Chapter 87-89: Hashmal
“Master is stupid. Master is a jerk! Hiing…”
The dungeon’s 15th floor.
Yihi was sitting down and crying.
After being deprived of all rights, Yihi was only allowed to stay in one place. Her power was used to take care of the Tree of Origin. Yihi was sulking in this spot. She wanted to go to the original garden she created with the bees. But the circ.u.mstances meant she was afraid to move her feet.
“Bees…can’t die. Yihi has taken good care of them all this time. Give them snacks. It won’t be a lot of bother.”
Yihi was kneeling and praying with hands joined together.
Help the bees live! She asked deep in her heart but she had gained the displeasure of the Dungeon Master. She hated that more than the death of the bees. Therefore Yihi didn’t move during her ‘punishment.’
In the end, all Yihi could do was pray.
“Tree-nim. Tree of Origin. Please take good care of Yihi’s bees.”
She opened her eyes and glanced at the Tree of Origin. Big. The bud had already grown to 5 metres.
This was the first time Yihi had seen something as rare as the Tree of Origin. However, the vitality in it was more than she could imagine.
‘This tree can easily achieve Yihi’s wish.’
In fact, she knew she was just clutching at straws.
“By the way, what did Tree-nim eat to become so tall?”
Yihi blinked and asked.
Yihi had seen the Tree of Origin double its size in just one day. She praised the frightening growth. Naturally there wasn’t an answer.
Yihi grumpily puffed up her cheeks. And she closed her eyes again to pray.
Cheolbudok!
At that moment, a sound of something falling was heard. Yihi was deprived of all rights to the Dungeon Core so she couldn’t know if someone had broken in. Yihi turned her head and looked at the source of the sound.
“Eh…what? Angel?”
An angel with one wing cut off was face down on the ground. The body was such a wreck that even Yihi frowned.
“An angel shouldn’t be here…”
But the terrible appearance caused Yihi to press gently against the both sides of the temple.
Yihi was temporarily deprived of all rights so she didn’t even know the attack of the angels had started. The information of an ‘enemy attack’ never came to her. She didn’t have any freedom to act. Yihi could only move between here and the top floor. Thus she was ignorant about the situation.
An angel had suddenly appeared on the 15th floor so it was natural for her to panic. The definition of a good or evil fairy was ambiguous. There was a thin line between good and bad. Angel, demon, or human was all the same to a fairy. Of course, they were aware that they were subordinates to a demon. So it was difficult.
‘Why did an angel appear here?’
Usually intelligence would make they realize that the angel was an ‘enemy.’ But Yihi had completely different thoughts.
“Ah! Tree-nim sent it to me!”
Yihi looked back at the Tree of Origin. Yihi was convinced this was the answer to her pray to take care of the bees.
“But Tree of Origin-nim. Yihi doesn’t think it is good when looking at the state of the angel. Can it really take care of the bees?”
The angel was in a serious state. Just before death. He didn’t seem like he could take care of anything.
Yihi laid her hands on both sides of the temple and hummed ‘Umm~.’
“Right now Yihi can’t even buy a potion. Master has deprived Yihi of all rights. I can’t do anything to treat the angel~.”
She sighed with pity.
Yihi looked around to see if there were any other angels wandering nearby. At the same time, the angel’s eyes flashed open.
“Origin…summoned…heok!”
“Aish, you surprised me.”
Yihi hastily retreated a step from the surprise.
“What? If you are alive then you should say so. Did you want to surprise Yihi?”
The angel was badly injured but Yihi still spoke sarcastically. Whether she believed it or not, the dying angel continued talking until the end.
“Huge…warp…heok! Causality and destruction…decision…dispatched to Demon World…someone intervened…code changed…the source of the summoning was this…please…!”
“What is he saying?”
Yihi blinked.
She had no way of knowing what the angel was talking about. The source of the summoning.
Fairies were simple. They weren’t deliberately insolent. But the angel pa.s.sed away after saying such cryptic words.
Yihi stared at the Tree of Origin and gave her honest feedback.
“Tree-nim. Tree of Origin. I think you sent me a crazy angel.”
* * *
It was evening.
The boring war of attrition ended and the full scale combat started. The smell of burning corpses filled the mountain. The destruction of the surrounding terrain was already absurd. It occurred over a few kilometres.
And…today the demons were slowly killing off the angels. There were a great number of advanced creatures.
“We will move back. Be careful not to get involved.”
I knew that today would be a short term battle. Lee Ji-hye asked me.
“It is evening so shouldn’t we help?”
She had realized yesterday that the angels were weakened in the evening. This was the moment when the angels most needed help.
But my decision was firm.
“We are not in a state to help them right now.”
Despite giving them hope and strength, the Awakened were at their limits. The Awakened had been tense for two days. They had been forced to fight for two days so the hidden fatigue would explode.
Lee Ji-hye also knew this fact. Lee Ji-hye bit her dry lips before stepping back.
There were just over 100 people remaining. And they started to escape from the centre of the battlefield. The demons and creatures showed no interest in the Awakened. They were busy focusing on Hashmal.
I backed away from the centre and waited.
The demons were starting to weaken. Hashmal was declining! They had been fighting for a few hours. There were shrieks as they desperately struggled…meanwhile, I mentally connected to M1 and M2 and gave them a command.
‘M1, M2. Stampede.’
A skill that dramatically increase physical abilities while decreasing the life span. Stampede (U)!
A red light burned in the eyes of the paused M1 and M2.
I knew Hashmal’s weakness. She was defined by her highly stubborn nature. Good was on one side of the line and evil on the other.
This nature was revealed in my previous life. That nature meant Hashmal would continue to fight the demons, even if it led to her death. If she wasn’t like this then the war against the demons would last for two more years. This meant…she forgot everything outside of the ‘enemy.’
I had planted the idea that M1 and M2 would only stay at the outer walls of the dungeon. After Hashmal and the angels stopped their attacks, M1 and M2 hadn’t moved. Would Hashmal be able to cope if such a presence moved unexpectedly?
“Falling! Get her!”
“The angel is tired and tonight I will obtain her head.”
Hashmal fell a little bit. The light of the holy power in her wings were dwindling. She couldn’t easily fly in the sky. She resisted but it was only a matter of time.
The demons had excited smiles on their faces. 5,000,000pt. It would make them stand superior to others. If they caught an angel then the demon would be reborn as a powerhouse in their faction.
Still, it wasn’t easy. Hashmal was a Dominions Angel and her standard of ‘exhaustion’ was different from common angels. She flew very low and put up a last ditch effort against the demons and creatures.
“Annoying b.i.t.c.h…!”
The demons clicked their tongues at her persistence. She still hadn’t completely fallen. Hashmal knew it would be more dangerous if she fell to the ground. There were all types of creatures waiting on the ground for her.
But, there was only one place. A cramped s.p.a.ce away from the creatures. The place of the Awakened.
Hashmal’s eyes were conflicted as she tried to make a decision.
The cause of that was me.
‘Master of Lightning G.o.d. Maybe I was a demon.’
She might have noticed. There was no reason for her not to help the human Awakened. She could give them blessings or recovery. She didn’t do such a thing so there was only one corner left.
‘Come, greet me before you face death.’
Now Hashmal stood at the crossroads of choice.
Six wings. They contained a large amount of holy power and allowed her to fly. If Hashmal conserved the power by fighting on the ground then she could bring down more enemies. But she couldn’t come down to the ground if I was a demon.
It was confusing. A demon who used lightning attacks taking on the appearance of a human to help them. It was beyond expectations.
Hashmal couldn’t determine what I was. Hashmal had been in the air when she first noticed me.
But she hadn’t yet noticed…
Hashmal moved towards me and I quietly smiled.
“Captain-nim. The angel is coming here?”
Yoo Eun-hye trembled and made a fuss. Edward who was stuck like a gum behind her was also surprised. No, it was all of the Awakened who survived.
“Ah!”
Hashmal was almost on the ground when she was. .h.i.t by a huge fireball. Yoo Eun-hye sighed with pity.
A sudden attack. Hashmal staggered and dropped.
I jumped into the air. And caught the falling Hashmal.
1 second was a very short amount of time. Hashmal’s gold eyes turned towards me. Her eyes were asking ‘are you a friend or enemy?’ but I just responded with a shallow smile. And Hashmal’s hard eyes relaxed a little bit.
“Captain-nim!” Please be careful!”
It was at that moment. Yoo Eun-hye shouted.
Chwack!
Chwaruruk!
M1 and M2 were stampeding through the creatures and were quickly approaching. When I purchased them at the Demon World Auction, they were just two square iron plates. The demons didn’t know of the existence of these two creatures. The physical abilities were comparable to a high cla.s.s creature. None of the creatures here were their opponents after they used ‘Stampede.’
Hashmal was also at a loss. M1 and M2 had stayed at the dungeon’s outer walls so it was unexpected that they would appear here. That confusion occurred in the worst moment.
The two golems wearing silver armour raised their b.a.s.t.a.r.d swords.
‘Stab.’
Puok!
“Ah…!”
Hashmal’s death throes. I was also stabbed. My abdomen was stained with blood but I didn’t mind at all.
‘Cut.’
Followed by…M1 and M2 slicing of Hashmal’s wings. An angel’s wings were their source of strength. And defense. Hashmal was a Dominions Angel and her strength was very different. Her wings were capable of withstanding all types of attacks.
But there was a flood of attacks from the stampeding M1 and M2. Six wings. A total of three pairs of wings were cut off at once.
“Aaack!”
Hashmal lost consciousness in my arms from the shock.
Kkulleok!
Blood poured down.
It was a play I executed to hide but I wasn’t feeling so good.
“Captain-nim!”
Yoo Eun-hye, Lee Ji-hye and the other group members headed towards me. I raised my hand and restrained them.
“Leave the battlefield. The angels will soon be wiped out…I don’t know what direction the creatures will go. Retreat and prepare for attacks.”
There wasn’t a lot of creatures remaining. Around 3,000. M1, M2 and the creatures from my dungeon were a threat but there was no guarantee the demons would leave.
It was easy to see what would happen after the rest of the angels were hunted. The hungry demons would order their creatures to ravage the surrounding area. Preparations were needed.
South Korea was already in a miserable condition. They would be lost against an influx of foreign creatures. There would be a large number of deaths even if I sent Krasla. It would be an uphill battle to block them.
Flop!
Hashmal was knocked to the ground. Many demons and creatures desperately aimed for the fallen Hashmal but M1 and M2 easily blocked them. And the lich approached and placed Hashmal and I on his shoulder.
“Where are you taking Captain-nim?”
Fire burned in Yoo Eun-hye’s eyes as she ran forward with her lightning sword. However, the lich was very high among the advanced creatures. No matter how strong Yoo Eun-hye was, she wasn’t a match right now.
Peok!
The lich hit Yoo Eun-hye lightly in the stomach with her staff and she collapsed. Edward hastily moved and grabbed Yoo Eun-hye.
“Edward! Let go of me! We can’t let them leave with Captain-nim!”
Yoo Eun-hye twisted her body like a wild colt. But Lee Ji-hye and the other crew members forced her back. This was the last chance for them to escape. If they didn’t leave now, all of them would be annihilated. It was very unfortunate but…it was necessary to make levelheaded judgements.
The female angel leader had her wings torn off. The defeat of the angels was confirmed. Now the only thing left was to prepare for the aftermath quickly. Yoo Eun-hye wasn’t weak but there was nothing she could do alone. In the end, the Awakened quickly retreated.
The lich moved in the direction of the dungeon.
“Rotting lich! Give Hashmal to me!”
“You slippery b.a.s.t.a.r.d! Don’t s.n.a.t.c.h up our prey at the last minute!”
The demons weren’t just quietly watching.
The advanced golems supported the lich. In the meantime, the lich said.
“Remainder…angels…take care of them. Our Dungeon Master only wants Hashmal.”
At first, it seemed like the voice was hoa.r.s.e due to screaming. The torn voice of the lich entered the ears of the demons. The lich became more powerful in a place filled with corpses.
Kwa kwa kwa kw.a.n.g!
He waved his staff and used the ‘Corpse Explosion’ skill. The ground shook.
“Hunt all the angels…then get lost! Our Dungeon Master…you are not welcome in front of the dungeon.”
Dellat came charging out.
“I don’t know who the Dungeon Master here is but they just made a big mistake! Grand Duke Pandemonium will never tolerate this!”
“Kuhuhu…if you wage an all-out war…’we’ will not stand still. But…I don’t recommend it…”
An powerful and unknown mystery. The demons couldn’t move until they had investigated the Dungeon Master of South Korea.
If would be no good if they started a war between factions. It would just benefit the other two Grand Dukes. It hadn’t even been 3 years. The Grand Dukes couldn’t easily move unless it would give them an obvious advantage.
“This guy…!”
Marquis Dellat’s body trembled.
He had succeeded in hunting a Virtues Angel and earned 1 million points. However, he didn’t want to miss the big fish that was right in front of him.
He wanted to kill Hashmal as quickly as possible only for his prey to be yanked away. Hashmal’s stamina and holy power was reduced but the most important moment was the ‘last hit.’ An error in calculation.
The lich began to move. The golem escorted him and they succeeded in entering the dungeon.
I poured a potion on my wound immediately after entering the dungeon. Air bubbles rapidly occurred around the wound. I was dizzy for a moment from blood loss before the Heart of the h.e.l.l Monarch refilled it.
‘Troublesome.’
Tsk. I clicked my tongue.
This had been the best method to enter the dungeon without any suspicions. The dungeon would be monitored by the demons for a while. I needed a natural method to enter here.
“Congratulations on a successful return.”
Chrisley was waiting on one knee. I smiled at her and said.
“Chrisley. Your contribution was big.”
While I was outside, Chrisley had blocked the angels inside the dungeon. She was very successful. Of the 1,500 creatures, 600~700 were still remaining. That was enough to have an influence on the demons. If it wasn’t for that, there might have been a few more conflicts.
“No…My Dungeon Master. I missed one angel. I confirmed that he died in front of the Tree of Origin on the 15th floor but it is still my fault.”
Chrisley was honest. This honesty was an advantage. I had to give credit to Chrisley for telling me the truth without trying to hide it. Due to the ceremony, Chrisley regarded me as a companion of the soul. She willingly told me her sins first.
I shook my head.
“You missed one person but it is meaningless if they die before reaching the top floor. Rather…I want to give you a reward. So what is your wish?”
Chrisley’s expression suddenly became serious. She carefully opened her mouth.
“My Dungeon Master. Could you increase the number of dark elves?”
I would have liked Chrisley to ask for something for herself, but it was difficult due to her nature.
‘The number of dark elves.’
I touched my jaw.
Their numbers had certainly been reduced due to several battles. Now there were only 30 dark elves remaining. I needed to increase that number to take care of the Tree of Origin.
“I will buy 150 healthy dark elves.”
“I-I don’t need so much.”
Chrisley panicked. She hurriedly denied it. She thought that adding 150 dark elves just for her was too much. But I needed to compensate Chrisley’s efforts.
“Just think of this as a reward for everything so far. Apart from the contributions, you have made some good recommendations. I will fully compensate you.”
I would never have said such things in my previous life. But things were different now. I realized that there was a limit to acting alone and I should give generous rewards.
“Then…”
Chrisley contemplated for a moment before recommending several creatures. She judged objectively and told details about their contribution. They would be rewarded as well. Thanks to that, the compensation didn’t take that long.
“Thoroughly defend the entrance and watch the movements of the demons. Report to me if there is any unusual behaviour.”
I turned my body and walked away.
The lich with Hashmal on his shoulders followed me.
* * *
“Child. Light is everywhere. And you will guide the light. Never be corrupted by darkness. Your role is to cleanse the darkness and conceive the light.”
Angels were born from eggs. After Hashmal broke the egg, the Heavenly King said that to her.
Intermediate hierarchy. Like most of those in the higher positions, a Dominions Angel had a great responsibility from birth. They tirelessly trained in their skills. Holy power was shared but the way they used it was up to them.
Sometimes the other angels would tell extremely sweet stories of the Middle World. She wanted to see it for herself one day but reality wasn’t easy.
Hashmal was given tough missions. General angels were capable and most of the missions were related to the Demon World. A place where it was impossible to feel dreams, hopes and other sweet feelings…
She travelled through the dimensional gate to the Demon World several times. And every time she came back, it felt like something important had been worn down in her. The demons were sworn enemies and the Demon World a place that she needed to subjugate.
Hashmal had great performances as a Dominions Angel.
“The multi-dimensional causality was destroyed. But the ma.s.sive destruction is from the Demon World. You will lead the angels to investigate.”
After receiving orders from the Heavenly King, Hashmal headed to the dimensional gate with troops. But…something happened and the code was changed to an unknown place. It wasn’t the Demon World. It didn’t look like the Middle World.
‘A different dimension altogether. But what is this huge source of magic power that I can feel nearby?’
She was at a loss for the first time in her life. The place felt both comforting and impure. She needed to be closer to confirm it.
‘A demon’s work.’
She started to destroy the dungeon. But the barrier around the exterior wall was hard. It wasn’t easy to break despite the holy power of a Dominions Angel and several hundred angels. She became even more curious about the ident.i.ty of this place.
However, she couldn’t destroy the dungeon. A number of demons and creatures had showed up. The demons were doing something here. She couldn’t learn anything more.
She intuitively felt that it wouldn’t be easy but Hashmal moved. She killed and killed.
Over two days, she slayed thousands of creatures. And she had fallen into someone’s arms after her divine power was exhausted…her wings lost.
“Ah!”
She jumped up. Sweat flowed down.
Nightmare?
She touched her back.
‘Nothing.’
The wings…none.
It wasn’t a dream. The awful reality.
Her wings were the source of holy power so the loss meant it might take decades to recover. The sword stab wound was neat and someone had taken care of it.
She couldn’t easily organize her thoughts. It was obvious she had lost consciousness from the shock of losing her wings. It didn’t make sense that she survived the demons and creatures. Once her flesh was dead, her soul would enter the cycle of reincarnation.
This place?
She wiped her sweat and looked around.
A fluffy bed. A cool breeze. A strange place like an underground tunnel.
A man sitting in a wooden chair and reading a book…
The man closed the book and laughed coolly.
“Should we call each other acquaintances now? Anyway, it is delightful to see you again.”
Hashmal’s expression was disconcerted. He currently wasn’t wearing a mask but she could identify him from the distinctive scent of magic power.
But she couldn’t easily open her mouth. I guessed the reason and shrugged.
“Can you not use the communication of the angels if you don’t have your wings?”
The angels’ wings weren’t just for holy power. The angels could use it to guess their will and didn’t need to speak important dialog. A type of telepathy…Hashmal lost her wings and couldn’t use it.
“Your ident.i.ty.”
Hashmal realized her mistake and said in a small voice. There were no signs of panic. A Dominions Angel wouldn’t panic at something like this.
A sweet tone. The voice of an angel was beautiful enough to be compared to a ‘siren.’ A creature that used singing to lure sailors. But it was worth comparing to a siren. In particular, Hashmal’s clear and cold voice caused the ears to naturally focus on it.
There were rumours that some high ranking demons would cut off the wings of angels and keep them in cages in the Demon World. After eliminating their pride, they would make the angels sing all day. They had an extremely shortened lifespan and only lasted 1 year.
I thought it was just a hobby for n.o.bles but finally understood after hearing Hashmal’s voice.
“What about it?”
“It is a very unpleasant magic power. This is probably a big dungeon…are you a demon?”
A strong enmity. She had been dubious when I was with the Awakened but the dungeon convinced her I was a demon.
“You could say that.”
Hashmal’s frown deepened.
“It doesn’t matter. What do you want to do? Deception and cutting off all my wings…I don’t know the reason for such a play.”
A little surprised. I had mixed in among the Awakened. Attacking the demons and pretending to help the angels. M1 and M2 quickly moved at the right moment.
‘An operation that turned out well.’
I have several anxieties. I wasn’t sure Hashmal would be convinced I was a human and head of the Awakened or if the demons would let Hashmal enter the dungeon. My answer was immediately discarded after I thought it. My nature was like this in the first place.
“Hashmal. It is simple. I am not a normal demon who appeared on this planet.”
It wasn’t a difficult question so I gave a light answer. Hashmal’s questions only increased.
“You are not a normal demon?”
“You have questions? But it is unfair if I am the only one answering. How about we alternate between asking questions?”
“I don’t compromise with demons.”
I clicked my tongue. Indeed, a stubborn angel. It was the way she was raised. It was the same for most demons. I was born weak on the battlefield. But there was some hostility to our natural enemies.
‘I guess persuasion is useless.’
I looked down at the book in my hand. The book contained valuable information about how to convince the opponent. It was a weak area for me. The problem was that Hashmal wasn’t an easy opponent to persuade. She would deny everything I tried.
“Hashmal. From here onwards, you won’t have a place. Isn’t that right?”
Hashmal didn’t confirm or deny it.
She travelled through the dimensional gate and appeared in a place different from the Demon World. She was initially puzzled but sensed impure magic power from the dungeon and attacked. And now Hashmal was in the midst of that impurity.
“The reason why the demons are here…do you know?”
I could guess based on past experience. But it was closer to a certainty than a guess. The devil had made the earth an ‘arena’ for a large scale invasion. This was a golden chance for the angels to take care of 4 Grand Dukes simultaneously. But they didn’t. Only a scouting party was sent. The schedule was moved up but Hashmal was still a scout. She was likely unaware of all this information.
Hashmal couldn’t reply to my mocking words.
“That’s right. You don’t know anything. You exist solely to be sacrificed by the higher ups. And you couldn’t even do that properly. It is truly laughable.”
“Sophistry.”
“It isn’t sophistry but the truth. You would have seen it when you first appeared through the dimensional gate. High and solid structures that even the dwarves can’t imitate! This isn’t the Middle World, Demon World or Heaven. This place…an entirely different dimension. And you would have seen something else. The numerous demons and creatures gathered in another dimension.”
“Interfering in other dimensions is a taboo. The heavens will punish the bad ones gathered together.”
“Group of bad people…then Hashmal. I’ll tell you one truth. The demons want to destroy the humans and this planet. Ariel, Upa, Pandemonium and Okullos. All the Grand Dukes of the Demon World and their factions have travelled here. And I am the only one hoping the humans don’t perish. Rather, I am helping the humans deal with the demons.”
The possibility of Hashmal returning to heaven was close to 0. It was easy for me to tell her this.
“So you are not a normal demon? Different from other demons? Truly funny. A demon is a demon.”
“What is the definition of a demon?”
“Unpleasant magic power. A dark existence. Such existences are called demons.”
“Haha! Demons are certainly accustomed to the darkness. But Hashmal. If you report on the features then right now, you are not an angel. At least I’ve never heard of an angel who lost their wings.”
“It isn’t lost. You removed them.”
“Then do you think you are equal to others? Having no wings means you don’t have access to holy magic and you are only a little stronger than humans. No, you are just like a human.”
“You are glossing over the truth. Don’t you just want to show off that you have me? I know what demons consider a hobby. Kill!”
I felt a firm commitment.
My brows furrowed. Once again, this method didn’t suit me. It did not fit me at all.
I spoke bluntly.
“Join me.”
“I have already said it. I don’t compromise with demons…!”
“Hu! You will soon realize the benefits of leaving the heavens.”
I said after sighing.
“All the Grand Dukes of the Demon World are gathered here. And I’m trying to prove my existence in an entirely different way from them. This means going against them. Should you really be hostile to me if you want to benefit the heavens?”
“Are you saying that complying with a demon is a good thing?”
“All Grand Dukes and their aides are gathered in this dimension. You will make a significant contribution if you sweep up all these demons.”
Hashmal’s eyes turned towards me.
She pondered on the reason why the Grand Dukes were gathered here. It was true that her mission was to get rid of the demons on this planet.
“In the first place…why are the Grand Dukes gathered here? What is the reason why they want to slaughter the demons in this dimension?”
“The seat of the Devil has been vacant for a long time. It is time to fill that seat. The conditions are very simple. Destroy the most humans and territory.”
“The seat of the Devil…”
‘G.o.d’ had told a story about Death Bringer. But she didn’t believe it.
“You might think this is a prank or that I am desperate. In the Demon World, there has been a war over the seat of the Devil for far too long. You need to come to a conclusion.”
I stared into Hashmal’s eyes.
Golden eyes. There were some waves occurring in the calm lake.
I slowly opened my mouth.
“Hashmal. I am walking alone. I am not affiliated with any of the factions of the Grand Dukes. I never even thought of entering them. Because…”
My gaze strengthened. I gripped my fists tightly.
“I have to kill the demons. I am a hunter that will kill all the demons on this planet. So I will climb to the position of Devil.”
I smirked and said.
“This is an opportunity given to you. After all the demons are killed, you have the unique chance to stop me from becoming the devil. I will give you some time to make a decision. I will give you some time to watch the situation and determine the truthfulness of my words. I hope you think carefully.”
I turned and left the room.
Hashmal didn’t have any constraints and could act freely in the dungeon. Anyway, she had lost all her wings. I had the power of advanced creatures so she wasn’t a great threat. Even a naga could eliminate Hashmal and then I would get 5 million points. But I expected to get some achievements if I could manage to corrupt her.
‘No other demons can do it.’
No one had ever managed to corrupt an angel. The same was true in my previous life. It was a myth. My heart jumped quickly. I wanted to try corrupting an angel. But it failed. If successful, there would be benefits for a long time. And I used my own methods.
Hashmal needed time to be convinced.
‘I can hear more stories.’
This invasion was ahead of schedule. I might be able to hear a little bit of what was happening. I could use her if there was another invasion from the heavens in the future. I would be able to prepare or know the power of the heavens. At the very least, she was a Dominions Angel and familiar with other angels.
There would be many benefits if I managed to corrupt her.
I touched my jaw.
‘After an angel pa.s.sed through the dimensional gate, they can’t return to the heavens before killing all the demons.’
I identified this from my previous life. The angels who occupied dungeons could create a ‘Sacred Zone’ that allowed them to resist the demons. But there were no angels that returned to heaven. This information was procured through a lot of effort.
‘In my previous life, I was stubborn even in the face of death.’
There was also a chance that Hashmal would choose to die. But that would just be a useless death. She wouldn’t accomplish anything. If she didn’t cling to her stubbornness then she would follow me. In the meantime, Hashmal would explore my dungeon and become curious about the ‘Tree of Origin.’
Of course, she didn’t immediately respond. Instead, she asked about the exit to the dungeon. She wanted to find out what was happening outside and see the truth of my words.
It wasn’t an easy proposal. The demons were still keeping an eye on the dungeon. It wouldn’t be easy to deceive and pa.s.s by them.
But that problem was surprisingly solved easily.
‘I can go out through j.a.pan’s dungeon.’
That’s right. We could move to j.a.pan’s dungeon. I used a few magic disguise items and had her accompanied by Krasla.
A trip around the world begun. I couldn’t give a lot of time so they were to return within a week.
And Hashmal returned exactly one week later.
Hashmal had a very confused expression on her face. Her face hadn’t changed much but her eyes were shaken. It was small but there was an impact.
She checked other dungeons and witnessed the strong presence of the demons directing it. In addition, she saw the world unraveling.
It wasn’t too late. Leaving it alone would be a dereliction of her duties. She couldn’t accept her death. She was stubborn but still an angel. Her mission was to bring back light to a world immersed in darkness.
Hashmal looked at me for a long time before opening her mouth.
“I will never follow a demon. I will destroy all demons. Don’t forget that you are also included in that.”
Pisik!
I started laughing.