699 Episode 25 Demon King (2)

As if he had been waiting for him, the demon noble calmly turned toward the entrance of the Capitol.

But Yoo Jonghyuk did not move a single step. His past lives were talking to him.

That's a trap.

Even if it wasn't a trap, he didn't believe anything the Demon King's liaison said.

"Prophet."

Anna Croft had no answer to Yoo Jonghyuk's call.

When he glanced over, she saw Anna Croft staggering around, her complexion pale.

"I don’t know why, but [Future Sight] doesn’t work."

But it was such an odd timing.

Yoo Jonghyuk analyzed Anna Croft's condition with calm eyes and made a quick decision.

"You’re useless whenever it’s important."

Before he knew it, the demon noble was more than twenty steps away.

Yoo Jonghyuk had already obtained information about this guy through [Sage's Eyes].

'It's Viscount Nikhteri the Devil.'

This guy was a 'self-made devil'.

Based on the original scenario difficulty, this guy should only appear in the eighth scenario.

That guy said, 'The Demon King of Salvation is waiting'.

Inside the Capitol, there is a real agent of the 'Demon King'.

Probably, the probability that there is an incarnation capable of being possessed by the Demon King is higher than the possibility that there is a symbolic body.

In that case, he must be considered to be at least an earl-level Demon King.

Yoo Jonghyuk took a deep breath. With each breath, the magical power condensed in his entire body continued to rotate.

In general, 'Iljucheon' refers to the circulation of the magic power contained in the Danjeon to all microscopic blood vessels.

However, with his master, 'Iljucheon' was used with a different meaning.

Only when the circulating magic draws a complete circle does the body become an eye in itself.

Eyes that perceive the world through expanded five senses.

Through those eyes, humans see the sky. You realize that the sky, which seemed beautiful and wide, was actually a prison in a terrible scenario.

At this point, it was still difficult to count the stars in the sky. However, it was not difficult to count the demon species on earth.

"A total of four?"

Shocked, Viscount Nihterida looked back.

Next, three stone statues radiated a gloomy light from above the stone building of the Capitol.

As many as four demon viscounts.

In no round did he face four self-made demons at the same time in the seventh scenario.

Coo coo coo coo coo.

Anna Croft bit her lip as she felt the pressure of the demonic species pressing down on the area.

"They are the demons who killed my comrades."

Perhaps these demons were summoned in the fifth scenario. Starting from only the fifth scenario, it was obvious that no country could handle this level of difficulty.

As Yoo Jonghyuk's eyes gave off a sharp light, the viscounts looked at each other as if they were curious.

Coo coo coo coo.

If it had been the previous round, or if it had been the round even before, Yoo Jonghyuk would never have confronted them. Fighting with four viscount-level fighters in the seventh scenario is tantamount to suicide.

But Yoo Jonghyuk did not back down. Because this round was neither the 39th nor the 40th.

This world is the 41st round.

The moment Yoo Jonghyuk's body disappeared, the three Viscounts simultaneously drew their weapons towards Yoo Joonghyuk.

Brycolakas held the long incense stick that was his main weapon, Scoupedia held the dual-wielding daggers, and Myrmicleon held the swollen drumstick.

Magical energy containing deep evil karma burst out in a semicircle around the three demons.

At that moment , Yoo Jonghyuk's agility had reached the limit of the scenario. However, in the eyes of the demonic viscounts, it was a speed that wasn’t desirable.

The viscounts' eyes were simultaneously nailed to a single point in the air.

"Is it there?"

The spear, dual-wielding daggers, and the drumstick struck a point in the air at the same time. The demonic viscounts laughed along with a cruel explosion sound. They thought Yoo Jonghyuk would have been crushed mercilessly.

However, when the black ether that dyed the air black disappeared, Yoo Jonghyuk was not there.

"What—"

That couldn't have been possible. There was no way just one incarnation could avoid the eyes of a demon noble who had evolved.

The moment when the demon Viscount Myrmicoleon sensed something was wrong, he opened his mouth.

Skag.

With a sound as if the world was splitting in two, the head of Demon Viscount Myrmicoleon was blown off.

For the first time, agitation spread across the demons' faces.

Let's say he’s just out of their sight. However, a viscount-level demon was killed in one blow.

"It does not make sense—"

But to the current Yoo Jonghyuk, it 'made sense'. The power he now manifests was obtained at a high price.

One of his three story imprints, 'The Redemption of Truth'.

'Story Engraving' that unleashes power in exchange for some of the memories from the previous round being sealed.

In Yoo Jonghyuk's mind, a memory he cherished was fading away. It was a memory he dedicated.

Lee Hyunsung in the 22nd round, smiling with a simple face. The old toshi he handed him was disappearing from his mind. The temperature of his heart decreased and his heart became infinitely cold.

Perhaps Yoo Jonghyuk will never remember that smile again. Instead, Yoo Jonghyuk will remember something else.

His long journey of regression has finally come to an end, a memory that will not disappear until the end of his life.

"I will grant your wish, Lee Hyunsung."

He will remember only sorrow.

I will fight against the sky of this world using the hatred born of that sadness as my driving force.

"You! How dare you!"

The demonic Viscount Scoupedia charged at him, brandishing his dual daggers. The pitch-black river that formed at the end of his weapons streaked Yoo Joonghyuk's cheek.

But even faster than that, Yoo Joonghyuk had already pierced Scoupedia's heart.

Deep.

Scoupedia, who vomited black blood, died. Vrycolakas and Nihterida, enraged, joined forces and rushed forward.

It was an attack prepared to defeat Donggui.

The Ammu created by Nihterida covered the field of vision, and Vrykolakas' long spear split into a dozen pieces and flew in from all directions. Several polearms grazed Yoo Jonghyuk's thighs and waist.

Skag.

Vricolakas' head fell.

Now all that remained was the demonic Viscount Nihterida.

Nihterida, who hesitated and retreated, said,

"What are you doing? Why are you opposing us? The Demon King has no hostility towards you!"

Nihterida, who had even thrown away his pride as a demon species, shouted in a panic.

"Hmm, why would you do something like this? The 'Demon King of Salvation' will definitely be fine if you call him."

Nihterida, realizing that the situation was unfavorable, looked at him then quickly turned back and began to run away.

Yoo Jonghyuk's thigh muscles wriggled like an animal once again. His footsteps pushed into the ground deeply with a loud noise. Yoo Jonghyuk concentrated his magic power by spinning it around in the air. [Pacheon Ganggi], which extended toward the sky with its centrifugal force.

The magic power gathered turned into holy light and created a large hole in Nihterida's upper body.

As soon as his magic power was exhausted, Yoo Jonghyuk took out the 'Advanced Magic Power Recovery Potion' from his arms and drank it.

The liquid that fell seeped into his entire body.

Yoo Jonghyuk lightly wiped his mouth with a somewhat tired expression then immediately looked at the equipment items dropped by the demon species.

'Ancient demon's necklace.'

'Half armor of great strength.'

'Ammu Belt.'

All three were not bad pieces of equipment.

The 'half armor of great strength', which increased strength, was suitable for Lee Hyunsung, whose main focus is hand-to-hand combat, and the 'ammu belt' was suitable for Yoo Jonghyuk himself to wear.

'I guess I can give this to him.'

The 'Ancient Demon's Necklace', which increases stun resistance, was for the guy who fainted frequently.

It's useless in its current state, so filling it in would be of some help.

Anna asked in bewilderment as she saw Yoo Jonghyuk standing up after finishing maintenance in an instant.

"What on earth did you do?"

"There is no part for you. You didn’t help in the battle."

"That’s not what I’m talking about."

In fact, Yoo Jonghyuk knew what had surprised Anna Croft.

He was incredible. The level of prowess he had just shown was incomparable to any incarnation of the same scenario.

"Did you really make a 'story imprint'? Have you forgotten what the villains who used it said?"

Yoo Jonghyuk also knew the fate of those 'villains'. Some of them had their existence sealed because they could not find a way to get rid of it.

"It’s about borrowing and writing a fictional 'story'. Its power will eat away at your soul and memories."

"It’s none of your business."

"What have you lost in return?"

Yoo Jonghyuk did not answer, but Anna Croft knew what he had lost.

To a regressor, 'memory' is everything to existence.

"Why did you do that... Sealed memories don’t come back! Now you’ve lost them forever. Do you even know what that means?"

The disappeared worlds exist only through his memories, and he also maintains his identity by not forgetting those memories.

Yoo Jonghyuk gave his memories in return.

"You will end up becoming someone else. You will not even know who you are."

"You talk like you know who you are."

As if any further conversation was meaningless, Yoo Jonghyuk began to walk away again. There were traces of the demons' blood in each of his footprints.

Anna Croft stared blankly at the footprints he left behind.

If he fails, what meaning will these footprints have?

If there ever comes a moment when even she gives up reading her past with [Future Sight], then who will remember that long record of failures of that regressor?

Should she make it difficult?

"Wait a minute. Wait, King!"

Anna Croft, who belatedly woke up from her thoughts, quickly followed Yoo Jonghyuk.

However, before he could walk even a short distance, Yoo Jonghyuk suddenly stopped walking. She didn't need to ask what was going on. This is because he saw someone walking out from inside the Capitol.

A formidable magical energy that made his whole body tremble.

"Run, Prophet."

For the first time, Yoo Jonghyuk's expression hardened.

"It’s a 'Marquis' level demon."

That's where Anna Croft's story ended.

"Wait a minute. So what happened?"

Wasn't some important information missing?

What happened to Yoo Jonghyuk, who fought a marquis-level demon?

If something like that happens, how can you be sure that your companions will be safe?

So who is the 'Demon King of Salvation' over there?

In the end, I couldn't bear it anymore and insisted.

"Could it be that you threw Yoo Jonghyuk there and ran away alone?"

"Before we continue, there’s something I need to ask you."

I already knew what Anna Croft would 'ask'.

In the first place, she started this story to earn time.

The incarnations surrounding the outside of the living room from earlier were proof of this.

Of course, no matter how many incarnations surrounded this place, it wasn't a big threat to me. That is, as long as the combat power of the incarnations is within the realm of probability.

"We have 'tactical nuclear weapons'."

"So?"

Tactical nuclear weapon. It seemed like they had managed to secure modern weapons from the generation before the scenario.

"You’re not planning on flying that thing at the Washington Dome, are you? You know there’s no point in doing something like that."

A nuclear weapon with that level of destructive power cannot be activated due to the scenario structure.

Perhaps the moment the launch button is pressed against the Washington Dome, the nuclear weapon will stop operating due to the probability aftereffects.

But now, instead of launching a tactical nuclear weapon at the Washington Dome, she brought that weapon to me.

"I heard from Christina that you are a 'family member' of the Demon King."

Perhaps Anna Croft had made up her mind. If necessary, she will use that 'nuclear weapon' here.

"Is the name of the Demon King you serve 'Demon King of Salvation'?"