Damn Necromancer

[Translator - Prøks]

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Chapter 228: The Balrog King

A familiar ceiling.

'It's my room.'

He had returned.

The third trial was also successfully completed.

'What I gained...'

First, the items.

Maestro, Paimon's instrument.

Then Amon's monocle and the Lion's Helmet. All three were Ancient-rank items, a considerable harvest.

Of course, they couldn't compare to the Mythical-rank helmet.

"Heh heh..."

Oh my.

The more he thought about it, the more he couldn't help but smile. On top of that, he had obtained all sorts of items like recipes and crafting materials as a bonus.

'I should check out the titles too.'

[New Title List]

[1. Fortune's Favorite]

[Overcoming the limits of the race, you have tasted the highest luck.]

[Effect 1. 'Luck Stat' accumulates at special branch points. (1/10)]

[Effect 2. When the luck stat reaches 10, you can activate 'Divine Luck'.]

[2. Music Maniac]

[You have stolen the instrument of the Great Demon Lord Paimon.]

[Effect 1. The proficiency increase rate when practicing playing is greatly increased.]

[Effect 2. All playing-related resistance increases by 50%.]

Fortune's Favorite was the evolved title of Super Lucky Guy, and Music Maniac was the title obtained after defeating Paimon.

But...

"It's accumulated?"

The 'Luck Points' of Fortune's Favorite had changed from 0 to 1.

"When did it accumulate?"

If a message had popped up, he would have noticed. But like a stealth aircraft, the number 1 had quietly increased.

'...I don't know.'

Well, it's not a bad thing that it accumulated.

He knew from personal experience what kind of effect could be considered supreme luck.

When he caught Paimon and Amon.

The sword pierced them so naturally.

Or, to put it differently.

'The enemies revealed their openings on their own.'

The performance was insane.

He guessed that Divine Luck would also have a similar effect.

It would accumulate to 10 someday.

Now there were two titles left.

Titles obtained from recruiting Vulcan.

[3. Owner of the Balrog King]

[You have become the owner of the Balrog King, Vulcan.]

[Effect 1. You can subjugate various demons. Subjugated demons can reach their ultimate form.]

[Effect 2. All melee-type summons can wield the power of fire.]

[Effect 3. The destructive power of all melee-type summons increases by 20%.]

[Effect 4. ???]

[Effect 5. ???]

'Huh?'

The effects were quite unique.

Cedric and Merhen's titles gave powerful buffs to the undead.

But Vulcan's title was different.

'Subjugate demons?'

Come to think of it, Vulcan wasn't an undead. He was of the Balrog race.

And Balrogs were classified as demons and monsters of the Demon Realm.

That's probably why it had those effects instead of undead buffs...

The second and third effects were enhancements for melee-type summons.

'That would apply to undead too.'

Whether it's a Skeleton or a Dullahan.

They're similar in that they fight in close combat.

Wielding the power of fire, increasing destructive power. Both were buffs he couldn't get enough of.

'Definitely, the effects are good.'

There was a lot to gain from subjugating a Legion Commander. Starting with titles, experience in new stages, knowledge of the past, and the Legion Commander itself.

[4. Conqueror of the Demon Realm]

[You have conquered the Demon Realm with a human body.]

[Effect 1. Inflicts 30% additional damage to all demon-type enemies.]

[Effect 2. All stats increase by 30% when acting in the Demon Realm.]

[Effect 3. All demons are strongly intimidated.]

"Oh."

Conqueror of the Demon Realm.

Although the title's activation was limited to the Demon Realm, its effects were impressive.

Fundamentally, the Demon Realm was a place inhabited by demons.

Here, 'demons' encompassed numerous races.

Insect-type, beast-type, devil-type, plant-type, elemental-type...

Among these, the main race was the devils. The fact that all 72 lords of the Demon Realm were devils proved this.

They were the most intelligent.

And, the strongest.

Even the Balrogs, who were considered simple-minded, were like Einsteins compared to insects, plants, or beast-types. In the end, 'all demon-type' was no different from designating all monsters in the Demon Realm. So it had to be a very good title.

Especially...

'Even more so now that I'm invited to the masquerade.'

The date of the banquet, August 1st.

He opened his phone to check the date.

July 25th.

It had taken about 12 days to clear the third trial.

About a week was left.

Once the invitation was activated, he would be able to participate in the demon lords' banquet, and it would most likely be in the Demon Realm.

It was the place where the title would be most useful.

'How different would the 72 lords of the past be from the 72 lords of the present?'

The third trial he cleared with Vulcan was set in the distant past.

The structure was completely different now.

The very existence of the Ranking Battles that Andromalius mentioned was one example.

The demon lords were recruiting representatives, and the representatives would fight each other to determine the rankings. Vulcan had scoffed at it, asking what kind of childish game that was.

He checked Vulcan's summoning skill.

[Summon Vulcan (SSS)]

[Type: Active]

[Mana Cost: 100]

[Summons Vulcan, the King of the Balrogs. Vulcan's level follows the owner's. Abilities are unlocked as the level increases.]

The third Legion Commander summoning skill.

It was the same as Merhen and Cedric's.

Then, it was time to summon him, right?

He went out to the training ground outside his house and stretched out his hand.

"Come forth, Vulcan."

[Vulcan is being summoned!]

[50 Mana is consumed!]

A portal blazing with flames opened in the air. Thick, muscular arms were seen grabbing both ends of the small portal.

Creak!

Crack!

After tearing and stretching the portal like a piece of paper, Vulcan was seen walking out of the widened space.

'Oh, his summoning animation is pretty cool.'

Compared to Cedric rising from the ground or Merhen floating in the air, Vulcan, who showed the feat of tearing the portal, could be said to have the coolest summoning animation.

Vulcan's eyes blazed fiercely.

He raised his head and met his gaze.

—You are...

Vulcan frowned.

Memories swirled in his mind.

Fighting alongside the great demon lords in the Demon Realm.

And also...

When he came out with the Death Lord, being stabbed by a sword and becoming one-eyed.

—I see. So that's how it happened...

"What are you talking about so meaningfully?"

—I remembered. We... went through some pretty complicated things.

"We did."

—It's not a good memory... My left eye throbs.

"Huh? You remember that too?"

—I remember. To be precise, the memories were injected into me just now.

Aha.

Kim Minwoo nodded.

It was the same with Merhen.

The memories of acting as a human in the academy were embedded when she was summoned as the Banshee Queen.

It seemed to be the same with Vulcan.

'First, let's check the loyalty.'

A situation where two completely opposite memories were mixed.

Whether he was hostile.

Or whether he had decided to become a loyal subordinate would be revealed by his loyalty.

[Vulcan]

[Level: 645]

[Class: Flame Lord]

[Skills: Direct Mercenary Summon (SS), Flame Devil Summon (SS), Hellfire Ground (S)]

[Loyalty: 52]

[Special Note: Most skills and stats are sealed.]

[Strength: 1,290(+645)] [Agility: 1,290(+645)] [Stamina: 1,290(+645)] [Mana: 1,290(+645)]

'Wow...'

[Translator - Prøks]

[Proofreader - Prøks]

Level 645.

It was the level achieved after defeating four high-ranking great demon lords, including Baal, and as a bonus, Malphas who was acting up. Since Vulcan was a Legion Commander, his level was naturally the same, and the stats of a level 645 Legion Commander were...

'Amazing.'

It was the same as Cedric.

All stats doubled.

And that was even without any items. Vulcan currently had no equipment other than his basic gear.

He didn't know what kind of class items the Flame Lord received, but...

'Even with just Unique-rank gear, his stats would increase a lot.'

And they would increase even more with runes and tattoos as a bonus.

Additionally, the Direct Subordinate Summon, which was unlocked when Cedric and Merhen's second seal (500 level) was broken, was also available.

But there was one thing he didn't like.

'Loyalty 52?'

It was that loyalty.

Quite a low number.

It seemed like some mental training was needed...

It was then.

Vulcan, who had been staring at him, spoke.

—Anyway, I have to say this. Thank you. Thanks to you, my memories of the past have become a bit clearer.

"How were they originally?"

—...Everyone died. My mercenary group was annihilated, and the Demon God's Stone was stolen. By that bastard Baal.

"Did you die too?"

—No. At the last moment... I pulled the stone out of my heart myself. I threw it among the lords who were chasing me. After that, I ran away pathetically. Just to survive...

Vulcan's face darkened as he spoke.

—Without the stone, I became weak. I couldn't restore the glory of the Balrogs. I just hid in the wasteland, barely surviving day by day like a wanderer. Then... I met the Lord. And I became his subordinate.

"So, you challenged the lords again?"

At those words, Vulcan chuckled.

—No. The Lord's priority was to organize the Middle World first. I followed the Lord and left the Demon Realm. The moment I lost my eye to you was then. After that, it was busy. Fighting and fighting again. We established a new order on the continent. An order ruled by the Lord. But... aren't you going to introduce me?

"Introduce?"

—To the other Legion Commanders. It seems Cedric and Merhen are already under your command.

He called the two.

—Oh, Vulcan. It's been a while.

—Hmph.

Merhen and Cedric.

Their reactions were completely opposite.

While Cedric clearly seemed happy, Merhen turned her head away as if she didn't even want to talk. Seeing that, Vulcan scratched his head.

—...Are you still sulking after hundreds of years?

—It's hundreds of years for you, but for me, it's like yesterday's memory. Don't speak carelessly. Damn Balrog.

—...Haven't I been apologizing for that since forever?

—Is apologizing all it takes?

—I didn't turn you into an undead, do I really have to go through this?

—But you helped the Lord. Thoroughly. Didn't you?

—...

Vulcan fell silent.

He wondered why Merhen was suddenly acting like this.

'Ah...'

A memory surfaced.

The second trial.

If he thought about the original flow, where he hadn't intervened...

Merhen would have become an undead.

And Vulcan would have diligently helped with that.

It seemed that's why their relationship appeared like cats and dogs.

Rather, it could be said that Merhen was commendable for not showing any of that during the Demon Realm trial.

"Merhen. Just a moment."

—...Yes, Minwoo.

"I'll do the mental training later, so can you bear with it for now?"

He had plenty of time anyway.

Loyalty 52?

With enough time and punches, it wouldn't be difficult to raise it to 100.

—Alright. Sorry. Go ahead and talk. I'll step aside for a bit.

Merhen retreated.

Only then did Vulcan, sighing, look at Cedric.

—...So. You followed him quite diligently. That human. Was he worth it?

—Would the Lord's revenge be any easier? As you've seen, he's not someone to be underestimated just because he's human.

Vulcan was silent for a moment.

Soon, he spoke with a serious expression.

—You... were a loyal knight. Always have been. But, I'm different. My loyalty to the Lord was merely a transaction. And that transaction didn't even go through properly. Yet, do you think I should follow that human?

—Didn't you promise during the trial? To pledge your loyalty to the master.

—Hmph!

Vulcan snorted.

He certainly had that conversation with Kim Minwoo during the trial.

That he would pledge his loyalty once the matter was settled.

But that was just the past Vulcan speaking.

—Am I the lord of the Demon Realm now? No! I'm still a loser, a fugitive! Then why should I pledge my loyalty? Nothing has changed!

"Wait a minute. Vulcan, what were the conditions when you made the contract with the Lord?"

—That he would return to the Demon Realm someday and make me the greatest lord. But it wasn't kept!

—Vulcan. That couldn't be helped. The passage to the Demon Realm was blocked because of the war with 'them'. What else could he do?

—I don't care about that! The Lord broke his promise, and I, who served him like a dog, died at their hands! Is this the power the Lord promised? Far from the revival of glory, it was a dog's death! If I hadn't made a promise with that human, I would have killed him right then!

Vulcan roared loudly.

The surroundings shook violently, and clear flames were visible. It was a situation where he was literally showing with his whole body that he was extremely angry.

"Hold on. Let's sort things out first, Vulcan."

—...Speak.

"First, you said you were ruined because of the war with 'them'. Who are 'they'?"

—...The Lord waged war against the Outer Gods and was defeated.

Oh...

He had a hunch.

And it turned out to be true.

There was a reason why Cedric hadn't mentioned this until now.

Outer Gods.

Fearsome enemies.

He probably thought there was no point in talking about it until they were prepared.

"Okay. So, the Lord made a contract with you, promising to make you a lord. Right?"

—Yes.

"Then you went to the Middle World and worked hard fighting, but then the Outer Gods' army invaded, and later the passage to the Demon Realm was blocked?"

—...That's right. All paths collapsed. So I couldn't go to the Demon Realm, couldn't become a lord, and I died fighting them.

Now he understood why Vulcan's loyalty was so low.

From Vulcan's perspective, he was the successor of the wicked debtor who hadn't kept his promise.

Of course, there were circumstances like the passage being blocked and all, but it was a fact that the Lord couldn't keep his promise.

Then what could he do?

As the successor, he had to inherit the bad debt too.

"Vulcan. I'll make you a lord instead."

—How are you going to make me one? You don't expect me to believe just your words...

He handed the invitation to Vulcan.

"Take a look."

The masquerade invitation.

Vulcan's eyes widened as he stared at it.

"In a week, we can go to the Demon Realm, right? I heard only demons can become lords of the Demon Realm, is that right?"

—...That's right.

"Then it's settled. We'll go there, and you can become a lord."

He couldn't become a Demon Realm lord anyway.

Because he was human.

So originally, he was thinking of becoming a representative for another high-ranking demon lord instead of Andromalius, who was ranked 72nd.

'Is there really a need for that?'

Right here, right now.

There was an excellent candidate who could ascend to the position of Demon Realm lord.

And it was a summon who would pledge infinite loyalty with just a bit of mental training.

—...Wait, really? Are you... really going to let me do it?

"I told you, I'll let you. I can't become a lord anyway because I'm human. So I'm giving it to you."

His summon is actually a demon lord?

This was too good to pass up.

Vulcan's eyes cleared up.

"Are you back to your senses?"

—...I am. Definitely.

"Then let's get some sparring in."

—...Huh?

"First, we need to fix your speech habits. Merhen!"

Merhen came running.

All sorts of magic were swirling on her hands.

[Translator - Prøks]

[Proofreader - Prøks]