Chapter 116
Incarnations.
Those who made contracts with the Lords of the Abyss and demons.
But among them, there were a rare few who went beyond a mere contract and underwent ‘demonization.’
We called them ‘Half-Human, Half-Demon.’
Neither fully human nor fully demon, but beings mixed halfway.
No one knew the exact process of becoming Half-Human, Half-Demon.
However, all of them shared one trait—every Half-Human, Half-Demon brainwashed other Incarnations and used them as subordinates.
Stronger than any other Incarnation, they were puppets that listened only to the words of their Creator.
Thus, humanity strove desperately to eliminate them.
Leave them unchecked, and they would gather strength.
They would swell in numbers in an instant, amassing Incarnations and plunging the world into chaos.
Destroying order, making it impossible for nations to survive, and spreading more despair to increase the number of Incarnations—absolute evils.
‘For them to appear already.’
…The timing of their emergence was far too early.
They were supposed to appear only after the Species War.
Yet some Creator had managed to bring one into being after just two months.
To reclaim the Champion’s seat.
But that couldn’t be the only reason.
Park Chan-woo, who had lived through the future, knew better than anyone that creating a Half-Human, Half-Demon wasn’t easy.
Ordinary Creators wouldn’t even dare attempt it.
Why?
Because to ensure victory, they had even prepared 150 sacrifices.
‘Creators are mistaking Ajos for the Demon King’s Incarnation.’
That one of the 108 Demon Kings had contracted with a human Incarnation!
This was the common topic that had set the Creator Community ablaze.
The Demon Kings showing interest in Earth.
Humanity defeating the Tower of Arrogance and Ahheta completely.
Those two facts combined, and Creators were investing even more heavily into Earth.
……The purpose of that Half-Human, Half-Demon was becoming faintly visible.
In addition to brainwashing and commanding Incarnations, all Half-Human, Half-Demons shared another ability.
‘Half-Human, Half-Demons consume Incarnations.’
They ate the corpses of Incarnations.
And by doing so, they stole their power.
If they absorbed the Demon King’s Incarnation, unimaginable growth would be possible—hence the recklessness.
Whoever it was, Park Chan-woo nodded.
《Betting begins!》
Defeat 150 and slay the Half-Human, Half-Demon.
Think positively, and that meant at least 150 consecutive wins.
It would surely draw more attention from other Creators.
And.
‘If you kill a Half-Human, Half-Demon, you gain a title along with a special box.’
Normally, the title [Demon Slayer] would be awarded.
Alongside it, you’d obtain the so-called [Demon Box], which couldn’t be gained through conventional means.
Park Chan-woo had seen Half-Human, Half-Demons many times, but never once had he gotten the reward.
Because Han Shin had swept them all.
A complete monopoly.
No doubt, he had been aiming for the Demon Box.
So how could one not be curious?
What kind of reward could it be that even Han Shin had hunted them with all his might?
‘Something to look forward to.’
When a pumpkin rolls right to your feet, it’s only natural to cook and eat it.
And cooking was simple.
Simple, just like betting.
This colosseum was a place where only betting decided outcomes.
Ding!
《A new betting method has been added.》
《Bet on Champion ‘Nameless Man’s’ final winning streak.》
《Bets can go up to 170 consecutive wins.》
《The closer you get, the higher the payout rate.》
—
Earth’s Abyss 666.
Currently, every Creator writing in the ‘Earth category’ had their utmost attention fixed there.
At the massive Champion match taking place, the Community, quiet for days, blazed back to life.
―A Half-Human, Half-Demon with 150 sacrifices!
―Surely even the Demon King’s Incarnation couldn’t win against this.
―To demonize an Incarnation, impressive indeed.
―And yet they opened additional betting.
―Does the Creator of Abyss 666 believe there’s a chance of victory here?
―Impossible.
―Ah, no way.
The Champion’s strength was certainly far beyond the current level of humanity.
But that was all.
The Half-Human, Half-Demon was a monster of an entirely different class.
Especially if 150 Incarnations wore the Champion down first, there was absolutely no way to win.
The result was obvious.
Even if you bet, the odds overwhelmingly favored the Balzac Union.
―There’s no point betting; the game is already decided.
―The Half-Human, Half-Demon alone would be enough.
―Though betting on the winning streak is a bit tempting.
―He’ll fall before even reaching the Half-Human, Half-Demon.
―Human stamina is pathetic.
Before even reaching Balzac, the Champion Nameless Man would collapse.
Though he was on a 16-win streak, 154 Incarnations had entered.
He had to defeat all 153 Incarnations before even facing Balzac.
In nonstop battles against those challengers, the odds of collapsing first were high.
Even if he truly was the Demon King’s Incarnation.
But the Creator of Abyss 666, presumed to be the Demon King, opened additional betting regardless.
Was it confidence?
Or another eccentric move?
―I’ll bet.
―Let’s see, maybe 60 wins?
―Let’s enjoy his last struggle.
—
The Balzac Union, Half-Human, Half-Demon, versus the Champion Nameless Man.
The outcome was obvious.
There was no way the Champion could win.
Thus, there wasn’t much demand for simple ‘win/lose’ bets.
But betting on the number of wins had plenty of takers.
Adora watched the colosseum from the territory of the Second Night.
As a Creator, she could grasp every detail even without being there.
Before the match began, Park Chan-woo had asked her to open additional betting here.
She had opened it as requested, but.
‘……This won’t be easy.’
Even Adora could see that this battle wouldn’t be easy.
Ajos was powerful, yes.
But the opponent was no pushover.
Even in a one-on-one fight, it wouldn’t be simple. Now he had to cut down 153 Incarnations as well.
‘His mana will run out first.’
The mana needed to maintain the summon.
The mana needed to move while maintaining it.
To fight 154 battles in a row while synchronized with Ajos required even greater mental strength.
On top of that, one more thing worried Adora.
‘Merging with the shadow carries the risk of mental corruption.’
Ajos and Charpham.
Though separate, they were ultimately one existence.
By synchronizing with Ajos, Park Chan-woo was also subjected to Charpham’s influence.
And Charpham’s corruption was beyond imagination.
As a former Witch of the Abyss, Adora knew this well.
If he continued fighting in that state for too long, even Park Chan-woo’s noble mind wouldn’t endure.
He could be corrupted.
Or devoured by Charpham.
Even if he pushed himself madly and won, would Park Chan-woo still remain himself?
‘…Remaining coins: 40.’
Though Park Chan-woo told her not to make reckless gambles.
If he lost and died, the Abyss itself would vanish anyway.
If she lost these 40 coins, she’d go bankrupt too.
Her hesitation was short-lived.
Adora placed her bet without a second thought.
Ding!
《40 coins bet on 170 consecutive wins.》
—
《The match has ended.》
《Winner: ‘Nameless Man’!》
《Record: 54 consecutive wins! The Champion retains his seat!》
Sss!
For a moment, Ajos’s form flickered faintly.
Typical signs of mana shortage.
His mana regeneration couldn’t keep up with usage.
He had already slaughtered nearly forty Incarnations, but far more remained.
‘The Star of Arrogance can only restore mana once.’
Use it now, and he wouldn’t even reach Balzac.
Though the mana cost to maintain Ajos was relatively low, the demands of nonstop battle increased exponentially.
Even 644% mana regeneration couldn’t cover it.
“What’s this? You look tired!”
“Try killing all of us!”
Endless jeers and mockery.
Whether due to brainwashing or not, they were clearly all insane.
‘Long-term synchronization is definitely too much.’
Park Chan-woo hesitated briefly.
Should he let Ajos fight on his own?
Even without him merging, Ajos could continue the battle.
But Ajos’s fighting style was monotonous.
Unlike Park Chan-woo, he couldn’t properly adapt to variables.
He followed commands to the letter, making it hard to entrust him completely.
Yet continuing this synchronization risked mental corruption.
Worse than mana exhaustion was precisely this—mental corruption.
The chronic problem of all summoners who wielded other beings.
A sort of unavoidable fate.
But.
‘Ajos. Charpham.’
Even if corruption was inevitable, there was a way to drastically cut mana costs.
‘Surrender yourselves to me entirely. I become you, and you become me.’
《Synchronization rate increases!》
《Synchronization rate: 500%!》
《Mana consumption decreases greatly according to synchronization rate.》
《Warning! Excessive synchronization may cause ‘mental corruption.’》
—
“Gaaaaaahhh!”
Fwoooosh!
With a scream, the last Incarnation was burned away.
《The match has ended.》
《Winner: ‘Nameless Man’!》
《Record: 169 consecutive wins! The Champion retains his seat!》
All prepared sacrifices, all Incarnations, were dead.
Balzac stared silently at the shadow warrior.
He had thought it was enough, yet it wasn’t.
But more than that.
“You… are not human.”
Balzac was certain.
The more the battles went on, the more its true nature became visible.
That shadow wasn’t human.
It was something merged with a human.
At first, they had been separate.
But at some point, they had become one.
Balzac pondered what to call such a thing.
Ssssss—
Black smoke surged around Ajos.
The sound of a strange beast’s cry echoed.
The once-separated parts had completely fused into one.
For an instant, the surface of Balzac’s skin twitched.
He didn’t understand why, but it was unmistakable tension.
Balzac wasn’t supposed to know fear.
Yet what was this shiver?
“Ah… Ah….”
Balzac nodded.
At last, he understood.
Over time, it had gradually changed.
And now, it had fully evolved.
Yes, it had evolved.
Into none other than.
“You… are like me.”
A fellow ‘Half-Human, Half-Demon.’