Chapter 391

At that moment, in the high heavens steeped in darkness.

A figure lay floating on a carpet in mid-air, in the blue sky near the moon.

It was the Magus Chancellor.

"It's inconvenient without Ryongryongie. The ride on Ryongryongie's back is the most comfortable, but... It couldn't be helped. A sacrifice was needed."

It was the nickname the Magus Chancellor used for the Dragon King Ashtarte.

Just as Chris had predicted, the Magus Chancellor was the one who had thrown the Dragon King to the Mystic Demonic House as a sacrifice!

"Still, I had grown quite fond of Ryongryongie. I wonder if he resents me a lot?"

The Magus Chancellor raised a pipe to his lips.

"But Ryongryongie, don't be too sad. It's not all over. Who knows, a miracle might happen? At the hands of Christian."

A meaningful story.

The Magus Chancellor turned his gaze to the side.

"Don't you think so too, Kitty?"

A figure had appeared.

An appearance with a lovely impression.

Nine tails, symbolizing a nine-tailed fox.

It was Chris's previous life's companion, the Dark Chatterbox, Lena!

"No, is it a fox, not a cat? For some reason, it feels like a cat."

"......"

"...Why don't you say something, anything. It's no fun."

The Magus Chancellor grumbled, but Lena simply remained silent with dark, dead eyes.

"Well, I guess it doesn't matter. The time is drawing near."

'The time'.

At those words, Lena's eyes glinted and changed.

She opened her mouth, her voice low and sunken.

"You remember the promise, I trust?"

"Of course. That was our 'contract'."

The Magus Chancellor let out a chuckle.

"A contract that has even leaped through time. How romantic. A single-minded devotion that transcends time and death."

"......"

"Aren't you disappointed? Christian has no idea what sacrifices you have made."

Lena closed her mouth.

"...That kind of thing doesn't matter."

Lena replied shortly.

Her gaze was directed downwards.

Towards the Northern Magus Nation, where Chris would be heading.

"...As long as he can be safe, nothing else matters."

A lie.

She wanted to appear before him right now.

She wanted to tell him how much she had missed him.

But she could not.

Because that was the 'price' she had to pay.

"...Christian."

Words that would never reach him scattered from Lena's lips.

***

He had finally set foot in the Northern Magus Nation.

'So this is the domain of the Mystic Demonic House.'

Chris's eyes were filled with vigilance.

It was a place he had never once been able to come to, even in his previous life.

He could feel the air hanging low and heavy.

'The Obsidian King and the Dwarf King aren't here yet.'

Just then, a low voice was heard.

[You... Are you in your right mind? To set foot in the domain of the Mystic. Why commit... suicide?]

It was Mefina!

'She's finally appeared.'

Chris's eyes shone.

He had been waiting for Mefina all this time.

It wasn't to ask about Ascension.

'She won't tell me even if I ask. Last time, she said it was caught up in the laws of causality.'

He had other business.

Mefina was a being who would become the core of his plan.

[Even now... it is not too late. Turn back at once... The Mystic... is not an opponent you can do anything about.]

"No, it's fine."

[This is... not the time... to be stubborn....]

Mefina raised her voice.

[If you... die, all hope vanishes. Even if all the people of the world were to be engulfed in hellfire and meet their deaths... they are not worth the value of you alone.]

Chris made a strange face for a moment at those words.

He had the thought that, one way or another, Mefina was always concerned about him.

'Well, it's not like I'm happy to be worried about by a demon. Mefina is only acting that way because she has something she wants, anyway.'

In any case, Mefina and Chris's goal was not different.

To prevent the ruin.

"I have one thing to ask. Mefina, do you truly wish to stop the ruin?"

[Yes... I do.]

"Swear it on your True Name."

It was an unreasonable demand, but surprisingly, Mefina obediently followed his words.

[If it will... make you believe me... a mere oath... is something I can do as much as you want. I swear on my great name, I do not wish for the ruin.]

Mefina said in a subtle voice.

[Can you... trust me now? Entrust... your soul to me. Then....]

"Don't try any funny business. Just give it up. I won't do what you want even if the world collapses."

Chris refused flatly.

"Instead, I have a proposal for you. Will you not make a deal with me?"

[...A deal?]

Mefina asked back in a bewildered voice.

'I didn't want to make a deal with a demon in the first place, but it can't be helped.'

Still, it wasn't a matter of offering his soul or borrowing power.

"A deal, literally. There is something I need you to do."

[…What is it…?]

"You were once a great being of Gehenna, weren't you? Though, of course, you're long past your prime now."

Chris deliberately provoked Mefina's pride.

[This brat… I was, am, and will forever be a great being of Gehenna.]

"Then you should be able to handle this with ease. Listen up."

And so.

After hearing Chris's story, Mefina let out a flustered voice.

[…You… Are you in your right mind?]

"What, is it too much for you?"

[It is not. But….]

A surprising story followed.

[To pull a con… against Gehenna?]

That's right.

The operation Chris was planning was a con.

Against the Mystic Demonic House and Gehenna.

[…If you fail… you will meet a terrible end….]

Chris let out a smirk.

"It's not like I'm not already standing on the edge of a cliff. Just tell me if you'll do it or not."

Mefina was silent for a moment.

[Fine… I will do as you say.]

A dark laugh followed.

[It is a hopeless endeavor… but for some reason, I look forward to it. To see… what kind of crazy stunt you will pull.]

Chris shrugged his shoulders.

"Then I'll leave it to you. As for the price of the deal… well, you won't need one. My success is your success, after all."

He was saying he would work a great demon for free. But Mefina could not retort.

[Since the beginning of creation… you are the first one I've met who is so impudent….]

"Shut up and get lost now that we're done talking. You're disgusting."

[…….]

He could feel Mefina disappearing with a growl.

As he shrugged his shoulders, he sensed a presence.

"You have arrived. O great Demon King of Dark Radiance."

It was the Obsidian King and the Dwarf King!

The two knelt before Chris.

"To think you would descend like this to save us. We offer our infinite gratitude for the grace of His Majesty, the Demon King of Dark Radiance."

Chris looked at the two of them and had a different thought for a moment.

'Come to think of it, I don't remember being treated particularly well after becoming a Demon King.'

He had thought he would live in splendor after becoming a Demon King, but the situation had been so chaotic that he had just been rolling around 정신없이.

Now that he was being treated with proper respect like this, he was overwhelmed with emotion, but.

'These guys are also hiding their own dark intentions.'

Well, it was fine.

It was the same for both sides.

"Do you believe in me?"

"What? Of course! Your Majesty is our only hope."

"Then offer your souls to me."

"!!"

The two flinched.

"...Our souls... you say?"

"Yes."

"Th-that is..."

"Is there a problem? Did you not say you believed in me?"

As the two hesitated, Chris's face turned cold.

"I have risked my life to save you, yet you cannot trust me? There is nothing more to say."

As Chris turned his back, the two blurted out in urgent voices.

"N-no! We will offer our souls!!"

"I will offer my soul as well!!"

"Is that so? Do you swear?"

The two nodded their heads.

"I swear."

"I swear."

At that.

Chris raised the corners of his mouth.

"Then, I will give you a command now. Entrust the Insignia of Obsidian to me."

The Obsidian King's eyes hardened with a flinch.

It was a treasure that could command all Dark Elves.

"Th-that is..."

"It is all for your own good. Will you not obey? How dare you?"

Chris's eyes turned cold, and the Obsidian King had no choice but to bow his head.

"I-I will obey. Here, the King's Insignia."

Chris snatched the insignia and said to the Dwarf King.

"You, hand over the key."

"...The key?"

"Are you asking because you do not know? I am talking about the key to the Tomb of the Master."

The Dwarf King's face stiffened.

It was a repository where the masterpieces of generations of dwarves were gathered.

The most precious treasure vault in this world.

"Th-that is..."

"Do you not trust me? Surely you do not think that I would covet the treasures of mere likes of you? As I thought, it was an oath of words only."

"N-no. Here is the key."

Having offered their souls, disobedience was not an option.

After receiving the key, Chris smirked and examined the look in their eyes.

They were pretending not to, but deep within both their eyes, a chilling killing intent was flickering.

It was clear what they were thinking.

"Good. Then I have one more command for you."

"...What is it?"

"Die."

"!!"

The two's complexions turned pale.

"Wh-what?!"

"You were going to betray me anyway, weren't you? I don't want to drag this out, so just die here."

"!!"

The two hurriedly raised their auras.

Both were among the most powerful individuals in the Magus Empire, but it was useless.

Paaat!

The Advent of Creation unfolded, and the authority of the Throne crushed their souls.

"Gasp, gurgle."

The two resisted with all their might, but their souls were already bound to Chris.

They could not defy the 'command' of death that Chris had given.

Thud.

Both of them fell to the ground, their lives extinguished.

It was an utterly futile end.

And so.

"Come on out. I know you're watching."

A chilling energy began to fill the area.

It was not inferior to Chris, who had risen to low 9-Star, no, it was even overwhelming.

Moreover, it was not just one person.

They were the Apostle and priests of the Mystic Demonic House.

'Roughly one apostle and three priests. There are archbishops and bishops behind them, too.'

It was an immense force.

They alone could probably take on the entire Dark Alliance.

Chris whistled.

"You've come in grand style. Am I that scary?"

[You are to be a great sacrifice, so it is only right to show you the proper courtesy.]

The one presumed to be the Apostle stepped forward with a faint smile.

[To be honest, I did not think you would actually come. You must have known it was a trap.]

"Of course, I knew."

[Hmm? I do not know what you are plotting. No matter how great you are, surely you are not confident that you can set foot in our domain of the Mystic and return alive.]

A voice of genuine bewilderment.

It was only natural.

As the man had said, it was no different from coming to die of his own accord.

However.

Chris brought up a story that no one could have imagined.

"You're misunderstanding something. I did not come here to fight you. I came to devote myself to your order."

[…What did you say?]

"Are you deaf? I said that this great one will convert to your order."

[!!]

Bewilderment flashed among the priests of the Mystic Demonic House.

[Wh-what nonsense is this?]

"Why is it nonsense? The world is as good as ruined already, isn't it?"

[…….]

"It is better to stand on your side than to wait for ruin. In truth, all I desire is wealth and glory."

Chris gave a wide grin.

"Consider it an honor, for this great one has personally come to join your side on his own two feet."