"You are not disgusting because you are weak," he continued calmly, "for weakness is a natural thing for living beings. Nor are you disgusting because of greed, for greed can be found in every race. What makes humans disgusting… is that you are capable of understanding evil, yet you consciously choose it anyway."
"When I first studied your history, I thought humans were the most promising race. Your bodies are weak, your lifespans short, and your natural abilities almost non-existent—yet you were given one thing no other race possesses: the capacity to learn, to imitate, to create, and to evolve without clear limits. The Demon race submits to blood. The Demi-humans submit to strength. The Elves submit to form and age. The human race… should have been free."
Rugentta exhaled a short breath through his nose.
"But what did you do with that freedom? You created a system to ensure that most of you never even have the chance to use it."
"Slavery."
"You do not merely enslave the weak. You have taught yourselves to stop seeing them as human. You erase the word 'human' from their being and replace it with functions: labor, tools of production, mobile property. Other races kill their enemies. You… you let them live only so they can be exploited."
"And the most disgusting part," his voice lowered, becoming even heavier, "is that you call this order."
"In the Demon nation, the strong lead because they are truly strong. The weak follow because they are truly weak. There is no illusion. No lies. No fairy tales about 'divine providence' or 'the sacred right of blood.' Everyone knows their position because their bodies and their blood prove it every day."
"But humans?" Rugentta gave a short, humorless laugh. "You create hierarchies without proof. A nobleman is no stronger than a commoner. A king is no wiser than a beggar. Yet you still force the world to treat them as if they were."
"You build towers of power upon the accident of birth, and then you call it the will of heaven."
Mujun remained silent.
"If a slave's child and a king's child received the same resources," Rugentta continued, "it is highly likely the slave's child would surpass the king's. Not because their blood is superior—but because their life forced them to grow harder. And the greatest example of that system's failure… is yourself."
"You are not the exception. You are the proof."
"Among the Demons, every noble child is required to prove themselves on the battlefield. If they fail, their noble blood means nothing. A title does not protect them from death. But in the human race, noble children are protected specifically from trials. They grow up without danger, without responsibility, without risk—and then you hand the world over to them."
Rugentta's tone turned increasingly cold.
"And the most horrific thing… is how you treat those who are truly exceptional."
"Magic diagrams are one of the greatest inventions in the history of this world. A system that can unlock human potential without depending on blood, lineage, or the world's will. But what did you do to its creator?"
"You killed him."
"Not because of his crimes. Not because of the danger of his discovery. But because he was not born from the 'right' womb."
"You didn't kill him because he was wrong. You killed him because he threatened your narrative."
"Creativity, imagination, the ability to create without limits—that is the only true advantage humans have over other races. Yet you surrender it to fools who excel in only one thing: being born in the right place."
"The weak and the moronic become leaders. The strong and the brilliant are the ones shackled."
"Other races evolve following their natural laws. The human race?" Rugentta smirked thinly. "You create laws specifically to fight against your own potential."
"That is why I say humans are disgusting."
"Not because you are evil."
"But because you know better… and yet you still choose the worse path."
"…"
Mujun's mouth hung open. What on earth is this? he thought.
It wasn't just Leon—even the Demon King looked upon humanity with utter loathing. Mujun had never truly known how other races viewed humans, but from the voices of these two leaders, it was clear that humans were the race they hated most. Perhaps if the Elven Queen didn't have a strange fondness for humans, Demon King would have long ago unified all nations to wipe them out.
"…I never knew You were such a sharp social observer, Your Majesty," Mujun said bitterly, trying to maintain a smile that was nearly crumbling.
Rugentta shook his head slowly. "Education is the duty of a king. If I do not understand the world, I will only lead my people to ruin." His gaze slid toward Nestal, who lay unconscious.
Mujun nodded faintly. "Still, I never thought myself worthy of such an evaluation from you. After all… I am human."
Rugentta was silent for a moment before saying, "Perhaps you were born human. But you do not think like them. Do not belittle yourself, O Mage. One who crawls from the dirt to stand level with us is something that almost never happens. Perhaps only once in history—be it past or future."
"…"
"I know you wish to change this world. You need not hide it from me. Ever since Leon mentioned your name, I have understood: your ambition is not power, but change." Rugentta's voice lowered, turning cold. "But the biggest mistake is humanity itself. You may hope to ease the world's sickness, but you will never be able to cure it. Humans are a tumor upon Crocus. And the only way the body does not die is by cutting it out and discarding it."
Mujun fell silent again. It seemed Leon hadn't told the Demon King his entire plan. But before he could speak, Rugentta continued.
"Therefore, Mujun—stop being human entirely." His hand rose, open wide. "With my power, I can transform you into a full demon. Join me. Let us purge this world of those disgusting parasites and build an order that is truly worthy!"
An aura of authority overflowed from his body, pressurizing the air around them.
"…"
Mujun was frozen. His throat went dry. He remained silent for a long time while Rugentta waited without haste.
However, the Demon King's brow furrowed as Mujun slowly shook his head.
"You… refuse me?"
"Why?" Rugentta's voice sharpened. "Do you still hope to change humanity? Do you think that disgusting race can still be saved?"
Mujun looked directly into Rugentta's eyes. His gaze was calm, yet unyielding. "Your Majesty… you underestimate humans far too much."
"…"
"What do you mean?" Rugentta snorted. "Do you think anything can stop me? Do you not see the Hero you all hailed lying helpless beneath my feet?"
Mujun did not answer. Instead, he continued, his voice low but firm, "And you are wrong about the source of this world's sickness."
Without further ado, Mujun reached into his robe and pulled out an artifact shaped like a round mirror. He tossed it into the air. The artifact hovered, then emitted a blinding light. A heavy vibration of Mana shook the surrounding air.
Before Rugentta could ask, Mujun slammed both palms onto the ground.
A circle of light spread rapidly from his touch. In an instant, a giant blue dome formed, enclosing them like a massive birdcage, stretching for hundreds of kilometers.
"Tier 10 Spell: Birdcage."
Rugentta stared at him with an annoyed glare. "What are you doing?"
"…" Mujun lifted his face. "I am changing the world."