Chapter 34: Demon Lord's Castle 1

'Well. It practically became like this.'

Hansoo mumbled as he looked at the scene in front of his eyes.

600 of clan union and 700 of non-clan union.

How would the clan union stay behind if all the of non-clan union decides to go to the Demon Lord's Castle?

The result was already set.

'I should at least do the thing I need to before I leave.'

He couldn't leave a single margin of error.

As soon as Hansoo made his decision, he started to loosen up the <Judgement of Dekrados> and wildly swung it around.

Charrrrk.

<Judgement of Dekrados>

The fact that its chain could stretch up to a few hundred meters, the fact that the chain won't break even if a Demon were to pull on it as well as the shape of the scythe were very alluring but the true worth was in its skills.

The skills that <Judgement of Dekrados> possessed were two.

One was on the chain and the other was on the scythe attached to the end of the chain.

The skill that was on the Scythe was <Judgement>.

It absorbed the mana of the user and then gave powerful destruction and explosive capabilities gave to the scythe.

It was a skill that was simple, but extremely formidable and faithful towards its objective as a weapon.

It was better than frost skills or explosive flame skills that were uselessly extravagant.

And the skill on the chain was <Suppression>.

This was not a skill that was activated by spending the user's mana.

It actually activated by absorbing the enemy's mana and the one who got tied by it would constantly lose mana as well as get cursed with <Suppression> which lowered all their stats.

A formidable artifact that was befitting of 60 crystals.

Actually there were a few artifacts that Hansoo could purchase with 60 crystals but Hansoo had chosen the chain scythe.

Chain scythes were very difficult to use.

And in this world, if the costs were the same then there were as much advantages as weaknesses towards each other.

Difficult weapons often had high specs if they had similar costs.

This was the same for Judgement of Dekrados.

The 2 skills on <Judgement of Dekrados> were simple but a lot stronger and more efficient than other artifacts.

'Weapon types aren't important.'

Hansoo wasn't really lucky in terms of artifacts.

He couldn't even imagine obtaining an amazing artifact and using it constantly like Kangtae so he used whatever he could get his hands on or had good options.

And the chain scythe was included in those.

The Chain Scythe, which had a higher chance of having stronger skills in comparison to other weapons, was very attractive to Hansoo who didn't really have his traits and skills set up properly and because of that he would use it for a long time.

He had gotten a habit of sustaining such a battle style for over 50 years so he could use most weapons properly.

Which meant that using it wasn't a problem.

Only the options were important.

Hansoo, who had loosened up the chains, used centripetal force to throw the extremity of the chain scythe towards a direction aggressively after the chain had lengthened quite a bit.

Hoooouuuk!

The extremity of the chain scythe flew towards the crystal on the top of the castle at an extreme speed.

The skill which was on the chain scythe, <Judgement>, activated as it drained Hansoo's mana.

Boooom!

The crystal broke apart as it couldn't withstand the might of the skill on the chain scythe and the people who had seen this shouted in shock.

"What the fuck!! What are you doing!"

Hansoo smirked at those words.

"What's the problem is we're going to advance. If we leave a hole to escape then we'll all die."

"..."

A few people made guilty expressions at those words.

These people had thoughts of returning to the castle if they advanced and things didn't really roll out well.

And this tendency was rather strong in a few of the Clan Lords of the clan unions.

But only for a moment.

A clansman who had been sent below came back as he spoke.

"...The dungeons are closed."

"Tsk."

It seemed like the dungeon closed along with the appearance of the fairy.

Which meant that leaving was indeed the better option.

Since they'll just get piled up if they stay here.

Kurrurru.

As the crystal exploded, the island started to shake in a rough manner.

And then the fairy's voice resonated from the air.

<Let's see. There's 13 days and 10 hours until the island falls. Heehee. I give my praises for such courageous actions. Be strong until then!>

Everyone made a complicated expression at those words but then shook their heads as they headed towards the Demon Lord's Castle.

...............

The road heading towards the Demon Lord's Castle was structured very differently from the ones until now.

Unlike the situation during the defense where the non-clansmen and clansmen were mixed up with the 12 clans as the center, it was now split up between clan unions and non-clansmen adventurers.

It was something they had realized painfully from what they had been doing until now.

That the clan unions can throw them off at any time.

And they needed to group up in order to prevent that.

Of course everyone's thoughts couldn't be the same so there were a few people who went into the clan unions who have caught them in their eyes but there were still about 500 people grouped up separately.

"...So you came to me because of that?"

Hyunwoo and Taehee nodded at those words.

"Yeah. We're just following while believing in you."

Hansoo opened his mouth after looking at Hyunwoo for a while after those words.

"There isn't much that I can do for you."

Hyunwoo chuckled as he spoke.

"Don't worry. I'm not asking you to take care of all our lives. Just stay in that position well."

He didn't long for care.

He was content if Hansoo acted as the flag which everyone could see and follow.

Since they had been pushed around because they didn't have that flag.

There isn't a single person who wouldn't try to improve their future in times of danger in such a damnable world as this.

And because of this, the most important thing was to have enough strength to save themselves.

Since they didn't know what would happen during times of crisis no matter how good of a personality they had during normal times.

And because of that, Hansoo was more than enough.

'And well. Even if we only follow, the surrounding enemies almost get smashed apart.'

Taehee clicked her tongue as she looked at Hyunwoo while he was thinking about this and that.

'...It seems like he has been infatuated.'

Hansoo shook his head as he looked at these two.

'Hmm.'

Though they seemed like they were well bunched up, and though they were just following him aroud, a human's thoughts are something which changes very rapidly in times of crisis.

Towards a safer side.

But Hansoo just shrugged his shoulders as he advanced.

'I just need to do what I'm supposed to do.'

The three gateways they needed to go through in order to get to the Demon Lord's Castle.

Door of Bones, Door of Flesh and Door of Blood.

Hansoo quickened his footsteps towards the first gateway in the distance, the Door of Bones.

............

Chararak.

The chain, which was a few hundred meters in length, cut apart the air restlessly.

It wasn't only the extremity of the scythe that could be used as a weapon.

The scythe pulverized the enemies as the scythe should and the chain was coiling around the surroundings without rest.

Once the chain suppressed the enemy enough, Hansoo flickered the edge of his right hand to control the scythe and charged forward with a blade and stabbed down at the enemy who was entwined by the chains.

Kuuuuuuaaang!

One of the demons, which had been stabbed by Hansoo's weapon, screamed.

Hansoo didn't just have one weapon.

There were 7 daggers around Hansoo's thighs and there was also a Podao and a medium sized greatsword by his waist.

There weren't any limitations from carrying this many weapons due to the increased strength.

The problem was whether he could utilize all of these weapons or not.

From the <Renoperon's red dagger>, which Hansoo had stabbed into the enemy Demon, an effective hemorrhage bursted out as blood started to flood.

Kaduk.

Kaduduk.

Hansoo didn't rest there as he started to put injuries all over Demon's body as he stabbed his daggers into its body.

Judgement of Dekrados wasn't used properly just because one used <Judgement>.

Rather, the true worth of the weapon shone when you were able to use <Suppression> effectively as well.

And the chain and scythe were restlessly flying around Hansoo's surroundings.

But of course it wasn't alright even if he was Hansoo.

<Thorn Hell's Plate Armor Demon>

When it received the attack of the enemy, a strange curse injured the body of the one who had attacked them.

Hansoo was holding on with his resistances and Nurmaha's ring but blood was flowing out from his body as injuries occurred one by one.

But if one were to hesitate because of such things, they would receive an even greater injury.

Kuduk. Kududk.

Hansoo ignored the light wounds as he canceled out the curse which activated when he stabbed the heart of the demon with the Nurmaha's ring, took the runes and crystal which had dropped from its body and then flew off somewhere else as he bound up his surroundings with the chain and stepped on it.

Since there wasn't much time for leisure in the current situation.

"Uaaaak!"

"Damn! It's a mage! Kill that first!"

"Aaak!"

Endless screams could be heard all around.

A huge number of undeads and Demons which couldn't even be compared to before.

They weren't really giving large amounts of casualties to people.

Since the demons came in pairs when they charged and since both of them were bound by Hansoo's chain.

And even now, one had just died at Hansoo's hands and the other one was fervently battling Hansoo and his chain scythe.

The thing which had caused the most damage to them were mages.

Skeletal Mage.

It was a weak mob in games but reality was cruel.

Every time skills exploded out from it's hands, even though it was only poison, frost and fire for a total of three elements, it froze people down to their bones and burned their skins.

And the fact that it was long ranged and had an AOE move bugged them more.

Hansoo's chain scythe was turning them into powder whenever it had the leisure to but there were many occurrences where people were screaming here and there after getting hit by the skills.

And the Clan Lords were looking at their surroundings with cold expressions.

It was important to maintain their battle strength before but it was even more important as of now.

Since they could take all of their maintained battle strength up along with them.

In the defensive war, where the defense areas were set between them, their improvements and the damage they received were very similar.

But in a situation like this where they were advancing, it was much more different.

Since no matter how fair you set up the rules, one's actions changed how much damage they received by a lot.

But no matter what Guktae did, he was still the leader of a group.

He had the duty of keeping alive as many clansmen as possible.

Was being greedy that bad?

'We could at least adjust the speed at which we advanced if the Crystal wasn't destroyed. Damn...'

No matter how much of the battle strength he wanted to save, there was a limit to it.

The vibration which resonated throughout the island was getting larger.

The fairy had told them that there were over ten days left but nobody knew if those ten days were enough for them to get to the Demon Lord's Castle.

Playing chicken is only when you can, what sort of meaning would playing chicken have in a situation where you would get massacred anyway if you hid around in the back.

The Clan Lords could only advance forward while accounting for the danger.

'Anyway...Are the demons coming out at similar difficulties?'

Guktae looked at the Demon, which Hansoo was killing, coldly.

He was worried that a stronger demon might come out when they got to the Demon Lord's Castle.

But it seemed like these were at the same level as those during the defenses.

And at that moment a noise came from the ground as another demon came up from beneath.

"Uaaakk! Another one came out!"

"Dodge it!"

Unlike the defensive stage where they had something to protect, this was over as long as you could arrive there.

There was nobody who wanted to go up against the strong Demon.

All the non-clansmen flew away like flies in all directions.

But a few Clan Lords laughed as they looked at the chaos.

'It came out at a good timing.'

<I shall test it out first. Go.>

If they don't account for their weaknesses then they were a failure as a human being before being a Lord.

The clansmen of Evil and Kang Hansoo?

Those crazy things were jumping about around him and showing off their strength.

Didn't he prepare something for such a situation?

The 15 special forces, which Guktae had been saving, came out.

These were the guys who were armed with the runes, skills and artifacts of other clansmen.

Warriors created to fight monsters with their raised resistances and attack power.

'Though I've been saving them in order to reduce casualties...'

He was going to save them if stronger Demons came out on the way to the Demon Lord's Castle.

But what if they were around the same level?

'If it's that much then they can hunt without casualties.'

They didn't need to depend on Hansoo.

'I'll show you. As to who should really be in the center.'

The thing that they weren't comfortable with wasn't just Hansoo's power.

It was the fact that he was acting as the center of the non-clansmen.

And the reason that he could fight the Demons up front was a large factor as to why he could do that.

Since they believed that it'll be safer if they followed Hansoo rather than the clans.

But if they could fight the Demons then they didn't have a reason to group up with Hansoo as the center.

They was no worry for traitors either.

Since the clans could just take them all in.

'Well. It is just so even if it seems uncomfortable.'

They will soon realize.

That it'll get more and more dangerous and that they had to hold onto a reliable pillar.

And in order to do so, he had left them alone with the mages.

'Let's see what happens...if the non-clansmen that you trust in so much come to me.'

There was no reason to hurry.

They could advance slowly, like water being absorbed through.

"Go."

At these words, the fifteen special forces that Guktae had prepared advanced forward in order to hunt down the Demon.