701 Episode 25 Demon King (4)

Christina pursed her lips and continued speaking.

"I had to make decisions quickly," she said. "Too many people died before we even got to the fifth scenario."

How did she manage to get to the fifth scenario?

However, the apostles who knew the ending of this story knew that if the scenarios continued like this, everything would go wrong.

The ultimate resolution of the scenarios were impossible in this world line where Kim Dokja does not exist.

No matter how well they clear the previous scenarios, they will end up frustrated in front of the 'Final Wall'.

So they decided to take a risk in the fifth scenario.

Summoning the 'Demon King of Salvation' with the 'Disaster Summoning Rights'.

Even if it was called crazy, it was a choice that I had nothing to say about.

"What were you going to do if you failed?"

"That..."

"Besides, even if you succeed, it’s still a problem."

If the 'Demon King of Salvation' had been summoned as a disaster, something truly absurd could have happened.

Nevertheless, I could not find fault with the readers’ heart for looking for Kim Dokja at the most desperate moment.

Maybe it's because I too had a similar experience like them.

Just like searching for God, anyone who knows Kim Dokja's name has no choice but to find him.

This is probably the same for all readers who came to this world.

I asked, looking down at Anna Croft, who was sleeping soundly on Christina's lap.

"She was [hypnotized], so Anna doesn’t know the details of the situation."

"Yes..."

Anna Croft is the most cautious character in 'Ways of Survival'.

There is no way she would suddenly agree to summoning a being that she has never heard of or seen, the 'Demon King of Salvation', as a disaster.

In the end, Christina and the apostles hypnotized Anna and they secretly summoned the 'Demon King of Salvation'.

In return, the 'Washington Dome' became a demon realm.

"At first, we were planning to do whatever we could to stop it. We gathered all the apostles in America and headed to the Washington Dome. That happened a few weeks ago."

It would not have been possible to honestly say that Washington was destroyed because of their choices.

To make up for their mistakes, the apostles attempted to attack the 'Demon King of Salvation'.

"You failed."

"…Yes."

"Is that why you brought me here?"

"I’m ashamed."

Christina must have thought the moment she confirmed my sponsor.

The 'Demon King of Salvation' they were looking for was already in this world line, and maybe that's why their 'summoning' failed.

"Is there really a 'Demon King of Salvation' in this world? Is there a 'Kim Dokja' we know?"

Is there a 'Kim Dokja' they know in this world?

I thought for a moment and answered like this.

"There is a friend who is much more real than the 'Demon King of Salvation' over there. What on earth is the 'Demon King of Salvation' over there?"

"I don’t know. What’s certain is that he wasn’t the 'Demon King of Salvation' that we know. And…"

"And?"

"The Demon King continued to grow stronger every time the apostles visited."

Did he continue to get stronger every time the apostles visited him?

There was a theory that came to mind, but I wasn't sure yet.

But I have one person who can confirm all these hypotheses.

'Kim-ssi.'

This guy said he was going to exchange coins, but where on earth did he go?

At that moment, with a chirping sound, 'Midday Tryst' was reconnected.

'No, where did you go and why are you coming back only now?'

—Youngest, I’m in big trouble.

'A big problem happened here too.'

I was trying to explain what incredible things have happened while he was away.

However,

—I think my modifier was stolen.

It seemed like something really big had happened over there too.

Everything in the <Star Stream> is a 'story', that is, a 'tale'.

However, since the concept of 'tale' seemed so abstract, 'currency', a practical processing of it, appeared.

This is the story of the 'coin' we know.

—Constellations spend coins just by breathing.

'Do constellations need to breathe?'

—It means that coins are consumed just by existing.

'I know, but I didn't know that it costs money to maintain a modifier.'

Since Kim Dokja never mentioned it once, I never thought about it either.

I never thought it would cost coins just by using a modifier. Is that why the constellations have always been keen on earning coins?

'But are you saying that your constellation modifier has been taken away?'

—Not a constellation modifier.

'Are you sure?'

—I also have a Demon King modifier.

According to Kim Dokja's claim, constellations that suddenly came from other 'world lines' like Kim Dokja had to pay additional fees to use the <Star Stream> system.

However, Kim Dokja was both a 'constellation' and a Demon King, so the cost of maintaining the modifier was doubled.

'How did you maintain the constellation modifier, but you couldn’t pay the cost of maintaining the Demon King modifier?'

I wondered why this person was so obsessed with 'coins'…

—I was thinking of exchanging some of the story fragments and monster parts I got this time and buying the modifier again... but the management bureau had already sold off my Demon King modifier.

Suddenly I felt like I knew how things were going.

I briefly explained to Kim Dokja about the events that occurred in the United States.

When he heard the story about the apostles of the American continent and the 'right to summon disaster', Kim Dokja let out a sigh.

—Oh, that was the spam message from the administration. They said it was a disaster blah blah blah.

It looks like he didn't even read the management bureau's message.

'Then the Demon King of Salvation who is currently in Washington...'

—It’s probably the new 'Demon King of Salvation' that the Management Bureau has found.

'This is the guy who bought the Demon King's nickname.'

In other words, the 'Demon King of Salvation' currently in Washington is a counterfeit, 'Demon King of Salvation' in name only.

'Is he also a 'Demon King'?'

—It won’t be at the level of a Demon King. Because they have a lot of pride, they don't steal and use other people's modifiers. He's probably a demon trying to use this opportunity to ascend to the throne of the Demon King.

No matter what the guy's identity was, for now I had no choice but to head to Washington.

I had Christina wake Anna up and explain what was needed. Anna Croft looked very embarrassed, but she quickly calmly accepted the situation.

"I’m angry, but I can’t help it. I’ll take strict action for this later, Christina."

"I’m sorry, Anna."

"Please swear an [Oath of Existence]. You will never [Hypnotize] me again."

"I swear."

Anna did not press Christina any further. Maybe it's because she knows that persecuting her now won't solve her situation.

Anna had her artisans bring the completed '4th grade Earth Dragon' equipment.

"You’ve caused trouble. Cheon Inho, let’s leave right away."

After completing preparations, we immediately opened the portal to the 'Washington Dome'.

As the situation got to this point, I too became confused.

Are my companions still safe?

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

How strong is the 'Demon King of Salvation' in the Washington Dome?

The moment I sort out my complicated thoughts and stepped into the portal.

A message was heard.

The 'demon' had no name.

He, like most other demon species, existed only as a part of a scenario designed by dokkaebis. Killing the incarnations that come to the 'Treasure Storehouse of the Earth River Lord' and offering their souls to the demon kings.

The demon had no complaints about it. Just as gopher rats never question their breathing, breathing black ether, and collecting treasures, he also never once questioned his work.

The whole incident started with him killing some humans who were hiding in his 'treasure warehouse'.

He dealt with the incarnations as usual. Attack using tentacles.

But surprisingly, the duo skillfully repelled his attack.

Not only did humans know his attack patterns, but they also used weapons with 'divine attributes' to which he was vulnerable.

He screamed every time his tentacles were cut.

Looking back, if he had been an ordinary 'dark sentinel', he certainly would not have been able to withstand the attacks of that duo.

But the duo was unlucky.

The period of time he lived as a 'Dark Sentinel' was a little longer than other 'Dark Sentinels', and because of that, he was able to display a little more wisdom in battle than other entities.

When he pretended to be weak and stumbled, the humans attacked him with great force. He did not miss the gaps between the humans and radiated pitch-black darkness.

One of the duo was missed, but the other was caught in the tentacles and could not escape.

An obvious appeal that he had always heard.

The demon, not interested in human tears, lightly pierced the human's heart with its tentacle. The man who was crying and bleeding out died.

The moment that thought occurred to him, he was surprised at himself.

It's a feeling he's never had before.

He suddenly lowered his head and looked down at the tip of his tentacle. There was a small doll statue that gave off a faint light.

An item he had never seen before while living as a demon.

As if he was possessed, he moved his tentacles and grabbed the doll, and countless emotions that he had never felt before came flooding back to him.

A very precious, sad, and nostalgic feeling. What followed was a very strong appetite.

He could not overcome his desire and eventually swallowed the doll.

"What is 'I'?"

That's how the demon recognized his existence for the first time.

"I am the 'keeper of darkness'."

No.

That is not an accurate expression.

"I am an 'extra'."

Even though he didn't really understand what 'extra' was, he felt the nuance of the word.

He wanted to know. What is this feeling?

He participated in the scenario and started hunting. He learned to fight from the humans who came to hunt him. He no longer fought like a 'Dark Sentinel'.

He used weapons and wore equipment possessed by humans.

Just like that, one, two, three... killing people again and again.

And very occasionally, he could get something from particularly strong humans.

He didn't understand the meaning of the message, but he understood at least one thing.

The more of these 'fragments' he acquires, the stronger he becomes.

He began hunting humans at an increasingly faster rate. He became familiar with the habits of humans and learned their mannerisms.

He set traps targeting humans looking for hidden items, and even deliberately disguised himself as a weak monster species.

How many fragments could he have eaten that way?

When he came to his senses, he had already become a demon noble.

And that 'being' came to visit him.

A group called 'Administrative Bureau' by the public.

The dokkaebi from the management bureau asked and he nodded.

He willingly paid with the coins he had collected after killing the incarnations.

That's how he became the 'Demon King of Salvation'.

When he actually heard it, he felt like it was a name that suited him very well. The stories boiling inside him were saying so.

There was a feeling of elation welling up from deep within his soul.

He will become the 'Demon King' of this world. He will break away from being an 'extra' and become a ‘being’ who longs for the real ◾️◾️.

However, as if laughing at his efforts,

"You’ve just ascended to the rank of marquis."

The real hero of this story came to visit him.