Chapter 438: Chapter 438

Instead of explaining himself, Choi Yeonseung decided to leave it to Illaphael. Since the angel was stepping in to play the villain, there wasn’t any need for pointless conversation.

Choi Yeonseung generally didn’t care much about harsh criticism like “You abandoned the hostages!”, but... There was nothing good about being criticized!

“I can’t believe you’ve taken these scumbags hostage. It’s ridiculous! Kill them! Just kill them, you worthless demons!”

“...”

Choi Yeonseung felt uncomfortable. It was great to not be swayed by the enemy, but was it necessary to provoke them like this?

‘She doesn’t have a grudge against these politicians, does he?’

Of course, Illaphael didn’t really have anything against those politicians. She just thought that they weren’t that important for the demons to use them as leverage.

-The hostages won’t work. Forget about them!

-How dare this angel speak to us like that?!

Ever since Choi Yeonseung and Illaphael had joined the fight, the demons had been terribly furious as though they couldn’t stand it anymore.

In response to their anger, another demon emerged in the rear.

[Demon Lord Beliras has released ‘Sulfur Breath’.]

The leader of the demon tribe occupying this area finally appeared. He released a terrible Sulfur Breath and set the surroundings ablaze. The hunters panicked and backed away while shielding themselves.

However, Beliras’ destructive spell was healing the demons under him.

‘I’ll keep fighting like before.’

Choi Yeonseung got ready right away. This new opponent was exceedingly strong, almost at the level of a constellation. However, he wasn’t actually a constellation, and that was enough for Choi Yeonseung to deal with him.

He would jump in and assassinate him like he had done with all the other high-ranking demons.

‘I need to make sure this doesn’t drag on.’

A boss-type monster had just appeared, and if Choi Yeonseung didn’t manage to quickly take him out, more monsters would emerge and spread across the battlefield. If that happened, the whole battle would become chaotic and unpredictable.

The best way to wrap up this battle was to kill the boss monster as fast as possible.

-You learned really well in the Abyss.

With the support of the goddess of sloth, Choi Yeonseung used Origin of the Celestial Step.

Bang!

-Hah, I’ve joined forces with a constellation, and I’ve been waiting for you, you rotten human bastard!

“!”

Beliras tensed up and withstood Choi Yeonseung’s attack as though he were made of stone. As the leader of a demon tribe, his level had to be quite high, and he also had to possess all kinds of rare defensive skills.

‘Is it that item?!’

But even so, Beliras shouldn’t have been able to block that attack. However, Choi Yeonseung instantly realized how the demon had managed it.

It was because of the power of existence radiating from his belt!

-I don’t know which constellation gave their relic to the demon!

The goddess of sloth was befuddled by this unexpected situation. Those days, young constellations were doing all sorts of things on Earth, but this was a bit too much.

The holy relic was essentially a constellation’s extension, so to give it to the leader of a demon tribe, not even a household member, was utterly absurd!

The goddess of sloth couldn’t guess who it was, but she felt that the constellation who had done that had no dignity.

‘It’s most likely the Beast of Swords and Spears.’

Choi Yeonseung made a quick judgment. Now that he had obliterated almost all the ambitious beast warriors, the beast constellation had to be very frustrated.

Thus, it would make sense for the constellation to take a chance with the demon tribe.

-Now, let’s see you try to fight me!

Beliras swung his four massive arms, and the potent red magic power radiating from them exploded, blowing away the surrounding area.

However, Choi Yeonseung had already moved out of range. He had used Origin of the Celestial Step to widen the distance and prepared for the next counterattack.

[’Dignity of Light’ makes your light even stronger.]

[The ‘Arrogant Light Elf’ thinks highly of you.]

If this demon was blocking his attacks with power of existence, Choi Yeonseung just needed to use a skill that contained power of existence. He took the skill received from the elf constellation and added it to his concentrated energy, a blinding light emerging from him.

Bang!

-Ghah!

Once again, he launched an explosive and devastating Origin of the Celestial Fist. Since the skill went past the speed of sound, it sent forth a tremendous shock wave that devastated the surrounding area.

Beliras was genuinely taken aback because he hadn’t seen it coming. He might’ve perceived Choi Yeonseung’s presence, but he hadn’t been able to react to him.

A flash of power struck Beliras like a bullet.

[The ‘Beast of Swords and Spears’ uses its power!]

[Demon Lord Beliras is getting closer and closer to immortality!]

‘No, this bastard is really...’

Choi Yeonseung gritted his teeth, thinking that the Beast of Swords and Spears had crossed the line. How could a constellation waste their power of existence to intervene in a fight between mortals?

It was clear that this idiotic constellation had no idea how important it was to conserve its power of existence.

[The ‘Six-Winged Angel Who Hunts Dragons’ despises this vulgar way of fighting!]

[The ‘Beast of Swords and Spears’ ignores him.]

-Hahaha! You vermin human. I admit that you are pretty talented. Your ability to swiftly run around and deceive my senses is particularly impressive.

Beliras sneered arrogantly at Choi Yeonseung. He had regained his confidence thanks to the support of the beast constellation.

Given that he wasn’t its household member, Beliras hadn’t expected the Beast of Swords and Spears to help him this much. He didn’t understand what was going through this constellation’s mind, but he was happy to receive its power.

-How long do you think this will last? If you keep dodging, I’ll just ignore you and burn this whole area down. That was the deal I made with the constellation.

Choi Yeonseung didn’t answer. He never spoke to someone that was about to be defeated.

‘I have to immobilize him and hit him hard.’

Perhaps if he ordered Illaphael and Illeya to use their respective powers to bind the opponent and then jump in to attack...

...But not even that would be enough to kill the demon. In his current state, Beliras was essentially a clone of the Beast of Swords and Spears.

Choi Yeonseung seriously considered using his power of existence. He wondered if it was best to unleash his realm, blind everyone around him, and use the power of existence to execute the opponent.

-Hah, there’s no time for you to waver, human! Your time has come! Look!

“!”

Beliras chuckled in delight. As he was talking, a new demon tribe was emerging from the Abyss.

The reason Beliras hadn’t made a move after capturing the base was to bring over more demons. Beliras had been waiting for this exact situation, and he was confident he could proceed with an attack.

He could break through all the hunters gathered here.

-The end has come. Your home will soon be reduced to ashes!

“...”

Beliras was rather excited to see that Choi Yeonseung was lost for words. Human emotions such as fear and anger were also sweet prey for demons, and Beliras thought it was only natural for Choi Yeonseung to despair in this situation.

He ordered his demon subordinates.

-Now, bring an end to this battle...!

Bang!

However, as soon as he gave the order, Beliras was hit from behind and flew to the side. He instinctively looked for Choi Yeonseung.

‘The human didn’t move!’

Choi Yeonseung was still in the same position, so who had attacked him?

Beliras’ subordinates roared in anger.

-Barigos! What are you doing?

It was Barigos, the first household member of the Ruler of Blood and Brawls and the one who had received the Axe of Blood.

***

The reason Choi Yeonseung kept quiet when the other demons appeared behind him was the fact that he had initially decided against fighting Beliras... He also recognized the leader of the demon tribe in the rear.

It was Barigos.

-Who’s Barigos?

-One of the demons I fought before becoming a constellation. He helped me realize something back then.

-Oh? What exactly?

-...It’s a secret.

-Bah, really?

The goddess of sloth was saddened by the fact that Choi Yeonseung was hiding something from her.

However, from Choi Yeonseung’s perspective, it was only natural to hide it. It wouldn’t be a problem if he told her, but this was about a truly ridiculous misunderstanding he had in the Abyss a long time back.

Before meeting Barigos, Choi Yeonseung had been wandering through the Abyss under the impression that it was all a trial prepared by the goddess of balance.

If the goddess of sloth found out about this, she would roll around and laugh for days.

Choi Yeonseung exchanged looks with Barigos, and it seemed that the demon recognized him as well. Barigos stared back with a blunt expression and sent Choi Yeonseung telepathic messages so that the others wouldn’t notice it.

‘You seem to be fighting.’

‘That’s right.’

‘Then I’ll help you!’

‘!’

Barigos raised his axe. Then, instead of attacking Choi Yeonseung and the humans, he swung it straight at Beliras.

The Ruler of Blood and Brawls had kicked him out of his household, but Barigos still possessed the weapons and skills he had received from the constellation.

[The ‘Oath of the First Brawl’ has bound Beliras!]

As a veteran demon, Barigos was clever. He realized that Beliras was being protected by a constellation, so he chose to bind his movements instead of attacking straight away.

Just as Barigos had planned, the attack took Beliras by surprise and froze him in place.

-Kill the demons!

-As expected of Barigos!

You’re going to kill other demons as well!!

The demons serving Barigos raised their weapons without the slightest doubt about their leader’s command. Then, they proceeded to slaughter Beliras’ subordinates.

[The ‘Beast of Swords and Spears’ is furious!!!]

Extremely angry and exasperated, the beast constellation roared at Barigos.

Barigos was also one of the demon leaders of the Abyss that the evil god constellations had hired.

[The ‘Beast of Swords and Spears’ is shouting and wondering what Barigos is doing now!]

-I’m sorry. I’ll return what you’ve given me.

“...”

Choi Yeonseung, who was moving along with Barigos’ attack and sweeping away the demons, was taken aback by those words.

‘I feel like I’m gonna get angry even though I’m not the one involved.’

How could Barigos say something like that?

[The ‘Beast of Swords and Spears’ warns that it will never forget your name.]

-Have it your way. After all, I have nothing to fear ever since you forsake me.

Barigos didn’t say anything else after that. Instead, he brandished his axe and continued slaughtering the demons on Beliras’ side.

Illaphael still wasn’t fully aware of the situation and asked, “Should I attack that demon?”

“No,” Choi Yeonseung replied quickly. “Leave him alone. For now, he’s on our side!”

“Oh! Could it be that you recruited a demon in advance?”

Illaphael looked at Choi Yeonseung with admiration. She had been under the impression that Choi Yeonseung had prepared for this invasion only by recruiting humans, but it seemed that he had actually contacted the demon tribes of the Abyss as well.

He had all the evil god constellations in the palm of his hand!

[The ‘Six-Winged Angel Who Hunts Dragons’ admires your strategy.]

[Your power of existence has increased greatly!]

Illaphael was unaware of it, but her eyes were gleaming with reverence as she stared at Choi Yeonseung. It was an incredible change for an arrogant angel who usually looked down on humans as a race.

“You... You really...” Illaphael stammered, unable to come up with a fitting compliment.

However, Choi Yeonseung firmly told her, “Fight!”

“Ah, o-of course!”

Illaphael came to her senses and raised her weapon.

Barigos’ treachery allowed them to tear apart the enemy demons in an instant, mostly because Beliras hadn’t reacted fast enough to the ambush.

-Barigos, you outcast demon! I can’t believe you actually betrayed me!

-You would’ve also betrayed me one day to gain more power.

-Shut up! I’ll kill you!

[The ‘Beast of Swords and Spears’ orders you to retreat!]

With a fierce glare, Beliras was about to attempt to finish off Barigos, but the beast constellation didn’t allow it. The invasion near Seoul was now ruined because of this turn of events.

-I will remember this, Barigos! I’m going to chew up your heart. And you, filthy human. I shall also remember your transgression. I shall destroy your home... Agh!

Instead of answering, Choi Yeonseung fired an Origin of the Celestial Finger at Beliras as he was fleeing.

The demon had to shut up to block the attack, then he eventually disappeared.

As the demons vanished, an awkward silence filled the battlefield, and Barigos eventually broke it by asking a question.

-So it’s been a while, huh? Are you still being deceived by that constellation?

[The ‘Cat of Lava and Magma’ is curious about who he is talking about.]

[The ‘Goddess of Balance Who Walks Ahead’ hesitantly asks if he is talking about her.]