Chapter 26 …
“Hmm? What memory?”
“The process of defeating that hunter. Don’t you remember anything?”
I shook my head slightly, and Hyunjin’s expression became complicated.
The thought of that strange Association hunter made my stomach churn, but it was a relief that Han Hyunjin had defeated him and locked him in prison.
But there were more important matters.
“Han Hyunjin.”
“Yes?”
“Don’t tell the villagers that I collapsed.”
“…What? Why?”
Hyunjin frowned. Wrapped in a thick black down blanket, I shivered from an inexplicable chill. Was it just exhaustion?
“Just… everyone would worry. If they hear the king collapsed during a fight…”
“….”
“Just say I won cleanly. I don’t want them to worry for no reason.”
The villagers were still fussing over the incident where I had coughed up blood. I didn’t want to stir up unnecessary concern.
Especially Griffith and those puppet show folks—what if they blamed themselves for what happened while I wasn’t there?
I didn’t particularly want to see that.
Besides…
‘No, seriously. I am the GREAT, MAJESTIC Demon King, yet I supposedly collapsed because of a sneak attack from some A-rank hunter? That’s just…’
Embarrassing.
What about my Demon King dignity!
It seemed that I had fainted because of that Association hunter. In my hazy memory, I remembered being sucked into some kind of jar!
Even now, monsters and people alike brightened their eyes whenever they saw me. I didn’t want to show weakness and be called the frail, feeble Demon King. I wanted to always appear dignified and formidable.
Meanwhile, Hyunjin glanced at me with a serious expression and muttered:
“…I really don’t understand you.”
“Huh?”
“You act childish or like a fool usually, but only at times like this…”
Only at times like this what?
Hyunjin cut himself off and shook his head as if it were nothing. Still, he stared at me intently, making my cheeks tingle.
Seriously… why does he look at the Demon King with those eyes…?
I tried to get up to leave, but Hyunjin grabbed me firmly.
“You shouldn’t get up yet. Your face is pale.”
“No, it’s not that…”
I quickly changed the subject.
“There’s that hunter down in the basement, right?”
“Why about him?”
“Well… I haven’t gotten over it yet, so I was thinking of going down and giving that brat a few more hits…”
“….”
“You wanna join me?”
Hyunjin silently scolded me with nothing but his gaze. I understood it was concern, but being worried about by Hyunjin somehow made me say even sillier things.
“Ah! No, first, I have to get him out. I don’t want others to find out about this.”
“How?”
I wiped the sweat from my forehead and looked at Hyunjin.
“You help me. I’ve got a good idea.”
A hunter sent by the Association… I also felt like issuing them a formal declaration of war.
Shaking. Shaking.
Serim’s eyelids fluttered as his whole body seemed to shake.
Ah! My entire body hurts so much.
It felt like I had been beaten to death even while unconscious.
Why does it hurt this much…?
What happened to me?
Frowning, Serim twitched. Memories from before fainting slowly returned.
‘Right, I entered that weird Demon King dungeon and got caught by the Demon King’s perception…!’
How did he notice me?
Even as an A-rank hunter, his stealth skills were highly refined, considered the best in the country. Yet the Demon King had effortlessly dodged his attacks as if mocking them, later just calling out, “Hey, come out.”
The eyes behind the mask seemed to flare red, and when he leapt at him, it truly felt like facing a wild beast.
And I got beaten nearly to death.
‘Ugh! I never want to feel that horrifying again….’
Moreover, my head kept dropping and my body swaying. Strange. It felt as if I were suspended in the air, swaying…
Suspended?
At that moment, a gust of wind rushed past. Serim’s eyes snapped open.
This place!
“Ahhh!”
He screamed as he looked down at the pointed skyscrapers and crowded roads below.
He was in the middle of Seoul.
And floating in the sky!
“Ah! What is this?!”
As he twisted and resisted violently, the top swayed.
Sway? What sway?
Looking up sharply, he saw an orange hot air balloon.
Not only had someone launched an advertising balloon over Seoul, but they also tied Serim to it, dangling him in midair.
“Ah! I have acrophobia… ugh.”
Struggling, Serim fainted.
A long paper was attached to the balloon.
Meanwhile, a broadcasting helicopter approached noisily.
The anchor, noticing the message on the balloon, shouted in shock:
“That… that is!”
[Unidentified dungeon under the bridge, sending a message from the Demon King Dungeon.
Do not touch. I want to live quietly.
If anyone keeps breaking my warnings and snooping around my Demon Castle, I will shred you to feed my pets!!
p.s. My pets are terrifying. They can rip humans apart with their bare hands. Consider yourself warned.]
The Demon King’s message, sent via balloon, was broadcast live nationwide.
Even though it had been a hundred years since the first gate appeared, this was the first time a monster from a dungeon had sent a message.
“How is this possible!”
“It appears to be a message from a dungeon boss in an unidentified, unregistered dungeon under the bridge!”
People watching the live broadcast gasped and trembled. The unknown presence was pure terror.
From that day on, both news and online communities heated up.
“He said he wants to live quietly, so just don’t bother him” — 48%
“Even if war breaks out, we must strike first to close the gate” — 39%
[Comments]
re1: He said he wouldn’t touch anyone, why start a fight? Is war a hobby? War’s not a game for kids; just let us live.
re2: My cousin’s a hunter in the Association. They wanted to strike first. Not verified.
└ Hunters exist to strike first at gates. Didn’t you learn history?
re3: Anyway, those who can’t work socially and aren’t hunters always talk about war… sigh.
re4: Electing an anti-American president… this country is doomed. Only Osunhee is the answer.
└ LOL? Why anti-American here? Wear dentures and eat an anti-American sandwich, sir. Don’t act up.
└ Nowadays, national power isn’t economy, it’s the number of S-rank hunters. Fact. No argument.
└ Then the US is a superpower; our S-ranks fit on one hand.
re5: Just wash your feet and sleep. Even if war breaks out, employees must go to work.
re6: This is viral marketing from the Demon Castle.
Since the gate appeared, the gap between civilians and hunters widened, making life harder in Korea. The Demon King’s presence was now unmistakable. The balloon being launched right in front of the Association also stood out.
Top floor of the Association building.
A man with a mug approached the panoramic window. Beyond it, the crimson balloon and helicopters shimmered.
The Demon King’s threatening message was clearly visible.
Of course, they placed it there deliberately.
The Association President’s smile reflected faintly on the glass. He sipped his coffee leisurely.
“The Demon King Dungeon, huh…”
He stood and moved across the red velvet carpet to the bookshelf. After flipping through a few books, a secret passage revealed itself.
He descended the narrow, dark stairs. The room he reached was shrouded in darkness, damp and cold.
Somewhere, he could hear wailing. Ignoring it, the Association President touched the jars displayed on the shelf.
Moans of pain leaked from the jars.
“Don’t cry. Soon, I’ll give you a friend.”
He chuckled. Lighting a candle in the basement, the red light devoured the darkness. The crimson glow made his shadow dance on the stone floor.
It wasn’t human. It was grotesque. Like a flickering flame, or perhaps seaweed or a large wriggling insect.
The Association President thought of the Demon King.
What does he look like?
What powers does he have?
He annihilated an A-rank hunter—how about in front of an S-rank? What screams would he make? How did he lure Han Hyunjin?
His heart pounded with anticipation.
It had been a while since a monster had excited him like this.
Such a target must be collected. Strong, intelligent, and rare—it had to be tamed and admired.
The Association President’s smile deepened.
