Second Life of a Dragon Raising Hunter

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Chapter 366: The Alien God Has Arrived

An alien god has come from beyond this blue star, beyond the atmosphere. It originates from the farthest reaches that humanity can comprehend.

Now, Yeon-woo possesses a significant aura of strength, but managing the Demon King and God alone is an incredibly daunting task.

‘Those sneaky little bastards!!’

Yeon-woo cursed inwardly as he swung his sword. The enemy count was not just high; it was overwhelming. Enemies surrounded him on all sides, occupying every visible space.

Strangely, there wasn’t a Demon King who didn’t rely on sheer numbers. Is it a requirement to have both strength and a horde at their disposal?

However, he felt it was somewhat different when chaos prompted a comment on numbers. Strictly speaking, it’s still a singular entity.

Though Yeon-woo harbors a deep disdain for Demon Kings, he decided against labeling what was wrong as right, as doing so might conflict with human morals.

In truth, if someone asked whether Yeon-woo was even capable of having this sort of idle thought, the answer was no. He was in no position to leisurely swing his sword with a contemplative mind.

‘Focus.’

Does he really take the weight of his life on his shoulders so lightly? Is that why he can afford these other thoughts? Unlikely. He steeled his resolve.

[You showed some rather entertaining moves, but is that all there is to you?]

The voice of the Demon King echoed in Yeon-woo’s ear, or perhaps it would be more fitting to say it licked at his brain. It felt like his mind was being playfully stroked.

“…Dammit.”

He spat a gob of blood-tainted saliva onto the black, hard ground. In this space, aside from the areas Yeon-woo occupied, the Demon King lurked everywhere.

Even so, Yeon-woo struggled to identify where he should land his strikes. Regardless of the situation, he had never encountered an enemy that constituted the very essence of a space.

This was not merely a phenomenon, but as he tried to read the flow and find a breakthrough, he found the situation stagnating like a still pond. It was impossible to ascertain the nature of an entity that exists this way.

Just by considering the flow, it looked like something existed in that space without any phenomenon or sign, an existence that had lost all semblance of probability.

[Don’t worry too much. Just speak a single word and I’ll let you go. Think for a long time, an interminably long time, until your mind goes blank. Wouldn’t that be fine?]

His voice grew closer, then receded again. It trembled, resonating deeply before diminishing into small, sharp sounds.

Yeon-woo felt an indescribable discomfort at that sound. He didn’t know what it was; he only had a vague sense of repulsion.

Moreover, he was already injured by attacks that bore no indication of presence. He needed to pull himself together. He couldn’t remain in this state any longer.

[Hero, just how long can you withstand this? The endless abyss will consume even the most resolute of egos.]

*

Chaos loves the powerful above all else. It cherishes those burdened with an arrogant confidence that they can accomplish anything on their own.

The reason is simple. It finds amusement in gradually ensnaring those who possess such confidence and formidable egos.

Disturbing the minds of those who have reached a certain level of expertise is no small feat for the Demon King.

But think about it. If it’s not easy, isn’t it worth the challenge? Isn’t that the very essence of human enjoyment?

In other words, he engages in a dance of sorts with humanity. He relishes his relationship with humans in his own unique manner.

In the pitch-dark void, the Demon King settled on a throne rising from the ground. Crossing his legs, he lightly clasped his hands atop his belly, savoring this moment with ease.

[Show me. Show me the strength of the Hero, the potential of humanity.]

Observing Yeon-woo, whose empty eyes gazed into the void, Chaos grinned.

Becoming his subordinate would be nice. Overcoming his temptation would be fine too. He was ready to enjoy the outcome, regardless of how it turned out.

Chaos vehemently seeks pleasure. The fact that he made Nephren-Ka his subordinate stemmed from that very reason. That greedy child was likely to indiscriminately increase his subordinates, which he anticipated would lead to countless deaths.

Well, the death of many would add to his amusement while simultaneously inevitable giving birth to a hero. That was the Demon King’s plan.

He wished for the emergence of a hero. He wanted them to slay the Demon Kings. He hoped for revolution in a world devoid of development, change, or decline.

And the hero of the time was fulfilling that wish for the Demon King splendidly.

The reason the Demon King began to cast his eyes on Yeon-woo was for that very reason. What on earth was so special about this child that they could stride forth without hesitation as if they could see the future?

[I want it. I desire it deeply, ugh. How can I resist something that looks so delicious?]

Drool dripped down. The issue with tempting an opponent who is excessively delectable is that brimming temptation works both ways; he too must resist Yeon-woo’s allure.

*

“…Weird.”

Yeon-woo murmured subtly. Something felt off. The pain in his body, the sensations – everything felt peculiar.

Even if the Demon King is known for shattering all commonalities, it makes no sense for the aura master’s sensations to be bizarrely altered.

It felt like floating. How to articulate this? It was as if his sensory feedback was lagging behind his actions.

Now calmer, Yeon-woo tightly shut his eyes and lightly scratched the back of his hand with his nail. Then, a slight and delayed pain followed.

It was an insignificant difference that an ordinary person wouldn’t catch. Yeon-woo frowned as numerous assumptions raced through his mind.

‘Is Shar okay? What about Tae-oh?’

[Yes, I’m safe! Thanks to Tae-oh, I’m feeling a lot better!]

[Hmph! Did you do well?]

‘Good job, my child. I’ll pet you endlessly when we get home.’

[Hehe! Hehe!]

Tae-oh chirped happily. Although they still needed to escape, gauging the current situation quickly had become a priority.

There were hunches forming. He could sense the timing. But how could they get out?

[Hmm, what are you pondering? Right now, sister’s state is a bit erratic, so Tae-oh will help in her stead.]

‘Really? Then let’s consult without reservation. I think we’re in some kind of hallucination right now.’

[Oh, so this situation is a hallucination?]

‘That’s what I’m considering. However, I have no idea how we can escape this situation.’

[What makes you so certain?]

‘The pain is delayed. Very slightly.’

As Yeon-woo replied, he slapped his thigh. Tae-oh, focused entirely on Yeon-woo’s sensations, responded as if clueless. Well, children wouldn’t know – they aren’t masters after all.

[Tae-oh doesn’t know. But if dad says so, then it must be true. Hmm, a way out…. a way out, huh.]

Tae-oh pondered deeply, sounding like a puppy deep in thought. Perhaps he’d provide an idea in realms of thought that Yeon-woo hadn’t reached.

[There are about two methods that come to mind, but I think it’s best to open your eyes first.]

‘Open my eyes?’

Suddenly being told to open his eyes was perplexing. He had closed them to avoid the myriad eyes around him. However, since he didn’t feel any threatening presences, there shouldn’t be any harm.

[It’s okay; there are no eyes around. You don’t need to be scared!]

Of course, he wasn’t keeping his eyes shut due to fear of eyeballs. It seemed Tae-oh was misunderstanding something… he wasn’t a coward…. Just a bit trembling.

Yeon-woo opened his eyes. No light came in. The entirety of the world was enveloped in pitch-darkness – there was no reason for light to penetrate….

Or so he thought until he spotted a light. It was emanating from his right leg. Objects like contamination removal, mental stabilization, and fatigue recovery were surrounding him. From the World Tree’s prosthetic leg marked with somewhat dubious magical enchantments, light burst forth.

It’s said that what lies under the lantern is dark; what a fitting analogy.

‘Was there magic cast on it like this…?’

No, he couldn’t jump to conclusions hastily. Of course, the Fairy Queen’s magic was astonishing, but what was utilized to craft this prosthetic was even more incredible.

That which cannot be explained by anything magical – that is the World Tree. It stands out among all life forms existing on this planet.

Yeon-woo turned his body on the spot. In doing so, he noticed the shadow that had continuously attacked him in this area shrink back.

“…Oh?”

Not only that, but as Yeon-woo turned to a certain direction, the glow would diminish, while it would intensify in another direction.

Yeon-woo perceived that it was guiding him. Taking a step toward the light radiating strongly, Yeon-woo moved forward.

The light from the World Tree remained steady. Yeon-woo continued to follow that light. It reminded him of the time during childhood when he chased fireflies.

‘Thanks to this, I can see what I hadn’t noticed before. Thank you, Tae-oh.’

[Umm. Tae-oh is this capable!]

In many ways, Tae-oh was playing a vital role. He seemed remarkably at ease, barely affected by the actions of the Demon King.

‘But you mentioned there were two methods. What was the other one?’

[Hmm, there’s that strange jewel dad kept in the sword, right? I have a strong feeling that if I eat it, it’ll somehow work out.]

‘That’s a scary thought.’

Where did such an idea of consuming a jewel heavily imbued with the essence of another Demon King come from?

Of course, Tae-oh emerged from the curse of Toyo when he was born, but what’s contained in the jewel was pure Demon King energy itself, a risk of an entirely different magnitude compared to the curse.

…Well, since our Tae-oh was never one to worry about such matters. He probably said it just because he felt it was going to work. He wouldn’t be fed it out of fear.

*

[This is absurd. What’s with all this diversity?]

The brilliance emanating from Yeon-woo’s right leg caused Chaos to frown.

Even the deceptive tactic from before was impressive, and while heroes often specialize, the one before him boasted a spectrum that exceeded all expectations.

Thus, while the depth might be lacking, the overwhelming breadth managed to compensate in some way.

It wouldn’t seem like they’d be losing, but something else was stirring below. What on earth are they planning?

As he contemplated, he glanced down to see a blonde and silver-haired woman engaged in conversation.

Is that a Dragon…. An extremely rare being. He thought, staring at them with intrigue. Yet he didn’t forget his intent to attack Yeon-woo, who was currently discovering the path with the World Tree’s assistance.

[To squander a chance at seizing the Hero like this, it makes me want to kill them.]

Once this is over, he would immediately set fire to the World Tree. With that, the Demon King made a firm resolution.

(To be continued in the next chapter)