Chapter 16: Devourer of Devils

After Natasha and the Elves were wiped out, the pirates lost their fighting spirit.

They lowered their weapons and surrendered.

Yet when the slaughter did not stop, they picked up their weapons again to survive.

“Fight if you don’t want to die!”

“Slaves! What if we offer slaves instead?”

“Right! If they’re full, they won’t attack us!”

The pirates shoved forward the slaves they had captured from all sorts of dimensions.

“Feed these to them, and let us go!”

The Walkers took the slaves away.

The pirates rejoiced, thinking their plan had worked.

“They’re idiots!”

“They won’t touch us if they’re full.”

“Hurry up and find a working Dimension Ship!”

Boom.

A Fighter Giant landed right in front of the pirates running toward the harbor.

“What, what is that?”

“We offered slaves, didn’t we!”

The Fighter Giant casually tore the pirates apart with its front paws.

“It’s almost over.”

There were dozens of pirate ships that had gone to Kuwongi, but the Fighter Giants had destroyed them all with their Chitin Cannons and brutal charges.

Air Walkers flew in, gathering the debris and pirates.

As for the remaining pirates, time would take care of them.

“What should we do about that?”

A massive, unidentified Dimension Ship hovered irritably in the nerves.

It neither helped the pirates nor did anything but float there, leaving its purpose completely unknown.

“Once the pirates are dealt with, let’s attach bioweapon torpedoes to the Giant Class and Kuwongi and send them off. The Elves are just sitting still, too.”

The Elves of the Derrael family only stayed near the Spirit Tree.

They were few in number and focused solely on defense.

“If we wiped them all out and put the Spirit Tree into the Soil Pit to break it down, it might yield a lot of evolution points.”

Iselin Derrael was an Elf well-known even to Choi Kangjoong.

She was the Elf Princess closest to the High Elves and a warrior who had slain countless Demons.

Her real-life beauty surpassed the photos.

Even through Kai’s eyes, Kangjoong was momentarily lost in awe.

She was an overwhelming force to a fiery 24-year-old man.

Her family was famous as well.

It was the birthplace of the most High Elves and had slaughtered the greatest number of Demons, Monsters, and pirates.

On DimensionNet, posts often credited survival to the Elves of the Derrael family.

“It’s not a good choice unless there are no witnesses.”

If they attacked the Derrael family, the Elf Great Council would also become their enemy.

With the current Apocalid forces in the Dimension War, they could not even handle one one-hundredth of the Elf Great Council’s power.

“Several dozen Dimension Ships larger than the Supertitan Class Apocalid will come swarming.”

Creating such an enemy from the start would go against the goal of species proliferation.

It would also mean drifting farther from a safe world.

If the Elf Great Council, which maintained order alongside Earth, turned its attention elsewhere, Monsters, Demons, and pirates would run rampant.

“It’s better to help recover the Spirit Tree and build goodwill.”

If this were an Apocalid scenario in the Dimension War, this would never be a choice.

The only option in the game was devouring.

“Should I try to talk? Lutal and Kai can’t do it, so maybe I have to go myself?”

Kangjoong hesitated.

Meeting an Elf who wasn’t even human?

And not just any Elf, but Iselin Derrael, famous even on Earth.

“Hoo! Ha! Hoo! Ha!”

Taking a deep breath, his mind calmed slightly.

Wearing his Chitin Gauntlets, a faint courage bloomed inside.

“Let’s go.”

He opened a Gate and crossed through, walking alongside Lutal.

Just in case, he stationed Fighter Warriors and Fighter Giants nearby.

He also redirected the ports of the Cannon Giants and Kuwongi in this direction.

“What if I stutter?”

“Grr.”

“If you put me in the Soil Pit, that would erase my embarrassing history. Well, that’s something.”

Lutal’s advice made him feel considerably at ease.

As Kangjoong approached, the Elves raised their swords in full alert.

Though the situation was dire, they protected Iselin by forming a shield around her.

“Should we attack?”

“No. It looks like they want to talk.”

“Look into their eyes. They have no intelligence.”

“If they wanted to kill, something similar to us would have come out, not the giant one in the Sea of Dimensions.”

“That is…”

“Step aside. I’ll talk.”

The Elves parted to make way.

‘Good situational awareness. It’s impressive how these much older Elves follow without complaint.’

Kangjoong finally understood why Iselin was so famous on Earth.

“I am Iselin Derrael. I have come to recover the Spirit Tree stolen by a traitor. Who are you, and what is your purpose?”

Though she did not show it, Iselin was quite tense.

The lives of the Elves and even the fate of the Derrael family rested on the unknown purpose of these beings.

“To help.”

The discordant voice startled Iselin, so different from its intent.

“You say you’ll help us?”

“I’ll help move the Spirit Tree and escort it safely to Kraken’s Boundary.”

“And what will you gain?”

“Good relations.”

Iselin’s mind felt like a broken cog after the unexpected answers.

“You’re more political than I thought. But as long as that thing is in the Sea of Dimensions, moving the Spirit Tree is impossible.”

Iselin pointed toward the flagship of Duke Akirif.

“What’s that?”

“Olextercy. It’s Duke Akirif’s flagship. It’s so well armed that we can’t even break its shields with our power. The crew inside numbers in the tens of thousands.”

Kangjoong lifted his head.

All the Apocalid hunters stopped and looked in one direction.

The Elves and Iselin also turned their gaze.

But it wasn’t toward Olextercy floating in the Sea of Dimensions.

A monster, five kilometers long with countless maws of all shapes, approached.

It was the Devil of Devouring awakened by Duke Akirif.

If it swallowed the Spirit Tree, Akirif’s plan would be complete.

“What is that?”

“Demon. Remnants of the Legion of Hunger from ancient times. They tried to devour everything, even forcing Demons to ally with El Foshik. Trying to control that is greed beyond measure, Duke Akirif.”

“So we have to stop it from eating?”

“Absolutely.”

Kuwongi and the Cannon Giants fired Mana Cannons.

Despite countless shells pounding it, the Devil of Devouring was so huge it barely flinched.

A Fighter Giant flew up and fired its Chitin Cannon.

Swoosh!

One of the maws extended and swallowed the Fighter Giant whole.

Kangjoong’s anger surged at losing a Giant for the first time.

Iselin and the Elves joined forces.

They intertwined themselves with mana of similar wavelengths and pooled their wills to cast a grand spell.

“Divine Punishment.”

A hammer glowing with sacred light fell.

Zzzzzoooom!

The power of the grand spell, almost impossible to perform alone, was tremendous.

A third of the Devil of Devouring’s body was blown away.

Olextercy trembled in the waves of mana.

“It doesn’t stop.”

Iselin showed signs of exhaustion.

The other Elves were also gasping for breath.

They were experts at casting grand spells.

Despite depleted stamina and mana from long voyages and battles, they refused to give up.

“Stop it! Protect the Spirit Tree at all costs!”

Aura Sparks flew from Iselin’s sword.

It was an aura fused with the Spirit of Lightning.

She flew like lightning and stabbed the Devil of Devouring.

The beak attached to its body was severed, but that was all.

The Devil of Devouring opened its mouth a kilometer wide and surged toward the Spirit Tree.

Bang!

The long maw struck Iselin.

Several Elves were swallowed, and others were flung away by the maw.

“Don’t give up! We have to bring it down!”

Iselin flew again, tearing its hide with aura and attacking its insides with the Spirit of Lightning.

Though effective, it couldn’t stop the Devil of Devouring.

Bang!

Iselin was hit by the maw and fell into a Dimension.

She had no strength left to cast flight magic.

Her falling speed increased rapidly.

“I have to stop it…!”

Iselin threw her rapier.

The Devil of Devouring snapped it with its dog-like maw.

It charged again, but its stamina and mana were all drained.

Must they just watch the Spirit Tree be devoured?

Was this the end of the Derrael family?

She wasn’t afraid of death.

The family’s ruin was scarier.

“Damn it!”

Despair swept over her.

An emotion she had never felt before.

Though she did not believe in gods, at this moment she wished there was one who could hear prayers.

Thud.

Iselin’s fall stopped.

Choi Kangjoong caught her in a princess’s embrace.

Iselin looked at Kangjoong with reddened eyes.

“Is it you? If you had recovered the Spirit Tree well, we might have been able to forge a bond.”

Forming a bond with someone in reality.

For the reclusive Hikikomori Choi Kangjoong, it was awkward.

Embarrassing but pleasant.

Moreover, Iselin was an Elf Princess.

Keyboard warriors on the internet only got to see her in pictures.

Kangjoong felt courage welling up inside him like never before.

“That’s the Devil of Devouring? I am the Sea Devourer Outer Mind.”

Kangjoong set Iselin down and spread his wings to rise.

It was an instinctive move.

The Outer Mind’s instinct told him to devour even that.

Approaching, he touched the skin of the Devil of Devouring, avoiding the open maw.

The devouring will of the half-spiritual Demon surged like a tidal wave.

It intended to swallow his soul and digest his body.

Thump.

The devouring will struck a wall.

It was an absolute command, incomparably greater than the devouring will.

The Outer Mind looked down on the devouring will.

It trembled beneath the consciousness that nearly consumed the world.

Screeeeeeaaak.

Like a firefly under the sun, a prey before the Devourer.

The vast collective consciousness opened its mouth.

Countless infinite teeth were bared.

Snap.

[Devil of Devouring has been devoured.]

[Acquired evolution points.]

[Total evolution points: 2,914,753.]

[Devil of Devouring evolution code decoding rate: 1%.]

One million evolution points rose at once.

The Devil of Devouring’s evolution code was Omnivorous Digestion.

“Omnivorous Digestion means even inorganic matter can be turned into nutrients? If that’s right, it’s huge…”

The Apocalid could only digest a very limited amount of inorganic matter.

If it could swallow even inorganic matter, nutrient acquisition would become several times easier.

Kangjoong marveled at the potential of the Apocalid as a message popped up before his eyes.

[New species evolution paths discovered.]

[1. Attack Evolution: Apocalid accepts Demonic Energy. It will unleash savage attacks fueled by uncontrollable and evil power.]

[Demonic Energy usable, Chitin Blade enhancement, bioweapon enhancement, Central Unit demonization.]

[2. Defense Evolution: Add High Polymer Carbon Structure to Apocalid’s Chitin Gauntlets. Reinforced gauntlets will pierce through any attack.]

[High Polymer Carbon Structure addition, gauntlet reinforcement, psionic shield formation, Central Unit life reinforcement.]

[3. Source Evolution: Strengthen the root of devouring. Ability to manipulate Source Energy gained.]

[Apocalid production efficiency enhancement, Source Generation Organ formation, Central Unit forms Source Generation Organ.]

The Devil of Devouring shriveled like a deflated balloon.

The Elves that had been swallowed were still alive since digestion had not started.

“Leaves nothing bad behind. It’s like a tonic.”

Kangjoong examined the options.

“Attack enhancement is tempting but feels risky.”

Though it would also boost bioweapons like the Mana Cannon, using Demonic Energy was the problem.

Those who use Demonic Energy are easily controlled by Demons.

If the Apocalid, growing in number and uncontrollable, fell into demonic hands, disaster would follow.

“Absolutely not. The Demonic Energy I felt from the Devil of Devouring was unpleasant.”

It was thick and fishy, crawling down his throat.

Accepting that would contaminate the Apocalid.

“Apocalid is pure; it only knows how to eat. No attack enhancement.”

Kangjoong looked at the next option.

“Defense enhancement isn’t bad.”

Even if you invest in firepower, the Apocalid’s main strength was close combat troops like Lutal.

If the Chitin Gauntlets were tougher, battle efficiency would improve and they could win in close-quarters combat.

“Finally, Source Energy…”

Compared to the clearly beneficial defense evolution, Kangjoong was drawn to Source Evolution.

Defense enhancement could be improved through species evolution and evolution codes.

But Source Energy could not.

“I really felt the effects of psionic specialization.”

[Apocalid’s Source Energy is evolving.]

[Apocalid production efficiency enhanced.]

[Source Energy generation activated in Outer Mind.]

[Source Generation Organ formed in Central Unit.]

Kangjoong felt Source Energy.

It was more comfortable than mana.

When he moved, it felt like an original body organ.

“Outer Mind was originally meant to use Source Energy.”

Kangjoong’s guess was correct.

The Outer Mind, a vast collective consciousness, led the bioweapon legion with pure Source Energy rather than mana.

“Using Wind Flight and Aura Blade feels easier now. Opening Gates should be simpler, too. Maybe I can even chase off Olextercy.”

Duke Akirif’s flagship was a powerful war machine matching its size.

Multiple shields protected the hull, and it could bombard targets with a Long-Range Lance.

Despite its bulk, it was fast and carried 30,000 troops inside.

But the Demon of Greed was a terrible warrior.

“Retreat!!!!!!!”

Duke Akirif scolded his subordinates.

As they put distance, he pressed his face to the window and spoke excitedly.

“Perfect! Perfect! Perfect! A perfect being! A creature that knows no death and lives only for slaughter! If I get this, I can become a legion commander!”

Luckily, Akirif’s seductive words did not reach Kangjoong.

Kangjoong returned to the pirate stronghold.

Iselin greeted him with a different attitude than before.

“Show respect. You are the benefactor of Derrael.”

The Elves knelt.

It was rare to see noble Elves bow to a human like this.

Iselin took off a necklace and handed it to Kangjoong.

“It is a Token of Friendship. Those who bear it receive treatment equal to mine. It has built-in Communication Magic in Marsala, so you can contact me anytime.”

“Can you really communicate between dimensions with this little thing?”

“We put a lot of effort into its making.”

“So it’s expensive. Thank you.”

“It’s nothing compared to the favor you granted. If you ever want anything, just say it. I will do everything I can.”

“Nothing comes to mind right now.”

“I will grant it, even later.”