Leveling Up With Skills - Chapter 255: The Demon Realm (4)

The Demon King’s castle was immense.

Its walls were covered with sleek, obsidian-like surfaces, and the guards stationed at the entrance radiated strength and authority.

Taesan approached the entrance with anticipation.

The Demon King’s castle.

The place where the Demon King resided.

Would he be an *Immortal*? Or perhaps a *Transcendent*? Maybe even a mortal of unmatched strength.
Whatever he was, there was no way he would be weak, and that thought filled Taesan with excitement.

“Taesan, please allow me to handle things from here. No matter what happens, I ask that you remain still.”

Annetsha lowered her head with a look of apology. Taesan nodded; he had no intention of intervening unnecessarily anyway.

The carriage came to a halt before the guards.

The guards raised their spears.

“Who goes there?”

Annetsha and Quanid stepped out of the carriage. Upon seeing Annetsha’s face, one of the guards grimaced in discomfort.

Taesan’s expression darkened slightly.

The way the guard looked at Annetsha was filled with disdain and unease.

“The princess of the fallen Vekeseta… What brings you here?”

“I’ve come to see the Demon King.”

“The Demon King? Why?”

The guard’s tone was more interrogation than inquiry.

Annetsha seemed accustomed to this treatment and answered calmly.

“I come by the Demon God’s command.”

“The Demon God?”

The guard’s expression wavered.

Annetsha glanced subtly at Taesan, signaling him to step forward. Taesan did so without hesitation.

“…A human!”

*Clang!*

The guards brandished their weapons immediately, their eyes filled with suspicion as they stared at him. Annetsha quickly tried to calm them.

“He is here on the Demon God’s orders. He is not our enemy.”

“…Wait here. I will summon someone to decide.”

One of the guards ran inside the castle.

The remaining guards kept their weapons raised, continuing to glare at Taesan and Annetsha with hostility.

This was no way to treat a princess, not even one from a ruined kingdom.

Before long, the first guard returned, accompanied by several knights clad in black armor.

The knights exuded power.

By normal standards, they were formidable—perhaps even comparable to Quanid’s current strength.

“So, Annetsha. You say you’ve come on the Demon God’s orders.”

“Yes. I have a request for the Demon King.”

Her tone was composed. One of the knights clicked his tongue, annoyed.

“What a hassle. Follow me.”

The knight turned roughly, not bothering to show even the slightest courtesy or respect.

Annetsha smiled softly.

“Come this way, Taesan.”

Taesan followed silently, watching the knights out of the corner of his eye.

As they walked through the castle, he noticed attendants and servants moving about. They greeted the knights with polite bows, but when their gazes fell upon Annetsha, they quickly turned to expressions of disdain.

After bowing, the servants began whispering to each other. Their voices were low, but Taesan’s sharp hearing picked up every word with ease.

“She’s here again to beg for the Demon King’s favor?”

“How shameless, after abandoning the people she was supposed to protect.”

Not a single kind word was spoken about Annetsha.

As they continued down the corridor, the knight leading them grumbled.

“She should have just stayed in that old folks’ village. Using the Demon God’s name to bother us like this…”

“Hey.”

Quanid smiled darkly.

“Do you want to die? I’ve been holding back because our position isn’t great, but there’s a limit to my patience.”

A menacing aura leaked from Quanid.

The knights immediately responded, unleashing their own energy in return.

“Still the same lowborn filth. You dare release your aura inside the Demon King’s castle? Are you mad?”

“You can hate the princess all you want, but this is crossing the line.”

Quanid ground his teeth.

“If I hadn’t lost my power, I would’ve killed every last one of you.”

The knight sneered.

“Big talk from a failure who couldn’t even descend through the labyrinth.”

His voice was dripping with scorn.

“She’s not even one of us. She’s a demon from another world. We should’ve exiled her or made her a slave. The only reason she’s still here is because the Demon God took pity on her. And yet, here she is, abusing her name to gain access to the castle. She should be grateful we haven’t thrown her into the dungeon.”

The knight sneered even more viciously.

“That goes for you too, Quanid. Be thankful for the mercy the Demon God has already shown you. Don’t push your luck.”

Quanid let out a hollow laugh.

“And you.”

The knight’s cold gaze shifted to Taesan.

“You’re no different, human.”

Though he tried to maintain his composure, the knight’s expression darkened with clear hostility.

“Because of the Demon God’s orders, I won’t lay a hand on you. But if you cause any trouble, I won’t hesitate to act.”

Taesan met his gaze with an emotionless stare.

The knight froze.

For a moment, he felt an overwhelming chill and instinctively reached for his sword—only to stop himself and continue leading the way.

The knights escorted them to a large chamber and left, stating that they would inform the Demon King.

Quanid slumped into a sofa, grumbling.

“Princess, you really need to be more assertive. They’ll have to obey no matter what, since it’s the Demon God’s command. Why do you let them treat you like this?”

Annetsha smiled bitterly.

“I can’t help it. What they’re saying is true.”

She sighed quietly.

“Unlike you, I’m not one of the demons of this realm. I’m just a stranger here.”

“Princess…”

Meanwhile, Taesan absentmindedly turned a teacup in his hand. The cup was adorned with extravagant gemstones—far more luxurious than necessary, even for a royal residence.

“Doesn’t seem like they treat you very well.”

“You noticed?” Quanid snorted.

“The demons here care a lot about bloodlines. They despise demons from other worlds and look down on anyone who isn’t of noble lineage.”

“Sounds just like humans.”

“Any creature that claims to have intelligence ends up like this. And the princess’s case is especially complicated.”

Quanid clicked his tongue.

“Technically, the princess has a noble bloodline. But because she comes from another world, the demons here look down on her even more. They think that as the ‘true’ demons of the Demon Realm, they’re superior to even someone of royal blood.”

Taesan listened quietly.

“And to top it off, the Demon God summoned her here personally. That’s made a lot of demons jealous. They hate her even more because she has the Demon God’s favor.”

Bloodlines, prejudice against outsiders, and jealousy.

The demons really were no different from humans.

Taesan’s expression grew colder.

“This is all so tedious.”

“I’m sorry, Taesan.”

Annetsha lowered her head apologetically.

“Because you’re human, anything we do could give them an excuse to interfere. That’s why I asked you to stay quiet.”

“You don’t need to apologize.”

They waited.

But even after an hour, no one returned.

Quanid chuckled bitterly.

“They’re really dragging this out. Don’t they feel any shame?”

“Um… Taesan, Quanid.”

Annetsha stood up, her face slightly flushed.

“Could you excuse me for a moment?”

“Oh.”

Taesan immediately understood what she meant and nodded.

“Go ahead.”

“Thank you.”

Annetsha left the room.

Now, only Taesan and Quanid remained. Quanid broke the silence first.

“Still, it’s a relief.”

“What is?”

“It’s the first time I’ve seen the princess look so happy.”

“Really?”

“Yeah. When I first met her, there was always a shadow over her face. She’d smile in front of others, but when she was alone, she seemed weighed down by sadness. Honestly, I was a little worried. But ever since you arrived, she’s been so much brighter.”

Taesan quietly absorbed Quanid’s words.

“Does the Demon God not intervene?”

The Demon God—Lucifer—had personally summoned Annetsha to the Demon Realm.
It was clear the Demon God cared about her to some extent, given that she had given Taesan a trial with Annetsha in mind.

But it didn’t seem like the Demon God had done anything for her since.

Quanid shrugged.

“The Demon God is a transcendent being. We’re all her children, but it’s not in her nature to take sides. As long as no physical harm is being done, she won’t get involved.”

It made sense. The Demon God was a revered deity among the demons. Even those who despised Annetsha still showed respect to the Demon God.

In such a situation, it was unlikely that the Demon God would show favoritism, even if Annetsha was being mistreated.

At least not *directly*.

‘What is it that she wants from me?’

The Demon God knew that Taesan wouldn’t abandon the trial.

But showing him all of this—what exactly was her intention?

After a while, Annetsha returned.

Taesan looked at her.

In her original world, she had lost everything at the hands of the gods.

Her family, her friends—everyone she knew had perished. In the end, even those she trusted betrayed her.

Then, she had been summoned to the Demon Realm.

Thrown into a foreign place, knowing no one.

And here, too, she was scorned. They blamed her for surviving and for failing to protect those she was supposed to save.

What must it feel like?

Annetsha noticed Taesan’s gaze and gave him a soft, reassuring smile.

“I’m fine.”

Her eyes sparkled with quiet confidence.

“Because you’re here, Taesan.”

Taesan had hoped for a trial of strength when he came to the Demon King’s castle. But instead, he was met with petty politics.

It was not the kind of challenge he found interesting.

The door opened, and the knight returned.

“Come. The Demon King will see you now.”

They were led to a massive set of doors.

The knight warned them sternly.

“The one you are about to meet is the Demon King. Any foolish behavior will be severely punished. Tread carefully.”

*Creaaaak.*

The doors opened.

At the end of the long hall, the Demon King sat upon his throne.

A man with curly black hair cascading down to his neck looked down at them with a displeased expression.

Surrounding him were dozens of knights.

Each of them was powerful.

They were all at least on par with someone at the 20th floor of the labyrinth. That kind of strength was nearly unmatched in the outside world.

And the Demon King himself was far stronger.

‘Even at his peak, Quanid wouldn’t stand a chance.’

The Demon King’s strength surpassed the 50th floor level of the labyrinth.

But that was all.

Taesan’s eyes grew even colder.

The Demon King addressed Annetsha.

“So, you’ve come on the Demon God’s command.”

“Yes.”

Annetsha responded calmly.

“You plan to head for the Forsaken Land. You know what lies there, I assume.”

“I am aware.”

“Many demons have ventured to that cursed place, only to never return. Why should I believe you’ll fare any better?”

The Demon King’s voice was heavy with irritation.

“The Demon God must be awfully fond of you. Even though it’s her order, I can’t let you die in vain.”

The corners of the Demon King’s lips twisted.

“She must pity you, to descend from her throne and personally watch over you.”

His expression was tainted with jealousy.

It was clear he resented the idea that the Demon God had taken an interest in a demon from another world.

Taesan’s gaze grew colder still.

Everything about this encounter was falling far short of his expectations. Annetsha remained composed as she asked.

“What do you want from us, then?”

“Prove your strength.”

*Boom!*

The knights slammed their swords into the ground in unison.

Their combined energy surged, pressing down on Annetsha, Quanid, and Taesan.

The Demon King clenched his fist, and his power joined in, increasing the pressure. Annetsha’s expression hardened, and Quanid let out a dry laugh.

“So, this is what took you so long? Setting up this ridiculous barrier?”

It was a formation designed to amplify the strength of those within it. With the combined power of dozens of knights and the Demon King himself, the pressure was overwhelming.

Annetsha gritted her teeth, and Quanid was visibly struggling, his entire body weighed down by the force.

“If you can’t withstand this, I’ll inform the Demon God. I’ll tell her that you’ll only die if you venture to the Forsaken Land, and that she should show mercy by sparing you.”

The Demon King smirked.

He despised Annetsha.

Though she was technically of his bloodline, she was from another world, making her a potential threat to his legitimacy and succession.

What he resented most, however, was the fact that the Demon God seemed to favor her over him.

He prided himself on being the Demon God’s most loyal servant. He believed, without a doubt, that the Demon God valued him more than even her apostles.

And yet, she had brought this outsider—this otherworldly princess—into the Demon Realm.

The Demon King could not tolerate it.

He wanted to make Annetsha falter. He wanted her to disappoint the Demon God.

He poured his strength into the barrier, believing that neither Annetsha nor Quanid could withstand it. He wasn’t sure how strong the human with them was, but he was confident that no one present was stronger than him.

He intended to crush them.

Then, he would inform the Demon God that they were unworthy.

He was certain that the Demon God wouldn’t dismiss the word of the Demon King so easily. He was determined to see Annetsha fall from the Demon God’s grace.

As he reveled in his own schemes, his gaze landed on Taesan.

‘What…?’

The Demon King’s face stiffened.

Within the crushing force of the barrier, Taesan stood calmly, staring back at him with indifference.

There was no sign of strain on his face.

The Demon King poured more power into the barrier, focusing it directly on Taesan.

The pressure inside the barrier was immense—enough to burden even the Demon King himself.

Yet Taesan’s expression remained unchanged.

The Demon King’s confidence began to waver.

Taesan muttered under his breath.

“Everything here is disappointing.”

There was no excitement.

The demons were no different from humans. And the Demon King fell far short of his expectations.

The ghost chimed in.

[The Demon King in my world was abnormally powerful. This is more typical. Honestly, this one isn’t bad for his level.]

In truth, the ghost wasn’t wrong. For someone with power equivalent to the 50th floor of the labyrinth, the Demon King’s strength was immense—enough to be considered the ruler of an entire world.

[You just had unrealistic expectations.]

“I see.”

Taesan’s cold gaze locked onto the now-disconcerted Demon King.

“You wanted to see our strength, right? I’ll show you.”

Since gaining control over his demonic energy, there was one thing Taesan had become capable of.

He summoned his demonic energy, weaving it with his spirit.

—

**[You activate Apostle Transformation: Blended Spiritual Force.]**
**[You activate Raum’s Emotional Disturbance.]**

—

“What?!”

The Demon King’s eyes widened in disbelief.

The barrier shattered like fragile glass, and Taesan’s overwhelming aura surged outward.