Chapter 97: He is one of the Four Heavenly Demon Generals…
ㅤA seven-colored glow swayed in that infinitely wide, infinitely narrow space, where three “existences” huddled together.
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ㅤThe three were demons—no, they were existences that possessed particularly outstanding power even among the newborn “Demon Tribe” that had descended upon the present world.
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ㅤNevertheless, the “place” where the three had gathered was filled with a dark, heavy atmosphere unbefitting their power.
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ㅤ”To think that Imsoda of the Phantom Awakening would be defeated…”
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ㅤThe most “dignified” existence among the three muttered.
ㅤHaving descended to the earth, they had lost their purity as demons, and instead, their “forms” in the present world were reflected in the Netherworld.
ㅤThis man was Hamilton the Steadfast. He took the form of a large, middle-aged man clad in red full-body armor. He was the elder of the Four Heavenly Demon Generals, who swore absolute loyalty to the Demon King.
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ㅤ”That bad habit of his must have come out. He was strong, but he was a boy who couldn’t discipline that power and turn it into a sharp blade.”
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ㅤThe one who said that was an existence whose entire body was concealed by tattered cloth.
ㅤThe voice sounded like that of a young man, but there were no features that allowed one to discern their age.
ㅤThe most enigmatic existence among the Four Heavenly Demon Generals. That was Boroneal the Schemer.
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ㅤ”That doesn’t matter! What are we going to do now?! The long-cherished desire of us demons—no, of the Demon Tribe is finally about to be fulfilled! And at such a time, Imsoda, the strongest of the Four Heavenly Demon Generals, of all people, has been defeated?! And to be shamefully killed by a mere human… What am I supposed to say to explain this to our comrades?!”
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ㅤThe blonde-haired, blue-eyed beauty clad in a blue breastplate and a white flared skirt shouted, shaking the magic spear in her hand.
ㅤGrunblin the War Banner. She was the most belligerent of the Four Heavenly Demon Generals, known by the moniker of the Valkyrie.
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ㅤBoroneal laughed sarcastically.
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ㅤ”The fact that Imsoda has perished is already known to both the demons and the Demon Tribe. You don’t need to worry about how to explain it.”
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ㅤ”Imsoda, the supreme fighting force of the Demon King’s army, who controlled the demons and the Demon Tribe with power and fear, is dead. The still young Almirash-sama doesn’t have the power to unite the demons and the Demon Tribe. There are already demons who have fled, seeing that there is no chance of victory, and members of the Demon Tribe who have escaped to remote areas and declared that they will not listen to our instructions.”
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ㅤHamilton sighed deeply.
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ㅤ”Even if we say demons and the Demon Tribe, they were originally a hodgepodge of different races. This is what happens when the weight is lifted.”
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ㅤBoroneal shrugged.
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ㅤ”Don’t talk as if it’s someone else’s problem! If Imsoda is gone, the remaining three of us, the Four Heavenly Demon Generals, must unite and control the Demon Tribe and the demons!”
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ㅤ”Us unite? Don’t be ridiculous. Why would I have to coordinate with a stubborn musclehead and a battle-crazed boar woman?”
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ㅤ”Boroneal! You!”
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ㅤ”…Wait, Grunblin. Boroneal is right. There is no hierarchy among the Four Heavenly Demon Generals.”
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ㅤ”It’s just like Master Hamilton says.
ㅤLet’s say we act together. You and Master might agree on most things, but I might have a different opinion.
ㅤIf my opinion is always overruled by majority vote in such situations, it would be like I’m under you. I can’t accept that.”
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ㅤ”Then what are we going to do? You’re not going to give up on the verge of achieving our long-cherished desire, are you?”
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ㅤ”I’m not saying that. I have my own thoughts about the plight of the Demon Tribe. In that respect, I’m no different from you.”
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ㅤ”If that’s the case—”
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ㅤ”Well, wait. While our feelings are certainly the same, our methodologies are different. Our strategies, tactics, and aesthetics are completely different.
ㅤI didn’t like that Imsoda guy either, but he was strong. I was going to use him as long as I could.
ㅤThe remaining three of us could have managed to keep him in check if we united, and in the meantime, the Demon King-sama would regain their power. Imsoda is an old geezer, so he knows the power of the previous Demon Kings well. If that happened, Imsoda wouldn’t be able to act so selfishly. That’s what I thought.
ㅤWell, if this is what’s happened, I should have cooperated a little more… but you guys are the same, right?”
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ㅤ”Th-that’s…”
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ㅤ”…Indeed. To be honest, I didn’t try to actively cooperate with him because he was a disagreeable fellow.”
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ㅤGrunblin and Hamilton nodded awkwardly at Boroneal’s point.
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ㅤ”So, here’s my opinion. Frankly, it’s impossible for us to form a united front.
ㅤIt’s not just me. You, 『Steadfast』 and 『War Banner』, your policies may seem to align, but they don’t.
ㅤWe were originally beings of pure spirit. It’s impossible for us to suppress our own nature and conform to others.”
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ㅤ”Then what are we going to do?”
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ㅤHamilton asked.
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ㅤ”It’s simple. We have no choice but to act separately. Each of us should use our strengths to infiltrate the present world. The one who does the best is the best.”
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ㅤ”Of course, that means the best under the Demon King-sama.”
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ㅤHamilton added.
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ㅤ”Of course. I have no ambition to become the Demon King. I don’t know about that pig Imsoda, though.”
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ㅤ”That guy… I was going to destroy him if he got out of hand… but to think he’d be defeated before that…”
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ㅤGrunblin slumped her shoulders with a complicated expression.
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ㅤHamilton spoke as if to summarize.
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ㅤ”Boroneal’s opinion is likely correct. We cannot form a united front. If we force it, we risk losing the trust of others. Bending oneself is like suicide for the Demon Tribe, who have lived for so long as pure spiritual entities.”
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ㅤ”Don’t worry, humans are divided too. They’re selfish and divided, and they’ve completely forgotten about what they’ve taken. There are plenty of opportunities to exploit them. The number of humans who can stand against high-ranking members of the Demon Tribe is extremely limited. We can do it with our individual strength, even without that 『unity』 we’re not used to.”
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ㅤ”But Imsoda was defeated by that human. I don’t know the details, but there’s no doubt that he vanished from both the Netherworld and the present world in the middle of the operation.”
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ㅤ”He must have gotten cocky and screwed up. Otherwise, there’s no way a human could defeat someone with that much power.”
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ㅤ”What about the Dream Weaver that Imsoda was using as a collaborator?”
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ㅤ”I’ve been watching him, but he seems to be holed up in the dungeon, trying not to show himself in the Netherworld. He’s wary of us.”
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ㅤ”Can we leave him alone?”
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ㅤ”He’s just a powerless old man, except for his Dream Weaver’s Power. He’s being kept alive by the Undine, but that won’t last long. There’s no point in forcing ourselves to k*ll a dying geezer.
ㅤEspecially if the guy who killed Imsoda is still around. I don’t want to risk losing valuable fighting power by making a careless move.”
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ㅤ”But can’t we find out how Imsoda was destroyed? Even if we don’t fight, we could at least extract information…”
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ㅤ”I told you, he’s holed up in the dungeon. If we’re going to contact him, we need to send in a suitable member of the Demon Tribe. But everyone’s busy right now. And because Imsoda is gone, no one will listen to me.
ㅤI’m taking some measures, though.”
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ㅤ”Oh, what kind?”
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ㅤ”I’m having the Demon Tribe members who have infiltrated the Mistradia Tree Country investigate.
ㅤThough, that was originally Imsoda’s responsibility. It seems that the Tree Country is quite on edge, and Imsoda’s case has become a national secret.”
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ㅤ”So you’re saying you don’t know anything!”
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ㅤ”Hey, hey, give me some credit for trying to investigate. You guys haven’t done anything, have you?”
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ㅤ”Well, that’s true, but…”
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ㅤWhen Grunblin faltered, Boroneal asked Hamilton.
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ㅤ”So, what about the princess? Has she woken up?”
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ㅤ”Yes… but her power hasn’t returned yet. Perhaps because her power is too great, it’s difficult for her to 『descend』 from the Netherworld to the present world. The power of the Demon King-sama is greater than all of us demons and the Demon Tribe combined.”
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ㅤ”It’s not just her power, but I hope she gains self-awareness as the Demon King soon.
ㅤEven with the embellishment of the Four Heavenly Demon Generals, what the demons and the Demon Tribe ultimately follow is power. Imsoda had power that everyone feared. That’s why the Demon Tribe was united.
ㅤI want the Demon King-sama to make a big impact with overwhelming power. But that Ojou-sama…”
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ㅤ”That’s disrespectful, Boroneal.
ㅤIt’s true that the current Demon King-sama is a dreamy person, and there are times when I can’t understand her thoughts…”
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ㅤ”I’m also getting impatient. She’s the type who’s always reserved and more comfortable hiding behind people than standing in front of them. It’s frustrating that she lacks assertiveness when we’re trying to take back what was stolen from us.”
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ㅤ”Grunblin, restrain yourself. We, the Four Heavenly Demon Generals, can support her in that regard.”
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ㅤ”Well, there are only three of us now.”
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ㅤThe Netherworld communication of the reduced number of Four Heavenly Demon Generals repeatedly returned to the same topic and went around in circles.
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ㅤIn the end, they agreed only to “act individually,” and the meeting of the Four Heavenly Demon Generals was adjourned.
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ㅤ—And after that, there was no opportunity for the Four Heavenly Demon Generals to gather and hold a council again.