At this moment, Duanmu Huai did not have time to concern himself with Kentō Kanami's doubts. There was no more fighting on the streets. The sudden and drastic mutation had thrown both the Helman and Lisath armies into complete chaos.
When Duanmu Huai charged into Lisath's royal castle, the feeling it gave him was even more unbearable.
"Hmph."
The instant he stepped through the castle gates, Duanmu Huai's expression darkened. The silent castle was now filled with chaotic demonic miasma—thick, viscous, oppressive, the unique aura of Chaos demons.
Although it was still relatively weak, at this intensity… it had already reached the level of a Greater Chaos Demon.
So this world has been eroded as well…
"Ugh…"
There were almost no living people moving within the palace. Maids and attendants lay collapsed on the ground. Duanmu Huai could clearly sense that their vitality was being mercilessly drained by some powerful existence. If this continued, everyone in the castle would meet only one end—death.
"Ha—!!"
With that thought, Duanmu Huai let out a furious roar and stepped forward hard. In the next instant, pressure filled with destruction, death, and terror erupted from him as a swirling storm, instantly dispersing the Chaos aura clinging to the castle.
But this was still not enough.
"Over there, huh?"
Duanmu Huai raised his head, swept his gaze forward, then tightened his grip on his greatsword and leapt violently upward, smashing straight through the ceiling and arriving on the second floor.
"Boom!!"
The stone ceiling shattered as Duanmu Huai burst through and landed heavily on the floor. Standing before him was an elderly man dressed in robes. This eerie old man stared at Duanmu Huai, a subtle emotion flashing through his eyes.
"So it was you who dispersed Lady Jill's power… As expected, you're not an enemy Ezeru or Satra could handle."
"Die!"
Duanmu Huai had no time to waste here, nor any interest in talking to an aberrant heretic who had devoted himself to demons. He gripped his greatsword and flashed forward, swinging it down at the old Devilman without hesitation. Faced with the attack, the old Devilman's expression changed slightly, but he quickly clenched his fists.
"I don't know what you are, but I will not allow you to harm Lady Jill—even if I must give my life to stop you!!"
As he roared, the old man's robe suddenly exploded apart. In the next moment, his towering body transformed into a massive black dragon, which opened its blood-soaked maw and lunged straight at Duanmu Huai!
"Get lost, you bastard!"
Facing the gaping jaws snapping toward him, Duanmu Huai shouted and tightened his grip on the greatsword, stomping hard on the ground. A tremendous shockwave erupted, shattering the floor beneath his feet. At the same time, his speed surged explosively. He became a blazing point of light, shooting directly into the black dragon's mouth and bursting out through the back of its skull, completely piercing the dragon's head!
"Uwaaaaaahhh!!"
With a wail of agony, the black dragon collapsed to the ground. Clearly, it had never imagined it would be defeated in a single blow.
This power… such overwhelming power… the power of a Demon King…!!
"Lady Jill… please… be careful… ahh…"
Those were the only words the black dragon managed before collapsing completely, its body soon swallowed by black flames.
"Thud."
Duanmu Huai landed steadily on the ground. He flicked the blood from his greatsword, then lifted his head and looked forward.
On the throne floated a girl who appeared no more than a dozen years old. She was immature and delicate, with long silver hair. Her arms and legs seemed to be spread apart, formed from some kind of condensed dark matter. Her crimson eyes focused directly on Duanmu Huai.
"Such powerful strength… Could it be that you are the new… Demon King?"
As she spoke, the girl shook her head.
"No… this is… divine power… Why would a god appear here? This is… our… game…"
"What are you talking about?"
Hearing her words, Duanmu Huai frowned slightly and stared at her. Normally, he would have attacked without hesitation, but what the girl said made him feel a trace of doubt. It was obvious this Demon King knew something.
"This is a game… rules…"
The girl's eyes shifted slightly as she fixed her gaze on Duanmu Huai.
"You have violated… the rules…"
Game rules?
Just as Duanmu Huai was about to press her further, the girl suddenly extended her hand. As she moved, space behind her split open violently. In the next instant, the girl was swallowed by the spatial rift and vanished without a trace.
"Damn it!"
Seeing this, Duanmu Huai cursed under his breath and leapt forward, charging into the spatial rift after her.
He was certain that this Demon King, Jill, possessed the secrets of this world. He had to force her to reveal them.
And even if she refused—he could simply see for himself.
"Ugh!!"
Seeing Duanmu Huai pursue her so closely, panic surfaced on Jill's face. She instinctively attempted to flee into the warp storm, but Duanmu Huai would not allow it. He raised his greatsword and swung it with full force. Violent sword energy roared forth, forcibly suppressing the raging warp storm.
Even as a Demon King, Jill did not dare take that blow head-on. She twisted aside and tried to escape.
At the same time, Duanmu Huai leapt like a ferocious bear, stretching out his massive hand and seizing Jill's body firmly.
"Answer me, Demon King! What exactly do you know?!"
"..."
Faced with Duanmu Huai's interrogation, Jill merely stared coldly at him, with no intention of speaking. Duanmu Huai had already lost patience. If she would not speak, he would take it himself.
"Look at me, you little bastard!"
As he spoke, Duanmu Huai grabbed Jill by the chin, forcing her to meet his gaze. Then, his consciousness transformed into a massive hammer and smashed straight into Jill's mental world!
"Aah… aaaaaaaaahhhhhhh!!!!"
A god-level mental assault was not something a mere Demon King could withstand. Almost instantly, Jill let out a garbled scream. Her frail body twisted uncontrollably, her mouth hanging wide open, tongue lolling out as saliva streamed down her chin. Her eyes rolled upward as an incomparably terrifying force ripped apart her mind and invaded the deepest parts of her soul.
"No no no no AAAAAAHHHHH!!!"
Despite Jill's continuous screams, Duanmu Huai was completely indifferent. He focused his will, digging through Jill's memories.
If Jill's soul and consciousness were a heavily guarded vault, then Duanmu Huai was driving an excavator straight through the wall.
Why bother picking the lock? Just dig through layer by layer!
Just like that.
Soon, countless memories appeared before Duanmu Huai—memories belonging to the Demon King Jill.
Long, long ago, she had once been a wise and kind sage, helping many people and earning widespread fame. But because of that, she was envied and persecuted. Her arms and legs were severed, her face smashed with stones and clubs, and she was thrown by the roadside like garbage, left to die.
It was then that Jill encountered the previous Demon King. At the time, that Demon King was searching for a successor. He chose Jill and passed on the Demon King's blood and throne to her.
Thus, Jill became a cruel and ferocious Demon King.
And through the former Demon King, she learned the truth of this world.
Once, this world had been nothing more than a fragment of ruins. Later, a mysterious existence arrived, somehow seized control of the world, and recreated it on a far grander scale. To amuse itself, this being created three "Overgods," tasking them with creating entertaining things within the world.
What the three Overgods ultimately created was a game called "Demon King and Hero."
The Demon King commanded the demon races and slaughtered humanity.
When the human death rate exceeded fifty percent, a "Hero" would randomly appear among humanity—one who possessed the power to shatter the "invincible barriers" of Demon Kings and Devilmen. The more humans died, the stronger the Hero became.
However, Demon Kings slain by Heroes were not truly dead. This was a game. When one Demon King died, another would appear. The new Demon King would once again lead the demons in slaughtering humanity. And when humanity teetered on the brink of extinction, the Hero would reappear…
That was why Jill had said those words earlier. In her eyes, this world was a game for the gods. She played the role of the Demon King, opposed the Hero, and exterminated humanity.
But Duanmu Huai was not a Hero.
He was a god.
In gaming terms, it was as if the player couldn't beat the game, so the GM personally logged in.
Thus, to Jill, this was cheating.
Because this world… was merely a playground for gods…
And that mysterious Creator God was—
"AAAAAAAAAAAHHHHH!!!"
Jill's body trembled violently. Her pale face flushed deep red. In the next instant, her head exploded like an overinflated balloon. Her corpse lost all strength and collapsed limply to the ground.
"Damn it! You're screwing me over right at the most important part?!"
Staring at the headless corpse in his grasp, Duanmu Huai looked speechless. He had just learned that this Demon King had once broken the rule that "a Demon King can only live for 1,000 years" and met the three Overgods in order to extend her life.
He had wanted to know how she met them.
And she just… couldn't handle his divine might and exploded?
That was a thing?
"I hate endings that leave things hanging like this."
Duanmu Huai said coldly, clenching his right hand and instantly burning Jill's corpse into ashes.
But…
Narrowing his eyes, Duanmu Huai looked ahead.
At the very least, he now knew the secret of this world.
(End of Chapter)