Nergal, the Demon
Crushed eyes. Torn arms. A pierced abdomen.
Simon was overwhelmed by the pain radiating from three different parts of his body. His usually composed face was twisted in agony, and the smile that often graced his lips was replaced by frothy white foam. He had screamed so much that his voice was now hoarse and barely audible.
“Ugh…”
Simon regretted his decision.
He knew his opponent was a monster.
But he had been confident. He thought he was a monster too.
Yet… he hadn’t expected this level of power. It was beyond comprehension, almost destructive in its force.
This was a different league altogether.
As he acknowledged this, a complex mix of emotions began to flood Simon’s mind.
He couldn’t win.
He was terrified.
He felt humiliated.
He wanted to live.
Despair. Fear. Shame. Desire.
How… how did he even get here…
It was at that moment.
“Heh heh heh heh heh…”
A tingling sensation spread through his lower abdomen.
“It seems… the time for a deal has come again.”
The low voice that followed stopped Simon’s thoughts in their tracks.
Simon questioned it.
“A deal…?”
“Heh! Yes. Let me ask you one thing, Simon Grimes.”
The promise of a single question made Simon listen intently.
After a brief pause, the voice, low yet sweet, resonated within him.
“Do you desire power?”
“Power…?”
“The power to turn this dire situation around!”
Simon’s head snapped up.
The once proud figure was now slumped, his head hanging low. Watching Simon, I turned my gaze to the sky for a moment. Ever since the war began, I had kept my ‘Third Eye’ active.
Name: Simon Grimes (6th Year)
Class: Monarch of Blood (Secret, Master)
Nation: Nebula
Clan: Tyrant
True Name & Nationality: Bloodthirsty Tyrant, Bearer of the Demon Seed • USA
Sex: Male (22)
Height & Weight: 174.4cm • 62.3kg
Alignment: Evil • Chaos
[Strength 31] [Endurance 32] [Agility 64] [Stamina 43] [Magic 94] [Luck 77]
(No remaining stat points.)
(Currently bearing the seed of Nergal, the first creation of the demon Beelzebub.)
‘Bearer of the Demon Seed.’
My purpose in this war was to eliminate Simon Grimes, who would later dominate the Western Continent. The reason lay in his true name, ‘Bearer of the Demon Seed.’
In the first cycle, Simon lost the second battle against the East but returned safely to the West. For some reason, he later awakened as ‘Nergal, the Demon Spy.’ (This fact was revealed much later.)
Once awakened, Nergal quietly bided his time, eventually becoming the main instigator of chaos across the continent, starting from the West.
I believe the summoning of Belphegor was a mere accident, an unintended disaster brought about by the greed of ancient inhabitants.
However, Nergal was not a mere accident. The evidence was clear. The true name, Bearer of the Demon Seed. The summoning of a demon and the germination of a seed that takes over a body were similar yet distinctly different.
‘Killing him isn’t the problem…’
If I kill the host, the seed loses its function. It serves only as a link, not the demon’s true form. Only when the host’s body is overtaken does the true form emerge.
“Ugh… ugh…”
A groan reached my ears, and I glanced over. Simon was gasping for breath, on the verge of collapse. Seeing him like that, a slight worry crept in.
“Rrrr…”
Suddenly, Simon’s head snapped up. As soon as our eyes met, I realized something was wrong. I had crushed his eyes, yet I saw a crimson light flicker within the sockets.
‘Could it be… has it begun?’
As if answering my thoughts, Simon’s body began to change.
White skin erupted with dark red spots, spreading rapidly until his entire body was covered in black. His skin bulged grotesquely.
“Raaaargh!”
A monstrous roar erupted, no longer recognizable as Simon’s voice, but something far more sinister and violent.
Pop! Pop, pop!
His body swelled like a balloon, expanding endlessly. The sight of his skin tearing and splitting was horrific, something no ordinary person could bear to witness.
Sizzle! Sizzle!
From a tear, dark red smoke began to seep out. Feeling an instinctive revulsion, I drew ‘Victoria’s Glory’ and readied myself. Then it happened.
Thud!
Boom!
Simon’s body, split and shattered, exploded all at once. His remains scattered, and black smoke engulfed the area. As the smoke enveloped me, I kept my eyes fixed on the tree.
”…”
After a moment, the smoke began to clear, and through the thinning haze, I saw a pair of crimson eyes gleaming. Without hesitation, I swung ‘Victoria’s Glory.’
Whoosh!
The gust from the sword scattered the remaining smoke. But there was no resistance at the tip of the blade. As I tilted my head in confusion, a mocking, irritating laughter echoed from the void.
“Hee hee hee! Finally, I’m out in the world! Hee hee hee hee!”
I looked up immediately. The black smoke had risen into the air and was being rapidly sucked into something. As the smoke thinned, Simon’s form slowly emerged.
No, it wasn’t Simon.
Standing nearly two meters tall, with a muscular, jet-black body, bat-like wings sprouting from its back, and two horns protruding from its head. Yes, that was…
“And to be attacked with a sword the moment I emerge… what a bold human! Hee hee hee!”
It was Nergal, the demon.
“Hee hee… Normally, I’d tear you to shreds for your insolence, but I’ll spare you this once. For bringing forth this proud form…”
“It’s been a while, Nergal.”
“What, what?”
At the mention of its name, the crimson light in Nergal’s eyes flickered.
”…How do you know my name, human?”
“How do I know?”
I replied casually, bending my knees slightly.
“Answer me! You insignificant insect!”
“To kill a lowly demon like you, I had to know… didn’t I?”
And with that, I launched myself off the ground with all my might.
“What…!”
Even as it spoke, Nergal moved swiftly. In an instant, I saw it clench its fists a couple of times. The surrounding smoke rushed towards me.
It was a counterattack to my ambush, but I trusted in my magic resistance.
Even if it broke, it didn’t matter. Now that the true form was revealed, the goal was to kill it as quickly as possible before it fully regained its strength. I was willing to take some damage for that.
Swish! Swish, swish!
The black smoke lunged at me, trying to coil around me.
Whoosh!
Whirl, whirl, whirl!
But as it reached me, it hesitated, some of it dispersing while the rest circled around. My magic resistance had repelled the smoke.
At the same time, I found myself face-to-face with Nergal. I channeled my magic into ‘Victoria’s Glory.’ As our eyes met, I swung the sword vertically at its crown.
Slash!
With a slicing sensation, Nergal’s right arm flew into the air.
‘Tch.’
I clicked my tongue. The sword had struck its intended target, but the surrounding black mist had momentarily obstructed its path. Not only that, but Nergal had used some of the remaining mist to pull itself away, narrowly avoiding the blow. As a result, ‘Victoria’s Glory’ had severed its arm instead of its head.
Thud!
“Raaaargh!”
As Nergal landed on the ground, it let out a furious scream.
When I too landed, the sight of its face was a spectacle. More than the pain of losing an arm, it was filled with trembling rage. It was likely a result of the demon’s inherent arrogance and pride.
“My, my arm…! You! What trickery is this?”
Watching the raging Nergal, I aimed my sword once more.
In the world outside, demons can only wield about seventy percent of their true power. However, they don’t start at that level immediately. Depending on the individual, they might begin with just twenty to thirty percent of their strength, gradually recovering over time. This means that demons are at their weakest the moment they appear.
And that’s precisely why I took the risk to join this war. It was the easiest way to deal with Nergal, who would later become a key player in the demon uprising alongside Belphegor.
“You pathetic human! How dare you, how dare you…!”
Nergal was still spewing his rage-filled nonsense. It was a relief for me. If this “demon spy” decided to flee with all his might, it would be quite a hassle for me.
“Shut up.”
“What did you say?”
“It seems the proud demon only knows how to fight with words.”
“Heh heh heh! Are you trying to provoke me? You insignificant human?! Heh heh heh!”
As expected, he was a cunning one. Realizing my intent, Nergal quickly changed his approach, attempting to provoke me instead.
But I just smiled. I knew the most effective way to provoke a mere creature like a demon.
“You’re just playing around. Typical of Beelzebub’s creation.”
”!”
“Is destruction the only thing in your head? You’re as stupid as your master. Ha ha ha!”
“How does a human know my lord’s name…? No, what did you say…?”
“You look stupid, so your master must look stupid too, you worm.”
At that moment, the air around Nergal grew heavy.
”…”
His gaze was chilling. Just like with Belphegor before, these creatures have a blind loyalty to their creator, willing to risk their lives.
Fifteen seconds passed.
“Raaaargh!”
With a fierce roar, Nergal spoke again, his eyes now darker and more intense.
”…Fine.”
“What’s fine?”
“Don’t mock me. Even if you have some skill and knowledge…”
Nergal paused briefly. Then, black smoke began to swirl rapidly around him. The gusts grew large enough to obscure his entire body, soon turning into a crimson hue.
Nergal continued, “I’ll make sure you regret what you just said! Heh heh heh!”
Kukukukukuku!
Moments later, streaks of crimson fire began to seep through the swirling winds. Upon closer inspection, flames were surging from Nergal’s body, spinning in circles with the gusts, spreading rapidly in all directions. It was like witnessing a storm of fire.
I could feel the hot air on my face. The incoming breeze carried a nauseating, metallic scent of blood. Having only seen pure flames before, this filthy aura made me frown instinctively.
Misinterpreting my reaction, Nergal taunted in a cold voice, “Heh heh heh! What’s wrong? Why the face?”
“This is… fire?”
“That’s right. Beelzebub’s power, the Crimson Tempest! Regretting it now, are you? Heh heh heh!”
Crimson Tempest?
“Ah.”
The moment I heard that, a thought flashed through my mind.
I took a deep breath to steady myself, grateful for Ansol’s ‘miracle,’ and unleashed the power within my heart.
‘By the ancient decree, I command thee.’
Whoosh! Whoosh!
In response to my words, a pure flame began to rise from my entire body.
“What trick are you trying now?”
In response to Nergal’s shout, I raised my left hand and answered.
“Area Declared.”
---------------------------= Author’s Note ---------------------------=
Loyujin is back!
It’s been a while since I updated on time! Hahaha! |ㅇㅇ/
…However, Memorize was never updated at midnight again.
Having poured all his energy into writing over the weekend, Loyujin found himself, like a lie, late again by Tuesday.