「There are three ways to become a demon king. I have forgotten some of them. But at least one is certain. It is to kill another ‘demon king.’」

*

“Demon King of Salvation?”

When Yu Joonghyuk halted at the epithet, Anna Croft immediately asked,

“Is it a demon king you know?”

He didn’t.

Yu Joonghyuk was about to say so.

Among the demon kings of the Seventy-Two Demon Realms he knew, there was none with that epithet. And yet, the moment he heard it, Yu Joonghyuk recalled someone’s voice along with a headache.

「“That damned ocean sunfish bastard again!”」

A mischievous voice, like calling out to a close friend.

Friend.

It was strange. In a life repeated up to the 41st regression, that concept did not exist for him.

Then whose voice was this, and from where did it come.

He soon found the answer.

‘Memories from another worldline.’

No doubt they were memories a woman named Han Sooyoung had put into his head.

「“Demon King of Salvation.”」

He couldn’t tell whether that was the man’s name in the memory or not. Only that the emotions of those who called that epithet were vividly imprinted.

Some rejoiced when they said the name; some were sad; some missed him.

Emotions he no longer had.

Yu Joonghyuk tried to recall the man’s face. But his face was cleverly veiled by a milky blur and would not show itself.

Instead, what surfaced were the items he used.

A white coat.

A sword with three attributes.

A smartphone carried like a talisman……

The moment he thought that far, goosebumps rose.

Because Yu Joonghyuk already knew an incarnation who used those exact same items.

“Conqueror?”

At Anna’s voice asking again, Yu Joonghyuk returned to reality.

“A demon king I don’t know.”

Anna Croft looked at Yu Joonghyuk for a moment, then said,

“I won’t use [Lie Detection]. I don’t think you’re someone who would lie about that.”

“You talk as if you know me well.”

“Of course I know you well, Conqueror. Because I have inherited all the memories of the previous regression—”

“I told you my patience is not deep in this regression.”

Anna closed her mouth, and with his eyes shut, Yu Joonghyuk calmed his emotions and asked,

“Anything more you’ve learned about the demon king?”

“It is not a higher-rank demon king.”

“How do you know that?”

“None of the Seventy-Two Demon Realms have had their masters replaced.”

As a rule, a demon king’s strength is determined according to the rank number of the Demon Realm they rule.

For example, the master of the 72nd realm, “Andromalius,” is weaker than the master of the 71st realm, “Dantalion.”

If the existing rulers of the realms were intact, it meant this demon king had not yet entered the rankings.

‘A small mercy in misfortune?’

A demon king’s retainers are influenced by the rank of the demon king they serve.

For instance, in the case of the 7th-rank demon species “Dark Watcher,” depending on what kind of demon king it serves, it can rise to 6th-rank or drop to about 8th-rank.

If that “Demon King of Salvation” was a lower-rank demon king, then its retainers would also not be high-grade entities.

“Which one has taken the dome? Even so, if it descended as a Disaster, it must be at a considerable level.”

If it was Disaster-class, there was no way it would be a mere 6th- or 7th-rank demon species.

At minimum a 5th-rank demon species.

It might even be a fallen noble of the Demon Realm who had incurred a debt to the Administration Bureau and been sold off as a Disaster.

Likely a demon baron or viscount. If unlucky, a count. If truly unlucky, perhaps even a marquis.

Beyond that, it could not descend due to the influence of plausibility.

“All I found out is that it’s humanoid. There was some harvest from facing the demon king’s symbolic body, but—”

“The demon king’s symbolic body?”

For the first time, Yu Joonghyuk’s expression hardened. He hastily looked around. He still felt no particular signs.

“Why didn’t you start with that?”

If plausibility permitted the manifestation of a demon king’s symbolic body here, it was better to abandon the “Washington Dome.”

Reading Yu Joonghyuk’s thoughts, Anna added urgently,

“It wasn’t seen in Washington. Christina faced the demon king’s symbolic body in Las Vegas.”

“Las Vegas?”

The Las Vegas dome was an early-scenario area where demon-realm-ization hadn’t even occurred yet.

No matter how symbolic a body it was, if it manifested recklessly in such a place, no demon king could come away unscathed from the backlash.

If so—

“Did you make contact through the Hypnotist’s [Nightmare]?”

Anna nodded.

The Hypnotist’s exclusive skill, [Nightmare].

By using that skill, one could create a “dream” with a low plausibility cost and, if only briefly, face even a higher-rank existence.

“They told us not to touch Washington.”

“I need to hear details from the Hypnotist. Where did she go?”

“I did call her, but even if you meet her, it’ll be hard to get details. Even if it was through [Nightmare], the opponent was the symbolic body of none other than a ‘demon king.’ It was a burden for Christina as she is now. For two days after waking from the dream she couldn’t sleep at night, and for a while she had seizures whenever she talked about it.”

With fear responses to that degree, it was highly likely it really was a demon king’s symbolic body.

Moreover, if the symbolic body had appeared directly to give a warning, it meant this place was an important region to the “demon king.”

“We may have to consider the worst-case scenario.”

“If by worst-case……”

Without answering, Yu Joonghyuk looked down.

Yumia, who had been drawing on the dirt floor, looked up at him as if to ask what was going on.

Yu Joonghyuk twitched one eyebrow and opened his mouth.

“Yumia.”

“Mm.”

Yu Joonghyuk stared at his younger sister’s face for a long while.

Even now, with his heart worn down by repeated regressions, when he looked at his sister, a very faint warmth could be felt.

His only family given to him in this world.

When the first destruction began, Yu Joonghyuk made a decision. By any means necessary, he would protect this child. That alone was the entirety of the mission given to him.

There certainly had been such a time.

After that, he lost Yumia.

He lost her once, twice, three times, four, five.

Thus, after seeing his sister’s death more than dozens of times, screaming and howling, Yu Joonghyuk reached one truth.

He could not save his sister.

Not until he ended this damned world with his own hands.

“Take this.”

A jet-black pill was placed on Yumia’s small palm.

Yumia said,

“This is that, right. The one that lets you have good dreams.”

Yu Joonghyuk did not answer, but Yumia seemed to already know everything.

Gazing blankly at the pill, Yumia spoke in a sad voice.

“You can just protect me.”

“I will protect you.”

Both the child and Yu Joonghyuk knew it. Yu Joonghyuk would stake his life so that the child would never need to use this medicine.

Even so, this medicine was necessary.

“When did I tell you to use it?”

“At the very, very end.”

“When is that?”

“When the people you mentioned have all died and there’s no one left to help.”

“And.”

With her head deeply bowed, Yumia muttered,

“I don’t want to. I won’t say it.”

Then she scampered over to where Lee Seolhwa was and threw herself into her arms.

Holding Yumia against her, Lee Seolhwa gently soothed her and gave Yu Joonghyuk a slight bow.

Yu Joonghyuk also nodded.

Having watched in silence with tightly closed lips, Anna finally spoke.

“There’s no need to go that far with a child.”

“……”

“Are you thinking you might fail?”

Yu Joonghyuk looked up at the sky for a moment. If his thinking was right, this regression would be his last life.

Because there would be no more chances, he had to do his utmost more than in any regression he had lived until now.

Even so, tragedies beyond his utmost could happen at any time.

As they had in the past forty-some lives.

Rumble, rumble, rumble.

From afar came the sound of monsters moving.

Yu Joonghyuk used the [Long-Distance Vision] skill to observe the movements of the demon species.

Demon species and demon-species eggs densely strewn across the city center.

Judging by how they had already finished breeding in the meantime, newly born low-rank demons were already forming a large army in real time.

Counting in his head the higher-combat-power entities among them, Yu Joonghyuk asked,

“What about other countries? You didn’t contact only us, did you?”

“I contacted Japan, China, and India.”

India was Ranbir Khan.

China was Feihu.

Japan was Asuka Ren.

“Japan is struggling even with its own scenario, and China and India said they would consider it.”

There aren’t many countries that can help others from the early stages.

They had to consider the gains and losses of their own incarnations, and above all, the act itself of carelessly intervening in another country’s scenario carried great risk.

In that sense, the judgment of those who hadn’t come here was very wise.

“Shall we wait a little longer?”

Even so, Yu Joonghyuk had come here.

“No.”

The reason was simple.

「If any more time passes like this, clearing the scenario will become impossible.」

If the demon-realm-ization of the Washington Dome progressed beyond a certain level, then soon the entire North American continent would begin to be eroded by the Demon Realm.

If the continent was eroded, it would only be a matter of time before the entire Earth became demon-realm-ized.

When that time came, no one could stop it.

What was happening on the streets of Washington would happen all over the world.

Demons would overflow, and a demon king would descend.

Then humanity would be finished.

[The constellations of <Eden> are watching your choice.]

“I will stop it.”

At Yu Joonghyuk’s declaration, as if reading that resolve, the roar of demon species came from far away.

[The demon species of the ‘Washington Dome’ recognize your presence.]

Messages floated in midair. The contents of the seventh main scenario were displayed clearly.

*

<Main Scenario #7 – Demon Realm Invasion>

Category: Main

Difficulty: SS+

Clear Condition: Defeat the ruler of the ‘Washington Dome’ and liberate the ‘Washington Dome.’

Time Limit: ―

Reward: Liberation of the Washington Dome, 300,000 coins, ???

Upon Failure: Destruction of Washington

*

[You have joined the scenario as a ‘mercenary.’]
[Upon clearing the scenario, you can obtain the same rewards as existing participants.]
[The achievement ‘Scenario Mercenary’ has been attained.]
[The legion of the ‘Demon Realm’ is swarming in!]

Drawing the spear from his back, Yu Joonghyuk gave the order.

“Everyone, prepare for battle.”

Lee Hyunsung, Lee Jihye, and Kim Namwoon moved to the front.

The Apostles, who had been scouting the rear area, quickly formed ranks as well.

“Uncle Dansoo, please take the rear. The front will be Ms. Sein and Ms. Yerin. The Second Apostle and I will provide cover from the middle.”

Judging by Ye Hyeonwoo’s command ability, at least he wouldn’t be a hindrance.

Moments later, demon species appeared from behind the ruins of the buildings.

Most were ➤ NоvеⅠight ➤ (Read more on our source) 8th-rank, or entities equivalent to 9th-rank. What stood out in particular were a dozen 7th-rank demon species leading the vanguard.

“Dark Watchers.”

If they had been ordinary incarnations, they would have been massacred in an instant.

But the ones here now were not “ordinary” incarnations.

“Lee Hyunsung.”

At Yu Joonghyuk’s command, Lee Hyunsung shot out like a shell.

“Huaaaargh!”

Charging valiantly, Lee Hyunsung toppled the vanguard Dark Watchers all at once with [Pushing the Great Mountain], then crushed the ground of the area with [Breaking the Great Mountain].

Through the thickly rising dust, the screams of the demon species rang out.

Once more, Yu Joonghyuk gave an order.

“Kim Namwoon. Lee Jihye.”

With a nasty laugh, Kim Namwoon rampaged across the battlefield, wildly swinging the daggers in both hands.

“Heh heh heh! One tentacle-bug eliminated!”

Having taken out a Dark Watcher in an instant, Kim Namwoon let out a bizarre laugh and accelerated his mana circuits.

The energy of [Black Flame] streamed continuously from his twin daggers.

Like a mad clown, Kim Namwoon thrashed about and swept across the battlefield.

“Idiot! Behind you!”

Lee Jihye covered Kim Namwoon’s opening.

A chain of [Ghostslaughter] and [Ghost’s Footwork].

Already with cuts here and there, Kim Namwoon grinned broadly and shouted,

“So you really came to save me!”

“Shut up!”

As the demon species reeled and were pushed back under the duo’s combined attack, Kang Ilhun seized the opening and stepped forward.

“Now then, time to return to hell.”

Kim Namwoon glared at Kang Ilhun with a look that said what the hell is that guy.

Unconcerned, Kang Ilhun fired his bowgun in rapid succession.

Dududududu!

[Unit 503] of the great archangel Jophiel contained in the arrows.

In the next moment, the demon species struck by the arrows erupted in dust explosions, and the entire front rank was completely annihilated.

The might to sweep away a whole company of demon species in an instant.

Anna Croft was left speechless.

“Don’t tell me you have the avatar of ‘Jophiel’ with you?”

“Yes.”

“In the previous regression there wasn’t—”

“I’m breaking through shortly.”

With the dome’s principal retainers yet to appear, if the other side had the numerical advantage anyway, the best course was a swift, decisive push before their forces could fully concentrate.

“Everyone, out of the way.”

At the tip of “Moon Halberd,” the beloved weapon of 41st-regression Yu Joonghyuk, a mana condensed that brought to mind cold moonlight.

[Exclusive skill, ‘Heaven-Sundering Gang Qi Lv.10,’ is activating!]

As the ferocious mana of Heaven-Sundering Gang Qi, long since at level 10, slashed horizontally across the battlefield, the heads of demon species flew through the air as if cut by an invisible guillotine.

A momentary void opened on the battlefield.

Yu Joonghyuk did not miss the gap.

As the muscles of his thighs, writhing like those of a wild leopard, drove against the ground with explosive force, the surrounding vista swept backward in an instant.

Only Anna, who possessed flight, followed at a slight distance behind Yu Joonghyuk.

“Over there!”

The [Eye of the Archdemon] blazing bright read the near future. The route the demon species had failed to guard unfolded plainly before her eyes.

“Right! Then the left passage!”

How far had they run, cutting down demon species as they went. In the distance, the capitol building occupying the dome’s center came into view.

The moment he discovered the capitol with a great pool at its center, Yu Joonghyuk realized instinctively.

A deeply ominous and dank rank.

No one had to tell him.

The master of this “dome” was there.

As Yu Joonghyuk stepped forward without hesitation, bubbles gurgled up from the pool’s center.

The head of a demon species with long horns slowly surfaced.

Even at a glance, its aura was on a different level than a Dark Watcher’s.

At minimum, it was a noble-class demon.

Without the slightest hesitation, Yu Joonghyuk swung his spear and split the demon’s skull. However—

There was no sensation transmitted through the spearwork.

The demon’s head then scattered like spray, and a demon species of the same shape appeared a few steps away.

The demon spoke first.

[As rumored, you’re a hasty one. You are ‘Yu Joonghyuk’?]

With an ominous laugh, as if it had known he would come.

[Enter. The ‘Demon King of Salvation’ awaits.]