“Hohoho! Excellent! I might now know when it will happen, but our Demon Realm will now have the upperhand against those damned angels when war finally breaks out!” The Demon King, Baal, welcomed the rise of a new demon lord. He even brought up the prospect of an all-out war with the Celestial Realm to further emphasize his reasoning for it. “T-That is...” Dantalion stammered, finding himself at a loss for words. He was unable to counter Baal’s logic, as the Demon King was not wrong from an objective point of view. The addition of another demon lord would undeniably increase the Demon Realm’s overall power, and this newfound power would become a tremendous asset in their war against the Celestial Realm. But that did not mean Dantalion would back down so easily... He was determined to use Baal to put Siegfried in a difficult position, so he began to make his case to the Demon King. “But the fact that this new demon lord is of human origins is an insult to all our kin!” “And why do you say that?” “Humans are nothing more than prey to us. We, demons, sustain ourselves by using human souls as a primary source of energy, do we not?” “Then what do you think will happen when a mere human rises to the rank of demon lord? One of the pinnacles of our society’s hierarchy? It would be no different than a rabbit becoming the ruler of a pride of lions! Since when did predators submit to their prey?!” “Hoho! You’re not entirely wrong,” Baal replied with a chuckle. Then, his eyes gleamed as he continued, “But there’s something crucial you’re overlooking, Dantalion.” “What is the absolute law of the Demon Realm?” Baal asked, leaning forward slightly. “T-The law is... Survival of the fittest... The strong reigns supreme in our realm,” Dantalion stammered hesitantly in response. “Exactly. The strong will rule over the weak. What’s more important than power?” “T-That is true, but...” “In this world, the strong will become the predator, and the weak will be devoured. That’s simply how things work, is it not?” “Y-Yes, that is correct...” “So, if someone who was once weak becomes strong enough to become a predator, are we supposed to complain and whine about it? Is that how we, demons, should act toward them? If a predator falls from grace and becomes the prey, then they should just sit in a corner with their dick in their hand and reflect on their actions, no?” “If going by your logic, what about me? I was once the lowest of the demons. And yet, I clawed my way up to become the Demon King. If we follow your reasoning, wouldn't the rabbit ruling the pride of lions be me, Baal?” Dantalion’s mouth clamped shut after being rendered speechless once again. ‘Damn it! This slippery old bastard...! Is he actually siding with that upstart bastard now?!’ Dantalion was caught completely off guard. Rather than falling into his trap, Baal flipped the tables and put him on a precarious spot. “Hohoho!” Baal chuckled as if he could see right through Dantalion’s thoughts. ‘As expected of the Demon King... He’s as cunning as he is powerful...’ Dantalion thought, once again reminding himself that Baal was not a demon to be taken lightly. Possessing greater strength than any other demon was not enough to rise to the throne of the Demon King, which was the pinnacle of the Demon Realm. A demon would require intelligence, cunning, and a strategic mind just as great as their strength to survive the countless conspiracies against them. The fact that Baal was sitting at the pinnacle of the Demon Realm was proof of his cunningness. Dantalion prided himself on being the most cunning demon in the Demon Realm—a trait that earned him the title "Demon Lord of Deception," but even he found it difficult to manipulate Baal. But he was not about to give up just yet... “Yes, my lord speaks the truth.” “There would be no harm in verifying whether this human is truly worthy of the title of demon lord, no?” “Oh? Verify if he’s worthy or not, you say...” “That Siegfried fellow may have been granted the title of demon lord, but he has no territory of his own at the moment. How can someone without a domain be called a demon lord?” “Hmm... I guess that’s true.” “Furthermore, according to the reports, he became a demon lord purely by chance after absorbing Vernas’ demonic power! He may not even possess the necessary qualities to be a proper demon lord.” “That’s also a fair point.” “So then, would it not be fitting for my lord to personally put him to the test?” Dantalion asked. ‘There’s no way he can refuse this,’ he thought confidently. He was certain that the Demon King would not be shooting him down this time. “Hmm... Should I?” Baal muttered, his lips curling into a grin. And just as Dantalion thought, his gamble paid off. “That’s actually a great idea, Dantalion. After all, I’m rather curious about it myself. A non-demon has become a demon lord... Quite fascinating, don’t you think so? It’s something unprecedented in the history of our Demon Realm.” “Do you find it intriguing, my lord?” “Indeed, I do,” Baal said with a nod. Then, he declared, “Very well, then! I shall meet this new demon lord and gauge him with my own eyes!” “As expected of my lord! A truly wise decision!” Dantalion exclaimed before bowing deeply. He bowed low to the ground, unable to suppress the smirk forming on his face. ‘Kekeke! This is the end, Siegfried van Proa!’ He was convinced that Siegfried would never pass Baal’s test. In his eyes, Siegfried was nothing more than a lucky upstart, an unworthy brat who just stumbled upon the title of demon lord by sheer coincidence and luck. The capital of the Demon Realm, Pandemonium, was a massive metropolis. As the city ruled by the true ruler of the Demon Realm, Demon King Baal, it was, in a way, equivalent to the capital of the Marchioni Empire. Naturally, it had the highest population density and the largest size of any city in the Demon Realm. As Siegfried walked through the streets of Pandemonium, countless demons turned their eyes toward him. The demons murmured loudly among themselves while looking at Siegfried. “Is that the new demon lord?” “What are you talking about?” “I thought there were only twelve demon lords?” “What in the hell is going on?” Their confusion was understandable, as there had always been twelve demon lords since time immemorial. This was one rule in the Demon Realm that existed for as long as the demons could remember. One Demon King and twelve Demon Lords. Get full chapters from NoveI★Fire.net A total of thirteen supreme demons reigned over the Demon Realm, and this was an absolute law in this place. But a new demon lord had actually appeared? This was an event that shook the very foundation of the Demon Realm. “Kyuuu! It looks like the demons are very interested in you, owner punk!” Hamchi exclaimed. “Well, of course they are. They probably never imagined something was even possible, right?” Siegfried replied with a shrug. “Kyuuu! You’re right!” “Not that I care what they think. It’s not like I’ll be living here from now on.” Just as Siegfried said, he paid no attention to the attention he was receiving from the demons. He had no desire to earn the recognition of the demons and be acknowledged as a true demon lord. All he wanted was to get the hell out of the Demon Realm and return to the Proatine Kingdom. And besides, this was not the first time he had been through something . It was roughly two years ago when he was first crowned as the King of the Proatine Kingdom... “An Adventurer was crowned king?!” “There’s a new king? And he’s an Adventurer...?” “A mere Adventurer dares to sit on the throne?! This is preposterous!” At the time, countless NPCs opposed and showed outright hostility toward the idea of Siegfried becoming a king due to him being an Adventurer. No matter how much time had passed, he was still in the same situation. The five member nations of the Holy Alliance and a few other nations still refused to acknowledge Siegfried as king, even though the Proatine Kingdom had grown into the rising star of the continent. ‘I’m used to this, so it doesn’t bother me at all,’ Siegfried thought as he walked the streets. He now possessed the mental fortitude to remain unfazed even as the demons whispered among themselves, gawked at him, cursed at him, or whatever they did. Unbothered by the murmurs, Siegfried continued walking while basking in the attention he was receiving until he reached his destination. Where was his destination? The forge of Tubal-Cain, the greatest blacksmith in all of the Demon Realm. “State your identity!” The demons guarding the entrance to the forge stopped Siegfried and his entourage. Their reaction was only natural. A complete stranger had suddenly shown up, claiming to be a demon lord and demanding an audience with Tubal-Cain. It was something that anyone would find highly suspicious. “This man before you is none other than the newly ascended demon lord, His Majesty, Siegfried van Proa.” The one who answered on Siegfried’s behalf was none other than Chaos. “His Majesty has come here to commission the forging of the Demon Lord’s Relic. While we wait here, go and inform Master Tubal-Cain of his arrival.” “Hmm...” the guards exchanged glances, still looking skeptic. Then, one of them said, “Understood. Wait here for a while.” Roughly ten minutes later, the guard who went in came back. “Master Tubal-Cain has agreed to meet this so-called new demon lord.” Chaos turned to Siegfried and said, “Please, go ahead and enter the forge, sire.” “Huh? What about you guys?” “Only demon lords may enter Master Tubal-Cain’s forge, sire.” “Okay then. Wait here,” Siegfried said. Then, he looked at the royal guards and commanded, “Bring that thing over here.” He was referring to the coffin where Chae Hyung-Seok was trapped. Siegfried lifted the coffin onto his shoulder, and then he turned to Hamchi. “I’ll be right back.” “Kyuuu! Got it, owner punk!” Siegfried followed the guards and entered Tubal-Cain’s forge... with Chae Hyung-Seok in tow. The moment Siegfried stepped through the arched doorway, the scenery around him shifted. What unfolded before his eyes was an entirely different world from what he had seen thus far. [Pandemonium: Tubal-Cain’s Forge] A notification window displaying his current location popped up in front of his eyes. Tubal-Cain’s forge was a hellscape of roaring blue flames surging in all directions. ‘Is this a different dimension?’ That was Siegfried’s first thought... The space around him was pitch-black, an endless void where only eerie blue flames roared. If it were not for the furnaces, tools, and objects scattered around, he would easily mistake this place for the depths of the abyss itself. “So you must be the new demon who has recently ascended to the rank of demon lord.” A deep voice rang out from behind Siegfried, causing him to flinch and turn around. A towering demon with dark blue skin and a massive hammer in his hand stood before Siegfried. [The greatest blacksmith of the Demon Realm.] [The name Tubal-Cain is not merely a name, but rather, a title granted to the blacksmith responsible for forging the relics for demon lords.] “It is an honor to meet you, Master Tubal-Cain. My name is Siegfried van Proa.” Siegfried immediately bowed and greeted Tubal-Cain with utmost courtesy. “Hmm... A thirteenth demon lord. This is quite the surprise,” Tubal-Cain muttered with an intrigued voice while inspecting him from head to toe. “Is it that surprising?” “Anyway, it’s nice to meet you. The name is Tubal-Cain.” “Elder...?” Tubal-Cain tilted his head in confusion. Then, he grinned and said, “You’re quite the well-mannered one, aren’t you?” “P-Pardon?” Siegfried stammered, confused at the sudden praise. “Most demon lords tend to be arrogant and full of themselves... Is it perhaps because you were once a human before becoming a demon lord?” “Ah, yes, I guess so?” Siegfried replied with a smile. “I hope I did not offend you by being so polite in our first meeting...?” Siegfried said carefully. “What nonsense are you spouting? Why would I be offended by that? Is that some new culture you humans developed in your realm?” Tubal-Cain grimaced and asked. “E-Eh? I am not familiar with the culture here, so...” “Sigh... Anyone would be offended if the other party were rude to them. Do you think it would be any different for demons? Mind you, we are sentient creatures, too.” “Haha... Hahaha...” Siegfried laughed awkwardly while scratching the back of his head in embarrassment. “Anyway, it’s nice to meet you, new demon lord,” Tubal-Cain said, extending his hand. “It is an honor to meet you, Elder,” Siegfried replied, shaking the hand. Then, a quest notification popped up in front of his eyes. [Alert: You have completed the Quest – Path of the Demon Lord I!] Siegfried ignored the quest clear notification and continued his conversation with Tubal-Cain. “I have come to ask for a favor, Elder.” “I’m guessing it’s to forge you a relic.” “Well, that’s a request I’d welcome any time. Relics are rarely commissioned, so this is a good opportunity for me, too. You see, I haven’t had any real work in over one hundred fifty years now.” “Then I guess this works out for the both of us.” “But...” Tubal-Cain muttered. Then, his gaze shifted to the coffin and asked, “What is that thing behind you?” “Ah, this is...” Siegfried replied as he took the lid off. Then, he revealed the body inside and said, “This is Hyungseokius. He was once the Supreme Commander of the Seventh Domain, and I was wondering if you could use him to craft a totem for me.” ‘What the fuck did this brat just say...?’ Tubal-Cain gasped inwardly as his expression stiffened. Not a single demon lord had ever requested him, in his long career, to forge a totem out of a living demon, and never in his wildest dreams had he ever expected one to do so.