"An enemy infiltrated?"
"Y-yes!"
The priest’s urgent voice responded.
Yulia raised her hand and frowned.
Magic spread, and the base's interior became visible like a CCTV.
"Ugh."
Yulia's mouth fell open after she saw something she could hardly believe.
'Why is Balrog here…?'
She couldn't understand what was going on.
It might be possible for humans to ambush them, but why was Balrog there?
'Wasn't he killed by the Guardians?'
She could see the Balrog she'd thought had died at the hands of Guardian roaming inside the base.
It wasn't just Barlog who was attacking the base…
'I'm not sure who that kid and the skeleton are…'
But they had a strength that couldn't be compared to an average demon’s.
Not only that, but they didn't seem to be part of Guardian.
'They're using demonic energy.'
Guardians had demons as their enemies, so there was no way they were allies.
No. Leaving that they were using demonic energy aside, there was Balrog and an undead. There was no way they were part of Guardian.
Basically, that meant that, along with Guardian, there were three forces in total that had infiltrated.
"Damn! Just what…?"
Yulia hit the table at the unexpected development of events.
The giant table was split into two.
"Call the soldiers who were sent outside!"
"B-but if we do that, Guardian…"
"Are humans like that important?! Our base is being attacked!"
"U-understood."
The Priest quickly lowered his head.
Some of the Demon Cult's soldiers that were fighting against Guardian changed their direction and went inside.
'Not enough.'
The black-haired child and the skeleton were a problem, but the biggest issue was Balrog.
With only that many demons, they wouldn't be able to stop that monster, who was famous even in Hell.
She knew that trying to face Balrog and Guardian simultaneously was ridiculous.
'I must ask for support.'
She grabbed the communication crystal.
She was trying to call the bases around Tibet with the biggest forces.
BOOM-!
Crack-!
AAGGHH-! S-stop him!!
"What's going on…?"
She heard explosions and screams through the communication crystal.
"I, Apostle of Evil, Yulia Vilkova, am asking for support. The Tibet base has been attacked."
- S-support?! Don't say nonsense! We're also being attacked!
A desperate voice responded.
The Cardinal screamed at her despite being in a lower position.
She'd guessed it after hearing the explosions, but it seemed like something had happened there too.
"Who's the one attacking? Guardian?"
- L-Lucifer! Lucifer's underlings are attacking us!
"What?"
Guardian, Balrog, and Lucifer…
Yulia made a confused expression.
'What's going on…?'
Satan said that Lucifer would try to send someone to talk things out…
But to suddenly ambush them out of nowhere?
"Did you attack Lucifer's delegation?!"
- Damn it! We didn't do anything!! They just attacked us out of nowhere!
By how desperate the voice sounded, it didn't seem like a lie.
Yulia grabbed her head as if it hurt.
'Has he gone mad?'
She'd heard that Lucifer was being attacked by the Heavens and couldn't properly move at the moment.
For him to attack in such a situation…
It was like saying they should all die together.
"D-don't tell me…"
She recalled Balrog, who was definitely from a 3rd faction.
Lucifer's underlings were currently attacking another base…
There weren't many conclusions she could reach based on those two facts.
"Balrog has sided with Lucifer!!"
It was as if lightning had struck her brain.
She couldn't think of any other reason.
'As for why Lucifer is attacking the Demon Cult…'
He'd become allies with Balrog and concluded that he'd be able to wipe them away easily.
"Ha, HAHAHA!"
She laughed out loud.
Yulia frowned and stomped on the ground.
Boom. The entire room shook, and a thick demonic energy started to rise.
"How dare they…"
There was only one possible reason for Lucifer to be attacking the Demon Cult despite being under attack from the Heavens…
They were definitely trying to get the 'The Root of Evil' that the Demon Cult had.
"How dare they touch us?!"
She was overcome with anger.
Since things became like that, an alliance with Lucifer wasn't possible anymore.
‘Now…’
'It's war.'
They had to bring fear to everyone that went against the Demon Cult.
"Haa."
* * *
She got up.
BOOM-!
A loud explosion shook the interior of the base. The mountain shook so much that it seemed like it would crumble.
"Ugh."
Although she had said the words ‘how dare they’, their situation wasn't very good.
They might have had a chance if it were the main branch, but nobody in Tibet could face them.
'No…'
There was a way.
'But…'
She hesitated.
It wasn't that all the preparations were ready.
If she moved too hastily, there was a chance that something irreversible might happen.
'There's no other choice.'
The decision was made quickly, and Yulia started to move with determination.
Tssss-!
"Ah, ugh."
Every time she took a step, smoke rose from the ground as if her skin was burning.
She covered her skin with demonic energy.
Although it was being spent at high speed, thanks to that, she was able to resist it.
"Phase of Fire…"
She walked through the passageway covered with red lava.
At the end, a sphere shone with a yellow light.
The Archduke of Greed, Mamon.
He was asleep within the sphere.
"Haa."
She took a shaky breath and placed her hands on the floor.
Demonic energy flowed out of her hands and spread over the floor.
A magic circle with complex and geometrical forms started to shine with a dark light.
"Jajas, jajas…"
She began to chant.
The sweat dripping from her forehead evaporated before it could touch the ground.
BOOM-!
"Ugh!"
The preparations weren't perfect, so a red fissure appeared in the air, and demonic energy started to fluctuate.
The mountain, no, the Tibetan base of the Demon Cult started to shake.
'Please.'
It didn't matter if the territory around the area was split or if the volcano exploded and covered China…
What mattered was Mamon opening his eyes.
If that happened, it would be a success.
Crack-
The yellow sphere split.
A three-meter-tall figure walked out of it.
"Ah."
It was a fat demon that looked like it would even struggle to breathe.
Something that looked like it should be called a fat ball instead of a demon walked out of it.
Its appearance was hideous, but she knew who he was very well.
"Phase of Fire."
[Pf, hihihi. What? Did you forcibly wake me up?]
The fat lump opened his mouth, and the sound of laughter came out, but his thoughts were completely different from his smiling face.
"I… I'm sorry. I know the preparations aren't finished, but we were ambushed…"
[Anyway, you forcibly woke me up.]
"I'm sorry… Cough!"
A yellow arm sprang out of the flesh in the blink of an eye and grabbed Yulia's neck.
Tsss-!
"KYAAHH!"
[Hihihi! You damn bitch, I wasn't able to muster strength properly from the 'Root of Evil' because of you. Hmm? What are you going to do? Hmm? What are you going to do about this? The plan I've been waiting for so long to fulfill has been messed up because of you!!!]
Flames covered her entire body.
Her skin twisted, and her face transformed in a way that was hard to watch.
A horrible pain overcame her.
She felt her consciousness about to fly away because of the whirlpool of pain.
Tap-
"Haa! Haa! Haa!"
[Puhi. I won't kill you. Satan seems to like you.]
Mamon distorted his mouth and threw her away.
Yulia, who had suffered massive burns, was cast away and rolled on the ground.
[So, who did you say ambushed us?]
"Ah, ugh."
[It seems like you won't be able to attack.]
He began to laugh out loud.
Mamon began walking forward.
[Well, I guess I'll figure it out once I go myself. Damn, my dear time. Once I finish this, I'll have to hide for about 100 years to recover.]
He'd been woken up before the preparations were done, so the strength from the 'Root' he'd been absorbing had been blown away.
[Annoying, annoying, annoying. As expected, should I kill her?]
He glanced at Yulia, whose body was covered with burn marks.
He clicked his tongue and turned around. He didn't want to cause problems with Satan by killing such a worthless human being.
[Well, it's just 100 years I guess.]
For them, who lived for all eternity, 100 years was nothing.
[It has been a while, so should I warm up a bit?]
Puhihihi.
Mamon went up the stairs to where he could hear explosions.
* * *
Crack-!
Boom-!
"AAGGHH!"
[Wh-what the fuck!! Why is Balrog here…?!]
The demon stomped.
A whip covered with dark flames swooshed through the air.
Pang-!
The air exploded, and the bodies of the demons touched by the whip evaporated.
One demon tried to escape with a fearful expression on its face.
[You can't escape.] Balrog said in a low voice.
He grabbed the body of the demon trying to escape with his whip and pulled it to him.
[L-let me go!! Wh-what the fuck! Balrog? I never heard of a monster like th—!]
[How noisy.]
He frowned.
[Die.]
Crack. The demon’s head exploded.
Balrog looked around.
[Is there anyone that escaped?]
[Hehehe. My underlings are probably grabbing their feet.]
"Haaa. Haa. I didn't let a single one go."
[…]
Balrog walked toward Echidna, who was breathing heavily.
[Dragon, you don't need to overdo yourself.]
"I didn't overdo it…"
[I can feel your tiredness. If you're doing this to help the King, you don't need to do it.]
Balrog kept talking in a low voice.
[The King doesn't need any help. He's someone complete on his own.]
"KangWoo was sealed by the system, so he's different from when he used to be in Hell."
[Hmm?]
Balrog tilted his head.
[HAHAHA!! Yes, he said his strength had been sealed by something called the Gaia System.]
"Balrog, you weren't affected? I don't know the previous KangWoo, but compared to before…"
[Don't worry, young dragon.]
Balrog laughed.
[You still don't know who that person is and what he can do.]
Tap, tap. He walked through the passageway.
[Dragon, you will also figure it out as time passes.]
"…"
[Now that I think about it. You said you're the daughter of Demon Dragon Cargas, right?]
Echidna nodded.
[Then maybe…]
BOOM-!!
FWOOSH-!!
When Balrog was about to say something, giant flames exploded.
Balrog's expression hardened.
[This…]
It was a familiar energy.
Balrog clenched his giant fists.
[Pff! Puhihi! I was wondering who it was… So it was you, Balrog.]
A grotesque ball of fat crawled up from below them.
[Mamon…]
Balrog's expression distorted.
The Emperor of Flames, the Demon of Greed, he had numerous titles, but there was one thing that was above them all…
[Hahaha! How fun. To think I'd meet a dog who's lost its owner in this world.]
He was an archduke.
He was one of the seven demons who'd been able to reach the position of 'archduke' among the countless demons that lived in Hell.
Although he was weaker than Satan and Lucifer, he was still an 'archduke.'
[Skeleton, Dragon… Escape.]
Balrog gripped his whip.
Considering that they were new members of the Demon King Army, they weren't bad at all, but that had no meaning in front of an archduke.
[Go and call the King.]
"You don't need to."
A calm voice was heard coming from behind.
Balrog turned his head.
KangWoo was walking through the crumbled passageway.
"Mamon, huh?"
The tips of his mouth went up.
"Not bad."
