Part 2 Prologue: The Gathering of Demons
The Devil and the Asmodians.
A devil is a being that embodies evil, opposing the divine and seeking to corrupt humanity.
Asmodians are the creations of devils, serving their commands and carrying out their will.
The hierarchy among demons is as intricate as a spider’s web, but the most crucial factor is ‘power.’
Survival of the fittest, where the weak are devoured by the strong, and only those who adapt endure. The victorious thrive, while the defeated have no choice but to submit, whether through death, destruction, or servitude. The rights of the vanquished belong entirely to the victor.
This is the law that governs the demon realm.
If we measure rank by ‘power,’ Asmodians can be classified into lower, middle, upper, and supreme levels.
The beings that rule over these creations are, of course, the devils. There are 14 demon lords who govern the Asmodians, known as the ‘14 Demon Lords.’
Above them are the archdevils who control the ‘14 Demon Lords.’ They divide the demon realm into seven territories, each ruled by one of the ‘Seven Great Devils,’ whose names and titles are as follows:
As creations of the devils, Asmodians possess a blind loyalty to their creators, willing to sacrifice their lives without hesitation if commanded to do so.
While the creation of Asmodians is typically the role of the ‘14 Demon Lords,’ this isn’t always the case. The ‘14 Demon Lords’ are under the influence of the ‘Seven Great Devils,’ and depending on the strength of each faction, some may not have any demon lords at all.
For instance, Lilith, the ‘Queen of the Night,’ has no demon lords under her due to her weak influence, so she creates her own Asmodians. In contrast, Satan, the ‘King of All Devils,’ commands four demon lords.
The demon realm is a savage world governed by the unchanging law of survival of the fittest. It’s a place devoid of life and vitality, filled only with a gloomy and ominous atmosphere.
The sky is a dark, purplish-blue, and the cracked earth resembles a desolate wasteland. While not all areas are like this, they share one common trait: the absence of ‘light.’ Trees and grass are a sickly green, and the rivers run black as pitch.
The occasional building on the barren land is no different. Though not quite a wasteland, the overgrown weeds and indistinguishable complexity make it a chaotic place.
The only thing that stands out is an ancient castle on the verge of collapse. Its towering height is visible from afar, boasting an overwhelming presence.
“This place never grows on me, no matter how many times I see it.”
A young man walking through the castle’s dark corridors chuckled. Or rather, he appeared young, but there was something different about him. From head to toe, he looked like any other young man, except for one thing: a pair of sharp, dark crimson horns protruded from his head. He was a demon in the guise of a young man.
The demon leisurely strolled through the corridor, heading towards a wide-open door. Though the door was open, the interior was shrouded in darkness, revealing nothing.
As the demon approached the door, two Asmodians standing guard on either side bowed respectfully. Their appearance and aura indicated they were supreme Asmodians.
“Welcome, Lord Astaroth.”
“Have the others arrived?”
“Everyone is inside, except for the Queen of the Night.”
“Queen of the Night? Just call her a harlot. It’s too grand a title for the official harlot of the demon realm.”
The two Asmodians remained silent, their mouths agape at Astaroth’s blunt words. Though not entirely incorrect, demons and Asmodians were distinctly different beings. Especially when the subject was one of the ‘Seven Great Devils,’ caution was necessary.
“Lucifer’s followers are so dull. They’re nothing like Asmodeus or Beelzebub’s lot.”
”…Apologies.”
Astaroth clicked his tongue at the Asmodians’ polite bow.
“No need to apologize. Anyway, I’m going in.”
“Glory to the Fallen One, Demon of Wrath.”
Astaroth shivered.
Lucifer was once an angel who fell and became a demon. While his past as an angel wasn’t held against him, there was one thing Astaroth couldn’t stand: Lucifer’s habit of adding “Glory to the Fallen” whenever addressing someone. Even the easygoing Astaroth found it hard to endure such formality.
“Glory, my foot.”
Astaroth muttered under his breath as he entered the room.
Inside was a darkness so profound it was impenetrable to the naked eye. In a place already devoid of light, this was particularly severe. It seemed as if only darkness existed here.
Yet Astaroth was unfazed. Having been here many times, he walked leisurely, just as he had through the corridor.
After walking aimlessly for about five minutes, a calm voice echoed through the darkness.
“You’re late, Astaroth.”
“That voice… Lucifer?”
Astaroth stopped and stared straight ahead.
“There was some distance to cover, and it was a sudden meeting. So, being a few minutes late…”
“The meeting was announced six days ago. Did you not receive the message?”
“Ugh, you’re so annoying. You really…!”
“Lower your voice, Astaroth. You may be the Demon of Wrath, but this space belongs to me. Only I have the right to raise my voice here. So save your anger for the right time and place…”
“Sorry.”
Astaroth apologized immediately, shaking his head. He decided it was better to apologize than to argue with this inflexible, single-minded being.
“I accept your apology. I respect you for acknowledging your mistake, even as an archdevil.”
Astaroth trembled with frustration. The words “Just shut up” were on the tip of his tongue, but he managed to hold them back.
The ‘Demon of Wrath’ sat down, his body hunched. Though nothing was visible in the space, it wasn’t empty. An invisible chair had appeared behind Astaroth.
He took a deep breath and sensed the energies flowing from all around. Hostility, destruction, corruption, lust, greed. Five distinct energies watched him with interest. Though he didn’t like their gaze, including himself, there were six in total.
Astaroth settled into his chair, crossing his legs.
“So, shall we hear what this meeting is about?”
“Not yet. One more. Lilith.”
A young, yet cold and monotone voice interrupted Astaroth. The ‘Demon of Wrath,’ who was about to light a cigarette, glanced to his left and slowly gathered his demonic energy.
There, seated in a large chair, was a small girl clutching a teddy bear. Her large eyes were fixed on Astaroth.
Her platinum hair was cut short and neatly held back with a headband. Her small, round face and chubby cheeks gave her a cherubic appearance, though her sunken blue eyes were a flaw. She was so petite that one might be tempted to lift her onto their shoulder.
Astaroth smiled and lit his cigarette, taking a deep drag.
“Baal, you’re even cuter than the last time I saw you.”
“Joke. Not funny.”
“Haha, it’s not a joke. I mean it.”
“Mean it. Dismissed.”
Suddenly, a destructive aura surged from the girl, or rather, ‘King of the East,’ Baal. Astaroth raised his hands in mock surrender, his face a picture of panic.
“It was a joke. Did you find it amusing?”
The destructive aura subsided instantly. Astaroth shook his head, puffing on his cigarette.
“Anyway, it’s not my place to say, but let’s get started.”
“That won’t do. Especially since it’s Lilith, the Lady of the Night. A gentleman should always wait for a lady to prepare herself.”
The calm voice returned, but Astaroth responded with a scoff.
“Lady, my foot. Do you really think an official harlot would bother to doll herself up? She’s probably forgotten all about the meeting and is off somewhere having a grand old time, begging for mercy. ‘Oh, Lord Astaroth~. I’m so sorry~. Please forgive this lowly harlot just this once~.’ I nearly died laughing when I heard that.”
Astaroth mimicked someone’s voice with a high-pitched tone, twisting his body for effect. The two demons who had been silent until now burst into laughter.
“Heh heh heh heh!”
“Ha ha ha! Ha ha ha!”
Their laughter was filled with vile lust and filthy greed.
And then it happened.
A sudden explosion cut their laughter short. It was a massive blast, yet the demons remained unfazed.
Astaroth took a deep drag from his cigarette, which quickly turned to ash and crumbled away. The ‘Demon of Wrath’ spoke with feigned nonchalance.
“Ah, our grand lady has graced us with her presence. What kept you this time?”
There was no need to look; it was the arrival of Lilith, the ‘Queen of the Night.’ The sound of her heels echoed as she approached the gathering of six demons.
Astaroth exhaled smoke through his nose and spoke quietly.
“Perfect timing. I was just telling them about the time you lost to me in battle. Why don’t you share the story yourself?”
“Heh heh, heh heh heh! We want to hear it! We want to hear it!”
A voice dripping with lust chimed in.
Lilith said nothing. She simply moved to her seat and sat down gracefully.
Astaroth watched her dark silhouette as she brushed her hair back, then sneered.
“Wow, you really took your time getting ready, didn’t you? What’s with the getup? Are you planning to ditch your title as the official harlot?”
“Astaroth, cut the crap. I’m not here to indulge your nonsense.”
Lilith finally spoke, her voice sultry yet indifferent, with a steady monotone that suggested boredom. Astaroth’s eyes narrowed.
“Oh~. So you’re showing some backbone now? Did you snag yourself a good demon? Who is it? Which of the Seven Deadly Sins is hiding under Lilith’s skirt?”
Astaroth waved his hands dramatically, and the laughter resumed.
Lilith remained silent, waiting for the laughter to die down before she chuckled softly.
“Pathetic fools. This isn’t the time for this.”
“Oh? And what do you mean by that?”
“I’ve heard the news. This meeting was called because of you all, wasn’t it?”
”…What?”
Lilith’s gaze swept over the three demons. The ones who had been laughing moments ago fell silent.
“One of you ruined the Western Continent that everyone worked so hard on.”
The ‘King of Greed,’ Beelzebub, flinched.
“Another wasted power on the Northern Continent and lost a bunch of seeds. Oh! And didn’t you lose one of the 14 Demon Lords to a user from the North? Poor Mammon.”
The ‘Demon of Lust,’ Asmodeus, hung his head.
“And the last one, though it was a while ago… You strutted into the Hell of the Whole Plane like you owned the place, only to come back in pieces. And let’s not forget you handed over Mephistopheles, one of the 14 Demon Lords.”
The ‘Demon of Wrath,’ Astaroth, clenched his fist.
“Ho ho ho ho.”
Lilith’s voice was still mocking, but her expression suddenly turned serious.
“Idiots.”
“You…!”
Astaroth was about to leap to his feet in anger when sharp energies pinned him to his chair.
”…There’s a saying among humans.”
From the darkness, directly opposite Astaroth.
“Time is money.”
A voice, as if crawling up from the depths of an abyss, resonated through the pitch-black space.
Astaroth swallowed involuntarily. Across from him sat a man with his fingers interlocked, resting his forehead on them. He seemed ordinary enough, but an undeniable darkness surrounded his presence and voice.
“While it’s commendable to adhere to the rules, the situation we’re in doesn’t look too favorable. What do you all think?”
“I’m sorry, Satan.”
“You’re apologizing a lot today, Astaroth.”
”…Hmm.”
Astaroth grumbled.
There was a snicker from one side, but the ‘Demon of Wrath’ instinctively knew it was best to stay quiet.
“Now that we’re all here, shall we begin? Lucifer?”
“Of course, Satan. Though I am the host of this space, you are more than qualified to lead the discussion.”
A polite voice responded, starkly different from the one used with Astaroth.
Sss, sss.
A brief flicker of light appeared in the darkness and then vanished. A pale smoke drifted into the space.
“Well. As for the Western Continent, the Northern Continent, and… well, Lilith has already given a rough overview, so let’s skip that.”
”…”
“The reason for this meeting, as you all know, is the recent news of the demise of Mammon, one of the 14 Demon Lords under Asmodeus.”
“Heh, heh, heh, heh…”
Asmodeus lowered his head further at the mention of his name, trembling as he clutched his head, hardly the demeanor of one of the ‘Seven Deadly Sins.’
“Before we delve into the process or assign blame for this outcome.”
Snap!
Satan paused, then lightly snapped his fingers.
A deep blue magic circle began to glow on the previously empty floor.
“Let’s start by reviewing the situation.”
As Satan concluded, the magic circle rose, projecting an image.
The light from the magic circle faded, replaced by a horrific scene and a chilling scream.
It was a burning village. In the depths of the forest, the flames and black smoke filled the scene.
“Ma, Mammon!”
Recognizing the voice, Asmodeus reached out.
And then, it happened.
Silence.
Aaaaargh!
A cold command was followed by another blood-curdling scream.
The flames and smoke began to subside, revealing a massive demon lying bloodied on the ground.
And standing over the demon with a cold gaze was a user. He was a sturdy man, surrounded by a clear flame, with only the hilt of his sword visible.
As the flames burned brightly, the demons swallowed hard in unison.
---------------------------= Author’s Note ---------------------------=
Welcome to the start of Part 2.
While Part 1 focused on exploration, gaining power, and building relationships with users, Part 2 will tell a different story. In short, it’s about trying to return home. Haha.
Ah, it seems I’ve made the explanation of Eve’s lineage a bit complicated. Allow me to clarify in this note.
Any stat increases from equipment remain even after the equipment is removed. You can consider these increases as permanently bound.
The terms ‘above’ and ‘below’ include boundary values, while ‘exceed’ and ‘less than’ do not.
Currently, Kim Soo-hyun’s stats are as follows:
[Strength 96(+2)] [Endurance 92] [Agility 98] [Stamina 92(+2)] [Magic 96] [Luck 90(+2)]
To summarize the third option of Eve’s lineage:
One of the user’s six stats is randomly selected and decreased by 2 points.
→ You understand this.
The decreased points are doubled, returning as 4 points.
→ You understand this.
The returned stat points can be freely allocated.
→ You understand this.
However, if the stat exceeds the tens digit of the decreased stat, no effect is gained.
→ The stat in question refers to the one the user wishes to increase. This condition had a slight issue. As noted below, it specifically refers to the original stat points before the decrease. This has been corrected.
The baseline is the stat before the decrease. The tens digit follows the decreased stat, but the units digit is calculated as 0.
→ This is the condition. Given a number ab, where a is the tens digit and b is the units digit, the condition takes a as is and calculates b as 0. Thus, the baseline for Eve’s lineage consumption is calculated as a0.
Let’s apply this to all of Kim Soo-hyun’s stats. The baseline is set at the “pre-decline stats.” In other words, the baseline for seeing any effect is 90, 90, 90, 90, 90, 90. If a stat exceeds 90, you won’t see any improvement. So, if you’re trying to increase a stat that’s already at 91 or higher, you can’t raise it any further.
If Kim Soo-hyun’s strength, agility, or magic decreases, the baseline is set at 90. The only thing left to improve is luck. However, if endurance, stamina, or luck decreases, even with the same baseline, they drop to 90, 90, and 88 points, respectively. This means there’s room to use 4 points since they don’t exceed 91.
I hope this answers your question. :)
P.S. Starting next time, I’ll include user information in the reviews for each character. After considering various options, I believe this will be the most convenient for readers.