I Picked up the Demon King - Chapter 132

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Chapter 132

 

The meteor had disappeared.

 

It wasn’t simply that the magic had been dispelled.

 

Even Dispel, which cancels magic, cannot reverse phenomena that have already occurred due to magic. Even if the mana contained in the meteor disappeared, its mass wouldn’t vanish along with it.

 

“Huh, what…?”

 

The Hero, who had been about to swing his Holy Sword to cut through the meteor, stood there in an awkward stance.

 

It had been just before impact. Even if he had succeeded in cutting through the meteor, the damage would have been beyond description. It had been a moment when all the history and progress the continent had achieved was about to be erased.

 

But then, it disappeared.

 

“An illusion…?”

 

Could it have been some terrible illusion created by the Witch? At Sherry’s murmur, Johnny shook his head.

 

“No.”

 

That couldn’t be it. The Holy Sword that neutralized all Mental Attacks was in his hands right now. More than anything else.

 

“Haha, ha. Damn it.”

 

Kaella, who had been wrapped in Black Mist over multiple layers of Defensive Magic, let out a hollow laugh and slumped down.

 

Meteor Summoning was Grand Magic among Grand Magic. Even for Kaela Rowan with all sorts of assistance, casting it right after the battle with Shtidy placed considerable strain on her.

 

If she could win, it would only be now. But the Hero, faced with an incomprehensible situation, had missed his only chance to defeat his enemy.

 

Kaella covered herself with Black Mist and disappeared.

 

“For now… let’s retreat.”

 

Albeng, who had briefly checked on Johnny’s condition, said. The Hero was on the verge of collapse from the aftereffects of wielding the Holy Sword, and Shtidy had already fainted.

 

Where Kaella had disappeared to was obvious. But if Albeng and Sherry alone stormed into the Black Tower, what would happen to them was clear.

 

Regrettably, this battle had ended like this.

 

In an ambiguous form that was neither victory nor defeat. If he had to judge, it was closer to defeat, Albeng thought.

 

* * *

 

“What are you doing?”

 

Kaella said as she burst into the room with rough footsteps. The shabby room had somehow transformed into the Tower Master’s office.

 

“What do you mean?”

 

“I’m not in the mood for jokes.”

 

“Well now. Instead of being grateful for the help.”

 

The demon clicked its tongue and raised its body that had been lying down.

 

“Helped? That was a chance to kill the Hero!”

 

Kaella shouted with a voice full of anger. However, the demon shook its head as if her appearance was pathetic and said.

 

“You should know, shouldn’t you? Killing the Hero is impossible.”

 

“The meteor. The one that annihilated a third of the Demon Realm…”

 

“What ridiculous words.”

 

The demon looked straight into Kaella’s eyes. Boredom and tedium had somehow been added to its gaze.

 

Kaella momentarily felt the illusion that her surroundings had been completely swallowed by darkness. She hastily shook her head and confirmed she was still in the office, but felt no relief.

 

In the tension, Kaella, who had unconsciously tried to step back, gritted her teeth.

 

“Yes. You inflicted massive damage on the Demon Realm with that precious meteor of yours. It was quite shocking. It wasn’t a level we thought possible for a human.”

 

“…What?”

 

The demon spoke of its own defeat with a face full of amusement. At first glance, it almost sounded like praise.

 

But what shocked Kaella wasn’t that. She noticed what the demon’s words were implying.

 

“As you know, I just erased that meteor. Even in my current state, ridiculously weakened as I am.”

 

She had simply thought it was one of the demons that survived the subjugation.

 

She had no choice but to think so. She was the very person who subjugated the Demon Lord according to the Goddess’s Divine Oracle. She was one of those who defeated countless demons and confirmed the Demon Lord’s death from closest proximity.

 

But if that thing. If it wasn’t just one of the demons that survived.

 

“But, I ask. Could you really not have done it back then?”

 

If he truly was the king at the pinnacle of all demons, the Demon Lord… Kaella felt a sudden dizziness.

 

“Because it’s a meaningless task.”

 

As if completely unconcerned with Kaella’s state, the demon rose from his seat and spoke in a gentle voice.

 

“If Dark Magic is the power to twist laws and produce desired results, then perhaps it could twist the Hero’s fate as well. That’s what you must have thought.”

 

Step by step, the demon approached Kaella. Kaella felt fear but immediately shook her head, trying to deny the emotion she felt.

 

“It’s possible.”

 

The sneer on the demon’s face had somehow changed into a benevolent smile.

 

“But it’s impossible for you.”

 

There was even a sense of pity, and he seemed somewhat sorrowful.

 

“Even I, the king of all demons, require extensive preparation for such a task. No matter how somewhat useful you might be, it’s not something a mere human like you could accomplish.”

 

The Demon Lord reached out and stroked Kaella’s cheek.

 

“No, ha. I see. Ha, haha!”

 

Kaella trembled from the chilling Cold Energy and burst into uncontrollable laughter.

 

After laughing for quite some time, Kaella finally calmed herself and spoke.

 

“I knew you were a demon, but I never imagined you were the Demon Lord.”

 

“If that meteorite had just collided, the Hero would have suffered great damage.”

 

“He would have. Irreversibly so.”

 

The Demon Lord twisted his face grotesquely and said.

 

“No, it can be reversed. Didn’t you think it was strange? The Demon Realm. That an entire world collapsed in less than three years.”

 

Kaella flinched for a moment.

 

She had never thought about it. Watching the demons being helplessly defeated, they had enjoyed their own skills and achievements. They had even laughed, saying they might have surpassed even the First Hero.

 

Everyone except Ruin Epeldor, who had gradually become less and less human, had felt that way.

 

“Well, back then you must have thought the whole world belonged to you.”

 

The Demon Lord spoke with a smile as if seeing through Kaella’s inner thoughts. What meaning was contained in that smile. Kaella could no longer grasp his true intentions.

 

“The Hero’s trial is not about giving power. It’s the process of creating a vessel.”

 

“What?”

 

“The stronger the opponent, the stronger power and destiny the Hero receives.”

 

The Hero’s power had no set limits. It was a power that could be considered infinite, with no way to know how strong it would become depending on the opponent’s abilities. Without that, it would be impossible to defeat the Demon Lord.

 

Then as the Demon Lord. As one facing such an enemy, what kind of response should be made.

 

“I deliberately let myself be defeated. If the outcome was already decided, there was nothing good about wasting strength for no reason. Besides.”

 

Resignation?

 

It wasn’t.

 

As the master of the Black Tower who understood the Dark Mages’ way of thinking to some extent, Kaella was certain. The Demon Lord had not resigned. Though it might seem that way at first glance, he was definitely aiming for what came next.

 

“As the Hero’s power grows stronger and destiny protects him… the Middle Realm suffers tremendous damage.”

 

“Don’t tell me you’re trying to play the benefactor. When you’re the cause of it all in the first place.”

 

Of course, that didn’t mean she could view favorably an opponent she had once fought against risking her life.

 

Certainly it was as the Demon Lord said. The three years of long war was quite a short time to face an entire world.

 

However, the intensity and painful memories of that time were not false.

 

If the Demon Lord hadn’t existed, none of it would have happened in the first place. Kaella herself, the companions who were with her, and the many who died in the laboratory would all have been living completely different lives.

 

“The cause… Well, I suppose that’s true.”

 

The Demon Lord shrugged his shoulders.

 

However, from the Demon Lord’s attitude, Kaella felt a strange sense of unease. Perhaps everything she had been thinking was wrong. Such a…

 

‘No.’

 

Kaella shook her head roughly.

 

She must not fall for the demon’s silver tongue. She must not trust a demon. Even more than humans telling lies, a demon’s words could not be trusted.

 

The fact that he had come just less than an hour ago babbling about being wronged and whatnot also added to her suspicion.

 

“So. What are you trying to do. Are you telling me to be grateful because you spared my life?”

 

Kaella snapped with a hostile attitude.

 

She was ready to even engage in battle in the worst-case scenario. This was her sanctuary. No matter how powerful the Demon Lord was, he wouldn’t be in perfect condition, so the advantage was hers.

 

“No. That can’t be. I am merciful. It’s fine even if you don’t do anything.”

 

However, the Demon Lord merely shrugged his shoulders as he spoke.

 

“But… yes.”

 

Soon the smile disappeared, and a serious expression settled on his face.

 

“I can guess what your purpose is.”

 

Kaella swallowed dryly.

 

Her opponent was a demon who had lived for immeasurable ages. Perhaps it was because she had exposed too much information while fighting the Hero’s Party. It wouldn’t be strange if he had figured out her purpose.

 

But perhaps, the thought crossed her mind that he might have known from the beginning.

 

“It’s impossible. Just like how you cannot defeat the Hero. But…”

 

The Demon Lord declared definitively. That Kaela Rowan would not be able to achieve her purpose.

 

It was a fact Kaella knew as well. That’s why she had studied divinity, why she had coveted divinity. Although the battle with the Hero had been below expectations and she had lost confidence in her plan, she had no intention of giving up her purpose.

 

“If it’s me, it’s possible.”

 

The Demon Lord said.

 

As if it were nothing significant at all. The conviction in his voice made her feel the illusion that it had already been accomplished just by hearing it. It was truly worthy of being called a demon’s whisper.

 

Kaella forced a smile as she replied.

 

“Ha. If you’re going to say that, shouldn’t you defeat the Hero first?”

 

“Indeed.”

 

The Demon Lord paused for a moment before speaking.

 

“Then let’s make a contract.”

 

Something was going wrong. Kaella felt that intuition. She shouldn’t have said those words just now. What the demon before her had intended, that might have been his goal from the very beginning.

 

“If I break the Hero’s fate, you will serve me with complete loyalty.”

 

Even knowing this, Kaella could not refuse.

 

That was what demons were. They understood the desires of the human called Kaela Rowan better than anyone else. Perhaps even better than Kaella herself.

 

You must not trust demons. Kaella now understood the meaning of those words. However, she decided to trust the demon.

 

If it was a demon, if it could even break the Hero’s fate. The only being that could achieve her purpose was the demon right before her eyes. She didn’t worry about whether the demon would keep its promise.

 

“Because our purposes align.”

 

Because she was certain that the demon also desired what she desired.

 

Perhaps the demon was merely using Kaella. But so what if that were the case? It was natural to use each other while their purposes aligned.

 

As much as the demon used her. No, even more than that. Kaella was confident she could use the demon. It was the pride of being the greatest mage since the First Archmage. No, a mage who had even surpassed that.

 

Of course.

 

The Demon Lord who returned to his room after completing the contract only sneered at that appearance.

 

“Right. This side is settled for now.”

 

The Demon Lord lay down on the bed again and focused inward.

 

Watching meaningless efforts was one of the entertainments that had been alleviating his recent boredom.

 

Of course, it wouldn’t be bad if those efforts bloomed into meaning.

 

Unexpected events always brought great pleasure. That was why he loved humans more than anyone else.

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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