Chapter 393

Thanks to the synergistic effect created by the two opposing powers, he was barely able to push back the pressure.

[Hmm. How curious. The authority I just used was something that even the lords of Gehenna would find hard to withstand.]

Demon lords.

Meaning those of duke and marquis rank.

[The power you possess seems insignificant, yet you have a curious talent. An interesting bug. Very well. I shall hear you out.]

Chris took a breath.

“I believe you have heard the general story from Lady Mefina. Please form a sham contract with me.”

[A sham contract?]

“Yes, the plan is to deceive the Mystic Demonic House with a sham contract, then set a trap to annihilate them. If we can just annihilate the Mystic Demonic House, Gehenna's great cause will fail.”

The 4th-realm being before him was a renegade who opposed the ruin, just like Mefina.

However, she had said that he was hiding his true intentions to avoid conflict with the other demons.

‘She did say there were quite a few demons and constellations like this. Not everyone would think the same, after all.’

The demon spoke with a sneer.

[Hmm. Annihilating the Mystic, you say. It does not seem possible with your abilities.]

“No, it is possible.”

Chris raised his gaze and looked straight up at the 4th-realm being.

Without a clearly materialized form, only a massive eyeball shrouded in thick darkness could be seen.

As he met its gaze, an instinctive fear once again surged in his soul, but he shook it off.

He forced the corners of his mouth up.

“How disappointing. Lady Mefina recognized my true worth at a single glance.”

[!!]

A provocation, implying, 'Your status is so low you can't even recognize me'.

[You brat….]

An enraged aura surged towards him, but Chris did not avert his stiffly raised gaze.

As if to say 'try me if you dare', he raised his own aura to meet it.

A storm-like energy raged, but he unfolded his power and held his ground without retreating.

And then.

[Keke… You truly are no ordinary being. Very well, I admit I misjudged you. With you, it might just be possible to annihilate the Mystic.]

He had passed the test!

But it was not time to be relieved.

On the contrary, Chris wore an even more guarded expression than before.

Indeed.

[How covetous. If I were to make you mine, Ascension would no longer be an empty dream.]

Greed flickered and surfaced in the eyes of the 4th-realm being.

“Weren't you opposed to the ruin?”

[Kekeke, if there is a possibility of Ascension, there is no reason to refuse the ruin.]

He had heard from Mefina that there were two types of demons or constellations who refused the ruin.

First, those who were already in a supreme position and had no interest in Ascension.

Beings like Mefina.

The second were those whose status was too low and thus had no chance of Ascension.

‘According to what Mefina said a while ago, this one's status is low even among the 4th-realm beings, so he has no chance of succeeding in Ascension. That's why he opposes the ruin.’

Conversely, it meant that if a chance arose, he could change his stance at any time.

“Didn't you already receive an order from Lady Mefina? Not to harm me.”

[I did. But what does that matter?]

“Are you not afraid of the backlash from the law of causality?”

The demon let out a dark laugh.

[Of course, since I would be breaking the oath of a subordinate, I would take no small amount of damage, but it is fine. It is nothing compared to the benefit of making you mine.]

Hwaaaaaaaat.

The demon's power surged towards Chris.

It was a power incomparable to when it had threatened him earlier.

However.

Chris showed an incomprehensible reaction.

He gave a wide grin.

“You're caught. You fool.”

At the same time as those words.

Thud.

The aura of the 4th-realm being suddenly stopped.

[…What?]

“Did I not just ask you? If you weren't afraid of the backlash from the law of causality.”

Chris said crookedly.

“Since you broke the oath of a subordinate, it is only natural to be restricted by the law of causality.”

That's right.

From the very beginning, Chris had known that the being would not follow Mefina's command.

Chris was a prey that was far too tempting, and Mefina was a master with no teeth.

[Do not speak nonsense. With Lady Mefina’s authority, it would be impossible to cause such a backlash from the law of causality, would it not?]

“Of course, it would be impossible for Mefina alone.”

Chris wagged his finger.

“But the story changes if this genius steps in.”

The demon's darkness-shrouded eyes trembled.

[You, don't tell me…?]

“That's right, I have received the right to the law of causality from Mefina.”

[!!]

As the being had said, the authority of Mefina, who had fallen from her throne, was insufficient to subjugate him.

But what if Chris were to use that authority?

'It is enough.'

The being shouted in bewilderment.

[How dare a mere mortal handle the authority of a great throne? How arrogant. There is no way such a thing is possible….]

“But it is for me.”

Kwa-deuk.

As Chris clenched his fist, the being's true form was shaken with the sound of something breaking.

It had taken a hit.

“Because I am originally confident in this kind of thing.”

Chris could handle any kind of power more efficiently than anyone else in this world.

The law of causality was no exception.

‘It is not the first time I have handled the law of causality. As I rose to low 9-Star, I have already grasped how to handle the law of causality.’

Of course, there was a difference like that between a stream and the ocean between the law of causality handled by a mere 9-Star and the law of causality wielded by a great being.

‘But the essence is not different.’

Yes.

Whether it was the ocean or a stream, it was the same in that it was water.

If one could see through the essence, the scale was not important.

[Guuuaaaargh!!!!]

The being's true form vibrated.

He, too, tried to resist by drawing up his own authority, but it was useless.

‘In the first place, the justification for this law of causality lies with me.’

The law of causality was a power that dealt with the laws of the world.

By forsaking the oath of a subordinate, the being had handed the justification over to him.

Therefore, he had no choice but to be helplessly beaten.

‘Originally, he would have intended to ignore the backlash of the law of causality with his own mighty power, but as long as I am here, he doesn't stand a chance.’

Kwa-deu-deuk.

The being's true form was hit again.

[You brat… how dare you!! Do you think you can extinguish me just because you have borrowed Lady Mefina's authority?]

“Well, extinguishing you may be too much, but it is more than possible to inflict a fatal wound.”

Chris said with a smile.

“If you end up in such a state, the other great demons will be delighted. For an opportunity to devour a 4th-realm being has come.”

The demons of Gehenna were not beings who coexisted with each other. They were enemies who fought each other for eternity.

Therefore, to be fatally wounded here was no different from receiving a death sentence.

The numerous great demons who had fought with him until now would flock to him and tear him to shreds.

[You…!]

“If you're scared, how about being a little more polite?”

Chris let out a sneer.

“Who knows? I might see your wretched state and bestow mercy upon you.”

[!!]

“Try begging. I'll think about it.”

Paaaaaaaat!!

The Throne unfolded.

The Throne was an authority that dominated everything in the world.

The law of causality held in Chris's hand was amplified like crazy, empowered by the protection of the Throne.

[Ah….]

He could feel the being was terrified.

He, too, had an intuition.

That at this rate, he would not be able to avoid a fatal wound.

“You don't seem to be that scared. Yes, it would not look good for a great demon to bow his head to a worthless insect like me. Fine. Then here I go.”

Kwaaaaaaaaaa!!

The law of causality raged.

The law of the world, intending to punish the one who had broken the oath of a subordinate, was sharply honed.

It was just before the being was about to be fatally wounded.

[Wait…! Stop!]

“Hmm? Why? Why not accept your fate like a great demon?”

A fear was present in the demon's voice.

A great demon, afraid?

It might seem strange, but it was understandable if one knew what the demon would face if it were to be fatally wounded at Chris's hands.

'It will not be able to die peacefully.'

Who would be the opponent that the great demons would most wish to toy with?

Humans?

From the perspective of the great demons, that was merely playing with bugs.

The plaything that the great demons desired most was a being of the same status.

A great demon, like a giant star of the Celestial Realm.

So what would happen if the demon were to fall into the hands of the other great demons?

It would be torn into thousands, tens of thousands of pieces, unable to live or die, and would suffer for all eternity.

[Stop… Stop it.]

"Stop what? Why should I?"

Chris continued in a mocking tone.

"All I have to do is inflict a fatal wound on you and escape to the surface. You've inflicted plenty of pain on other humans until now, haven't you? Try being on the receiving end."

[You… you….]

Paaat!

The tip of the law of causality began to dig deeper into the demon's core.

The demon's true form trembled, and.

[Stop…! If you stop, I will grant you whatever you wish.]

Chris stared intently at the demon.

[It is the truth. I will do whatever I can.]

A desperate voice.

Chris was still for a moment, then said casually.

"Swear what you just said on your True Name."

[That is….]

"So it was a lie, after all. What a trickster. Just prepare yourself to become the plaything of other great demons for all eternity."

Paat!

As the tip of the law of causality dug into the demon's core again, the demon said urgently.

[I understand. I will swear. As long as it is not... something like becoming your slave, I will obey anything.]

'Alright!'

Chris cheered inwardly.

'My goal was never to extinguish this one in the first place.'

What would he gain from defeating this one?

Even if he got rid of this one, there were still plenty of other 4th-realm demons.

Above all, if he got rid of this one, he would attract the attention of Gehenna, and the work he was about to do in the Mystic Demonic House would end in failure.

"Then, you will follow my instructions completely until I annihilate the Mystic Demonic House."

[…What kind of instructions are you talking about?]

"First, as I said before, form a sham contract with me."

Chris planned to use this one as a puppet for the con he was about to pull.

'In any case, the other great demons cannot peek into what happened here just now.'

"There is something else you must do besides this."

He then gave additional instructions, and the demon reacted with bewilderment.

[Wh-what… Are you mad? You want me to do such a thing?]

"Shut up. You just do as you're told."

[You brat… how dare you.]

Although the demon showed a displeased reaction, Chris just snorted.

He had been forced to use a demon, but he could not help the feeling of disgust that welled up.

'In any case, this one will not be safe once this is over.'

Chris thought with low, sunken eyes.

He had no intention of letting the demon go from the start. He planned to plant a hidden dagger of sorts in advance and dispose of him once the job was done.

"And there's more. Hand over a part of your origin to me."

[…What?]

"I am sparing your life, so shouldn't I get something out of it?"

He had no intention of sparing him, and he had already gained enough, but he spoke shamelessly.

[You brat…!]

"If you don't like it, then the deal is off. It would be fun to watch you get torn to shreds and suffer eternally at the hands of other great demons."

Chris wagged his finger.

"Well, I'm not asking you to hand over a lot. My vessel has its limits, after all. You just have to hand over as much as I can handle."