‘I'm fucked.’
There was no better way to describe the situation.
Balrog had slammed his head to the ground and was crying while saying, “Demon King, I've missed you so much.”
The members of the Demon Cult had invested a lot into summoning Balrog, and the Guardians were sent here to stop the Demon Cult.
As for himself…
'Oh, fuck.'
All sorts of insults were lingering around his mouth.
Everyone was staring at him.
They were looking at him with complex emotions; they had a mixture of confusion, denial, trust, and doubt.
Of course, most were trying to deny the situation.
They thought a demon from the 9th hell was using a mean trick.
But…
[Demon Kiinngg!!]
"…"
Balrog was calling to him more desperately.
You could feel that he was really happy to see KangWoo in his shout.
It sounded so desperate that it was hard to think of it as a demon’s trick.
Balrog cried so desperately that even Kim ShiHoon and Han Seol-ah were tilting their heads in confusion.
'Why now?'
He wouldn't have been in such trouble if he were alone like when Doomguard was summoned.
The problem was that the people he called 'partners' were around him at the moment.
The Guardians, the girl that lived with him, his non-blood related brother, the guild master sponsoring him, captains of Korea's special squadron, and even someone who could move the Chinese government…
All of the people important to him were gathered there.
'Why now?!!'
He grabbed his head. His mind blanked at the unexpected development of events.
The trust he'd built through all of his acts…
The title of hero…
He was in a situation where he could lose everything.
'It's my mistake.'
He had to admit it.
He should have guessed that something like that could happen when he heard that they were going to summon a demon from the 9th hell.
He should've expected and prepared for it, but greed had blinded him.
He'd committed a mistake because of his desire to reach 130 in a stat.
It was something he could've avoided or prepared for.
It was all because of his mistake.
'No, but still…'
He still thought it was unfair.
* * *
There were lots of demons in the 9th hell.
Although the number had decreased after the archdukes’ forces had crumbled, that number was still over a hundred thousand.
Then…
Why was Balrog summoned among all of the demons?
'Fuck my life.'
KangWoo raised his head. He looked around at their reactions.
He had to do something before the situation worsened.
'The best way…'
Was to tell Balrog about the situation he was in.
'As expected, the best way to do it would be by myself.'
Telling Balrog his situation without anyone knowing.
If he thought of when he dealt with Oriax, it wasn't that hard.
He could send a message to his brain that only Balrog could hear.
'The problem is…'
KangWoo bit his lip.
He sent a demonic energy message to Balrog.
Swoop-
The demonic energy that reached the area around Balrog's head disappeared without leaving a trace.
It was as expected.
'AAGGHH.'
KangWoo grabbed his head in desperation.
'That stupid muscle pig…'
Sending his will through demonic energy…
It was something similar to voice transmission techniques that appeared in martial arts novels.
The problem was Balrog's characteristics.
He had a strong defense against demonic energy applied to his skin.
Other demons also had it, but in Balrog’s case, it was a little bit more special.
It was like a self-defense energy.
Even if another demon used a demonic energy attack on him, he had a passive that gave him a strong demonic energy defensive wall.
He subconsciously blocked everyone's energy except for his own.
But with the amount of demonic energy KangWoo had at the moment, he couldn't bypass the defensive wall and send him a message.
'Why is it youuu?!'
Why was it Balrog among all the demons in the 9th hell?
He didn't need to consciously build a demonic energy defensive wall.
It was a strong characteristic known as 'Demonic Energy Armor' among demons.
He'd never seen any demons besides Balrog who had the characteristic.
If it had been Doomguard, the situation wouldn't have become that complicated.
He could've successfully sent his will through demonic energy to Doomguard and asked him to cooperate, but he couldn't do that with Balrog.
'Should I approach him and whisper?'
He shook his head at the sudden thought.
Everyone that was there had a physical capability that went beyond a normal human’s.
Even Han Seol-ah, a healer, had her senses way more developed than a normal person, so there was no way he'd be able to send Balrog a message without people like Cheon MooJin figuring it out.
'Should I let him know by mouthing it?'
He didn't have confidence that Balrog would understand his situation.
He was wearing a mask, so he couldn't do it that way.
'I mustn't take off the mask.'
‘I'm wearing a mask, so there was no way that demon was able to recognize me! This is just an evil trick!’ If he wanted to use that excuse, he couldn't take off the mask.
KangWoo anxiously bit his lip.
'Should I send him a written message?'
He didn't have time to do that. Not only that, but Balrog didn't know how to read Korean.
'Damn.'
He was starting to feel anxious.
The more Balrog talked about him, the more people's doubts would increase.
'Since it became like this…'
He had to get him first.
"Everyone, this is that evil demon’s trick. Leaving the question about if I'm the Demon King or not aside, I'm wearing a mask, so how could that demon have recognized me?"
"Ah, now that you say it…"
"You are wearing a mask!" Kim ShiHoon nodded while shouting.
"I was thinking that it was weird that a demon suddenly called Hyeongnim the Demon King and praised you, so it was all a mean trick."
"I was also really surprised."
It was true that he was surprised.
"Well, you'd obviously be surprised if a demon you've never seen suddenly knelt and called you the Demon King."
"I don't know what that demon that's being called the 'Monarch of Destruction' is trying to do, but I'm innocent."
"Hahaha. Of course. Hyeongnim, that demon probably doesn't even know your name. If we ask, he'll probably become flustered."
"N-no… Wait a moment. Let's first see why he's making such a show."
"Ah, understood."
He felt his heart sink when he heard Kim ShiHoon wanted to ask Balrog his name.
Using the mask as an excuse, KangWoo was able to bypass the doubts they were having.
'Now I just have to let Balrog know about the situation.'
That was the biggest issue.
The problem had gone full circle.
KangWoo started to desperately think.
It was at that moment…
"B-Balrog! What do you mean by saying that a god's servant is the Demon King?"
"You're mistaken! They are part of the Guardians, servants of Gaia!"
The Demon Cult members that had summoned Balrog surrounded him.
The members of the Demon Cult were confused after seeing that the demon they'd summoned was saying that a random human, on top of that, a member of Guardians, their enemy, was the Demon King.
It was understandable they would be in chaos since it wasn't just comedy, it was almost close to being a tragedy.
'Oh, nicely done, guys!'
His eyes began shining at the help of the Demon Cult members.
He clenched his fists.
Thanks to them shouting that he was mistaken, he was able to free himself a bit from the doubtful eyes.
"Balrog! Monarch of Destruction! Please, raise your head!"
"That individual isn't the Demon King! They're the ones that are hindering us the most in achieving our goals!"
"Please, defeat those servants of the gods!"
'Nice!'
He began cheering the Demon Cult members on.
'Please, notice it.'
He desperately wished for Balrog to notice KangWoo's situation and cooperate.
'You've known me for a long time.'
He'd spent more than a thousand years with Balrog.
They could tell everything about each other with just their eyes.
'No. I know that you're very slow at catching things, but please, just this time!!'
It didn't matter how positively he thought about him—he was too optimistic in thinking they knew what each other wanted just by looking.
If they really knew each other that well, there was no way he would've offered the head of the focalore when he said that there was nothing to eat in Hell.
'Balrog, please!!' He desperately screamed in his head, but Balrog stood up as if he were stepping on his hopes.
Balrog waved his muscular red arm.
Paf-!
The head of a Demon Cult member exploded after Balrog hit him.
Balrog screamed at the Demon Cult members that were surrounding him.
[Who do you think you're making fun of?!]
'Hey, Balrog.'
[Mistake? That person isn't the Demon King but a god’s servant?]
'Stop.'
[Ha! I had higher hopes for you humans since you serve demons, but to think you'd be this dumb!]
'Please say you were mistaken.'
BOOM-!!!
He stomped on the ground.
A huge vortex of demonic energy appeared around him.
"Ha-ab!"
The Demon Cult members’ faces paled.
Balrog raised his hands, and a whip surrounded by black flames appeared.
He began swinging the whip.
FWOOSH-!!
"AAGGHH!!"
Half of the Demon Cult members turned to ash after one simple attack.
Everyone was astonished by the power of the Monarch of Destruction, Balrog.
The Demon Cult members looked at him with eyes full of fear.
[Listen carefully, humans!]
'Hey…'
[The one in front of you is the one who rules over the Hell of Nine Skies! The true Emperor!]
'Stop, please.'
[The one who beat the seven archdukes and stands at the peak of all demons!]
'Please stop.'
BOOM-!!!
The earth shook.
Balrog's violent scream reached everyone's ears.
[He's the Demon King, Oh KangWoo!!]
'YOU MOTHERFUCKERRR!!!!'
