It was certainly an unexpected move.
I thought the Demon King, consumed by revenge, would naturally target me but I was wrong.
The Demon King intended to take revenge on me in the exact same way.
He planned to kill everyone around me as retribution for losing the Hero—his one and only beloved existence.
Unfortunately for the Demon King, that plan was not an action that would truly damage me.
I shared no deep bonds or affection with the people of South Korea.
Even if they were all massacred, my worn-down emotions would not be moved.
‘The only thing that bothers me is the annoyance I’ll have to deal with because of it.’
I had established a significant foundation in South Korea.
There was the leadership, including Minister Kim Chaun, and the God of Falsehood masquerading as the God of Victory.
If they were to die, I would have to repeat the same tedious work all over again.
The Demon King’s intention was likely to eliminate the people around me, but the resulting aftermath would just be a hassle.
Therefore, I immediately tore the ticket I had prepared.
“Rip!”
[Kim Si-won of South Korea has used a Strong Banishment Ticket(++) for national defense.]
[All members of the Demon Clan within the Territory of Republic of Korea will be banished.]
I possessed tickets I had obtained while climbing the Tower.
In particular, the Ticket of Exile had been repeatedly enhanced until it became a Strong Banishment Ticket.
I believed this banishment ticket would be enough to drive out the Demon Clan, but…
[Ingram the Demon King has used a Strong Banishment Defense Ticket(++) to nullify the effect.]
The attempt failed due to the defense ticket held by the Demon King.
“Rip, riiiip—”
I did not give up and used every banishment ticket I had.
However.
[Ingram the Demon King has used a Strong Banishment Defense Ticket(++) to nullify the effect.]
[Ingram the Demon King has used a Strong Banishment Defense Ticket(++) to nullify the effect.]
[Ingram the Demon King has used a Strong Banishment Defense Ticket(++) to nullify the effect.]
Every attempt failed time and time again.
‘It’s impossible.’
I realized the reality too late.
The Demon King currently ruled over more than 70% of the world.
That meant he had secured all the tickets humans had collected until now, and it wasn’t something I could match just by climbing the Tower alone.
“How dare you look away in my presence!”
-Fsh!
A trajectory grazed the tip of my cheek.
Jin’s Spear, which had completely dominated the area, was flying about relentlessly.
It wasn’t just a simple flying spear.
“Wrooooom—”
A will was infused into every single one of the spears that had completely seized the space.
Even though he had not reached the same level of sophistication as I had, his mental strength was at its peak through cultivation that had lasted for nearly an eternity.
Simply put, while I had studied with more depth, he covered it with an immense volume.
Thanks to that.
“Clang, clang-clang-clang-clang!”
The scales of balance remained taut, without leaning toward either side.
However, if time dragged on, I would be at a disadvantage.
While I was held up by him, South Korea would be turned into a sea of fire.
If that happened, I would have to rebuild all the foundations I had laid so far.
“Clang!”
I deflected all of Jin’s Spears as they rushed in fiercely.
A brief moment of confrontation ensued.
“Are you thinking of running away?”
A faint intent to evade appeared in my will.
Reading that, the light in his eyes shone even brighter.
“It is futile. Do you think you can escape before me?”
He was certainly right.
The Commander of the Magic Dragon Legion boasted a Martial Power that even I could not easily handle.
To show my back to him… a gap created by such an action could lead to defeat in battle.
However.
“Running away… that’s not it. It’s more of a tactical retreat.”
“You cannot escape!”
His powerful will.
-Wrooooooom!
The vibration of the spears dominating the surroundings grew even stronger.
The moment I looked away, the spears infused with his will would pierce my body.
That was a wound engraved upon the soul.
No matter who I was, it wasn’t the kind of thing I could withstand.
However.
“Nothing can interfere with my will. Even if it is you, the Magic Dragon Legion Commander.”
My will could not be broken.
Because.
“Rip!”
[Moving to the 42nd Floor of the South Korean Tower.]
By tearing a ticket, I could easily move to the center of South Korea.
Jin shouted as he realized it too late, but…
-Flash!
All traces of me had already vanished.
In an instant, I crossed space and arrived at the 42nd Floor.
However, I didn’t immediately challenge the Trial.
“Rip.”
I tore another ticket.
[Aborting the Trial for the 42nd Floor and returning.]
[There are currently three saved return points.]
[Which location would you like to return to: the Blue House, the Order of Victory, or the Penthouse?]
Naturally.
“The Blue House.”
[Returning to the Blue House.]
It happened in an instant.
My movement from the border to the Blue House.
The moment I arrived at the designated location, the Blue House—specifically, the President’s Office a voice greeted me, “Lord Si-won!”
Naturally, it was President Hosik Jeong, who was in the office.
“I knew it!”
It was Minister Kim Chaun, cheering as if he had believed in me all along.
No, it wasn’t just them.
“Phew!”
“You’ve arrived!”
The ones occupying the office were high-ranking officials, starting from various vice-ministers.
Unlike in the past, their eyes were filled with trust.
This was because the positions had been filled only with trustworthy individuals, using the previous failure as a lesson.
I took one of the vacant seats and asked, “What is the damage?”
“They are currently entering Seoul through Cheonan, and Cheonan has already been devastated by them.” Hosik Jeong, biting his lip hard, quickly answered me.
I fell into thought for a moment.
‘If it’s Cheonan, it’s a place under the influence of my surveillance. Yet they managed to deceive my eyes and appear there.’
My range of surveillance was enough to cover the entirety of South Korea.
Even though they were protected by tickets, the enemy could also devise means and use tickets, so I had not been negligent in my monitoring.
Every single time, as if it were a habit, I spread my senses to explore who was within my domain, not missing even a single ant.
Then how?
‘There must have been some way to deceive my eyes.’
Even if it were the Demon King, he shouldn’t be able to deceive my eyes.
Setting aside Martial Power, I surpassed the Demon King in the realm of sensory perception.
That meant it wasn’t the Demon King’s authority or some other power, but the intervention of something external.
Most likely, it was…
‘Salmora.’
It was highly likely to be the Plague Legion Commander, Salmora.
He possessed various abilities.
Among them, he was particularly notorious for his Alchemy.
His research was so deep that even I couldn’t fathom it, having developed potions I had never even heard of in my previous life, such as the Demon Transformation Potion.
Perhaps he could create something that could deceive my senses.
That was why I had continued to be wary of him, but in the end, trouble had broken out.
“What is the scale of the enemy?”
Their invasion had already occurred.
Now, all that was left was to handle it.
The important thing was how large a force they had brought.
“That is…” Hosik Jeong hesitated for a moment before answering, “…The reported number is only five.”
I couldn’t help but be surprised by those words.
“You are surprised as expected. We were also shocked after receiving the report. Only five…”
“No. I’m not surprised because the number is small.”
Hosik Jeong was mistaken.
I wasn’t surprised because the enemy’s numbers were low.
Five.
It was because I understood the significance of that number.
‘The Demon King and the remaining Legion Commanders.’
The Commander of the Demonic Beast Legion was dead, and the Commander of the Magic Dragon Legion remained near the border.
That meant four Legion Commanders were left.
If you added the Demon King to that, the total was five.
The number currently reported was five.
Simply put, it meant the Demon King and his four subordinate Legion Commanders had invaded South Korea.
“What about the defenses?” Realizing this, I urgently asked about the defense situation.
“The Order of Victory and the elites selected from each Guild are…”
“I know what you’re worried about. But don’t worry. They will just confront them moderately…”
“…It’s too late.”
Confront them moderately?
Nonsense.
The moment they are caught in the Demon King’s sight, escape is impossible.
There was no need to even spread my senses to check if they were alive.
“They are already dead.”
“Pardon…?”
The fact that the Demon King personally brought four Legion Commanders meant he would show no mercy.
This battle, which had been started with clear intent, would not stop until the Demon King’s goal—the annihilation of me and everyone around me—was achieved.
Of course, I was prepared for the Demon King.
However, if things went this way, the problem of unnecessary sacrifices would arise…
“Hm?!”
I was spreading my senses to track the traces of the Demon King and the Legion Commanders.
Since they had reached the vicinity of Seoul, it wasn’t difficult to find them, but a problem occurred midway.
‘They disappeared?’
They were gone.
Their traces had vanished as if by magic.
But I soon realized what was at the point where they disappeared.
Valhalla.
The bar of the gods—since it was strictly another dimension, it was inevitable that my senses could not reach it.
***
And the fact that the Demon King had entered that place…
‘It means he doesn’t intend to leave the gods alone either.’
It seemed Ingram was truly planning to cause a massive scene.
“How dare you a mere remnant of darkness…!” The God of War expressed his fury.
There was an unwelcome intruder before him.
“Look who it is. Isn’t this the God of War, who once held Lord Tier Status?”
The one wearing a relaxed smile was Ingram the Demon King.
Before him, as he wore an alluring smirk, all the gods of Valhalla stood as if in a standoff.
Of course, that standoff was not a sign of welcome.
It was hostility.
“Rumble!”
The animosity emitted by the gods materialized and pressured the Demon King.
However, a barrier deployed around the Demon King and prevented the gods’ hostility from approaching.
“Crackle!”
“I’ve heard the stories. Did you dare to do something that would interfere with my work?”
He was rebuking the actions taken by the God of Falsehood, who was masquerading as the God of Victory.
“How arrogant!”
The gods parted to the left and right.
The one who appeared from there was the Mother Earth Goddess.
She was a great being referred to as the mother of all gods.
“Even the Light and Darkness have faded, yet you, a mere remnant of them, are talking so big. Act as much as you want before me, child.”
The Mother Earth Goddess was a being that even the God of Darkness or Light could not treat lightly.
A mere Demon King created from the remnants of darkness…
-Squelch!
The true body of the Mother Earth Goddess, with her head torn off.
“Thud!”
It collapsed onto the ground.
“W-What…?”
“What in the world is…?”
Many gods who witnessed the atrocity were swept into confusion.
Was what they just saw reality?
Was it true that the Demon King had disposed of the one called the mother of gods in a single strike with the head he held in his hand?
“For a vulgar old woman, you sure talked a lot. Who says I can’t do it if I’m told to?”
The Mother Earth Goddess was the being who had conceived the majority of the gods.
The Demon King belittled that sacred act as vulgar.
“There’s no need to be surprised. You’ll all die anyway, just like this vulgar bitch here.”
He delivered a death sentence to the bewildered gods.