IRM Chapter 36

The deep night in the Demon King’s castle was not much different from the outside world. The magical lamps on both sides of the street flickered dimly in the heavy mist, and the distant castle hid in pitch darkness, only vaguely revealing the sinister undulating silhouette.

The plan to awaken the Demon King didn’t require any elaborate schemes. Firstly, their time was truly precious, and secondly, no matter how they tried to avoid battle, the place where the magic crystal was located would definitely be gathered with many high-ranking demons.

So they decided to explore the castle that very night.

Night exploration of castles wasn’t unfamiliar to Ji Chi. The Demon Sword online game had some perverse sense of humor – several plot segments required players to avoid guards and sneak around exploring mission locations stealthily… Those who didn’t know might think it was a thief simulator.

Therefore, although this was Ji Chi’s first time conducting night exploration in the real world, he wouldn’t lack any of the basic skills he should have.

Thus, Joseph watched his student with a complex expression as he found a small stone from nearby bushes and threw it out to attract the guards’ movement, then skillfully hid in the shadows of the wall corner. The entire process was swift and smooth, clearly showing he was full of experience.

Joseph: What exactly have you been learning every day!

Ji Chi, being the oddball with the most unconventional methods in the small team, was obviously assigned the most arduous task – he would infiltrate the castle under Joseph’s magical cover and sense the location of the magic crystal.

Joseph was indeed the ace professor of the Magic Academy. His mastery of magic was simply perfect. Under his wand’s guidance, every wisp of wind helped conceal their forms.

Of course, Ji Chi’s speed and stealth were also impressive. The two didn’t spend much effort before reaching the castle’s corridor.

The long corridor’s end was swallowed by darkness. Only the moonlight streaming through the windows illuminated a small section of the path ahead, along with the heavily painted portraits of past Demon Kings on both sides, which seemed to notice the two intruders and stared at them eerily.

Joseph whispered to him, “Our position should be sufficient now. Calm your mind, just like when you summoned elements before. The voices will tell you where they’re all gathered.”

This might have been the most attentively Ji Chi had ever listened to a lesson. He quietly closed his eyes and emptied his mind of distracting thoughts.

The silent castle gradually began to resonate with the whispers of elements. They wandered and drifted in the air, leaving their traces everywhere. Ji Chi could even hear scattered elements complaining brokenly over the footprints left by the dark elf.

Of course, the most obvious among them was in a nearby direction, where a large group of elements were singing loudly around an object two to three meters high.

Ji Chi closed his eyes, sensing their position, and said in a low voice, “Northwest direction, two hundred meters, five meters high.”

Joseph silently recited this string of data and compared it with the castle map in his hand.

He looked at that location, his expression somewhat complex. “On the throne.”

They had discussed which corners of the castle the demons might hide the magic crystal in. They had even considered sinister places like washrooms, kitchen ovens, and even the maids’ wardrobes, but they had never included the magnificent throne in their discussion range.

It had to be said that those demons were indeed fearless, relying on their own strength.

Ji Chi opened his eyes, nodded, his tone also complex. “There are also seven demons around, including that fallen angel.”

Joseph sighed. “That’s not surprising… Well, there’s no choice but to go there.”

The news was quickly conveyed to Saintess Coralie’s ears through the nightingale. She narrowed her brows and eyes, looking straight toward the throne’s direction, her whole body emanating an aura of violent irritation at being severely offended.

Saintess Coralie hesitated no more. She turned over and mounted the massive bone dragon she had already summoned, refusing her eager companions who wanted to follow. “You wait here for news first. I’ll send you messages if needed.”

After speaking, she glanced at Lilith, signaling her to protect their companion well. Lilith couldn’t argue with her and could only nod to accept this arrangement.

After speaking, Saintess Coralie suddenly bent down. The pale bone dragon, like a white meteor, howled toward the castle with resolute momentum.

The guards around the castle were especially numerous tonight. One red-skinned demon yawned inconspicuously and found an opportunity to chat with his companion to dispel drowsiness. “I say, even if the little master returns, we don’t need to be this tense, right? She’s grown so big already, she shouldn’t cause trouble anymore, right?”

The green-skinned demon responded with a joke. “Exactly! The higher-ups sent so many people to guard the castle. Could they be worried that the little master will blow up the castle? Hahaha!”

Several demons found this amusing and laughed together, then their mouths never closed again.

Because they saw the little master who was the center of their conversation, riding a sky-blocking bone dragon, charging toward the castle’s center at full speed with an attitude of “let’s destroy everything together!”

That was the direction of the Great Council Hall, the power center of the Demon King’s castle!

The demons: “……”

Sorry, we were naive.

The tremendous noise of half the castle collapsing awakened the entire demon city. Demons of various shapes rubbed their sleepy eyes and flew into mid-air to look at the smoking castle. After sighing for a while about how the little master was becoming more and more terrifying as she grew up, they naturally went home to sleep.

There was no choice – this happened every few days before, but life still went on as usual, right?

The high-ranking demons guarding both sides of the throne brushed away the dust pervading before them with disheveled hair and looked at the bone dragon’s wreckage at their feet, continuously smiling bitterly. “Little master, you really haven’t changed at all.”

“What’s changed is you!” A light orb shot out rapidly from the dust clouds filling the sky, targeting the huge magic crystal flowing with brilliance on the throne.

Soon, the light orb was grasped by a slender, pale hand. The blazing hot light magic orb became like a harmless glowing glass ball in that hand, shattering with a gentle squeeze.

The eight-winged fallen angel stood before the magic crystal, quietly facing Saintess Coralie’s direction, his vision completely unaffected by the dust obstruction.

He spoke lightly, “Little master, we don’t want to force you, but if you continue being willful, your friends might be in great danger.”

Saintess Coralie smiled carelessly. “Then let’s see if you have that capability.”

The fallen angel frowned, turned his head and conversed quietly with the demon beside him for a while, then looked at Saintess Coralie with eyes finally tinged with shock. “You actually sent demons to protect your friends?”

He had thought there would definitely be a great battle with Lilith’s faction of demons tonight, but unexpectedly, at such an important moment, Saintess Coralie had actually sent away the highest combat power around her to protect those little mages.

The fallen angel found it hard to believe, with a hint of unclear understanding. “Does the Demon King’s castle mean less to you than a few humans?”

Saintess Coralie saw the contempt flashing in the fallen angel’s eyes and grinned. “I was waiting for you to say that! Ji Chi! Quick—”

The fallen angel’s eyes widened suddenly as he turned to look back!

There was a slender figure who had somehow snuck over, still wearing the black uniform of the Magic Academy’s lower year, holding up a black long sword and fiercely chopping down at the magic crystal!

Joseph’s invisibility magic plus some stealth attribute bonuses, along with the moment when the demons relaxed their vigilance, allowed no one to notice that a little ant had reached beside the throne.

The fallen angel saw through their little trick, and his first reaction wasn’t anger, but finding it both laughable and ridiculous.

Having a thin and weak mage apprentice use a sword to hack at a magic crystal guarded by an eight-winged fallen angel? What kind of thought process could come up with such a suffocating plan!

So what if they hadn’t noticed earlier and let the little ant get close? He could just crush it immediately.

The fallen angel unhurriedly condensed magical power to attack Ji Chi, chuckling, “Sorry, I don’t want to kill you, I just want to protect the magic crystal.”

Ji Chi also smiled. He lowered his eyes to look at the 100% magic resistance potion buff on his panel. “I’m also very sorry. I don’t want to discourage you, I just want to shatter the magic crystal.”

Ji Chi compared the two sets of data and calmly swung down his long sword without panic.

NPC [Fallen Angel Theodore]

Level [lv.75]

Normal Attack [750 (Magic)]

Player [Not Chicken Wings]

Level [lv.99]

Magic Resistance [1000 (100% potion effect)]

Just as Ji Chi’s sword edge was about to touch the black magic crystal, Theodore’s attack also reached Ji Chi’s body.

This attack that could easily kill any mage below high level landed on Ji Chi, only lightly blowing up his forehead bangs, revealing a pair of calm and composed black pupils.

Bang—— With the sword rising and falling, the magic crystal completely exploded on the throne. Tiny crystal fragments scattered in the still-undispersed dust and mist, like broken diamonds dotting a gauze skirt’s hem.

Theodore immediately realized he had been played, but after carefully sensing, the handsome young man before him was just a frail mage apprentice, and he didn’t even know how this mage apprentice had withstood his attack.

The magic crystal debris all over the ground stung Theodore’s eyes. It had been a long time since he experienced such rage. He took a deep breath, and wild hunting storms began raging with the suddenly rising loud chanting.

Saintess Coralie hadn’t expected Theodore to ignore her and go for the kill. Her heart, which had been tightly clenched, was lifted again. She frantically ran toward Ji Chi, shouting loudly as she ran. “Run quickly! Don’t get entangled with him!”

Joseph, who had been hiding in the shadows, also hurriedly rushed out, even though with his abilities he couldn’t help Ji Chi much.

Ji Chi stood before the throne made of red velvet and golden gems, calmly raising his eyes. At that moment, he looked like a true king.

His eyes reflected every trajectory of Theodore’s movements. These starting gestures were so familiar they were almost carved into his genes.

That’s right, the big brother before him was the one he had once ground to death with potions just to get a purple equipment weapon. It’s worth mentioning that Ji Chi didn’t like using potions in the game. Compared to winning by luck with a pile of temporary buffs, he preferred stable output and skilled positioning.

And this gentleman was one of only two bosses who could make him use potions in battle.

But now, Ji Chi could tell Theodore’s next move at a glance. He would release five small tornado winds that moved freely in the field, causing continuous magic damage to enemies accidentally caught in them.

This move was very easy to dodge. As long as one was fast enough and predicted accurately enough, one could avoid it without injury. Just as Ji Chi nimbly dodged to the attack’s blind spot, waiting for this wave of small storms to end——

“Enough, Theodore.” A dignified male voice, somewhat hoarse and weary, came from the ruins below the throne. Along with his voice came a massive bone claw that suddenly extended from the void.

The bone claw was as large as two or three thrones, with each bone joint tough and lustrous white like fine white jade. It easily dispersed Theodore’s hurricane attack.

Theodore realized the situation was lost. He bit his teeth tightly, folded his wings, lowered his head and knelt, allowing his pale and fragile neck to be exposed to the cold mist of the Demon King’s castle’s deep night, calling softly, “King.”

The Dark Night Demon King Daviel held a rose scepter, with a cloak behind him red as fresh blood. He had a pair of red pupils infinitely approaching purple – proof of the most noble bloodline.

He walked step by step to the throne, looking down at the fallen angel from above, his expression extremely similar to Saintess Coralie’s at that time – deep disappointment.

Theodore kept kneeling there, his fingers at his sides curled up, his heart continuously contracting. Fear, unwillingness, and undeniable sorrow washed through his heart.

“Father!” Saintess Coralie snapped out of her daze and crashed into the Demon King’s embrace like a small cannonball. Her expression, which had always been either “you die or you suffer,” finally showed longing and vulnerability.

Dense smile appeared in the Demon King’s eyes. He raised his hand to stroke her head, his touch so gentle it was like touching a fragile dream. He looked up at his messy castle and laughed helplessly. “I think you should be the Demon King instead. You’re much more qualified than I am.”

Saintess Coralie nuzzled her wet cheek in his embrace.

Sensing the aura of the Demon King’s awakening, Lilith led a group of demons flying rapidly to the castle. They had also just experienced a battle, capturing several demons that Theodore had sent to kidnap the little mages, and now brought them all tied up together to the castle.

The moment Lilith saw the Demon King, she heavily knelt on one knee. She gave no explanations, only silently accepted the punishment she deserved.

The Demon King looked at the devastated castle and his subordinates, sighed, and waved his hand with a headache: “Enough, all of you get up. Lilith, you come with me. As for Theodore…”

The fallen angel’s whole body trembled imperceptibly as he waited for the Demon King’s judgment.

“You stay behind to repair the castle. No magic allowed, it must be exactly the same as before it was damaged.” The Demon King commanded lightly.

“Father!”

“King!”

Both Saintess Coralie and Lilith looked at the Demon King in shock!

Even Theodore suddenly looked up with disbelief. This was… the punishment?

The Demon King sneered, his eyes flashing with the same maliciousness as Saintess Coralie. “Don’t be too happy yet. Come find me after you’ve all finished.”

Theodore seemed to sense something and turned back to seriously look at the castle’s tragic state, his pupils contracting violently!

The complex emblems symbolizing the demon race’s prosperity, the exquisite murals carved with demon history, and those precious ornaments bearing dignity and vicissitudes were now like garbage waiting for a janitor’s attention.

What was more infuriating was that Saintess Coralie, hearing the Demon King’s words, looked indignant and quietly walked to a wall corner that hadn’t collapsed yet, giving it a gentle kick——

Rumble rumble, the dust stirred up again covered everyone present, including the Demon King, with dirt.

The Demon King: “……”

Indeed my daughter – when she’s ruthless, she doesn’t even spare her father.

“Roar roar roar don’t be afraid! We’re here to save you ahhhhh!” At this time, the bears who arrived late but with uncompromising momentum, carrying two little mages on their backs who were about to roll their eyes, ran all the way and charged in, roaring as they tried to shed some belated sweat and blood, once again collapsing several tottering walls.

Facing the bears who wielded large hammers and roared as they charged up wanting to hammer him, the Demon King’s eyes showed sincere confusion. “What are these again? Did orcs invade too?”

Saintess Coralie hurriedly stopped the bears who couldn’t distinguish friend from foe, a vein popping on her forehead. “These are my… companions.”

The Demon King was silent for a moment, then carefully examined the bears with an expression that said “although these kids look not too bright, since they’re my daughter’s friends I must praise them against my conscience”: “Well, they’re really… brave!”

The little mages: That’s really not necessary!

The Demon King shook his head and smiled, just about to lead them to a cleaner place.

He turned around, and as if noticing Ji Chi for the first time, his pupils suddenly contracted. A massive skull with the Demon King’s horns suddenly filled the entire palace hall. Pale bone claws tightly gripped Ji Chi, and in the skull’s dark eye sockets, two burning purple soul fires gazed eerily at Ji Chi.

The skull’s jaw moved up and down, and an eternally dignified voice resonated lowly in Ji Chi’s mind. “You are… a person from another world?”