Chapter 80: Do Not Command Me

Hero Party.

At first glance, it may look like a random group of people coming together by chance and solidifying into a party as they go through events, but that’s not it.

In truth, their meeting was inevitable, like a well-written script.

After all, it was the Goddess of Light who determined the fate of the Hero Party.

This cunning Goddess of Light would recruit cast members who could make the hero’s victory more dramatic. 

Each one was chosen for their tragic past (most often suffering pain and wounds at the hands of the Demon Clan), making it nearly impossible to sway them to the side of the Demon Clan.

But now, I was making a counter-offer to such a hero party.

Of course, it wasn’t to just any ordinary hero party—it was directed at Manuvia, a Yaksha forced by the gods themselves.

“…You must be out of your mind.”

Naturally, he didn’t consider me sane.

“You think I’d join hands with you Demon Clan?”

“Bzzt, bzzt, bzzt—”

Just by stirring up his aura, a tremendous amount of sparks began to fly everywhere.

Truly, one worthy of the name Thunder God.

The pride of the Yaksha, who commanded the most powerful lightning attribute among all the elements.

But all the more because of that.

‘I want him even more.’

The desire inside me wriggled and twisted.

Honestly, until recently, I didn’t think I needed any subordinates. 

That’s simply because there was never anyone I found worthy. 

Even those summoned through Knight Summon Tickets didn’t satisfy me.

That’s why I rarely traveled with them (I only considered them as guards for South Korea, nothing more.) but Manuvia is different.

His level, his potential, is enough to stir even my worn-out emotions.

If this is him while still sealed—what if that seal is undone?

‘I’ll have plenty of use for him.’

And so, revealing my desire, I made my offer.

Clearly, the surging aura showed how unpleasant my proposal was.

“God’s seal. Do you think it’s even possible?”

Manuvia didn’t give any answer to my proposal.

He was only building up his energy, ready to attack me at any moment, but—

He didn’t act.

Of course.

He wouldn’t recklessly charge at someone as perfectly guarded as I was.

With any other hero party, maybe—but he knew better.

He knew I wasn’t someone to be taken lightly.

That a careless attack might very well cost him his life.

Of course.

“So you’re the one behind the disappearance of the Barrier of Light!”

As I said, the young hero and his party hadn’t noticed this at all.

And so—

“Haaaah!”

With a loud shout he unleashed light.

– Flash!

He planned to wipe me out at once using the Sword of Light.

“Fool!”

But, due to someone’s interference, the hero couldn’t realize that intention.

“Thud!”

A heavy blow.

Blocking the hero with his body, making sure he couldn’t charge in, was none other than Manuvia.

“He is not your opponent.”

“Wh-what?!”

“Was that too hard to understand? Right now, hero, you’re not even close to touching a single toe of his.”

As expected!

He’d accurately assessed the situation.

He’d seen a glimpse of the true strength I’d yet to reveal.

Of course.

“Don’t make me laugh! This level of Magical Power is only at a Corps Commander’s level…”

“Fool! He’s hiding his true strength. What you’re seeing is just a part of it, only the tip of the iceberg.”

At those words, the hero and his party widened their eyes and stared at me.

“Even if your strength is sealed, your insight is as sharp as ever. Looks like you’ve come close to attaining insight, perhaps even awakened the hidden Third Eye.”

At that moment.

“You…!”

At the mention of the Third Eye, his expression changed.

How to put it—

Up until now, he’d simply been cautious, but now he looked at me as though I were his family’s mortal enemy.

“What’s so shocking? The Third Eye. Isn’t that one of the Yaksha’s traits?”

The Third Eye.

It’s a characteristic of the Yaksha.

No, to be precise, it’s a power only awakened by certain Yaksha who achieve enlightenment.

It’s much like insight—a Yaksha who opens their Third Eye gains a special ability to see not the outside, but the inside.

And Manuvia was one of the few Yaksha to open that eye—perhaps the only one.

It’s a secret among their clan, but for that reason, he incurred the wrath of the gods.

The Third Eye, called the Divine Eye, was considered to encroach upon the domain of the gods.

In fact, the reason the Yaksha were driven to extinction was because of Manuvia.

He awakened the Divine Eye, which enraged the gods; because of him, his entire clan was slaughtered, and he alone was left to endure the cruel fate of being a slave to the hero party.

So he couldn’t help but harbor rage and endless resentment toward the gods.

The Goddess of Light commanded him to serve her chosen hero until that resentment was gone—but as if that would go as she wished.

Knowing all these circumstances and his dissatisfaction, I’d planned to win him over.

“I am one of the few who know the history of you and your Yaksha. And as I said just now, I’m the only one who can sever that chain of hatred.”

The atmosphere shifted.

Now there was a hint of curiosity and doubt mingled in the energy he gave off.

“You expect me to believe a mere Demon Clan member can go against the will of the gods?”

He’d been ready to attack just a moment ago.

But the very act of asking this meant his heart was wavering.

And—

“Manuvia!”

“What are you…?!”

Even the hero party, realizing this, gasped in shock.

They knew.

If Manuvia changed his mind, they’d be in grave danger and right now, the hero party depended on Manuvia for everything.

It was by the design of the Goddess of Light.

Through Manuvia’s protection, she nurtured the heroes, and when the time came to break free of that protection, she’d have him sacrificed as punishment for seeking divinity.

But the time for that had not yet come.

If Manuvia took my side now, the hero party would be wiped out here.

“Demon Clan, you say? How disappointing. The Third Eye still doesn’t reveal deeper truths, does it?”

“No way…?”

And then—

– Flash!

A peculiar change rippled through the muscle at the center of his brow.

A gem-like, luminous red object appeared between his brows.

That was the Third Eye I’d mentioned.

He hadn’t opened it before, so he couldn’t gain detailed information—but now that it was visible, everything changed.

“You’re… human?!”

Only then did he recognize my race.

“What, human?”

“You mean a human is radiating that Magical Power?”

“How could that be…!”

“Impossible!”

The hero party was shocked.

Magical Power was not permitted to humans.

Sure, let’s assume a human could use Magical Power.

But—

“A human with Corps Commander-level Magical Power?”

Magical Power powerful enough to dominate the room was only possible for the top Demon King Legion Commanders.

They couldn’t believe a human could possess such Magical Power—something even rare among the Demon Clan.

Of course they couldn’t.

It takes centuries to reach this level of Magical Power.

A lifespan not permitted to humans—but granted to me.

Of course, they couldn’t even guess at those endless years.

“Who… what are you really?”

As Manuvia pondered my identity I finally got to the main point.

“That’s not what’s important. The important thing is that  can break the shackles of the gods binding you. If I do that, will you follow me?”

“How can I… believe you?”

From denial to suspicion.

He was nearly convinced.

“It’s simple. I can loosen those godly shackles, the ones you thought would never break.”

As I’ve said, the power of the gods comes from faith and belief.

With the recent appearance of the Demon Clan and heroes—

Who has benefited the most?

It’s the gods of light and darkness.

The Demon Clan, representing darkness, naturally worships the god of darkness.

And the Goddess of Light?

Light only exists because there’s darkness.

The emergence of the Demon Clan and heroes had spread faith in the god of light across the world.

Her followers and apostles, under divine orders, would be proselytizing everywhere.

The world is currently ruled by the gods of light and darkness—their power and influence unrivaled.

Of course, not as much as on the Gritia Continent, where people can communicate directly with the gods, but even so, the current power is something mere humans can’t hope to touch.

But conversely.

‘I deny the gods of light and darkness.’

What if someone appeared who denied them?

As I said, gods draw power from faith and belief.

If someone denied their very existence—

Their power would inevitably decrease.

Especially if that denial came from someone with as much influence over the world as I have.

But that alone wouldn’t be enough to have a meaningful effect.

So—

‘Begin.’ I gave the order to those with whom I shared a mental link.

With that—

“Gasp?!” Manuvia let out a gasp of shock.

He could feel it.

The god’s shackles binding him were loosening.

Not enough to break them, but at least he could escape a few of their restrictions.

Sensing this, Manuvia stared at me, eyes wide.

Countless doubts and emotional turmoil could be felt—how had I done it, what method had I used?

But I wasn’t about to reveal my secrets so easily.

I only showed him proof.

Proof that I could free him from the bonds of the gods and their power.

‘The way to weaken a god’s power is to deny them. And with the rise of a new god.’

Weakening a god’s power is all about diminishing their divinity through denial.

Faith strengthens them, denial weakens them.

Through my will, I had ordered everyone in South Korea to deny the Goddess of Light but that wasn’t all.

I’d also implanted a kind of suggestion—a worship of myself, the one denying the Goddess of Light.

I haven’t yet attained divinity, so it can’t empower me now, but someday, if I regain my past power, the faith and belief accumulating now will grant me immense strength.

“Do you believe me now?” I asked Manuvia.

Still, he didn’t answer.

Only—

“Manuvia. What are you hesitating for? Kill that—”

Urek, the swordsman, who was quick to order my death—

“Thud!”

Was met with a fatal blow.

“Wh-what…?!” Urek stared at the lightning spear protruding from his back.

“Do not command me, you insignificant dwarf.” And with that, cold words followed.