Chapter 492: A Demon Must Act Like A Demon To Be A Demon (4) |
I obviously didn’t want to say a lot. For some reason, the masked scum Jin Cheong’s final words echoed in my mind. Unfortunately, I couldn’t allow his words to come true. It would have been different if I weren’t on the stage, but I was already on the stage, so I might as well go all out.
Belial had created this stage for me, so I had to show that I was honored at the very least. I was sure there was a reason that the Demon of Lies and Instigation created this stage for me, and it was definitely because…
‘He wants something.’
It was important to boost the morale of the demon army, but right now, I had to do what Belial was expecting me to do.
- Hello. Let me introduce myself again. I’m the supervisor of this project, your eternal ally and friend, Lee Ki-Young. It hasn’t been that long since we met, but I have been granted the position of the 27th Legion’s external advisor. Therefore, I would like to thank you all for being here despite the fact that I’m an outsider.
- Rooooooooooooar!!!
Thankfully, the mood wasn’t bad.
- We have a huge task ahead of us, and it’s a huge and honorable task. It will be the turning point of the 27th Legion’s development, and it’s a great opportunity to take a great leap forward. I’m sure many of you are in doubt…
- Why do we need to go this far? Why must we do annoying things like this and put our lives on the line for this project? It seems absurd to some of you, and you are probably wondering why we have to exhaust ourselves for this task.
The majority of them were cheering without any thought, but someone was looking at me with satisfaction. It was none other than Belial. If he wasn’t busy staring at me in satisfaction, then I was sure that he would have nodded and exclaimed in agreement.
Meanwhile, Donovan was clapping right now, but his expression was indifferent. I could understand his feelings. I was sure that all this looked childish to him.
- There must be a cause to have an effect. There must be a reason why we have to act this way, and I am about to tell you all about the reason so that you can go about this project a bit more passionately. Of course, it’s illogical for a lowly mortal like me to explain this to high and mighty demons of hell, but because I’m a human, there are things that only I have noticed. Sometimes, one can see important things from down below, everyone!
- Yes! You’re right!
- The 27th Legion has experienced many changes recently. The legion climbed 41 ranks, and out of the 72 legions, you were able to take the 27th spot. I’m sure everyone already knows, but the army is currently in a crucial period. The 27th Legion’s actions will dictate whether it will rise up in the ranks or fall down. Belial may have entrusted this project to a mere mortal like me out of desperation. And that is why! That is why I only have one thing to say—a demon must act like a demon to be a demon.
- A demon… must act like a demon to be a demon.
- Yes, that’s right! A demon must act like a demon to be a demon. What does it mean to act like a demon? Have you ever thought about that?
- …
- This is what I think. Slaughtering humans and butchering them like pigs isn’t how a demon should act. Bringing about a natural disaster to make humans suffer isn’t how a demon should act. If demons are defined by destruction and violence, then what makes you different from monsters?
- …
- The actions I mentioned just now! Stupid monsters can do them as well! Simple destruction, violence, and massacre are things incompetent humans can do as well! Monsters incapable of speaking or thinking often use those methods to instill fear in others, and it’s not a method that honorable demons like you should use. So what should you do? What should we do to become a mature demon? What can we do to differentiate ourselves from the ones who aren’t as advanced as us?
No one answered. Their lips were moving, but no one said anything. It was fine because I wasn’t really expecting an answer.
- The answer is obvious. We must take care of them. We must be careful so that they won’t go extinct, and we must watch over them so that they’ll develop. However, we should not treat them sincerely.
- …
- There’s a popular saying on the continent. If you want to help a vagrant, giving them gold coins isn’t the correct way to do so. You must teach them how to make money. This lowly mortal can guarantee that this incident isn’t that different. We must not instill fear in them. Instead, we should teach them to feel fear on their own!
- …
- The society of humans is ever-changing, so this is the only way the 27th Legion can rise up the ranks. Don’t forcefully instill fear in them. Let them draw their own conclusions, and let them realize the greatness of the 27th Legion on their own! You should not annihilate them! Make sure that they will pass down your legends for generations.
- …
- The fear of death is ephemeral, but the fear you will instill through your legends will last generations. The continent does not lack people who have been mistreated by society, and once they’ve made the decision to avenge themselves, they will remember your legends and summon you! Parents will use your legends to scare their children, and children will not be able to sleep properly because they’re afraid of you! Those who manage to survive the upcoming war will live their lives in a nightmare, and it won’t just be the humans! Even the other races will remember you!
- Woo…
- Manage their fears, and don’t lower yourselves! Ensure that sure you’re above them. Maintain the equilibrium, and applaud whenever they improve. The group of humans—the actions of the scummy humans is something you should mock while looking down on them. We must make them realize that we’re a superior species and that we’re better than them!
- Rooooooooooooar!!
- From now on, all of you will be remembered as the scourge of the continent and its eternal nightmare!
- Roooooooooooooooar!!!
- This continent and the intelligent creatures here—even the dumb Benigoa and the cold-hearted Elune! They will remember you! Demons must act like a demon to be a demon! You’re not monsters. You’re different from the idiotic hard-liner demons in hell. You guys are demons who will trick humans by lying and instigating! You will manage and mock them while looking down on them from above! Demons must act like a demon to be a demon!
- Demons must act like a demon to be a demon!
- Demons must act like a demon to be a demon!
‘Wow, the atmosphere is nice.’
I knew I would receive support from the soft-liners, but I was honestly getting kind of tired of it. It wasn’t as formal as the beginning. In addition, all but a few of the demons who were going to get killed were cheering with all their might.
‘Wow…’
I was dumbfounded. The level of excitement was similar to the time when I stood on the podium at the Sacred Democratic Country and shouted Benigoa’s name. Even the few demons that I had labeled as hardliners were nodding in agreement. Belial was the same. He was applauding as if he was really satisfied, which caused me to smile.
‘He might even overlook my mistake.’
I had just essentially unified the members of the 27th Legion present here, which was a great task. It wasn’t much, but we were one step closer to true unification. Just a few minutes ago, I wanted to get out of this place as fast as possible, but at this point, I was getting hyped as well.
- Lee Ki-Young is the 27th legion’s wind of change!
- For Lee Ki-Young!
- Look at that disgusting soul! How could that soul belong to a human!
- We’ll wait for the day you return to hell—external Advisor!
The exciting atmosphere hyped me up.
When I cleared my throat, the room quickly became quiet.
- I’m sure all of you are aware, but a few hours ago, the stupid humans stepped on Belial’s territory. Those pesky humans captured the 41st, 42nd, and 43rd bases. They also built a wall, and they’re going to use those bases as their forward operating bases to conquer Amera. They’re approaching while sprinkling the dirty light of Benigoa. Yes, it has begun! The beginning has begun!
- …
- From when we have just conceptualized the project up until today, I have never seen you rest or do other things.
- …
- The sound of the wind and the dreary rain has been hitting the windows of my office, and it was indeed the calm before the storm. I’m sure some of the demons who are watching the current situation from hell are ridiculing this project. I’m sure they’re saying that this project is meaningless.
- …
- The result will tell us who was right all along.
- …
- The result will tell us who was foolish all along!
- …
- And let’s show them. Let’s prove that we haven’t wasted even a second of our time here, my dear companions.
- Roooooooooooooar!!!
-Waaaaaaar! We’re going to war!
The loud roars felt like they would tear my eardrums apart. I didn’t say anything, but the army started moving on its own. Donovan smiled. He had to have realized that it was his turn. There were things that didn’t require any words to understand.
I glanced at Belial, and he started talking to the army.
- I want Donovan of the Four Heavenly Kings to lead the army and show them the meaning of true fear.
- I have received your order.
It was a bit absurd, but Belial walked in a dignified manner toward me.
I nodded without realizing it, and Belial tapped my shoulder as if to show me that he was happy.
‘Not bad. The situation is actually pretty good.’
I felt like I had managed to fix the wrong step I had taken. The best-case scenario was Donovan receiving a reasonable amount of aggro and retiring at the appropriate time.
I was sure that quite a few people would die at Donovan’s hands because of his violent tendencies, but those useless Federation bastards were the primary targets of this plan, so…
‘I don’t need to worry about that.’
The situation would end once our lovely regressor confronted the exhausted Donovan, and we should be able to buy enough time with that. It would be a win-win situation for everyone, including me and Belial.
The scenario I imagined was so beautiful that I couldn’t help but smile just thinking about it.
However, I noticed that something was wrong eight hours later.
‘Why are you guys there with Hyun-Sung? Capture Donovan!’
Donovan attacked the Continental Union’s base with the 27th Legion, and I saw the Blue Guild and the Four Nation Alliance coming out of the base.
Donovan’s passing was almost perfect.
‘Kim Hyun-Sung, you weren’t this kind of person.’
I had no idea what was going on, but this was what it looked like in my eyes—Kim Hyun-Sung decided to abandon the Federation.
‘This isn’t you…’
They used Gellahan of Hellfire and Jamila as bait, and they immediately started moving toward Amera.