Chapter 438

[Tower of Trials, 44th Floor]

Guntafer’s territory—no, what used to be his territory—was utterly devastated.

‘Crackle… crackle…’

The embers of flames still lingered, refusing to die out.

The landscape resembled a place struck by a nuclear shower. Massive craters dotted the ground, their size overwhelming.

At the center of it all stood a half-destroyed building—Guntafer’s personal palace.

“What’s the damage?”

Guntafer asked in a cold, detached tone.

The demons standing to his left and right flinched and trembled.

The damage was far greater than they’d imagined. To speak of it plainly might provoke his wrath, yet remaining silent was not an option either.

One of the demons mustered the courage to respond.

“The 15th and 22nd Divisions were annihilated in the initial battle with the Kraken, and three count-level high-ranking demons were killed. Later, the Lich Mage Corps intervened, but—”

“I already know the losses in personnel. Report on whether the damage impacts my plans.”

“Yes… Yes! Well, the Helliar Den has been obliterated.”

“…The Den? Are you saying even the Queen was killed?”

“Yes, that’s correct.”

‘Thwack!’

The reporting demon’s head was instantly severed.

The headless body wavered before collapsing to the ground.

“Damn it…”

Guntafer’s face twisted grotesquely in rage.

Troops could always be replenished.

But Helliar was no ordinary beast. It was a superior species, a rare kind.

Despite being over five meters tall, it possessed incredible agility and speed, excelling in group combat.

It had been Guntafer’s secret weapon, cultivated with utmost care.

‘Those creatures were essential if I ever hoped to ascend to demon lord…’

The Queen, who could lay one egg per month, was now dead, and everything had gone up in smoke.

And it was all because of one man—Kang Jinhyuk.

“Hmph. It seems we arrived at a rather inconvenient time.”

A new voice interrupted his thoughts.

Across from Guntafer, a deity shrugged her shoulders.

A woman of lean stature, holding a golden shield and spear.

It was Athena, the Goddess of Victory, who had come to the Demon Realm as a representative of Olympus.

Beside her stood Ares, the God of War, similarly armed and exuding an imposing aura.

“My apologies for showing such a disgraceful sight to guests who traveled from afar,” Guntafer said, slightly bowing his head.

“No need to apologize. Seeing the situation here, it’s understandable why you’d be troubled,” Athena replied.

“Indeed, it’s as if that human alone has caused more damage than the entirety of Ragnarok.”

The two deities scanned their surroundings, their expressions heavy.

It was impossible not to feel the sheer devastation—the kind that could only be wrought by a disaster of the highest magnitude within the Tower.

At that moment—

‘Vwoom!’

The final member of the meeting arrived.

‘Step.’

The footsteps were heavy.

It was Hastings, a senior administrator.

“…I see you’ve all arrived ahead of me.”

But something was different about Hastings’ appearance.

“Administrator Hastings, what happened to your left arm? And that scar on your face… It looks serious.”

Guntafer’s brows furrowed deeply.

A senior administrator sustaining such injuries? It was almost unthinkable.

Even the most deranged individuals rarely dared to target a senior administrator. Few forces in the Tower even possessed the capability to do so.

“The state of my appearance is irrelevant. Set your curiosity aside,” Hastings snapped coldly.

His sharp reaction was understandable.

…This was the result of his unwavering loyalty.

His left arm and right eye.

Relics of ancient entities had taken them as punishment for repeated failures.

While his life had been spared, the loss was too devastating to find solace.

‘If I fail once more, I may not survive.’

The memory of Nyarlathotep carving away his flesh while he was still alive haunted him.

Swallowing hard, Hastings finally spoke.

“Based on information I gathered independently, the remnants of Ragnarok have contacted the Egyptian deities.”

“What…?”

“Is that true?”

Athena and Ares exclaimed in shock.

For Olympus, which had been tracking the remnants of Ragnarok, their movements were of utmost concern.

“It’s confirmed.”

“So they’ve gone to them…?”

“Yes. Likely to form an alliance.”

“But those two forces have had no prior connections, right? Especially given that Ragnarok has lost its foundation, why would the Egyptians even consider such an alliance?”

There was nothing to gain, and such a move might provoke the remaining factions.

Egypt wouldn’t accept such a risky alliance.

However, unlike the Olympus deities, Guntafer’s mind pushed one step further.

“…That would be true if there wasn’t a third party involved. But as you all know, every major shift among the factions so far has been orchestrated by him.”

He provided reasons for alliances, methods to amplify strengths, and solutions to mutual problems.

For example, he might have discovered a way to hatch the ancient eggs held by Egypt.

Moreover, with the Demon Realm in disarray, it was the perfect time for him to make his move.

“Administrator Hastings, isn’t that why you gathered us here?”

“Indeed. I, too, believe Kang Jinhyuk is behind all of this.”

“Then we must crush this budding alliance before it can fully bloom,” Guntafer said, waving his hand lightly.

‘Fwoosh!’

With a burst of flames, a succubus appeared, her limbs bound.

“Hah… Hah…”

Remia gasped for breath, her chest heaving violently.

Her unfocused pupils contracted and dilated repeatedly, as if in a trance.

“Conveniently, it’s time for the humans to ascend to the 30th floor.”

The 30th floor held one of the most unique features among all the levels of the Tower of Trials.

“If we use this filthy traitor and the unique characteristics of that floor, we can catch them off guard.”

If the opponent was planning to make the first move, they simply needed to act two steps ahead.

When it came to strategy, confidence was never an issue.

From a low-ranking demon to a general in the Demon Army, Guntafer had risen through countless wars and intrigues.

—

‘Chirp! Chirp! Chirp!’

Birds sang under the warm sunlight.

“Such peace,” Jinhyuk murmured as he gazed at the street filled with autumn leaves.

Spending time outside the Tower for once, everything felt relaxed and unhurried.

Especially with a warm Americano and a slice of tiramisu cake on the table.

“Oooh! What is this? It melts in my mouth!”

Alice’s eyes sparkled as she savored her food.

The croffle, smothered in Nutella—dubbed the food of devils—was topped with vanilla ice cream, making it irresistibly delicious.

Having already polished off seven plates, Alice’s attention shifted to a cream-filled bread stuffed with red bean paste. A pile of macarons beside her was just a bonus.

“This is great and all, but if you keep eating like that, you’re going to start rolling instead of flying.”

“Are you talking to me?”

“Yeah. A vampire who can’t fly sounds a bit tragic, don’t you think?”

“Hmph! What do you take me for? No matter how much I eat, I always maintain my slim figure.”

Alice puffed out her chest proudly.

Hmm…

Jinhyuk wasn’t so sure.

“Then why does it look like your belly is saying hello over here?”

Jinhyuk poked her stomach with a spoon.

Her soft, pale skin jiggled slightly.

“W-What do you think you’re doing…! Huh? Wait… is that real? When did I—how did I get belly fat…?”

Alice hurriedly ran to the mirror, her face full of shock.

She returned moments later, staggering as if the weight of the world had crushed her.

“Want some more chocolate? The powdered sugar version is the shop owner’s recommendation.”

“C-Contractor… just get me chicken breast salad with cherry tomatoes.”

“Dressing?”

“N-No dressing. That would be excessive.”

Alice hung her head as if she’d lost everything.

She looked genuinely pitiful.

At most, she’d gained maybe a kilogram, but Jinhyuk’s playful comment seemed to have dealt her a serious blow.

At that moment—

“Oh? This is unlike you. Quite a fancy café you’ve found.”

“Sorry we’re late. The traffic was terrible,” Chun Yoosung and Teresa said as they entered the café.

Clad in black and beige long coats, the two looked like movie stars.

“Wow…”

“Look over there. It’s Chun Yoosung, the Sword Saint.”

“He’s so handsome, my goodness…”

“It’s really him. He looks even better in person.”

“Teresa’s here, too. She’s a celebrity you only see on streams.”

“And isn’t that the entire Veteran Corporation over there?”

A stir swept through the café as murmurs grew louder.

With such high-profile figures gathered, it was inevitable that they drew attention.

“This makes it difficult to hold a meeting peacefully.”

“Should we move to a quieter place?” Teresa suggested.

“No, this is perfect. Wait, hold on! Just stay put for a moment,” Jinhyuk quickly intervened as the two prepared to leave.

If they left now, everything would fall apart.

“This feels shady… What scheme are you up to this time?” Chun Yoosung asked, narrowing his eyes.

“Scheme? It’s nothing like that. I’m just being honest…”

Jinhyuk trailed off as he glanced at his watch.

It was almost time.

Just then—

‘Vroooom!’

The sound of powerful engines filled the air.

White sports cars, resembling spaceships, parked one after another in front of the café.

Porsche Taycan Turbo S models.

‘Screech!’

Chun Yoosung instinctively half-drew his sword.

“Choose your next words carefully. What’s with those cars?”

If Jinhyuk gave the wrong answer, the café might turn into a battleground.

“Haha… Well, a sponsor from a company offered them. They said they’d give us the cars for free if our members showed up driving them.”

“So… we came all this way just for car promotions?”

“Well, not just that. Yoosung, calm down! Ow, I’m bleeding!” Jinhyuk yelped as he stumbled backward.

“This was at the request of Chairman Han Sangjin. Besides, we’re getting items we’ll need to tackle the 30th floor as part of the deal.”

“Chairman Han Sangjin? Really?”

The blade eased away from Jinhyuk’s neck slightly.

Thanks to the chairman’s reputation, Chun Yoosung seemed willing to hear him out.

“Yes! He’s even planning to stop by later. Do you think I’d accept such a deal out of selfishness?”

“So, all we have to do is take some photos?”

“Well… there’s a little more to it.”

Jinhyuk pulled out the outfits provided by the sponsor.

Racing cars needed matching attire, after all.

The conditions stipulated that Chun Yoosung, Teresa, and Alice had to wear these outfits.

“Just… kill me.”

“I’ll slice you in half, Jinhyuk.”

“What disgrace! This is an insult to the honor of the Ataraxia family!”

The trio’s fury turned toward Jinhyuk.

But—

‘Clunk!’

An unexpected interruption arrived at that precise moment.

It wasn’t a group of customers or reporters seeking to interview the Veteran Corporation.

Nor was it Chairman Han Sangjin.

Men in black suits and sunglasses entered.

Their white gloves bore black crosses as stark contrasts.