Chapter 91 – This Must Be Hell

Hell, already desolate beyond measure, had now become a world that surpassed even hell.

All energy expended. All that remained was to slowly crumble and eventually fall completely into the bottomless abyss.

Something he had steeled himself for from the moment things went awry. The demons didn’t grumble about that.

The reason for their disarray, their heightened nerves, lay elsewhere.

“Why is the King still not showing himself?”

“King! Oh King! Why do you not appear to us in this predicament!”

The demons cried out in screams and in fury, peering into the darkness beyond.

Why was their King not appearing before them when things had reached such a state?

Demons who wanted to gather energy for the King more than anyone else. (Though, of course, they were also doing their best because they needed the energy themselves.)

But even in that moment, the King did not stand against the demons.

Some called it abandonment, others admired it as a truly demonic display.

And a few, more pragmatic, were already soothing the demons, claiming that the King was simply out of energy and unable to move.

“….”

Then there was Yellow Eyes. Beelzebub, as Astaroth called him, the Fly. How did he truly feel about the King?

‘It’s fortunate. More like… a boon for us all.’

What good would the King be at a time like this? After all, even a king needs energy.

Moreover, a king needs more energy than any demon. A king is a being who stands above all others. To be near him would mean having even the energy you’ve hoarded drained away, no question.

So why search for the King? What if you found him and he actually appeared? Would you truly give him everything you had?

That was the problem with most demons. Strong, yes, but incapable of any real thought.

A few were capable of a little deduction, but even they were woefully inadequate compared to him, Beelzebub was certain.

All that remained was to hope that the three demons sent beyond the gate succeeded. That Astaroth would cooperate.

The dim-witted ones grumbled, claiming those three were unreliable, but Beelzebub thought the opposite.

The three demons – Pucel, Amduscias, and especially Seere were the least of the problems. Astaroth was the issue.

This wasn’t simply because they didn’t get along. Astaroth had ventured alone into enemy territory, and after a long silence, she had suddenly contacted them again.

‘And that only after we had given up on our plans and closed the path.’

The content of her message was even more suspicious. She had found a way and urged them to reopen the path at once. To send her everything they could through the gate.

Could she truly have vanquished the Dawn? No. The situation didn’t seem to indicate that.

Some seemed to think they’d successfully defected but there was a different possibility.

For instance, Astaroth had betrayed them long ago and joined their side.

“Astaroth submitted? Don’t spout such nonsense!”

“Look at him, badmouthing her just because they don’t get along. So very demonic.”

He understood. Yes. In truth, he was somewhat inclined to suspect her himself.

There was no denying that his relationship with Astaroth was less than pleasant. He had to admit that they had been at each other’s throats whenever they met in Hell.

That was why he couldn’t stand before the other demons and shout, ‘No! You damn fools!’

But that wasn’t the whole of it. Putting aside their personal history, he could justify his suspicions through sheer logic.

“…Enough. What’s the point now?”

The final gambit had already been played, and there was no turning back. All that was left was to pray for success.

Now that things had come to this, he hoped Astaroth would lead the three demons and somehow secure the necessary energy. Beelzebub was just about to return to his dwelling when–

*Thump, thump*

“…?”

This was near his territory. His dwelling was right beside him.

And demons were extremely sensitive about their boundaries. Knowing this, they never dared to trespass without permission.

Even if they did come, they would announce themselves beforehand. Even Astaroth, when she needed to visit, had sent the man she kept at her side.

‘Who is it?’

The first name that came to mind was, unpleasantly, Astaroth… but no. She wasn’t here. So scratch that.

Then… the man? But he had already returned to his own territory, hadn’t he?

“Who’s there? Are you saying that just because Hell’s in chaos, you can do as you please?”

“….”

“I am not in a pleasant mood right now, so just turn back.”

“…”

“Haa. Seriously. Those b*stards. Who are you? In this already chaotic time, what do you hope to gain from this ridiculous charade?”

Beelzebub could be so brazen because he was one of the strongest even in Hell.

Though he was a step below Astaroth or *that* man, he compensated with strategy (or all sorts of cowardly tricks).

“Hm.”

But the one who had entered Beelzebub’s territory didn’t seem to care about that.

“Shouldn’t you *not* know who I am?”

What nonsense was he spouting now? Just as Beelzebub was about to unleash a roar.

“Because if you do. You’ll have to die. Immediately.”

“…?”

What? Why, why was that unidentified b*stard in front of me now standing right here?

“Consider it a sneak attack.”

What in the world was he talking about? The words couldn’t escape Beelzebub’s lips.

Inevitably, because at that very moment, a massive boulder of a fist was hurtling towards his face. No, I’ll correct myself. A fist like a boulder.

*

“…”

He almost died. The realization made Beelzebub tremble faintly.

It was a fact he hated to admit, but if not for his constant brawls with Astaroth, he truly would have died.

Ironically, the experience he had accumulated from clashing with her had saved his life.

Barely dodged it. Just a graze. But his jaw was still throbbing as if it had been ripped off.

Actually, half of it *was* torn off. Blood flowed, tracing the line of his jaw. This was the result of a graze.

‘If I’d been hit, I’d really be dead.’

It was laughable. A demon dying in Hell. What an absurd thought.

Astonishment. Bewilderment. And fear. All sorts of emotions swirled within him. Just what was—

“…Dawn. Trumpet.”

Seriously, now. How could this be happening? He hadn’t even considered the possibility.

Why was *he* here? Weren’t they supposed to be protecting their own realm? How did he even think to come here?

Giving up all their advantages to fight a fully mobile demon?

“How did you get here?”

“It’s a long story. Hm. To put it briefly.”

Seizing the opportunity while the opponent’s mouth was open, Beelzebub launched a surprise attack.

‘It landed.’

He instantly assessed the situation between himself and his opponent. Head-on, he could never win.

He knew instinctively after just one graze. He must never clash head-on. Evade, evade, and evade again. And then, do what he always did. Launch an attack only he could.

Whether it was poison, a sneak attack, or anything else, it didn’t matter. This was always his method of fighting.

“Wh—”

No. He thought it had landed. The poison, the sneak attack, all the other subtle yet fatal attacks.

Yes. They had all struck home. But not one of them seemed to have done any real damage.

“I’m trying to talk here. Doesn’t everyone know that villains don’t attack during monologues or transformations?”

What the hell was this crazy b*stard rambling about?

“Ah. Right. An imp would hardly know romance.”

This won’t do. I don’t have much energy as it is, but I’ll have to spend it all here.

Saving it would only get me killed. It seems no one’s come looking yet, meaning they haven’t caught on.

Support is needed. And to get it, I have to survive.

“I don’t know what scheme you’ve concocted to get this far, Dawn. But you’ve made one mistake.”

Beelzebub unleashes all the energy he possessed, scattering it outwards.

The already dark space plunges into an impenetrable, pitch-black void.

Dawn? Trumpet? Fine. I won’t deny they’re all dangerous things.

But everything will only be buried deep in this darkness. Not a sliver of light, not a whisper of sound, can exist within this hell, let alone within the darkness I’ve created.

“No light can enter, no sound can echo. So what can you possibly do?”

You fool. Your strength lay in that place, in your world.

Did you forget that we paid the price to come here, that here we can move without constraint?

Good riddance, then. If I can hold you here. Or if I capture you. The demons on the other side will have an easier time of things…

—*Crack!*

“…?!”

It feels as though my entire mind is being torn away. My vision floods with white, then turns black as pitch.

It struck perfectly. This wasn’t just a lucky swing. In this darkness, where I can see and no one else can, how could that trumpet blaring in the Dawn…?

[Yo. Fly.]

At that moment, the words of Astaroth’s prophecy fell into Beelzebub’s mind.

[You’re screwed.]