Hellmode ~A Hardcore Gamer Becomes Peerless in Another World with Retro Game Settings~

Chapter 554: Demon General Kings

The Demon King's palace, made of marble and large enough for monsters to walk around, was filled with Demon Generals and monsters.

The palace had many floors, and the throne room was in the center. Kyubel, the Six Fallen Angels, and the Demon Great General Basque were there.

The throne was located atop around 10 steps, and the Demon King sat on it.

'Uoooohhhhh!! What's this power?!'

The Six Fallen Angels' leader Ordo had his muscular upper body exposed, with the particular purple skin of demons, and his hands trembling.

'Incredible. What power, so this is me now! This is incredible!!'

Shirra, one of the Six Fallen Angels that had black wings, also shuddered in ecstasy.

'Hmm, incredible. It feels like I've reached a new dimension… To think you could grant such power… What?! Is that orichalcum?!'

Bildiga's beetle body looked more shiny too. But a different change shocked him more.

'...'

The Fallen Angel Gandira that looked like a golem had gained a yellow shine, changing from adamantite into orichalcum. He silently looked at his hands while everyone else was shocked.

Kyubel, Basque, and Sinorom watched those changes too.

"Hohoh, as expected of the Demon King Zeldias. All six are much more powerful than Demon Great Generals."

Sinorom pointed a device that looked like a tablet at the Six Fallen Angels and said that.

He was only a Demon General, but he was allowed to be there thanks to the work he did.

'Heheh, they've actually reached a step higher and became Demon General Kings, thanks to the Demon King's power. That's the power of a Transcendental.'

"Oh, Demon General Kings! I've never heard that word before…"

Kyubel mentioned that to Sinorom.

The Demon King was sitting on his throne, eating something the size of a dodgeball.

There was only one person there who did not look happy.

'Hey, why didn't you make me stronger too! Huh?!'

'Yeah, make my master stronger!'

Basque demanded power too. He had two greatswords on his back, one being the Cursed Sword Onuba, that also shared Basque's sentiment.

Neither of them seemed to have much respect for the Demon King.

'You can't talk like that, Basque. It's only the Demon King Zeldias' decision to do that or not.'

Kyubel reprimanded Basque for it.

'Hmmm, but if I become one of the Six Fallen Angels I'll get to be stronger?'

Basque grinned and looked at the Six Fallen Angels. He was always looking for more power.

He would want to obtain one of the Six Fallen Angels' positions if it meant getting more power.

"Hmph, you better listen to Kyubel. The Demon King wants to see results, so work hard first."

Ordo seemed to dislike the idea of agreeing with Kyubel, but he also reprimanded Basque.

The Demon King's Army was built up by multiple groups.

[The structure and roles of the Demon King's Army]

-Demon King Zeldias wanted to conquer the world

-Commander Ordo led the Demon King's Army

-Kyubel was the chief of staff

-The Six Fallen Angels plotted the invasion of the divine realm

-Demon Great Generals invaded the human realm while using Demon Generals as their main forces

-The Dark World Research Unit was in charge of researching the Dark World, as well as researching monsters and ways to conquer the human realm

The Demon King had just turned the Six Fallen Angels into Demon General Kings.

'Oh well, oh well. Anyway, Commander Ordo, did you gather the forces?'

Kyubel moved on to the next topic.

'Yes. My generals have told me they gathered the forces to conquer the Central Continent. I'd still like some advice on some points though…'

Ordo stopped looking at his larger muscles empowered by the Demon King and replied. He had also been working on the next attack to the human realm.

"Just wait a moment, Kyubel. This isn't what you told me would happen."

Finally the Demon King spoke, letting the dodgeball sized thing fall and roll away.

It only stopped when it hit Ordo's foot. It was the head of a female angel.

Half of the head's skin was bitten off, and the rest was contorted with terror.

Everyone looked at the head, and then quickly knelt at the Demon King.

'What do you mean? What's not the way I mentioned?'

Kyubel began to play dumb.

"Kyubel, you promised me I would be able to consume the Evil God without any issue. But look at my body! U-ughh…"

The Demon King parted his mantle to the side to reveal his body. Something like a pained human face appeared on his chest. His crimson hair also had gray spots.

He was struggling to contain the power of the Evil God's tail he had consumed in Prostia.

'Ahhhhh! Auauauauaaaaa!!'

The Demon King seemed to lose his focus then, as the face on his chest began to scream.

'M-milord!!'

"Stop, don't get closer. Seeing your face makes me lose my focus!"

"Ghah?! Th-that's too harsh…"

Ordo tried to go up the stairs to the Demon King, but was stopped.

The Demon King seemed to tolerate Basque's attitude, but would not let Ordo get closer.

"Maybe I really should've done more than simply offering a sacrifice to control an Ancient God."

'That's correct. I believe succeeding in this endeavor is indispensable, Demon King.'

"Kyubel. You said I'd get to rule the world as long as the offering and bait were in the correct place!!"

Sinorom also believed they needed more to control the Evil God, and the Demon King became enraged with Kyubel's careless attitude.

'No, nothing I said was ever wrong. You'll rule the world soon enough. We just need to prepare a different Divine Artifact first.'

On top of a sacrifice, they also needed to prepare the Evil God's Divine Artifact.

The sacrifice was Bek who they killed in Prostia, since Garm's blood was strong in him.

They meant to use Freya's Divine Artifact too, but that was recovered by Allen.

As a result, the Evil God was not fully under their control now.

"Prepare one? Garm and all the other Ancient Gods are Higher Gods. There's no other Divine Artifact we can realistically reach."

The Demon King's Army had stolen Freya's Divine Artifact while Allen was defending Rosenheim. They only accomplished that since Freya was in a weakened state.

The Demon King had asked Kyubel and Sinorom if there was any other way many times.

'I don't think an Ancient God's power is necessary to control that power now though.'

"What?"

'Your body is unstable because ancient and new powers are mixed. You just need some medicine to stabilize that. We can go to the divine realm, get the medicine, and it'll all be fine.'

Kyubel mentioned how they could get the Demon King to control that power.

"So you want to invade the divine realm again. I thought Desperado repaired the barrier though?"

Hearing that, Kyubel turned to look at Shirra.

'Yes, he did. But I've already decoded the construction of that barrier. If you give me just a little more time, I'll definitely break through it and procure what you desire.'

The Demon King's Army's next move was already decided.

"Kyubel, I've told you many times in the past, but I won't forgive failure. Make sure it all works out."

'Yessir! We'll amass power and unleash a new Great Calamity on the world. You'll become more powerful!!'

Kyubel replied while dancing around wildly.

"What?! Then we'll increase the rank of monsters again!!"

Sinorom looked shocked to hear that from Kyubel. 60 years ago the Demon King had increased the Rank of monsters by 1, so E Rank monsters became D Rank monsters, and D Rank monsters became C Rank monsters. Humans had called that time the Great Calamity.

Many people died at the hand of monsters back then.

As soon as the Demon King managed to control the power of the Evil God, another Great Calamity could happen.

Just like how the Six Fallen Angels had become Demon General Kings, the monsters would go up in rank.

Sinorom looked a bit shocked to hear that was possible, but the Demon King's calm demeanor replied that it was indeed possible.

'Yes. We'll destroy this world.'

Kyubel grinned beneath his mask and prostrated himself in front of the Demon King in an exaggerated manner.

"Anyone who wants power will follow and obey me. Get things ready."

'Yessir!'

Then the Six Fallen Angels and Basque also bowed.

And so the Demon King's Army decided they would invade the divine realm to procure the medicine for the Demon King, which would allow him to control the Evil God's power.

The remains of an angel watched all of that unfold from the floor.