The Tragic Past

One of the 72 Demon Kings, the <Beast-Demon Emperor> Baal. He (or she) was an extremely ambitious figure. Because of that, they poured tremendous effort into becoming especially powerful even among Demon Kings. As a result, they rose to second-in-command, right after Demon King Kazantia.

But as Kazantia had said, the place called the ‘Above’ was by no means purely benevolent. On the contrary, the higher one climbed, the more restrictions and bonds accumulated.

Though only remnants remained and the specifics were unclear, it was said Baal held great resentment about that. And since he (or she) was fundamentally aggressive, that resentment only deepened.

“That’s probably why you gave birth to me.”

For Baal, Han Ara was both shortcut and detour. Han Ara said Baal likely planned to use her to break free from those bonds. Yu Seha, who had been listening quietly, asked, “What basis do you have for thinking that?”

“No one else — the shackles etched on my own body told me so.”

An overwhelming instinct to destroy. A murderous urge to kill and slaughter anything in its path. At the same time it fused with a compulsion to challenge authority and pervert providence. All these desires aimed at one thing: breaking Baal’s chains. A vocation commonly called a ‘god-slayer.’ An innate power meant to sow confusion among the transcendants of the ‘Above.’

“Perhaps Baal intended to use me to kill or attack a fellow Demon King. There is a law that Demon Kings must not fight one another.”

“…Mua!”

Ma Hana flinched at Han Ara’s words. Memories of the past involuntarily flashed through her.

―…I would have said it. Even I would not be permitted to attack my own kind.

Ma Hana finally understood why Kazantia had warned them. Han Ara, looking at the girl, continued her story.

“He probably thought that if I succeeded in killing any Demon King, the law would collapse. Of course that’s not precise… in the first place, Baal was…”

“Yes, he (or she) had already, because of the aftermath of the seal…”

“Right.”

According to history, Baal was summoned by Tang Seo-ran. He was defeated in a battle with a dragon and lost his power and authority.

Even if the seal were undone, he would never be as before; perhaps he wouldn’t even retain a semblance of self — at best a pitiful shadow.

So Han Ara thought it was over. With desires that could no longer be felt past a certain point, she believed, Ah — finally I’m free from Baal.

“But that wasn’t the case.”

Han Ara had greatly underestimated Baal. He had never entrusted everything to Han Ara alone. It was the blood flowing through her body that was his true aim.

“…Aim?”

“Yes. Baal’s shackle was — a curse and a Demon King’s power that grew ever stronger with each generation.”

“…!”

Yu Seha swallowed a groan. He turned his head and stared at Ma Hana, who gaped numbly.

“Then…”

“Yes, the shackle placed on our Hana was certainly as strong as — if not stronger than — the one I received.”

Using her power, Han Ara calculated the time left in Ma Hana’s body.

“There are many intermediate processes, but to skip ahead to the conclusion: ten years.”

The moment Ma Hana turned ten years old, Han Ara foresaw the original entity within her body awakening and running rampant.

“…I was foolish.”

Han Ara blamed herself. She clenched her fists until they ached.

“I only thought that if I lacked such will, there would be no problem — never did I dream he’d pull such a trick on my children.”

“…M-Mom…”

Han Ara looked at Ma Hana with tearful eyes.

“I’m sorry, Hana — all of this is because of me… because I passed on that cursed blood… and that wickedness flowed into our Hana…”

Overcome with emotion and babbling, Han Ara was watched as Ma Tae-han placed a hand on her shoulder. It was a touch possible because they were the same kind of spirit.

“We decided not to blame ourselves, honey. And… we’re here now to make sure that doesn’t happen.”

“…Thank you.”

The true Han Ara continued her explanation.

“I told Tae-han everything… and we researched measures by any means necessary.”

Although it seemed like there was a span of ten years, in reality that wasn’t the case. Aside from the shackle, there was a more fundamental problem: the Demonic energy that held them back.

“About a month after our Hana was born, Demonic energy began to slowly emit from her body.”

“M-mua… I have Demonic energy…”

Once Demonic energy began to surface, it was only a matter of time before it was discovered. If that happened, there was a high chance Ma Hana would meet a tragic end before turning ten.

After desperately investigating everything they could, they were fortunate to identify precisely what the shackle on her body was.

“Demonic nature.”

“…Demonic nature?”

“To put it simply: it’s an innate ability — a skill that would appear as ‘???’ for Hana, the true innate power of its owner.”

“M-mua!”

Baal’s shackle, and a power that had taken on a definite form tailored to the descendant called Ma Hana. The term the <System> used was a legendary-grade skill called [Demonic Nature Beast]. Of course, being a seed that devours its owner to bloom, no matter how powerful it was, it was a bane — but that wasn’t the important point.

“The important thing is that, because it was a skill, a solution could naturally be inferred.”

The principle itself was simple: extract the demonic nature — the innate ability — and isolate it as far away from Ma Hana as possible. But it wasn’t easy. The caliber of [Demonic Nature Beast] was too high; flimsy methods would not work at all. Also, unlike ordinary innate abilities, it intended to kill off its owner Ma Hana’s ego and run rampant, so they needed a being to continuously suppress and restrain it.

“In other words, the seal itself had to be a being with strong will. At the same time, it needed to be willing to sacrifice itself for our Hana.”

Ma Hana, with a pale expression, asked back.

“…Could it be that…?”

“Yes. I myself became one of the sealing vessels.”

Normally it would be impossible, but fortunately — or so it must be said — Han Ara knew an occult technique that could do just that.

A sorcery developed by the Maryang tribe who served Baal. The solution was the [Soul Secret Technique]. Yu Seha groaned at the confirmation that the Demon King’s speculation had been correct.

“I used the Soul Secret Technique to split myself into two.”

One half became a spirit to continuously suppress and seal the [Demonic Nature Beast].

The other half — the corporeal soul — was forced apart to protect and watch over Ma Hana, who would repeatedly face life-threatening trials.

Thus Han Ara’s spirit was sealed here, and her corporeal soul remained by Ma Hana’s side.

“That’s why I’m split into two now.”

“Muaa.”

“The reason that thing didn’t answer our Hana’s questions is because it’s merely a shell.”

“A shell…?”

“At the same time, it’s also a form of skill.”

“…! No way?”

“[Nekomata’s Luck].”

“…Th-that was Mom’s innate ability?”

“Yes. It was the power I possessed. It seeped into our Hana’s body and has protected her until now.”

After speaking, Han Ara looked expressionlessly at the other version of herself that floated there. She smiled pityingly, then slowly bowed her head.

“…Thank you. For protecting our Hana until now…”

Thus Han Ara sacrificed herself. This was done when Ma Hana had just reached one hundred days old. Suddenly, with no time to enjoy a sweet honeymoon, Ma Tae-han had to let his wife go. Despite crushing grief, he did his utmost to raise their daughter Ma Hana and protect her.

“…I placed too great a burden on Tae-han.”

But fate, as if unsatisfied with that alone, demanded an even greater sacrifice. The problem was that Han Ara alone was increasingly overwhelmed in suppressing the [Demonic Nature Beast].

In the end, seeing his wife who periodically came to check grow weaker and collapse, Ma Tae-han decided to become part of it himself and join her.

He split his soul with the Soul Secret Technique to supplement hers. In the process, Ma Tae-han lost a great deal of his lifespan, and due to imbalance of body and mind he contracted an incurable wasting disease. He wasted away until he died. This was when Ma Hana had just turned eleven.

“…”

Ma Hana looked at Ma Tae-han with trembling eyes. Ma Tae-han sighed at his daughter’s gaze and recounted his story.

“Sensing my death, I spent my remaining time raising our Peng Jin-ah and putting things in order.”

The first to inform them of the detailed background and circumstances was Im Hye-ja. Having effectively had the man she loved taken from her and having lived in a nearly severed relationship, Im Hye-ja was so shocked by the tragedy that she wept for days.

Why Ma Tae-han spoke to Im Hye-ja: partly because she was someone trustworthy, but mainly because they needed the backup power she possessed.

“This Maryang is, by nature, a place specialized in suppressing evil.”

Using her Vulcanus authority, they created an ‘Artificial Trial’ and strengthened the two seals further. Then he went to Cha Yeo-joo and entrusted books for the Peng Jin-ah who would one day come.

“…Originally I intended to tell Yeo-joo the whole truth back then, but…”

Cha Yeo-joo heard only that Ma Tae-han had little time left and refused to hear the rest.

She still could not forgive Han Ara and believed that all this tragedy was Han Ara’s fault.

It was cruel to say, but it wasn’t untrue. Having heard up to this point, Ma Hana raised her hand.

“…Th-then, did Dad ask sister for something?”

“…Huh? What?”

“K-Kalas Shield Technique. Did he ask her to teach it?”

Ma Tae-han blinked at his daughter’s words and shook his head.

“Not at all — that’s not my technique; Yeo-joo worked hard to acquire it, so I wouldn’t have the nerve to ask her for that… Hana, you wouldn’t…”

“M-mua, yes! I received the full shield technique instruction.”

Ma Tae-han, who had briefly looked surprised, rubbed the area under his nose with his index finger.

“That was something Yeo-joo taught you for your sake. It’s nothing to do with me.”

“…Ah.”

Ma Hana choked up at Cha Yeo-joo’s warm heart. Watching that, Ma Tae-han continued speaking.

This is Ma Hana, whose innate ability was forcibly separated by the seal of the Soul Secret Technique. Because of that, the talent she should have had — a five-star caliber befitting the granddaughter of a Demon King — rapidly fell in rank.

“M-mua, so then…?”

“Our Peng Jin-ah was originally born as a 5★, and unlike others, would have had an innate class.”

“Ah…”

Only then did Ma Hana feel as if all her doubts had been resolved. Why she had so little talent compared to her excellent father, and why a talent that had been absent suddenly surged and bloomed later… She had always had the vessel for it, but it had been forcibly ripped away.

“For now, that’s the whole main story.”

After that, the two said they’d take any questions and then answer them.

Ma Hana looked at her parents and let out a deep sigh. In truth, she didn’t care much about her own power. This sigh came from being mentally frayed by such a catastrophically different tragedy. All the more because of that, she needed to confirm ‘it’ even more. This was something she absolutely had to ask.

She glanced.

“M-mua…”

“Yes? Peng Jin-ah?”

Ma Hana gave Yu Seha a small nod. She requested quietly in his ear, ‘Pl-please come back in a little while.’ Yu Seha then moved away again.

Ma Hana fiddled with her fingers. Then, filled with embarrassment, she asked her parents.

“M-mua Mom, Dad, th-then…”

“Yes?”

“Why, Hana?”

“When I… later… after I share love with Se-ha… my child who will be born…”

That child, so precious…

“W-what will happen?”

Like, like me…

“Will they be born with a shackle?”