian currently enjoyed overwhelming support from the general demon populace.
But the situation became far more uncertain the higher one climbed the hierarchy.
That was because of Marquis Langham.
Many still believed that if Nordian were to die, Marquis Langham would immediately strike down Christian.
“Judging by how things stand now, it’s not exactly a baseless fear.”
Even after accomplishing one heroic feat after another, the gap between the two remained vast.
“In the end, I’ll have to prove it to everyone—that I can win against Marquis Langham.”
No, even that wouldn’t be enough.
He had to crush Langham completely.
“Before I can truly face off against the Demon King of Azure Flow, I need to eliminate him first.”
Christian’s gaze darkened, his eyes sharpening with quiet resolve.