Chapter 188 — The 73rd Demon King (6)

The party members were still watching me with confused expressions. The expressions showed they didn’t know what the hell was going on. Yoo Jonghyuk was still coughing up blood against the wall.

I looked at them for a moment before glancing at the wall of the hall. My appearance was reflected on the polished stone wall.

Black wings sprouted from my shoulders and small horns rose from my head. Traces of demonic energy were imprinted on my skin like a stigma. My body was three or four times larger than usual and the muscles of my whole body were greatly expanded.

“T-This is ridiculous!” Why is Dokja-ssi the demon king...?”

“What the hell is this? What should we do?”

Yoo Sangah and Lee Jihye shouted.

Jung Heewon, Lee Hyunsung, Lee Gilyoung, Shin Yoosung... even Cho Youngran and Gong Pildu. Everyone was looking at me with shocked expressions.

I watched them and opened my mouth. “From now on, you will have to hunt me.”

[The first phase of the ’73rd demon king’ will begin.]

[The attack time limit is 30 minutes.]

“There is no time. Quickly start.”

A formidable energy was flowing through my body. Even if I was passively hit, I couldn’t help wondering if the party members would be able to decrease my health in the given time.

Jung Heewon and Lee Hyunsung looked at me desperately and cried out. “I don’t want to fight Dokja-ssi!”

“I can’t follow your command!”

I could understand their feelings. I would also hesitate if I was in the same situation as them. I deliberately laughed at them.

“I don’t know why you’re so serious. Have you forgotten who I am? I am Kim Dokja. I won’t die even when killed.”

The innocent Lee Hyunsung was shaken by my words. “...Will you come back to life against this time?”

“Yes.”

“But I heard...!”

“Yoo Jonghyuk was deliberately trying to provoke me.”

I didn’t use the Incite skill but conflicted emotions were appearing on the people’s faces. Maybe their trust in me and the burden of attacking me were clashing inside them.

“Believe me. This is the most ideal way.”

The party members would eventually have to attack me. It was because there was no other way. If they didn’t kill me, everyone here would die.

Han Sooyoung was staring at me with scary eyes. I sent a signal to her before she could open her mouth.

‘Han Sooyoung.’

Han Sooyoung paled as she read my lips.

‘You are the only one. You have to take charge.’

I knew it and Han Sooyoung did as well. The party members were stronger than other incarnations but they weren’t decisive in this situation. On the other hand, Han Sooyoung was faster and more realistic when judging the situation than anyone else here.

“...You are always like this, Kim Dokja.” Han Sooyoung told me through gritted teeth. “Do you think I’m an emotionless monster?”

Han Sooyoung glanced between me and then the party members. Everyone’s eyes were focused on her. It was as if everything would be decided by her words.

Han Sooyoung breathed heavily before opening her mouth. “Everybody, wake up. Do you want everyone here to go to hell?”

I smiled. Yes, she was doing well.

“We have to kill Kim Dokja.”

This was Han Sooyoung.

“I don’t want to! I don’t want to! Hyung!”

Han Sooyoung grabbed Lee Gilyoung as he ran towards me.

“Stupid kid. Listen well.”

Lee Gilyoung gasped and struggled. Han Sooyoung snarled as she grabbed Lee Gilyoung’s collar.

“Don’t whine. Do you want to die instead of Kim Dokja?”

“A-Ahhh...”

“The rest of you are the same. You aren’t willing to sacrifice yourself so don’t be a hypocrite. Instead of dying, say thank you and swing your weapons!”

Han Sooyoung’s clones, which had grown by dozens, simultaneously opened their mouths.

“I don’t know if Kim Dokja will come back or not. We will die if we don’t kill him in the next 30 minutes. That is the only thing I need to know.”

Han Sooyoung’s clones rushed towards me with red eyes. I mouthed towards her, ‘Thank you.’

Han Sooyoung bit her lips until it bled and swung her dagger towards me. The rain of attacks didn’t deal much damage to my body but this was only the beginning.

Yoo Sangah received my gaze and slowly stood up. “Dokja-ssi.”

It was hard to know what she had decided as unknown feelings were in her eyes. I nodded in response while being hit by Han Sooyoung.

“I think Dokja-ssi isn’t a person who will hurt others without thinking. Do you have a plan? Did you deliberately direct this scenario?”

“Yes, that’s right.”

“Really?” Yoo Sangah was crying. “...Should I believe you again? As usual...”

I knew this would happen. I was glad to hear it. Yoo Sangah roughly wiped at her tears. She raised her dagger and participated in the battle.

Han Sooyoung’s lips twitched. “...I thought you were going to sit back hesitantly and whine.”

“Please be quiet.”

Han Sooyoung and Yoo Sangah’s daggers placed small wounds on my shoulders and back. However, they were still lacking strength.

The remaining time was 25 minutes. It was a tight amount of time if they wanted to use the formation.

I looked at Lee Hyunsung. “Lee Hyunsung-ssi. Will you let the party members die?”

“...”

“Didn’t you say you would never lose the empty cartridge again?”

“D-Dokja-ssi...”

“This isn’t just one cartridge.”

Lee Hyunsung’s eyes were shaking like the sea that met the wind.

[The constellation ‘Master of Steel’ is deeply immersed.]

Time passed before Lee Hyunsung shouted at the sky. He used Steel Transformation and rushed towards me. The hard body bumped into me and there was a strong shock.

My vision shook slightly. Lee Hyunsung used Great Mountain Smash but he seemed on the defensive rather than attacking me. When would I see the sight of a bearish man weeping again?

Next was the sound of magic turrets being fired. I laughed when I heard the sound and turned towards that side.

Indeed, this was why I couldn’t hate him. Gong Pildu was frowning as hard as he could as he activated the turrets of Armed Fortress. Of course, I wasn’t just getting hit.

[The probability of the scenario is dominating your body.]

Regardless of my will, my body would act as the demon king. Of course, the attacks were in perfect patterns so the party members could easily cope.

“Everybody, stay awake. Now it is the second phase.”

The second phase of the 73rd demon king was starting. In order to thwart it, special support was needed.

“Cho Youngran-ssi.”

Cho Youngran received my gaze and invoked the power of the Mechanical Gateway Array Method.

As if air was being drained through a ventilator, the demonic energy I was emitting disappeared into the hole she created. Her complexion was rapidly becoming white as she dealt with the energy of the demon king.

Blood spilt from her lips as Cho Youngran told me, “Sookyung-ssi will be sad.”

“She already knows.”

My demonic energy dwindled and the party members attacked me again. However, they still lacked damage. I paid attention to those who weren’t participating yet. Lee Jihye bit her lips and finally pulled out her sword. “Ahjussi, don’t take revenge later.”

“I won’t.”

Lee Jihye smiled weakly at my words.

“...In any case, my attacks are weak and won’t hurt. My constellation is only upper-grade.”

“The Duke of Loyalty and Warfare is not that weak. Jihye will soon discover it.”

Lee Jihye used Song of the Sword and aimed for my weakness. The attacks overlapped and a tingling sensation started to appear on my skin. The threat was enough. Now I needed people who could deal the finishing blow.

“Jung Heewon-ssi.”

As if she had been waiting, Jung Heewon slowly pulled out her sword. “In the old days... do you remember what you asked me?”

“What?”

“You asked me to be your companion.”

I remembered. In the Theatre Dungeon, I asked Jung Heewon to be my reliable companion.

“Now Dokja-ssi is asking your companion to do something like this.”

I was speechless.

“...What companions?” Jung Heewon raised her sword and ran towards me. “What type of companion has to kill another companion to live?”

Jung Heewon triggered Demon Slaying and started to attack my body. However, the sword just made a rough sound.

I told her, “It is because you are a trustworthy companion that I am putting my life in your hands.”

“...”

“Heewon-ssi, you have to do it properly. Think that I will come back to life again and stab me as hard as possible.”

“Dokja-ssi really...”

Jung Heewon raised her sword towards me. The power of Hell Flames Ignition appeared around Jung Heewon’s body.

Jung Heewon’s eyes were red as she started to concentrate her strength. Her real strength was when the power of Judge of Destruction was added to Hell Flames Ignition.

Kim Dokja became a demon king and was a suitable target for that power.

[The character ‘Jung Heewon’ has activated Judgment Time!]

[Many of the constellations of the absolute good system agree to trigger the skill.]

[There is only one constellation who is strongly opposed to the activation of the skill.]

[The skill activation has been cancelled.]

The confused Jung Heewon stared at me and I gazed into the air. It was obvious who had opposed the activation of Judgment Time.

“Demon-like Judge of Fire.”

[The constellation ‘Demon-like Judge of Fire’ is covering her eyes with a pained expression.]

“...Uriel.”

Sparks filled the air in response to my call.

“Please agree to the activation of Judgment Time.”

[The constellation ‘Demon-like Judge of Fire’ is shaking her head violently!]

“If you don’t do this, your incarnation will die.”

[The constellation ‘Demon-like Judge of Fire’ says that if she does this, you will die.]

How good would it be if all the constellations were like her? It was regrettable that I had to hurt Uriel.

“Uriel, you know. This is just a story.” I spoke like a dokkaebi. “You must’ve seen many people die in the meantime.”

[The constellation ‘Demon-like Judge of Fire’ feels despair.]

The messages alone portrayed it clearly. I remembered the small and beautiful Uriel I saw at the banquet.

[The constellation ‘Demon-like Judge of Fire’ is weeping and repeatedly shaking her head.]

The little face that kept crying and shaking. She was an angel that didn’t match the modifier of ‘demon.’

“Do what you need to do. Only then will this story be completed.”

[The constellation ‘Demon-like Judge of Fire’ is looking down at you.]

After a moment, I heard the message I had been waiting for.

[All constellations of the absolute good system are in favour of Judgment Time.]

Finally, a bloody aura rose from Jung Heewon’s body. “...Shit, I really hate the name of this skill.”

The aura of Judgment Time combined with the power of Hell Flames Ignition and created a tremendous wave of magic power. It had the power to destroy all the evil in the world.

The Judge of Destruction slashed at the demon king’s chest with her sword of fire.