After promising to deal with the Emperor, a few more days passed, and the day came when he had to visit Han-shin’s city.
Time is plentiful. No more reasons to delay.
Pillar man, visit my city!
Ezekiel slowly left his residence, which still hadn’t seen Arcne’s return.
Perhaps because Goddess Arcne was a significant force even within the Demon Realm, she said she’d be busy for a while.
Let’s aim for the city’s destruction, but don’t let your guard down.
Ezekiel mentally reminded himself several times.
The meeting place was literally a city under the command of Han-shin. It was like walking into a tiger’s den, and he couldn’t even guess what kind of schemes were laid out.
I feel eyes watching me.
Could it be that Han-shin was concerned about a potential escape? He felt sly glances from where demon eyes were cleverly hiding everywhere.
Ezekiel sharpened his sensitivity to energy and slowly entered Han-shin’s city. It was nothing difficult—just had to pass through the massive dimensional gate of Atra.
Whoosh—!
And the moment he stepped into Han-shin’s city.
….
He paused for a moment at the scene before him.
He arrived in a place where humans and other races, except demons, were suffering, yet the landscape before him was far from his thoughts.
Festival.
Fireworks popping in the sky, drunken demons frolicking around, unbounded energy everywhere… The entire city was alive with a spectacular festival.
Which made it even more horrific.
This way! Move over here! You trash!
Looks like they haven’t been whipped enough yet.
With expressions as if they might collapse at any moment, those dragged from afar were being forced to work.
Shall we go over there this time?
Sure. Heard there’s plenty of delicious food.
But the demons in the city seemed to regard even that as a natural sight, frolicking freely.
It was a bizarre city in stark contrast.
Indeed, this city must be destroyed.
Ezekiel mulled over his goal repeatedly and followed the map attached to the message.
Not long after, he arrived.
It was a huge hall filled with creatures resembling Han-shin. Creatures with flickering flames where their heads should be.
Ezekiel recognized their racial name.
Dullahan.
The Dullahans had a table set before them, filled with drinks and snacks, reveling and chatting merrily.
The center figure, Han-shin, recognized Ezekiel.
“Everyone, pay attention! The esteemed pillar of the Goddess has arrived personally! What an honorable occasion!”
He used the derogatory title “pillar man” while simultaneously saying it was an honor. It was like he was jesting while circling around his words to tease Ezekiel.
“Pillar of the Goddess? You mean… that human?”
“Aren’t spiders known for their many eyes? Yet, I never expected them to be this blind. To take a mere human male as a partner? How absurd…”
Ezekiel had done his due diligence since arriving in the Demon Realm. In fact, among the regular demons, there were hardly any who dared to disregard him.
They only treated him with respect.
But this place was different.
It was full of open disdain for Ezekiel, likely because it was composed solely of Dullahans who shared Han-shin’s sentiments.
Han-shin approached Ezekiel with a grin.
“I’ve sung your praises so much, but those fools must be too dim to understand. Don’t take it too personally, okay?”
On the surface, it sounded concerned but was heavily laced with mockery. It seemed he was deliberately intent on bothering Ezekiel today.
Han-shin naturally guided Ezekiel to a seat. Right in front of a table laden with the most extravagant food.
Han-shin quietly thought to himself as he looked at Ezekiel.
“Today, I’m going to tear you apart.”
He had been meticulously watching Ezekiel all this time.
Every day, he seemed deeply engrossed in observing various parts of City Atra, and the fact that he could acquire such insights into the Demon Realm was already suspicious.
…Who does this human think he is?
He even heard through the Demon Gods that, per the Goddess’s will, Ezekiel could manipulate the very structure of Atra. It was astonishing.
How could a mere human interfere with a city in the Demon Realm?
However.
This only sparked Han-shin’s wrath. He had finally caught decisive evidence.
“He spoke into the air.”
If the conversation partner were a demon, Han-shin’s subordinates would have caught on immediately. Without a doubt, Ezekiel must have connections across the continent.
…An arrogant little spy. No reason to let him live.
But Han-shin’s thoughts didn’t stop there.
He had always regarded Goddess Arcne’s behavior unfavorably, and then it occurred to him that perhaps he could not only dispose of Ezekiel but also put the Goddess in a difficult position.
Thus, he meticulously planned and prepared.
It was the festival that began yesterday in the city.
“Didn’t you propose a duel? What’s with the festival?”
Ezekiel asked.
“A very precious human, a chance to witness the might of the pillar man! For lowly demons like us, it can only be a festival.”
Han-shin continued to dance around his words mockingly. He then pointed to the food on Ezekiel’s table.
“Is the appetizer not to your liking? Why not eat up first?”
….
Ezekiel quietly gazed down at the table.
This whole setting was a place to mock him.
There were grotesque raw dishes laid out, and he quickly realized their identity. Each one was human flesh.
“I heard the esteemed pillar man was coming, so I personally caught a fresh one and carved it up. The screams while working with a live one were quite something! Prepared with that in mind.”
Ezekiel didn’t respond.
He felt it wasn’t worth answering.
Perhaps finding Ezekiel’s reaction bland and unamusing, remarks began to emerge from around the table. Though they were probably drunk, their comments were quite outrageous.
“Have you caught the Goddess’s virgin?”
“Absorbing Yin Energy and then first pairing with a human, what a waste—like throwing gold into a dung pit.”
“Does she really sleep at night? So trivial?”
They talked as if they had nothing to fear, and it was comical. Only Han-shin seemed to relish the atmosphere.
At that moment.
Whoosh—!
The hall began to fill with several demons. Familiar faces, the ones who had been with him when he met the Demon Lord, two Demon Gods.
“It’s the Reaper and the Other God. I called for them.”
Arcne was missing, and Han-shin continued.
“A crucial event is happening today, so to ensure fairness, I’ve invited not one but two Demon Gods. Raise a toast before we carry out the big event!”
The Dullahans poured drinks over the flames where their heads should be. The alcohol evaporated without a trace, as if it were actually being consumed.
…Looks like it’s starting now.
Ezekiel quietly thought.
Just moments ago, the place was filled with raucous noise, yet everyone suddenly fell silent as if they had made a promise. A delicate tension filled the air.
A palpable sense of impending violence.
Everyone instinctively understood that blood would soon flow.
“…Han-shin.”
At that moment, a Demon God cloaked in a black hood, hiding their entire figure, spoke. They leaned a scythe that looked three times longer than their body against themselves.
That was the Reaper.
“Time is short. Proceed swiftly.”
“That was the plan anyway.”
Signaling the official start of the important event, finally, Han-shin took his place at the head of the gathering.
“The Ice Ghost has issued a challenge to me. However, as a Demon God, I have no reason to comply with a mere human’s demands…”
Han-shin’s gaze turned toward a corner.
“Zeld.”
Bam—!
When he called the name, a massive Dullahan stood before Ezekiel. Green flames flickered where his head should be, and he was clad in heavy armor.
“Recently, dark energy has swept through the Demon Realm, and we cannot deny that the Ice Ghost is its cause! Therefore, I wish to duel today and hold them accountable.”
Han-shin said with enthusiasm.
“However, if the Ice Ghost loses to one of my mid-tier knights, wouldn’t that mean the Goddess has married someone beneath her?” If that were to happen, the Goddess could no longer claim the authority of a Demon God.”
“True!”
Other Dullahans cheered.
This was Han-shin’s intent.
While he could simply kill Ezekiel himself, it would be even better if one of his subordinates did it.
It would undermine the Goddess’s authority even more.
“Based on the outcome, I will approach the Demon Lord to seriously request the Goddess’s authority be stripped away. A low-ranking demon like that a high-ranking one? That won’t do…”
But.
At that moment suddenly, Han-shin’s words halted.
….
It wasn’t just Han-shin. Everyone fell silent.
Swish—! Bam!
A sound of something flowing and falling.
Knight Zeld had suddenly turned frozen, his body split in two diagonally.
The cause was one thing.
Ezekiel. It was already decided.
The Ice Ghost spoke in silence.
“…Next.”
Ezekiel was confident he could face any demons, excluding the Demon Gods. No, he was even ready to take on a Demon God if they challenged him now.
“Han-shin, you come here personally.”
Victory without fail.
He had a guaranteed ace up his sleeve.
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