“I will kill you… I will definitely kill you…”
In the heart of the Space of the Mirror.
The Demon of Preservation, absorbing magic recovered from a clone, ground its teeth in frustration.
It was a product painstakingly created by its own effort.
Beings from another world, commonly referred to as ‘Outsiders,’ possessed a ‘special’ power that even shocked her, a member of the Demon Race.
‘A power that can endure magic.’
Ordinary test subjects would melt away with but a small amount of magic, unable to withstand it, but those Outsiders were different.
The special power surrounding them allowed them to endure both magic and holy power, and they could even be resurrected in their intact bodies after death.
With mental protection, it was truly an astonishing power.
“How much have I poured into this… And how much more do I have to give to play along with that guy’s plans…!”
A lot of time had passed since ‘that day.’
To survive amidst the aftermath of the war where the Upper Tens and Demon Race were being slaughtered indiscriminately, it had lived entombed in its finest body.
Its original body had long been purified by a high-ranking angel.
The only remaining option was to wait in a place that no one could reach until the war settled down.
Thus it endured for hundreds of years.
One day, a tremendous force was drawn to the preserved space and it encountered an angel named ‘Robelian.’
Upon the angel’s appearance, the Demon of Preservation immediately tried to kill him, but he audaciously made a proposal.
‘You called for me, Preservation. Calm down and listen.’
‘What could a foolish race possibly say?’
‘If you grant me what I desire, I will also grant you what you want. I swear this on my ‘honor.’
The angel may have seemed foolish, but a sworn ‘honor’ is something he wouldn’t break.
Of course, vows and promises held no meaning to her, but listening to him, it wasn’t a bad proposal.
After all, from what she could see, the world had reached a state of war’s end.
She couldn’t even see the Six Demon Kings or Eight Seats, let alone their subordinates, as her existence itself was threatened.
Having to cut off all external information to survive, she needed various information and power to act within this unfamiliar world.
‘What I want is two things. First, control and autonomy over my clone. And second, to clone ‘her.’
‘Who is she?’
Robelian revealed information about a woman named ‘Lily Elbrite,’ and she quickly grasped why he was making such a proposal.
The woman belonged to the angel race.
She was quite powerful, to the point that even the angel before her couldn’t defeat her, and as expected of an angel, she primarily wielded a spear.
When the Demon of Preservation insisted that it couldn’t clone an angel who wielded holy power, Robelian shrugged it off.
‘The important thing is to clone her possessing her characteristics and sufficient strength. It doesn’t matter if she uses magic instead of holy power.’
‘Hmm… Magic, huh? It may vary depending on the talent, but no matter how strong she is as an angel, it means nothing without talent. Are you really okay with that?’
“Hm… Magic. It varies depending on the talent, but no matter how strong an angel is, if they lack talent, it’s all meaningless. Do you care about that?”
“Talent?”
Robelian chuckles softly.
The Demon of Preservation frowned at Robelian’s face, which looked like it was wearing hundreds of masks—far too clever for a foolish angel.
“It doesn’t matter. Her talent is sufficient.”
“Still, they’re just a bunch of idiots. Do you really think those swinging weapons around can understand magic?”
“That’s for them to figure out. If you help with this job, I’ll guide you to ‘him’ as promised.”
“Are you sure he’s really been neutralized?”
“Absolutely.”
The greatest power that summoned the Demon of Preservation here.
The Demon of Space was currently asleep beneath, so weakened that the angel could misuse his abilities at will.
Robelian said he would hand that demon over to the Demon of Preservation.
“…I’m sure he wouldn’t lie.”
It felt oddly unsettling.
He was slicker than an angel should be, and there was some dark scheme lurking behind his words.
It felt as if he were facing a demon rather than an angel, and the Demon of Preservation stood up, releasing rough magic.
Whatever happens, he’s still an angel.
“Enough. What more could a foolish angel do?”
No matter how many tricks he tries, it’s all the same.
In any case, all cloned beings were under the control of the Demon of Preservation.
Even if he got blindsided and his body shattered, as long as the soul remained intact, he could switch to another cloned body anytime.
“Let’s get this rolling first. He’s been arrogant, so making him a clone would be just desserts.”
Hehe…
The Demon of Preservation let out a creepy laugh and disappeared at high speed. After a while.
Vroom…!
“…?”
“Ugh?”
“Where are we?”
With a crack in space, three familiar heads emerged from the center.
■
“First, let’s rearrange a bit. I might not know about the insides, but touching the outside should be…”
“It’d be better not to touch it. It’s a highly magical structure.”
“?”
“…?”
While I and Lasty were investigating the mysterious Tower of Magical Tools, we turned at the familiar voice.
Black hair and red eyes. And the Fake Duke Huangyeol dressed in dark red uniform.
Uncharacteristically, he grinned slyly as he approached us slowly.
The magic emanating from him was corrupting the green meadow.
“Duke Huangyeol.”
[Duke Huangyeol?]
[What the hell?]
“Kill him!!”
[It’s a fake.]
[Is that the Demon Duke Huangyeol?]
[Shouldn’t we kill him?]
[Kill, let’s go, go, go, go, go, go, go, go, go, go!]
[Even as a fake, he’s still handsome.]
“Long time no see, Lily Elbrite. Is this the first time seeing you since Karia’s incident?”
“For a fake, you sure talk real.”
“Even fakes have their own style. I can at least share some memories.”
That aside…
“This young lady is quite impatient.”
Whoosh!
Puka-gak!
The fake Duke Huangyeol hurled his sword, piercing Lasty’s heart from behind.
The sword made of magic instantly melted the ambushing Lasty, but after all, it was a fake made from blood.
The fake crumbled in the form of blood and returned to the real Lasty positioned behind.
‘Technically, I’m not the main body here either…’
If it were the main body, the fake Duke Huangyeol wouldn’t even be able to stand in front of Lasty.
Lasty nonchalantly dusted off her heart area.
“You’re quite accustomed to using magic.”
“The power of preservation is special. Since I can’t replicate the holy, it naturally has to be replaced accordingly…”
Whoooom!!!
With a hammer containing the essence of destruction, she swung at the Duke.
Flap!! Just in time, the fake Duke Huangyeol unfurled his black wings and soared while I unleashed the essence of destruction in all directions, suppressing the magic.
Simultaneously, seven magic swords materialized behind the fake Duke Huangyeol.
Pabuk!
The swords bypassed the shield around my arms and legs, causing wounds but not fatal ones.
Having absorbed all the attacks, I overlapped the Roar of Acceleration and the Circle of Explosion, exploding the fake Duke Huangyeol…
Boom!
[?]
[????]
[What the hell?]
[He disappeared?]
[Huh?]
He vanished.
To be precise, space seemed to ‘devour’ the fake Duke Huangyeol.
As I monitored the flow of magic for a moment, somewhere nearby, space spat the fake Duke Huangyeol out again.
“…That was a bit risky. If it were the real one, I would’ve been done for.”
He chuckled, resuming his swordplay.
This time, there were 14 swords.
Not many in number, but the swords infused with magic held special powers that weren’t easily dismissed.
Lasty and I dodged a few and parried others, but we had to allow three more attacks.
At this point, it was becoming clear.
“Has the Demon of Space also intervened?”
One of the disasters of Gongam, lurking underground.
I had certainly left instructions to quell him, but why use the power of space on top of mobilizing preservation?
He continued to smile as he spread his wings wider.
“There was a sort of ‘deal,’ one you wouldn’t know.”
“Do you not mind if the Empire disappears because of this?”
An ‘angel’ enlists the help of a ‘demon’ to act.
As an angel, there were countless reasons to eliminate him, yet because of his absurd claim to protect ‘humans,’ I had momentarily let it slide.
Moreover, it was impossible for a user to deal with all three disasters at once, which is why I had put him on the task.
But if it comes out like this, there’s no longer a reason to give it any more attention.
Now, it’s truly become a target for ‘disposal.’
[Let’s kill it]
[Are you crazy? LOL]
[Have you lost your mind?]
[Is this the end of the Empire?]
[OMG]
[?????????]
[ㄷㄷㄷㄷㄷㄷㄷㄷ]
Fake Duke Huangyeol nodded.
“It’s necessary. Of course, the Empire cannot perish.”
“Understood. Then let’s finish this.”
He significantly boosts his Holy Power.
No further conversation is needed.
‘With the Duke, Preservation, and even Space involved.’
Even though three existences above Intermediate are attached, it’s not to the extent that they cannot win if they put all their power into it.
Fake Duke Huangyeol also crushes that Magical Tool.
Just as he was about to unleash his full power with that intention, Fake Duke Huangyeol suddenly chuckled.
A laugh that didn’t fit the situation at all.
In an instant, the Holy Power that had risen abruptly settles down.
“…?”
“Originally, I was told to rampage without a word, but I’m a bit skeptical. No matter how I think about it, I don’t believe ‘Robelian’s’ plan will work.”
“So what?”
“It’s a simple story.”
As Fake Duke Huangyeol said this, he flicked his hand, and the sky twisted darkly.
In a moment, Lasty tried to stop it, but I held her back.
Now that the ‘fake’ has escaped the control of the real one.
I need to hear the secret of the Duke now.
“Robelian has a tendency to be overly cautious. He proposes a ‘Emperor’ to replace him and creates an organization called ‘Eight Swords’ to fight in his place. Isn’t it strange? Such a powerful existence only acts as an ‘observer.’”
“……”
“I can assure you, if Robelian were to take action, the continent would fall into his hands within just a few hours. But he hasn’t done that.”
Boom! Boom!
Space opens.
“Why is that?”
The reason why Robelian was so cautious.
The reason why he, as a Celestial being with power above Intermediate, had to hide behind the Empire.
It’s because there’s a being on this land that can suppress even such Celestials at any time.
And that being is someone I know very well.
“Raccoon.”
The administrators of this world.
‘The Duke is aware of the administrators!’
As space opens, countless users and residents drop down.
To be precise, ‘preserved’ existences are falling.
Copies of the Eight Swords, like Leo, Arne, and Birang, descend en masse onto the ground.
“Kill them all.”
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