Chapter 457

“A gift, you say?”

Amidst the murmurs, a voice rang out.

Every barbarian in the hall was formidable in their own right, but this one was on another level entirely.

Not just in terms of physical prowess—his mana was overwhelming as well.

Rumble…

A menacing aura radiated from a massive figure, almost making one question whether he was truly human.

This man…?

Jinhyuk activated [Gluttony’s Eye].

Ding!

[Character Information]

Name: Pudalak
Level: ???
Unique Ability: Earthquake
Skills: ‘Muscle Manipulation’ Lv28, ‘Pain Suppression’ Lv27, ‘Limit Break’ Lv27, ‘Tenacious Vitality’ Lv26…

Copy Condition: The Barbarian King, Pudalak, is a stubborn tyrant who has walked a single path his entire life. To copy his abilities, you must pass the barbarian’s coming-of-age ceremony. (Note: The difficulty level is equivalent to that of the official heir to the throne.)

A man who would rather freeze to death than wear a shirt.

A macho warrior who believes that spitting and sleeping is enough to heal broken limbs.

That was Pudalak, King of the Barbarians.

While information on this floor was limited compared to others, Jinhyuk had enough clues to form a solid plan.

“You must be the king?”

“Hmm? What makes you think so?”

What kind of question was that?

Jinhyuk coated his words with flattery.

“Because among all the warriors gathered here, you have the most magnificent muscles. As a fellow man, I’d love to train with you sometime.”

“…Hoho.”

Pudalak’s lips twitched.

He was trying hard to suppress a smile.

“You’re not completely blind, I see. However, with that weak body of yours, you’re at least a hundred… no, ten thousand years too early to have a conversation with me.”

“Your Majesty, ten thousand years is longer than a hundred.”

“Is that so?”

“Heh. I read it in a great historical text just yesterday.”

“A library? You actually went to one?”

“Incredible.”

“As expected of the elders. To distinguish between a hundred and ten thousand—surely, that means you’ve counted more than you can hold in your hands.”

“Thank you. Then let’s go with a hundred years. Regardless, you must pass my test before we can talk.”

Pudalak nodded, correcting himself.

These damned muscleheads.

First, the gatekeeper at the entrance.

Then, the female warrior guarding the palace.

Every single one of them had said, “Just pass this test and you’re in.”

Yet none of them kept their word.

Seriously, if they were going to do this, why even have tests in the first place?

Jinhyuk rubbed his throbbing temple with his fingers.

Honestly, he felt like handing these idiots over to Guntafer and tricking them into drinking poison disguised as an elixir of immortality.

“So what do I have to do this time? A test of strength, perhaps?”

“Puhahaha! A fragile human like you fighting me in a contest of strength? That’s not even an option!”

Apparently, he didn’t even qualify based on appearance alone.

And it wasn’t like he could just punch his way through this—

At that moment.

“Step aside for a moment.”

Step.

Someone walked forward from behind Jinhyuk.

All eyes turned toward them.

“Hmm. Judging people solely by their appearance? Is that the law of this world? Then I suppose your wonderful muscles must be crying in shame.”

“You…?”

“This cannot be…!”

The hall fell silent.

“To maintain a body like that at your age… You didn’t just smear yourself with mud or something, did you?”

Even Pudalak’s eyes widened in surprise.

“Heh. Are you doubting this body of mine?”

Rip—!

The Dark Emperor’s shirt shredded apart.

The fabric couldn’t withstand the sheer expansion of his muscles.

And then—

His perfectly sculpted bronze physique was revealed to the world.

Muscles so dense that they seemed impervious to even a blade.

A human fortress of pure power.

“…Magnificent.”

There was no denying it.

He was a man worthy of standing in this kingdom.

“This one is a true warrior, recognized by me. He may appear weak, but he is stronger than anyone here.”

“Is that so?”

“I swear it upon my honor.”

A true warrior and another true warrior needed no words.

They could communicate through their eyes alone.

“…Fine. I will hear what you have to say.”

With that, the first hurdle was cleared.

Now, all that remained was securing the barbarians before Guntafer could make his move.

“I bring a gift for the barbarians and a proposal to make.”

Jinhyuk slowly began to speak.

⁕ ⁕ ⁕

“Hmm. So this is the so-called kingdom of the barbarians?”

“Tch, calling this filthy dump a kingdom… Is it really legit?”

“Well, our guide says so. Might as well go along with it.”

The elite demons, sent by the Demon Lords, muttered among themselves.

It was one thing to be ordered here by Guntafer and Mammon to negotiate with the barbarians.

But dealing with such prideful and simple-minded creatures was frustrating, to say the least.

Of course, no one dared to defy the demons or challenge their authority.

The mere fact that the barbarians were even considering this meeting was an insult.

A species ten floors below the demons should never even meet their gaze.

Naturally, their irritation was directed at the one leading them.

“So? You gathered intel using humans, so this place must be real?”

Excension dismissed the doubts with a single remark.

After suffering massive losses due to Jinhyuk, he was now forced to cooperate with the demons.

Though in truth—

He’d rather just kill them all.

‘Still, I can’t deny that infiltrating the human ranks has made things easier.’

Thanks to that, even those pesky Heavenly Demons would soon be out of the picture.

‘I don’t know about the other Demon Lords, but Guntafer is definitely useful.’

Thinking of that, he suppressed his growing irritation.

“So, what’s next? Do we just wipe them all out and negotiate directly with their king?”

“If we’re not forging an alliance but declaring war, then sure, we can just wipe them out.”

“Tch. What a hassle. Then what do you suggest?”

“Barbarians worship strength above all else. And conveniently, we have a demon on our side who won’t lose in terms of sheer size.”

Excension’s gaze shifted.

Standing beside him was Petris, Mammon’s representative.

A demon with four arms and crimson skin, towering at nearly 5 meters tall—his primary role was to crush enemies on the frontlines.

“If he passes their test, he’ll naturally gain access to the king. There’s no need to use force when we have a carrot to offer first.”

“Fine. We were ordered to follow your lead anyway.”

The demons obediently followed Excension’s suggestion.

But then—

Rumble…!

Before they could proceed, a surge of familiar mana rippled from within the barbarian stronghold.

“This…?”

Excension’s pupils trembled violently.

A deafening sound, like something massive being forced open, erupted alongside a sudden storm of power.

There was no doubt.

“That bastard is here.”

“Everyone, move in!”

“What? Didn’t you say we weren’t looking for a direct confrontation—”

“That was before we arrived! That slippery snake is already making his move!”

Excension knew better than anyone—

If Jinhyuk got ahead of them, everything would crumble into dust.

Even if it was risky, they needed to strike first and disrupt his plans.

At the very least, they had to uncover whatever scheme he was brewing.

“Damn it.”

“Charge!”

Boom!

Thud!

The demons launched themselves toward the fortress.

⁕ ⁕ ⁕

Thunk.

Jinhyuk placed an item onto the table.

One of the treasures he had stolen from Guntafer’s vault.

The Essence of Alaktron Root.

The bottle was filled with a shimmering liquid.

Gulp…

“To think I’d see that here… Human! Where did you get your hands on that?”

“I want it. Right now. I must drink it and train immediately!”

“This is a priceless gift for a man…”

The barbarians fidgeted excitedly.

The juice of the Alaktron root was the ultimate essence of strength.

Not only did it increase muscle growth by fivefold, but it pushed workout efficiency to the extreme.

To these gym-obsessed maniacs, nothing in the world was more precious.

Jinhyuk had deliberately chosen this treasure among countless others for this very reason.

“Hmm… Would you be willing to spare a sip? Lately, no matter how much I train, my muscles just won’t grow…”

Even Pudalak was practically drooling.

For someone who initially carried the dignity of a king, he now looked like a greedy child in front of candy.

“I would love to share. Good things should be enjoyed together, right?”

“Exactly!”

“A wise human indeed!”

“He speaks the truth!”

The barbarians’ faces flushed red with excitement.

Had Jinhyuk refused, they might’ve drawn their axes on the spot.

Casually, he pulled the bottle closer to himself.

“But, you see… I went through hell to get this. I lost… a dear comrade along the way.”

His voice sank.

His eyes glistened with unshed tears, as if recalling a tragic loss.

The mood instantly turned somber.

“A comrade… has fallen?”

“Yes…”

Undine.

Even now, she was getting repeatedly electrocuted, set ablaze by lightning.

Her high conductivity meant she was being grilled to perfection.

[Jinhyuk plays a recorded video.]

A projection appeared.

“Ugh… M-Master… Please save me… I will… have my revenge… one day… in a bloody reckoning…”

Black smoke rose from her charred form.

Her tiny hands reached for the sky.

And then—

The video cut off.

Her bloodshot eyes and muttered curses might have seemed odd, but—

These dumb muscleheads would buy this easily.

“Sniff! I too know the pain of losing a comrade!”

“And to part with such a precious treasure… If you do that… as the King of the Barbarians, I swear to grant you anything!”

Hook, line, and sinker.

Jinhyuk wiped away his nonexistent tears and rubbed his hands together.

“Truthfully… we were attacked.”

“In the dead of night, we were ambushed.”

“I lost my training partners, those who spotted me during my heaviest lifts. They… are no more.”

“A cowardly sneak attack?”

“Unforgivable!”

“Warriors must only fight in broad daylight!”

“Everyone knows war is forbidden after two consecutive workout days!”

“They have no honor!”

The barbarians roared in fury.

“And the ones responsible for this are—”

Just as Jinhyuk was about to turn the tables completely—

BOOM!

The palace gates exploded.

Rumble…!

Shattered debris scattered across the floor.

“I knew it… You were running that filthy mouth again.”

Excension.

And behind him—

The elite demons of the Demon Realm had arrived.