CH 289.

The sky was completely black. Not even the sun could shine through it. It was as if a never-ending night had arrived in the world.

“Oh, God, our Heavenly Father, please watch over us.”

The terrified people didn’t dare think about leaving their houses and only cried out for God. 

But no matter how much they prayed, the black smoke did not go away. Instead, the darkness only became darker as time went on. 

Perhaps they became mad because of the strange weather, but livestock attacked their owners and wild animals descended and devastated the villages. 

Many died, and as terrified as they were, the people buried their neighbors deep under the ground. But the painstakingly made grave was dug up in a matter of days.

The grave was not dug from outside in, but rather, from inside out. The undead woke up and broke out of the graves. 

Guuuuuh.

The undead returned to their villages and feasted on the blood and flesh of their neighbors. Such disasters took place wherever the black smoke reached and the Temple at the center of it all.

The sun disappeared and the beasts went wild. The undead rose and lusted for the blood of the living. The living suffered from nightmares and insanity. 

But all of this was just a forewarning. 

This wasn’t the first time such a harbinger had appeared in the world. This was exactly what it had looked like before the destruction of the West. 

There was no way the priests who had fought against the Demon King for a long time didn’t know about this. They tried to let the outside world know of all this, but the scrupulous border guards had received orders from the Temple and didn’t allow the priests to leave the country. 

“The Temple has already given orders. The Holy Father foresaw that there would be people like you trying to deceive the world and made arrangements to stop imprudent servants of God like you.”

The commanders of the army accused the priests of heresy and imprisoned them, sometimes even executing them.

Their bodies were hung from fortresses and gates at the border.

“We have to find another way. If this continues, the Holy Kingdom will go down the same path as the West.”

Things would have been better if there was a mage who was capable of communication spells, but the nature of the mages made it difficult to work in the Holy Kingdom, so even that was impossible. On top of that, the mages that had been in the Holy Kingdom before the war had started, had all been conscripted and appropriated by the army immediately once it began and now, there were little to none left in the country. 

In the end, all they could do was either make a desperate attempt to escape by crossing the border or unite and resist. 

Most of the priests chose the latter. Instead of avoiding the Holy Kingdom’s army who had closed all the borders like an iron wall, the priests decided to think of the ignorant believers and fight back for their sakes. They didn’t doubt their faith would be the brightest light that could dispel the darkness. 

Fortunately, a small number of commanders and troops protecting the parishes were different from the border guards and decided to help the priests.

“Oh, Heavenly Father, please help them understand the truth before it becomes too late.”

They prayed that while they were fighting, the border guards would wake up from their delusions and learn the truth.

“They’re not enough to prevent this disaster.”

But not all of them chose to stay and fight the Holy Kingdom. Some priests and believers didn’t give up on escaping and some of them luckily managed to escape the country’s borders. 

And they made sure the world knew about the terrible calamity that occurred within the Holy Kingdom.

“My sworn-brother, Kim Seon-Hyeok, was worried that a new Demon King could be born in the West if he lost the Fragment of Chaos. That’s why even with all his injuries, he continued to pursue it to the end. But ultimately, he couldn’t find it. It seems like the missing Fragment of Chaos settled with the Holy Kingdom as its host this time.”

When the Warrior, Park Joon-Min, heard the news, he quickly realized that what was happening in the Holy Kingdom had to do with the Fragment of Chaos. 

“Send a message to all the kingdoms. Let them know that a new Demon King has appeared in the Holy Kingdom!”

Having taken measures so that each country could prepare for the Demon King, the Warrior decided to head to the Holy Kingdom’s borders with the few superhumans who followed him. 

“If this news was delivered to the Indomitable Grand Duke, he’ll most likely come running in ten days, sir.”

Some of the superhumans tried to dissuade the Warrior. They believed that if they wanted to thoroughly prevent the disaster, then they needed the help of the Indomitable Grand Duke, who had already defeated the Demon King once before. 

“His child will be born soon. I can’t have my brother carry all the burden this time as well.”

The recent letters he had exchanged with Kim Seon-Hyeok had been full of information on his soon-to-be-born child. Park Joon-Min couldn’t bring his brother onto the battlefield when his child was about to be born. 

“I will be enough. Back then, if the Temple hadn’t interfered with it, I could have put an end to the Demon King.”

Although his level had dropped in the process of the dangerous rescue, it was enough to deal with the new Demon Kingdom who was just starting to expand his territory.

“Let’s go! This time, I’ll end the Demon King’s life with my own hands, destroy the Fragment of Chaos and prove that I’m his adversary.”

Men who were able to quickly head to the Holy Kingdom were selected, and soon after, an army of 20,000 men and the Warrior began to march through the Tennessian borders and headed north.

***

“So it went to the Holy Kingdom. I’ve been wondering where it went.”

With a hard face, Kim Seon-Hyeok stood holding a message delivered via magic.

‘The birth of a new Demon King in the Holy Kingdom. The Demon King is presumed to be either the Pope or one of the archbishops.’

The message had come from the northern part of Tennessia.

“Is this all? There aren’t any other messages?”

After hesitating for a moment, the mage handed him another message.

‘The Warrior and 20,000 soldiers marched north to overthrow the Demon King.’

It was as he expected.

There was no way Park Joon-Min couldn’t have been unaware that the Demon King’s power would become stronger as time went on. It was impossible to expect Park Joon-Min to stay still even after hearing this news.

“Tell me in detail about the situation in the central region.”

Kim Seon-Hyeok’s face remained hard as he gave the order. The mage who first delivered the message began talking reluctantly. 

“The kingdoms who had continued to remain as the Holy Kingdom’s allies are slowly withdrawing and deciding to observe the situation instead. Well, it would have been virtually impossible for them to have made a different decision since they’re fighting rebellions in their own countries. And in some cases, they have even expressed their willingness to cooperate and allow the Warrior and his army to cross their borders.”

“In that case, there must be clear evidence that the Demon King has appeared in the Holy Kingdom.”

After nodding, the mage continued to explain the situation in the central region for a long time.

“Hm…”

Kim Seon-Hyeok let out a heavy sigh when he was left alone after the mage had left once finishing his report. 

“Are you heading to the Central region?”

He turned around at the clear voice. Who knew when Marquis Reinhardt had entered the room. However, his expression wasn’t pleasant.

Marquis Reinhardt seemed worried that Kim Seon-Hyeok would toss everything to the side and fly to the Central region again.

“No. I’m not going, alright? I’m not going.”

Kim Seon-Hyeok responded to the Marquis. It was a very concise answer in comparison to the way he had been pestering the mage with questions as he inquired about the Central region of the continent.

“Do you think I’m a warmonger who goes crazy whenever there’s a war?”

Marquis Reinhardt must’ve been surprised by his answer because his eyes became wide. 

“You’re not? You’ve been joining all the wars so I thought you were.”

“When did I ever participate because I wanted to? I was always somehow swept up into it. And come to think of it, wasn’t I ordered into the first war by the Imperial Family?”

The Marquis grinned as he watched Kim Seon-Hyeok complaining about it for a long time, looking as if he thought it was an unfair accusation.

“I see, you were just somehow swept up into it. If the people defeated by you heard you say that, they’d spit up blood. To think the person blocking their way just happened to be passing by and defeated them on the way.”

It was as the Marquis said. The results were a bit excessive to simply say Kim Seon-Hyeok accidentally got involved. But that wasn’t something for Kim Seon-Hyeok to know or care about.

“Anyway, I’m not going. My child will be born soon, and with Her Imperial Majesty’s condition like that, where would I go? I’m trying to stay on the ‘right’ path so stop poking at me and go deal with your stuff. You’re the head of the Imperial Family’s guards, don’t you have anything to do?”

“Only those who suck at their jobs always pretend to be busy. A competent person will always look relaxed.”

Kim Seon-Hyeok was being sarcastic but the Marquis was rather blasé about it. 

“But, you know.”

The Marquis suddenly stopped joking around and became serious. 

“Do you really think I’m the only one who knows that you’ve been bothering the royal mages every day to check for messages from the Central region?”

Kim Seon-Hyeok looked evasive at the Marquis’ words.

“Her Imperial Majesty is the first to read all urgent messages that enter the Imperial Palace. That means that Her Imperial Majesty will know about the news from the Central region.”

Kim Seon-Hyeok froze when he belatedly realized what he had overlooked.

“Go. By now, she must be worried that you, someone who is always wandering outside, might disappear somewhere else again.”

Bang.

Before he even finished talking, Seon-Hyeok was running out the door.

It was just as Marquis Reinhardt said. 

Ophelia may seem expressionless, but there was a hint of a shadow. It was such a small change that if someone didn’t look closely, it could easily be missed. But Kim Seon-Hyeok saw it. After all, they shared an intimate relationship. 

“Your Imperial Majesty.”

“You came?”

He glanced at her maids when Ophelia welcomed him as if nothing was wrong.

Swish.

The quick-witted maids retreated. Her escort knights hesitated for a bit before they, too, stepped back and widened the distance between them and the royals.

“I’m not going.”

Kim Seon-Hyeok spoke immediately once the attendants gave them privacy. 

“I promised, didn’t I? That I would never leave suddenly, and that I would never go anywhere without your permission?”

At those words, Ophelia’s eyes widened. Then, spoke as if she was planning on scolding someone.

“Did someone say something?”

But unlike her words, a smile slowly spread over her shadowed face.

***

The situation in the Central region began to turn more urgent. By the time the Warrior arrived at the Holy Kingdom’s border, the black smoke from the Temple had already spread beyond the kingdom.

“This is impossible…”

It was much faster than he had expected, but there was something more terrifying than the speed.

“It shouldn’t have been long since it awakened…”

Even the former Demon King’s lands hadn’t been that dark. It was as if a corner of the world had been sliced off by a knife, and the division was so clear, it was like day and night. Beyond the distinct boundary was complete darkness.

Woo woo wooing

They hadn’t crossed the border yet, but the Holy Sword was trembling and shining brilliantly already.

[That cannot happen with just one Fragment. There will most likely be more than one Fragment there.]

“What? There’s more than one Fragment of Chaos?”

[If Chaos hadn’t been divided into pieces in the first place, then it wouldn’t have been called a Fragment.]

At the unexpected situation, the Warrior glared at the darkness once more.

[The darkness over there is made up of more than one Fragment. It is fundamentally different from the darkness of this world. That place is no longer a part of the world of humans.]

“Then are you saying that place is Hell?”

[Hell… you’re not wrong.]

Terrifyingly enough, the Holy Sword didn’t disagree with the Warrior’s metaphor. 

[If it’s the Demon Realm where demons live, then it wouldn’t be so different from Hell.]

Previously, the Holy Sword had been desperate to do anything to fight the Demon King, but now, it discouraged its owner from entering the darkness.

[It’s impossible alone. We need the Dragon’s Companion’s help. If possible, it’d be even better if the Gatekeeper of the Illusion World from before was also with no. No, not only them. If there’s anyone you can ask for help, then ask all of them.]

The Warrior hesitated, but eventually decided to ask for help. The Holy Sword had always been proud and had a high opinion of itself. But now that it was emphasizing the dangers of the darkness more than ever before, Park Joon-Min didn’t dare to plunge into the darkness alone.

While the Warrior Park Joon-Min was facing the darkness, a new life was born in the Imperial Palace of the Adenburg Empire.