Chapter 159 - The Devil’s Lord – 1 (1/2)

The Devil’s Lord – 1

Firmly grasping onto Annihilation, I hit the ground. I could feel Lucifer’s light filling the entire space around me, penetrating my body every time I moved, but Mireina’s light shield and my version of Lucifer’s white light prevented it.

[Crawl like the worm you are!]

Innumerable spears popped up around Lucifer. The overwhelming power could destroy the entire world, but currently, it was focused solely on me. Could I beat this guy? No, even if it were impossible, I would have to do it anyway. Abandoning the power of jealousy only slowed him; if he defeated me, he could still complete his plans and destroy the underground.

I gripped my dagger even harder. With this weapon, I would be able to cut through him. It was filled with pure hatred towards Lucifer, born from exploiting the human souls on Earth. The question was whether I could close the distance between us enough to strike him with it.

[Do not lift your head. Do not look upon me. Do not struggle.]

Lucifer’s rant hit me at the same time his light did. I wondered if all other emotions had become insignificant to him, as obsessed with pride as he was. He was acting meticulous and calm as he tried to drive me back with attacks from all directions. Fortunately, I was able to recognize and defend against his attacks with the power of jealousy. But, even with that, it was getting harder to stop them all.

“Khh!”

[Don’t show me your blood.]

I tried to eat at his mana with Predation as I used jealousy, but his power felt as if it were only growing stronger. The light shield could no longer endure his attacks. That was the power of Pride. The more you struggled to keep it in check, the stronger it would become. If our positions were reversed, it would lose all meaning. But as long as he had the upper hand, it was impossibly powerful.

“You are not worthy of that power.”

[Die.]

A huge sun arose in the air as he whispered.

“Oh, that…”

“Fate!” The power emitted by the huge sphere of light made me sick. If I took that head-on, I would die. Even if I tried to imitate his Pride with jealousy, Pride was an ability that only was useful when you had the upper hand. If I tried to use it, I would die. Ubiquitous wouldn’t help me here either. Even if I could avoid it, it would still hit Belphegor and Mireina. Solas? No, he was only as strong as I was. Summoning him wouldn’t be enough. Canis was out of the question as well. All of my items and abilities were meaningless. It was just overwhelming mana that rushed to destroy my life and all of the underground. It denied all the strength I had accumulated. Even with all my powers, there could be no counterattack.

[This is the end.]

“Ah!” Lucifer was confident in his victory, but a scene flashed before my eyes. Lee Chan-yu could use the mana and abilities of his subordinates in his own body.

The next moment, the sun collided with me head-on. An explosion rang out with a tremendous roar, turning the world white. It felt like my whole body was being shattered as I desperately thought of Lee Chan-yu and his power. I was desperately jealous of his ability to borrow from his subordinates. If I had that ability, I would be able to muster the power of everyone under my command. For Lee Chan-yu, who lacked the capacity for it, that was a waste. I had to have the ability. Me, at the top of all monsters. It was an ability that suited the demon king!

It was possible for Lee Chan-yu, so it had to be possible for me. There’s no way it couldn’t! The light generated by the explosion of the small sun gradually decreased. It was stuck to me until my existence was completely extinguished, but as my magic against it gradually increased, it could not complete its mission. I used the magic power of Belphegor to add to my own. I borrowed the power from my subordinates on Earth and in the underground. I started with the other demons, going down as far as even the lowliest slime. If they had even a shred of mana to spare, I greedily took it. It was an incomplete ability that couldn’t copy the characteristics of the innate abilities of my followers, but just accepting mana was plenty.

I, who had survived the Devil’s Night twice and subjugated countless dungeons. I, who conquered the Earth. I had countless monsters and soldiers under my control. Accepting all of their mana was too much for my vessel to hold, but the passage of mana ignored the wall blocking off the battlefield. I had access to a huge amount of mana, incomparable to Lucifer’s.

“Heh.”

[What?!]