Chapter 108: An Irresistible Proposal

The Demon King and the God of Darkness—the two beings who served as the very foundation of the Demon Clan—perished. 

As they disappeared, the veil of dominance that had shrouded Earth began to lift.

Of course, this did not mean the vast number of demons had vanished into thin air like magic. 

Rather, it meant that the coordinated movements they had once displayed under a strict chain of command were gone.

What was a demon without a commander?

They were no different from beasts. 

Driven by instinct, those consumed by their primal nature focused solely on hunting prey or breeding. 

The problem was that “humans” were deeply involved in all those activities. 

Humans were their prey and their tools for reproduction.

Thus, even though the Demon Clan’s organized rule had vanished, the threat they posed remained as potent as ever. 

And in the wake of this chaotic demonic activity, South Korea found itself busier than any other nation.

It was the only country that had never allowed a demonic incursion. 

It was the place where the God of Victory, the one who ended the demonic reign, resided along with the headquarters of the Order of Victory.

Countries from all over the world begged South Korea for help. 

To this, President Hosik Jeong replied: “If you need our help, we are more than willing to provide it. However, please understand that we have no choice but to differentiate our support based on past statements and actions.”

During the height of the demonic reign, there were countries that had blatantly ignored or looked down upon South Korea. 

Most notably the United States, Russia, China, and Japan.

These were the nations that had once declared South Korea a primary enemy.

Now, they were using the excuse that they had been forced into it by the Demon Clan’s threats, but Hosik Jeong was not a man to be trifled with. 

He would not take their words at face value.

Ignoring those who had been most deeply infiltrated by demons and were now in desperate need of aid, he prioritized sending Awakeners and members of the Order of Victory to the countries that had actually stood by South Korea.

Naturally, the nations that failed to receive South Korea’s help were driven to the brink of desperation. 

Their territories were becoming a wasteland due to the demons, and the citizens were voicing their extreme dissatisfaction.

The power players of these nations felt a profound sense of crisis.

Did they care about the safety of their citizens? 

Not particularly. 

However, they were the type of people who would do anything if their own positions of power were at stake.

They tried everything—persuasion, bribes, and more—to change the minds of Hosik Jeong and the South Korean government, but Hosik Jeong remained firm. 

It was a calculated move.

It was a demonstration: this is what happens when you cross us.

In this manner, the subjugation of the Demon Clan proceeded smoothly, while the countries hostile to South Korea were systematically excluded.

***

“Bang!”

A fist slammed onto the table.

“Dammit!”

A string of curses followed.

Inside a hidden chamber exuding an antique atmosphere, four middle-aged men sat facing one another. 

Their identities were nothing short of shocking.

From the far left sat the President of the United States, John Gray, next was the Russian President, Vitalik Filippov and beside him was the Chinese Chairman, Li Jun.

Finally, there was the Prime Minister of Japan, Yamada Tatsushi.

The leaders of the world’s most powerful nations were gathered in one place. 

However…

“Sigh…”

“I don’t know what we’re going to do about this…”

The atmosphere was heavy. 

It had to be. 

Setting aside their recently weakened national power and international standing, they were facing a massive problem. 

The reign of the Demon Clan had ended with the destruction of the Demon King and the God of Darkness.

This was an incredibly troublesome situation for them.

“How could such a powerful force disappear overnight…?”

The reason for their distress was that they, more than anyone else, had maintained a pro-demon stance. 

It had seemed like a natural choice at the time. 

The Demon Clan was strong and looked as if they could easily conquer the world. 

In fact, they practically had.

If they had taken just one more step forward, the entire world would have fallen under their rule.

But they could not take that final step. 

They were stopped because of South Korea, the God of Victory who protected it, and Kim Si-won.

It was liberation—a liberation that these leaders had never anticipated.

The demons, having lost their command structure, were rampaging wildly. 

These four nations, in particular, suffered the greatest damage because they had been so deeply connected to the demons. 

They had allowed countless demons into their borders. 

More than any other country, they were the closest to the demonic threat.

Yet, South Korea refused to offer them a helping hand. 

All because they had been hostile in the past.

“Hosik Jeong. Such a narrow-minded man. How can he drive millions of citizens into a crisis just over a past grudge?”

“That is simply the caliber of a man leading a small nation like South Korea.”

“If it weren’t for that man, Kim Si-won, they would be nothing.”

Regardless of their need for help, they were overflowing with resentment. 

How could they not be? 

To them, South Korea was nothing more than a small country in the East that they used to look down upon. 

To see the president of a country they hadn’t even spared a thought for until recently acting so haughty was infuriating.

So, the leaders of the four nations had gathered to find a way out of this situation.

But…

“…”

“…”

There was plenty of complaining and dissatisfaction, but no one had a real solution.

Instead, they were busy sizing each other up.

‘The United States surely still has some breathing room.’

‘Russia is…’

‘China is…’

If they could have solved the problem with their own Awakeners, this meeting never would have happened. 

The problem was that they couldn’t subjugate the demons with their own military power alone.

It was unavoidable. 

While collaborating with the demons, a significant number of their own Awakeners had undergone demonization. 

Of course, the people who had actively pushed for demonization back then were all dead now, but these leaders had also been involved.

That was the nature of politics and power. 

They acted as if they were the opposition, but in reality, they were all cut from the same cloth. 

The very people who stood at the forefront of criticizing the demonization of humans had actually just been putting on a show to seize power.

Naturally, the effect was magnificent. 

The foolish masses saw their performance and propelled them into their current positions.

Regardless, the national power of these countries had been gutted by the demonization of their Awakeners. 

With their current strength, the path to stopping the rampaging demons across their lands was distant and uncertain.

They had arranged this meeting for that reason, but everyone was only looking out for their own national interests. 

No one could suggest a viable solution.

‘It will end without any results again.’

They all knew it. 

They knew this meeting would achieve nothing. 

But they continued to push for these gatherings anyway. 

They believed it was the only way they could potentially pressure South Korea.

“…Then, shall we adjourn for today…?”

It was merely a setup to pressure South Korea. 

Since it was obvious no more constructive conversation would happen, they prepared to leave.

Suddenly…

“Oh, leaving already?”

An outsider’s voice drifted into the room.

“Who is there!”

The world leaders had survived many trials to reach their positions. 

They knew exactly what the voice of an uninvited guest signified.

-Slide

They pulled pistols from their coats. 

They weren’t just ordinary handguns, but magic tools capable of firing mana-infused bullets.

“Whoa, whoa. Everyone, please calm down.” The source of the voice spoke again.

A figure stepped out from the darkness in the corner.

‘A demon?!’

Through his movements alone, they surmised the stranger was a demon. 

Even if he looked like a middle-aged gentleman, demons had the ability to change their appearance at will…

“Ah, I think I know what you’re all thinking. ‘That disgusting demon. What is he trying to do in a human’s skin?’ Am I right?”

Contrary to the chilling words, the man’s lips curled into a smirk.

“What did you do to the guards?” John Gray asked, trying to assess the situation.

“Don’t worry about them. They looked like they hadn’t slept in a long time, so I sent them to a sweet dreamland.”

“…”

The leaders’ faces twisted. 

They were the heads of state. 

Naturally, they had prepared thoroughly for any contingency, especially regarding their security. 

Those guards were elites handpicked from the surviving Awakeners.

And yet, dozens of such guards had been taken down without a single sound. 

It was clear that no matter what magic tools they held, they couldn’t do anything to the middle-aged man before them.

“What is your objective…?”

There had to be a reason for him to show up here despite the risk.

“I am here for a negotiation that will benefit us both, of course…”

“Get out. We have no intention of negotiating with demons.”

It wasn’t long ago that they had suffered massive losses from partnering with the Demon Clan. 

Even if they were in a crisis, siding with demons again was essentially suicide. 

Before they were liberated, they could claim they had no choice in the face of overwhelming power, but now it was different.

Tides of demon subjugation were rising all over the world. 

If the world found out they had made another deal with demons, it wouldn’t end with them just losing their heads. 

They were power-hungry dogs, but they weren’t idiots who couldn’t read the room.

“My, my. Why do you insist that I am a demon?”

“You clearly used dark power from the shadows…”

“Hahaha! I won’t deny it. This power certainly belongs to the Demon Clan. But that was only for a time. Now, I am a perfect human. I am a completely different existence from those demons.”

“That’s nonsense…!”

“Haven’t you ever imagined it? What if you could turn the demonized Awakeners back into humans?”

“…”

Silence instantly fell over the room.

They had lost countless citizens and Awakeners to demonization. 

If they could reverse it, they could restore the power of their great nations.

But…

“That’s impossible!”

“What kind of trick is this?”

It was unheard of. 

It had been proven that reversing someone once the demonization process was complete was impossible with modern technology. 

How could they trust the word of a mysterious stranger?

“That’s why I’ve prepared a special demonstration.”

“Snap!”

The middle-aged man flicked his fingers.

“Thud!”

As if by magic, something dropped into the empty space.

It was…

“Screeee!”

A demon that was a horrific fusion of a human and a spider.

“This human has lost his life as a man through demonization. Ah, what a cruel reality. But do not worry.”

The man reached into his coat and pulled something out. 

It was a syringe filled with a yellow liquid.

“With just this!”

-Stab!

The needle plunged into the forehead of the spider-man.

“SCREEEEE!”

A grotesque shriek erupted. 

The four leaders quickly covered their ears as the sound battered their eardrums.

A moment later…

“Thump!”

The spider-man collapsed weakly, as if he had been injected with a sedative.

“…”

To any observer, he looked dead. 

Was he showing them how to kill it?

Just as doubts began to cloud their minds…

“One, two…”

The man began to count, unfolding his fingers one by one.

“Three!”

The moment he shouted “three.”

“Gasp!”

With a sharp intake of breath, the spider-man jerked upright.

Then…

“Crack, crack-crack-crack!”

To their astonishment, his body began to transform.

“Plop!”

The hair-covered legs fell off, and the bloated spider-like abdomen gradually shifted back into human legs.

After a short while…

“How… how am I…?”

The spider-man had turned back into a human. 

He was definitely…

“De—Declan Wood?!” John Gray stammered.

He couldn’t help but react. 

Declan Wood was one of the most capable Awakeners in the United States. 

His name and face were burned into the president’s memory.

“How was that? Shall we talk about our negotiation now?”

“…”

The world leaders could not find the words to respond. 

But they already knew—this was a proposal they could not refuse.