Chapter 258
[14th Round] MAX-Cla.s.s Demon Lord
I felt strange.
My body and soul were engulfed by some kind of dark matter that I couldn’t get rid of, kind of like Lanuvel.
Smoke? Liquid? Semi-liquid? I wasn’t sure what state it was in, but the substance was the second softest after my cowardly wife’s b.r.e.a.s.t.s.
FSHHSSHHH!
I couldn’t enjoy the feeling that long, however. Soon after it devoured me, my body absorbed it like dry soil chugging down rain.
There was so much of it that it wouldn’t have been able to fit completely in a normal person and would instead spill out like water overflowing from a gla.s.s, but my body had no limit. It continued to swallow everything, not wanting to leave even a trace behind.
The process kept going endlessly.
I knew very well what it was.
Dark Energy.
Strengthening physical fitness, preventing aging, prolonging life, preserving appearance, preventing dementia, fast regeneration, free wings, free horns, free outfit, free weapons…
It was the epitome of power in the Fantasy World.
If I set aside its shortcomings, such as irascibility and being forced to worship those who had greater Dark Energy, it could be called the best source of strength.
My stats also changed.
▶ Race: United Spirit of Fantasy
▶ Level: 999+
▶ Job: Great Sword Master (Hero = Demon Lord)
▶ Skills: Dark Energy GGG, Gifted ZZZ, Fabrication ZZ
▶ Condition: Holy Sword, Dragon Scale
Unable to withstand the huge amount of Dark Energy that entered my body, the Z-rank skill Divinity and other skills related to it disappeared, but my Fabrication skill filled the void they left behind.
It was even upgraded from Z-rank to ZZ-rank without requiring any sacrifice!
However, my attention was drawn to somewhere else: my race.
▷ Type: Race
▶ Name: United Spirit of Fantasy
▶ Rank: Beginner
▶ Beginner 1: Subdues heroes.
▶ Beginner 2: Second Demon Lord.
▷ Feature 1: Sponsored by Universe Co., Ltd.
▷ Race 1: Legendary Being.
▷ Race 2: World Spirit.
My two races’ effects were merged into one, and the “Second Demon Lord” that my father-in-law spoke of was added.
Additionally, the universe’s fading love turned into a sponsorship, making it clear where this endless Dark Energy came from.
But not everything was so rosy.
“World Spirit…”
United Spirit of Fantasy. USF for short.
Half of the Fantasy World, which used to belong to my father-in-law, had been pa.s.sed onto me.
And the consequences were obvious.
FSSSHHSHH!
Serving the Fantasy World wasn’t cheap, so the Dark Energy from which it was formed began to leave my body, spreading in all directions.
Dark Energy GGG → Dark Energy G
Fortunately, my situation wasn’t as critical as my father-in-law’s, preventing me from being pummeled by a hero that might coincidentally pa.s.s by.
The situation was still bleak, though.
“Hmm…”
Having accepted his cowardly daughter and his business, I took a seat on the Demon Lord’s throne, which he had now vacated. Tapping my fingers on its armrests, I fell into deep thought.
What was so good about this d.a.m.n job?
My father-in-law didn’t even turn over his duties properly. He just ran away, saying, “Son-in-law! From now on, you are a Demon Lord! I know you’ll easily get the hang of it!”
He was now outside the world of Fantasy.
“My brother deceived me.”
“My father deceived me.”
The First Spirit and the Second Demon spoke in unison.
“I already know that. You better find out if we can escape from here, Ssosia.”
“Hmm. As I expected, it’s impossible.” Ssosia grinned and sat down on my lap.
“What are you doing?”
“I just feel bad that you can’t go back home because of my curse.”
“What does that have to do with what you’re doing? I’m not your chair.”
“I know that. I’m just trying to express my apology! From now on, I’ll live only for you. I’m also prepared to make your long life brighter.” Ssosia leaned her back against my chest.
She was ready to be my heating pad and warm up my cold nights, but unfortunately, I wasn’t h.o.r.n.y.
On the contrary, it seemed to me that I had now become her toy.
“Hmm… I’m getting bored already.”
“Aren’t you being too harsh?!”
Thanks to her words, however, my head felt a little more at ease despite being loaded with different heavy thoughts.
I remembered the ending of my 1st round.
After I dealt with the companions who bullied me for about ten years, I killed the Demon Lord and was filled with dreams that I could return home… until my grades appeared.
Just like that, the 2nd round began!
The situation right now was the same.
“I’m just moving from the 13th round to the 14th. Nothing special.”
“My cowardly hubby, have you reached nirvana yet?”
“You didn’t even last ten seconds?”
My wife, pretending to regret that I couldn’t return to Earth, returned to her former shameless behavior. She probably collaborated with her father, the very being who shut me in this place.
“We actually didn’t team up, and I’m not shameless. I’ll give you a little advice. If you keep wallowing in your regrets and guilt, your life will only become more troublesome.”
“That only confirms your impudence.”
“No, that is the wisdom of life.”
“Is that so? Hey, since you’re so smart, then you’ve probably already antic.i.p.ated that you’ll be subjected to punishment because of this situation, haven’t you?”
“Huh? What?!”
The MAX-Cla.s.s Righteous Demon Lord severely punished the shameless demon!
How much time had pa.s.sed?
Naked, Ssosia lay without a drop of strength next to her undeserving husband…
▶ Announcement: The faculty meeting has ended.
A parasitic system appeared, sucking Dark Energy out of me.
▶ Shock: I just realized the terrible fact that I have to live off the power of someone who mocks the Creator-G.o.ddess Fantasy. If it were possible to commit suicide, I wouldn’t hesitate to do it.
‘Stop talking. What did they say in the meeting?’
▶ Explanation: We were ordered not to approach you without any valid reason because you’ve lost control of yourself due to your rage. It wasn’t just announced. They’ve come up with and released school rules corresponding to this situation. Hence, except for specially appointed personnel, no one is allowed to approach you. Even a message cannot be sent to you.
‘Everyone’s forbidden to approach me? Then not much has changed, has it?’
The teaching staff stayed away from me anyway. The cute and beautiful Trainee Teacher confirmed that.
▶ Denial: That’s not exactly correct. The new rules have caused a rift between the conservatives of the era of the First Hero and the reformists of the new era, of which you are the protagonist.
‘I’m not interested in the petty squabbles between the faculty’s factions. Just tell me what harm it can do to me.’
▶ Summary: All of this happened due to a lack of doc.u.ments caused by the negligence of the teaching staff. According to the rules, you should be compensated for the physical and mental damage you sustained for becoming a Demon Lord. However, due to the newly introduced rules restricting interaction with you, this is unlikely to happen.
‘So that’s how it is.’
I forgot because of my frequent regressions.
Until now, I couldn’t graduate since I couldn’t get the grades required for it, allowing them to put the blame on me. However, this time, the faculty members were the ones at fault.
‘They definitely should compensate me for this! Still, are you saying they won’t do it?’
“I will stop at nothing until I get what I deserve.”
“What? You still haven’t had enough, savage beast?!”
“I wasn’t talking to you.”
I focused my thoughts, ignoring Ssosia’s nonsense.
I was no longer a hero but a Demon Lord.
For as long as I had this immense amount of Dark Energy, all the demons living in the Fantasy World and their followers would obey me.
I could even see where they were and what they were doing.
I couldn’t watch everyone simultaneously, but if I wanted to, no matter where they were, I could give them an order.
They had the same hierarchy as the spirits!
My father-in-law pa.s.sed all of this to me.
“We’ll deal with the reward later.”
I was the protagonist of the new era, and I hereby declared that it wasn’t finished yet.
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I, the MAX-Cla.s.s Righteous Hero, didn’t lose to the Demon Lord, but it couldn’t be said that I had won either.
Let there be a draw!
But it all ended with the fact that the teaching staff didn’t give me my reward.
“My legions! Heed my call!”
Spirits and demons alike followed my order.
The “Followers of the Demon Lord” scattered throughout the continents of Fantasy began to move towards the southern part of the Central Continent, a.s.sembling at the Demon Lord’s castle.
“What are you going to do, Drug Hero?”
“Play with dirt.”
I wouldn’t leave them a piece of land.
This world was made up of my Dark Energy.
Hence, this was rightfully my property.
“M-my dear hubby, it won’t be that easy to do,” Ssosia objected as soon as she regained a bit of her strength.
“Why?”
“The textbooks have already been rewritten. The Hero’s journey was recorded in a new way, but the ending didn’t change. After losing to the Hero, the Demon Lord was sealed for many years.
“Ha! Sealed? Don’t underestimate your husband.”
Now no one could do anything to me.
I even won the fight against my senior. Having received the family business from my father-in-law, I had become stronger.
Seals? Spatial transference? Regression? Rebirth?
No one could change my fate that easily now.
That was how strong I had become.
“I’m not underestimating you. My dad’s essence was divided into many particles, which were then scattered across different dimensions to create the heroes’ cla.s.ses. However, the same can’t be made possible with you because you are a whole ent.i.ty. My aunt, knowing that, decided to apply a few fixes.”
“Fixes?”
Would the First Angel herself fight me?
“No. She doesn’t fight personally. Like you, she supports the existence of this world, so now she is powerless. Do you think that everyone around you relies only on combat power as much as you do? Remember, fighting is not a priority but a last resort. If you want to understand what I’m talking about, look out the window.”
“Out the window? f.u.c.k!”
A curse burst from my mouth as soon as I did.
Fantasy had been destroyed.
“As you can already see, the textbooks have been falsified.”
That scene alone was enough for me to understand everything. I had seen this before during my 8th round, in which I killed the Hero Sieg.
As a result, everything also led to destruction.
“d.a.m.n it! It’s because there’s a Demon Lord, but there’s no Hero, isn’t it…”
The Fantasy World would be saved if there was at least one Hero and one Demon Lord in it.
If there were no one in it, then the world would disappear.
“Brace yourself, my cowardly husband.”
“d.a.m.n…”
I wasn’t sealed, but my situation would be no different from that if the world I were in disappeared.
That was exactly what was happening now.
The Fantasy World collapsed and recovered in the blink of an eye, changing everything.
***
“Welcome, Demon Lord!”
“…”
“Have you come to your senses?”
“No.”
I felt like I was out of my mind.
“And don’t act the same way as Lanuvel, or else I’ll rip out your vertebrae!”
“How is it? Please pull yourself together! I know you’re confused since your environment has changed so much, but don’t worry. I’ll explain everything gradually, step by step. You are in the Demon Lord’s castle, the place where Hero Kang Han Soo was sealed for 2,000 years after being cursed by the Demon Lord Pedonar.
“Wait! 2,000 years?”
Did two millenniums really pa.s.s?
“We haven’t changed, but that much time has pa.s.sed. You can think of this as your reality after traveling 2,000 years into the future.”
“Aha! I understand now!”
The world had changed because I was gone for a long time.
“As a precaution, I’ll check your memory since my aunt might have gotten confused and made a mistake. Let’s start with me. I am Ssosia, creator of the Fantasy world, the Second Demon, and the adored wife of the Second Demon Lord Kang Han Soo.”
“You have completely lost your mind.”
Who adored whom? She should keep her fantasies to herself.
“Judging by how rude you are, you seem to be in good condition.”
“Okay, report on the current situation.”
“If you ask about your strength, then it’s pretty bad.”
“Why?”
It just couldn’t be.
Before arriving at the Demon Lord’s castle, I hadn’t killed a single demon, so I was able to fully inherit my father-in-law’s powers.
However, she just said that everything was deplorable.
I hastily looked out the window and soon realized that Ssosia’s words were true.
Outside the walls surrounding the Demon Lord’s castle was not a demon settlement but a human fortress.
That meant that the dominion of the demons, which extended over the whole southern part of the Central Continent, was reduced to one city.
How did this happen?
“Because of the Hero, who was able to improve the world’s situation with the support of his wonderful wife. He left behind flush toilets that made humanity stronger. Thanks to sanitary hygiene, the human population increased dramatically, which ultimately gave them the power to drive away demons and monsters.
“All of that was caused by flush toilets?”
Flush toilets threatened the personal safety of the resurrected Demon Lord.