Chapter 103: The Lamb of the Demon God

Transcendental skills. Divinity. It was the first time seeing such a type of skill.

 

And then there was Demigod Theory. It seemed to be a skill related to gods.

 

He wanted to check it out, but there was something he needed to do first.

 

Taesan flew back to the demon village. There, he saw numerous demons and Annetsha, who was captured.

 

“Lord Taesan!”

 

Annetsha brightened upon seeing Taesan. In contrast, the demons turned gloomy.

 

“Ha, haha…”

 

Artnekia let out a hollow laugh.

 

“Has the messenger of god… been defeated?”

 

“What will you do now?”

 

“…”

 

Staring blankly at Taesan, Artnekia finally spoke.

 

“If a being like you had come just a bit earlier…”

 

A hint of resentment lingered in his words.

 

With a bitter smile, Artnekia nodded to the demons.

 

“Let’s all go.”

 

“What? No!”

 

Annetsha tried to stop them hastily, but the demons were quick. They pulled out daggers hidden in their clothes and stabbed themselves in the throat.

 

Their movements, devoid of any fear or resistance, were filled with resignation. Fifty demons died that way.

 

“Ah, aaaaaah!”

 

Annetsha ran to their bodies, wailing.

 

The demons had forsaken their god, whom they believed in and from whom they originated, and even attempted to sacrifice their princess. Such determination couldn’t have been easy.

 

They were prepared to die if they failed, and they kept their promise.

 

The princess numbly looked down at the bodies of her kin.

 

“What is this…”

 

Her voice cracked. She couldn’t help but let out a laugh, a hollow, empty laughter.

 

The kin she had struggled to find betrayed her, her god.

 

“Lord Taesan…”

 

Annetsha, reaching out to Taesan, lowered her hand.

 

Taesan would leave eventually. He was not someone who could stay with her.

 

Now, she was utterly alone.

 

There was no safe place for her.

 

Taesan asked her.

 

“Do you still believe in your god?”

 

“…”

 

Unlike before, Annetsha didn’t answer immediately.

 

With her head bowed in despair, she barely opened her mouth.

 

“…Yes.”

 

She bit her lip.

 

“I still… believe in Her.”

 

With her somber words, darkness descended.

 

A dense, thick power spread across the world. The darkness engulfed the village, tenderly wrapping around the bodies of the demons.

 

“Ah?”

 

Annetsha looked up, surprised.

 

Darkness took form before her.

 

[My child.]

 

The darkness, taking the shape of a small girl, caressed Annetsha’s cheek. Annetsha’s eyes wavered.

 

“Demon God…?”

 

[I am sorry.]

 

Lucifer’s voice was laden with deep regret and gratitude.

 

[And thank you. When everyone else despaired and abandoned me, you alone did not lose your faith in me. Do you know how grateful a god can be for that?]

 

“Demon God?”

 

Annetsha couldn’t calm her turmoil.

 

[A token of my gratitude, child. I will grant you anything you wish for.]

 

Annetsha’s eyes widened.

 

Lucifer whispered to her.

 

[Do you desire revenge? Or do you wish to meet your father?]

 

“…I.”

 

Annetsha, looking up at Lucifer, spoke.

 

“What will happen to those who abandoned you?”

 

[They cannot return to me at least.]

 

The demons originated from the Demon God. Not being able to return to the Demon God meant being abandoned by everything.

 

Annetsha’s shaking subsided.

 

“Then please embrace them into Your fold, great Demon God.”

 

At Annetsha’s words, Lucifer smiled.

 

[Very well.]

 

Darkness enveloped Annetsha.

 

[Come with me.]

 

And then the darkness exploded. Taesan’s vision was completely engulfed in black.

 

When his vision returned, they were in the palace of the Demon God.

 

Back to where he first met the Demon God, who was sitting majestically on her throne as before.

 

The Demon God spoke.

 

[The quest was a success, Kang Taesan.] [Sub-quest completed.]

 

A completion window appeared.

 

“Was this your aim from the beginning?”

 

Where is Annetsha safe?

 

Initially, he thought it was the land where the demons gathered. But that was a trap. At least in Begweseta, there was no place for Annetsha.

 

Upon reflection, it was a simple matter.

 

The safest place for a demon was beside the Demon God.

 

“If you could descend, why didn’t you end it sooner?”

 

[I was waiting for the right timing. There was only one who believed in me left, so there was no need to worry about the aftermath. And you made an opening by prompting Harmon to send down an angel. It worked out very well.]

 

Lucifer’s lips curved up satisfactorily.

 

“Is this the end?”

 

The quest was completed. But Lucifer shook her head.

 

[It can’t be. You did well. More than enough.]

 

There was a faint emotion in Lucifer’s gaze toward Taesan.

 

[So, I’ll show you something interesting.]

 

Lucifer rose from her throne, and the palace receded. Suddenly, they stood in an empty expanse.

 

[Look over there.]

 

Taesan followed Lucifer’s direction.

 

A planet was visible. Blends of blue, white, and green hues created a stunningly beautiful sight.

 

‘The universe?’

 

[That’s Begweseta. A world no longer mine.]

 

Lucifer let out a chilling laugh as she extended her hand.

 

A massive wave of darkness surged out, slowly stretching towards Begweseta, eventually enveloping it completely.

 

[Oh…]

 

A sigh of loss seemed to escape.

 

[Now.]

 

Lucifer clenched her fist.

 

The darkness condensed, pressing down on the star. Golden light sparked through the darkness in resistance.

 

[This world is mine!]

 

A furious voice echoed from Begweseta.

 

[It’s yours now!] [Yes. Now it’s yours.]

 

Lucifer laughed, increasing the pressure with her fist.

 

[Die with what’s yours.]

 

Crack.

 

The star collapsed. The planet crumpled like a deflated plastic bottle.

 

The compressed star continued to shrink until the furious voice could no longer be heard.

 

After a moment, there was no longer a planet to speak of, just a compressed lump of rock.

 

[It’s truly over now.]

 

Lucifer murmured with a sense of relief.

 

Back in Lucifer’s palace, Taesan couldn’t hold back his question.

 

“Did you need to call me for this?”

 

A monster in every sense of the word.

 

She had crushed a star, a planet, without hesitation.

 

There was resistance, not that it was absent. An entity thought to be Harmon resisted fiercely with golden energy, but was quickly crushed by Lucifer’s power.

 

The difference in strength was like that between a child and an adult. It was clear Lucifer could have handled it alone without needing Taesan.

 

[If I destroy that world, everything that’s mine won’t return to me. Souls, lives, wills. All would dissipate. I can’t stand that.]

 

“Is that Annetsha?”

 

[Yes.]

 

Lucifer smiled.

 

[A poor child. And a grateful one. Despite being abandoned and suffering, she never let go of her heart towards me. Saving such a child isn’t bad.]

 

A thought flashed through Taesan’s mind.

 

They say diamonds are refined by striking each other. The gems shatter each other to reveal their beauty.

 

At the end, countless gems are discarded, leaving only one beautiful gem behind.

 

Lucifer leaned back on her throne.

 

[I’ll express my gratitude. Kang Taesan. It’s very rare for me to show gratitude.]

 

“Is that so?”

 

Taesan brushed off his thoughts. Whatever the answer, it was now irrelevant to him.

 

[Also, she wanted me to say thank you and that she’s sorry.]

 

“Is that so?”

 

Annetsha was embraced by the Demon God.

 

They would likely never meet again. Taesan quickly sorted through his feelings.

 

Lucifer, with a light demeanor, despite having destroyed a world, began to speak.

 

[You’ve satisfactorily cleared my quest. Now, it’s time for your reward.]

 

Dark energy flowed from Lucifer’s hand into Taesan.

 

[You have gained demonic energy.] [You have learned [Dark Magic].]

 

A distinct power enveloped Taesan. Something dark took its place within him.

 

[Check your status window.]

 

Following Lucifer’s instruction, Taesan opened his status window.

 

[Kang Taesan] [Level: 45] [Shield: 207/207] [Health: 2400/2400] [Mana: 526/526] [Demonic Energy: 10/10] [Strength: 835] [Intelligence: 562] [Agility: 732] [Attack Power +93] [Defense +115] [The subject is in optimal condition.]

 

His level and heroic stature had increased, significantly boosting his stats after defeating the angel. And now, demonic energy was listed right below mana.

 

[The basic acquisition method is the same as the other elements. It increases as your level does. But that would be somewhat unsatisfying, right?]

 

Taesan’s level wasn’t low. Progressing from here might not mean much.

 

[So, consider this a service.]

 

Power once again infused Taesan.

 

[You have learned the special always-active skill [Dark Plunder].] [It’s similar to the skill Balzahar gave you. Each time you kill an enemy, your demonic energy will gradually increase.]

 

With such a skill, using demonic energy would be much more convenient. Taesan gratefully accepted.

 

[And I’ll give you a title.]

 

Lucifer conjured a seal of darkness in front of her. It imprinted itself on the back of Taesan’s hand.

 

[You have acquired the title [Favored by the Demon God].]

 

Lucifer explained.

 

[Pray to me, and you can learn dark magic. Of course, it’s not for free. Just like with the god of magic, you must offer something to me. It’s even better if it’s related to demonic energy.]

 

Just like with the god of magic, items related to the deity seemed to have increased value.

 

[And I’ll give you a bit more service.] [You have learned the basic dark magic [Decarabia’s Twisted Flora].] [You have acquired the foundational dark magic [Raum’s Emotional Turmoil].]

 

One basic and one foundational dark magic spell. An unexpected bounty.

 

Taesan received more than he thought. He expressed his gratitude.

 

“Thank you, Demon God.”

 

[Hmmph. That’s enough.]

 

The Demon God snorted, showing a strangely emotional side.

 

[Now, there’s only one thing left, right?]

 

Taesan nodded.

 

He had asked the Demon God for one more thing before going to Begweseta, and she had agreed. The Demon God began to speak.

 

[The beings that destroyed your world. To cut to the chase, your guess is correct. They were transcendents from birth, now known as High Gods.]

 

Taesan’s eyebrows twitched. Although he had suspected, hearing confirmation from the god made his feelings complex.

 

Lucifer continued calmly.

 

[Born strong. Thus, they never understood the hearts of mortals. Once, all gods of the world were High Gods. We took their places, sealed them away. I was no exception.]

 

Lucifer raised her hand. Dark, dense energy gathered there.

 

[There was a Demon God before me. He was a Demon God from birth. Those who couldn’t stand a god who was indifferent towards them worshipped a young girl as a deity, and through various processes, that girl became a god.]

 

Lucifer clenched her fist, shattering the darkness with a grunt.

 

[To take a child who hasn’t even aged and call her a god. Adults can be so irresponsible, don’t you think?]

 

“I wouldn’t know.”

 

[Hmph. Boring.]

 

Lucifer muttered discontentedly. High Gods trampled his world. Naturally, a question arose.

 

“Why did they trample our world?”

 

[There’s a flaw in that question.]

 

Lucifer said calmly.

 

[It wasn’t just your world. 258. That’s the number of worlds destroyed by High Gods.]