Chapter 178

“Welcome, O Exalted Being. I am Octavian Gloria, the Prime Minister of the Empire.”

With that, he dropped to his knees, pressing his head against the dirt floor.

“…Meeting you like this is truly a profound honor.”

Perplexed by his excessively submissive posture, I was about to reflexively tell him not to do that when Disis subtly nudged my side and whispered.

‘You are the Demon King right now. Your objective is to prevent them from setting foot on the island. Unless your plan is to become a guardian deity instead of a Demon King, showing a soft side is out of the question—saving their lives was already enough. If you handle this weakly here, they’ll think, “Oh, this guy is a pushover,” and try to poke at us again, you know?’

Hmm… she certainly had a point.

Yeah. For now, let’s display the maximum amount of Demon King persona possible to project the absolute dignity of a Demon King, making sure they wouldn’t dare even think of approaching ever again.

‘…….’

But… what exactly is a Demon King persona?

‘What are you doing? First, unleash your Spiritual Pressure aggressively. That alone carries half the battle. Because you’re just standing there blankly, those guys are testing their luck, lifting their heads with whatever pride they have left.’

Mmm… ah, right. Spiritual Pressure.

Thud!

In an instant, an overwhelming Spiritual Pressure that vastly surpassed that of a typical Archangel grade weighed down heavily upon the atmosphere.

“Kerk…!”

“Khuk…!”

“Kugh…”

Fifty-odd individuals, including the elf before me—all of whom looked like notable figures whether in politics or martial arts—simultaneously collapsed flat onto the ground with expressions of pure agony.

About two or three of them who appeared to be Master-class Steel Body users or Archmages seemed to put up a bit of resistance… but the moment I subtly withdrew the pressure from the others and concentrated it heavily on them, they rapidly broke into cold sweat and turned deathly pale.

Let’s see… and what’s next?

‘Step on the head of one of the guys who tried to test you.’

‘Their head? Step on it? Seriously?’

‘I have 200 years of career experience as a Demon King, alright? If it feels awkward, just do exactly as I say.’

…Uh, yeah. Sure. Following an expert’s advice is always the way to go.

I lifted my foot, intending to step on the head of the elf who had bowed first… but deciding that was a bit too much after all, I subtly shifted my foot over.

Stomp.

“Argh…!”

A dragonkin wearing a golden helmet let out a pained groan from under my boot.

‘And after that? What do I do?’

‘What do you mean? Find any excuse to pick on them and berate them. If you keep berating them, they’ll naturally crawl on their own.’

‘Berating… well, that happens to be my specialty.’

Truth be told… ever since my days back on Earth, getting into altercations had been a daily routine for me. Especially during my middle and high school years.

School bullies or delinquents belonging to dominant cliques or hoodlums are incredibly sensitive to gazes that look down on them… and as you know, back in those days, I was practically the incarnation of arrogance, so I used to openly look at those guys as if they were insects.

Because of that, like a dog that can’t stop eating filth, those hoodlums naturally came to pick fights with me…

‘Despite my parents’ advice to stay as quiet as possible, for those who crossed the line, I completely pulverized them.’

Consequently, I am—unexpectedly—quite accustomed to breaking people down. Rather than simply beating them with fists, hitting them while berating them with words midway doubles the agony.

‘…It’s been a while since I’ve done this.’

Managing my facial expression, I entered full-scale berating mode.

“An honor… before you mouth the word honor, there should be something else you need to say first, you insects.”

Having barely managed to steady his body thanks to the slightly lightened Spiritual Pressure, the elf lifted his head with great difficulty.

“Something… we need to say first, you mean?”

“Where is the gratitude for me saving your lives? Where is the apology for crawling into my peaceful home and causing a massive ruckus?”

“……!”

“Insects. Even when you crawled onto my island with dirty feet, I sent you back alive multiple times. I did so to signify that since I granted mercy, you should stop bothering me.”

“…….”

“Yet, how did you respond? Taking my mercy as an opportunity instead, you sent even more airships, ships, and people to make a nuisance of yourselves.”

The elf bit his lip tightly, trying his best to excuse himself.

“That was… that was… because the angels…”

“Is a sin committed because someone else ordered it no longer a sin?”

When the elf ultimately silenced himself, this time, a dragonkin prostrated beside him spoke up.

“However, God Equos and God Morta stated that the Demon King was already…”

“The Demon King? The Demon King raises an objection? Am I your neighborhood friend? Where are your honorifics? Do you want to die?”

“…M-My deepest apologies. Because we were told the Demon King had already p-passed away… and since those words came from a god who went so far as to send angels, we placed absolute faith in those words…”

“Hoh? If a master disappears, does that island suddenly become yours? Do the gods you worship teach you to plunder a house and claim it as your own possession just because the homeowner is gone?”

“…….”

Mixing the subtly withdrawn Spiritual Pressure with a dense, thick bloodlust, I unleashed it once more and spat out coldly.

[Insects. Know shame.]

“Gerk…!?”

“Khuk…”

“Kugh…!”

The dense bloodlust riding upon the Spiritual Pressure gripped the people’s hearts and constricted their lungs.

With that, people began making choking noises, clawing frantically at the dirt floor.

Some of those with lower cultivation realms even soiled themselves entirely or foamed at the mouth while convulsing.

After intimidating them like that for a short moment, I slightly reduced the Spiritual Pressure once again.

“…I will give you two days.”

The elf who claimed to be the Prime Minister of the Empire, barely regaining his breath, gasped and asked back.

“Hah, hah… what do you… mean by that…”

“Summon every single emperor, king, direct imperial royal, and kingdom royal of the nations involved in this matter to this exact spot.”

“What… do you intend to do…”

“I shall receive a ‘proper’ apology for what you have done. Along with a vow that you will never poke your heads onto this island ever again.”

“I-If it ends with just that much…”

“However, do not dream for a second that the apology will be easy.”

“……!”

“Convey this to your emperors. When they come to this spot, tell them to leave every ounce of their pride behind.”

“……!!”

“Ah, and convey this as well. If they do not appear, that nation will disappear from the Western Continent on that very day. The same applies if they send a deputy or a double. I will not tolerate any cheap tricks like leaving behind a crown prince or imperial princes high in the line of succession.”

“……!!!”

“Surely you don’t think I’m leaving you alive because I lack the power to wipe you out, do you?”

I pulled out a heavy habanite ring, activated it, and hurled it forcefully toward the exact location where the sword of light had fallen moments ago.

Boom!

Flying at a speed exceeding five times the speed of sound along with a shockwave, the habanite exploded with a thunderous roar.

Rumbleeeeeeeeeeeeee!!!

An immense display of light and heat. A rising mushroom cloud.

Certainly, watching it detonate on the ground offers a far better visual satisfaction than watching it explode high in the sky.

Blowing away the rushing shockwave with a single casual wave of my hand, I looked down at those who had turned pale from its destructive power and smiled with flashing white teeth.

“Now leave, insects. I will see you in two days.”

And two days later.

Returning once again to the Soizmiz Plains, I quietly descended before a crowd of over 100,000 people brought by the two emperors and more than thirty kings.

As the murmuring crowd grew quiet as if by prior agreement, the three dragons—who were permitted to have a full head of hair strictly for today—waved their hands, causing a magnificently adorned throne to rise from the dirt floor.

I took my seat upon it as if it were only natural and looked down at them.

Then, borrowing the dragons’ voice-amplification magic, I spat out my first words.

“On your knees, insects.”

The reaction to my words rippling across the plains was divided into exactly two groups.

Those who had witnessed the battle with the angels with their own two eyes, and those who hadn’t.

The former dropped to their knees the moment my words left my mouth, while the latter remained standing tall with expressions that seemed to say, “I still have my pride, you know…”

Well, I supposed that would be the case. It didn’t matter. There were plenty of ways to make those stiff joints as soft as rice cakes.

Of course, I couldn’t employ Spiritual Pressure like last time.

In the first place, it was impossible to overwhelm such a massive number with a mere Archangel grade Spiritual Pressure, and since I had reverted the seal, my current self wasn’t a transcendent operator either.

However…

“Habanite. Number five.”

“Yes, Sword… ahem. Demon King.”

After slotting the habanite that Hest presented with a submissive attitude into Astraphe, I thrust it into the empty air.

The target was four kilometers above the ground. Since I didn’t need to lock onto precise coordinates, I could easily cover this much distance.

Rumbleeeeeeeeeeeeee!!!

“………!”

“………!!!”

“………!!!!!”

Along with a stupendous explosion, light and heat erupted. Then, a thunderous roar and a shockwave physically pressed down from top to bottom—

-Greaaaaaagh!

-Roaaaaaaar!!

-Screeeeeeech!!!

Immediately after, as three transcendent dragons stretching 100 meters long flew over their heads and snarled in a threatening display, even the stubborn bastards holding out threw themselves flat onto the ground and bowed their heads.

I opened my mouth toward the two emperors of the Empire and the Kingdom, who were looking up this way while holding onto a single knee, perhaps due to whatever pride they had left.

“There should be something you need to say, you grand insects.”

At the word insects, apologies and expressions of gratitude alternately poured from the mouths of the two emperors, their faces flushing red.

“…What occurred this time is truly regrettable. I shall acknowledge our mistake.”

“I have heard of what transpired here two days ago. Thank you for granting your mercy.”

“…Regrettable? Acknowledge? Thank you? The prime ministers at least knew how to discern the situation… Tsk, tsk, to think the emperors are like this… Black. Do it.”

At my command, the black dragon circling the empty air flapped its wings and descended toward the clearing where the imperial royals were gathered.

Fwooooosh!

“Eek!”

“Gyaaaaagh!!”

Then, it spat out a trigger word toward them.

“Mass Beastmorph.”

In an instant, the bodies of the imperial royals shrunk down, and their screams also twisted into bizarre noises.

“Meow!”

“Squeak! Squeeeak!”

“Woof! Woof woof! Grrr!”

“Oink, oink… Squeeel!”

Regardless of race, the females transformed into cats and rabbits, and the males into dogs and pigs.

Black scooped them up firmly with its front paw and submissively placed them down before me.

Horrified beyond belief to see their sons, daughters, and relatives transformed into dogs and pigs, the two emperors could only gape with their mouths wide open.

“Step on them.”

And at my following command, the black dragon stepped on the two emperors without a single shred of hesitation.

“Khuk!”

“Gugh!!”

Burying my back into the throne, I picked up one cat and one rabbit, cradling them in my arms.

“These two happen to be the most beautiful among your daughters.”

Terrified, the emperor of the Empire strained with all his might even through the intense pain and shouted.

“W-What do you intend to do to them…!?”

“Well, who knows? Should I take them back and raise them as pets?”

“……!”

“Making them beasts by day and human forms by night to tend to my nighttime needs doesn’t sound half bad either.”

“……!!”

I then rolled one dog and one pig each with my foot and let out a small sneer.

“And were these two the crown princes? Taking these guys along with anyone high in the line of succession, brainwashing them, and returning them sounds like a decent plan too. As loyal slaves who will throw themselves into raging fires if I command it.”

“……!!!”

“The state of your nations would turn out quite entertaining. Watching that would be a rather enjoyable piece of amusement in its own way.”

“……!!!!!!”

“Do you think I cannot do it?”

At my words, the two emperors finally declared their surrender and slammed their heads down of their own volition.

“…What, what is it you desire? O Frightful Being.”

“Complete subjugation.”

“……!!!”

After signaling Black to remove its foot, I calmly continued my words.

“Even so, it isn’t as if I want something grand. I am going to command a few things from this moment on… as long as you observe them well, you will be able to live just as you do now without any issues.”

“P-Please speak.”

“First. From this moment on, the Equos and Morta cults shall not exist on the Western Continent. Remove every remaining temple, divine statue, and scripture, and declare both cults as heresies. If even a single divine statue or temple remains, I will not show forgiveness.”

Yeah. Just because you’re a god, does that mean you get a free pass? If you feed me crap, you have to eat crap too, you sons of bitches.

The two looked at each other and nodded their heads violently.

“…We shall follow.”

“Second. As proof of your obedience, offer me a tribute every single year. Gold and silver are fine, but spiritual metals equivalent to or above the habanite grade are also acceptable. If you pay in spiritual metals, I will value it slightly higher than gold or silver.”

“…H-How much is the quantity…”

“Good.”

“…Pardon?”

“Figure it out on your own. Very good.”

“…W-We shall follow.”

“And lastly… do not crawl even a single step within 500 kilometers of the Demon Territory, whether by sea or sky. If even a single familiar enters… it would be wise to prepare yourselves.”

“…We swear it.”

“In the name of the gods.”

“W-We swear it in the name of all the gods residing in the heavens.”

“Hmm. Very well. I shall believe you.”

Rising from the throne, I swept my gaze once across the massive crowd prostrated beneath my feet.

“I am leaving like this today… but remember. The split second you break my words, I will return at any time. And that day will truly be the day of doom.”

“…Ugh.”

“…Khuk.”

“You seem considerably resentful.”

“…No, it is not so, O Frightful Being.”

“If you are truly resentful, come at me. Whenever you gain the confidence to trample me and wash away today’s disgrace. At that time, I will accept it with a willing heart.”

“……!”

“……!!”

“However, if you lack that confidence, crawl, you insects.”

Leaving them with that final warning, I gave my cloak a sharp, dramatic flap befitting a Demon King, mounted the dragon, and soared high into the sky.