LIGHTNOVELONLINE Chapter 272
*
While Lee Soo-hyun and his group were preparing for an impending attack at the academy…
A strange phenomenon was occurring at the Demon King’s Castle.
──zap, crackle.
An ominous noise like a warning signal.
As people screamed, something was taking shape.
“Uuuaaaahhh─!!”
Like tearing a piece of paper and sticking it back together.
The irregular, static-like figure began to regain a human form, starting with its arms and legs.
Finally, it transformed into a magician wearing a black tuxedo.
“Puhaha! I almost got obliterated there!”
A woman, gasping for breath, confirmed her existence.
Her snow-white hair and golden eyes peeked through the darkness.
She had aimed to burn down the Grand Hertz Academy and go back in time to harm young Pina Grancia.
Now she had taken on Pina’s appearance and was a magician with wolf ears and a tail.
“Hehe, being killed by my lord’s hands… is always so thrilling..♡ It gives me chills..”
Reincarnated as the Demon God of Truth, she was back in the Grand Route.
With her tousled white hair, she blushed, wrapping her hands around her cheeks and savoring the euphoria.
The Power of Pure Thought obliterated the very concept of thought from the world.
“Looks like the Power of Pure Thought has been canceled!”
As the famous philosopher Descartes said, a human who does not think does not exist.
Had it been even slightly delayed, she would have been erased from existence.
In a moment of great determination to save Lee Soo-hyun, who had transformed into a gray knight, Pina returned here.
“It’s clear that you love me! We are bound by destiny─”
“I don’t have any memories of creating a fake. Who are you?”
As Blanc joyfully announced her return to the Grand Route, someone familiar appeared before her.
“Nameless Saintess? No… something feels different.”
They had the same tuxedo, hat, and even golden eyes. Yet she couldn’t copy Pina Grancia’s appearance, instead showing up as Silver, her loyal bodyguard.
The silver-haired magician glared at Blanc.
Just like the time Pina met the saintess and the demon, they were resembling each other, staring at one another.
“Aha, so this is my pre-Grand Route self?”
“…….”
They glared at each other as if they were about to kill one another.
Replica.
Just the instinctual discomfort felt from imitating someone real.
The terrifying sensation was like a giant snake swallowing her whole—self-loathing.
“This is why I don’t look in mirrors.”
Having become the Demon King, she long ago gave up her human body.
She witnessed how easily feelings like love could shatter in the face of immense power.
The black knight who had killed her for that insignificant feeling was simply hilarious.
‘I wanted to take it for myself and play with it.’
Having just pulled out Black Cloud’s heart and killed him, blood dripped from the hands of the Demon King, the magician.
That sight was utterly trivial.
Answering back at each other, neither face reflected her true self.
“Even if you glare like that, nothing will come out of it?”
Having awakened as the perfect Demon God after spending ages in the distant past, Blanc twisted her mouth into a crooked smile.
She thought that with such methods, she wouldn’t be able to defeat the black knight.
If she couldn’t capture his heart, breaking him would be the only solution—something her past self still didn’t understand.
“What, who the hell are you…? Are you my future self..?”
The Demon God started to take steps closer to her past self.
As time seemed to slow down, the Demon King, the magician, broke into a cold sweat and spoke up.
“Hmmm, how should I put this? Well, I did give you the Queen of Hearts, but…”
It was one of the struggles she had while disregarding time and space.
Even while her existence was erased by her powers, she was hell-bent on eliminating Pina.
“Reveal your true identity!”
“Attacking like this isn’t acceptable…”
With just a flick of her hand, she reversed the movement of a card thrown at her.
An attack she could understand deeply because she possessed the same thoughts and feelings.
She couldn’t believe even herself—she wanted to kill her.
Should she leave her past self alive?
As the Demon God, Blanc was calculating whether that was the right choice.
‘It’s already a failed route.’
Though heirs die and are reborn with memories of their former lives, the erasure of her existence due to the Power of Pure Thought led to unforeseen outcomes.
Two of the same person occupying the same space.
Would it be wise to reveal the future to that one?
If they could work together to raid the academy, perhaps this time they could…
‘…No, that would be boring, right?’
Plus, if she was around, she couldn’t monopolize her lord’s love.
The failures of the past were unnecessary for her perfected self now.
“No, not anymore!”
She grinned while leaning her face closer to her past self.
Shadows began to rise like tentacles.
The writhing dark forms pierced through her heart like sharp spears.
“Ugh.. W-What…?”
“How does it feel to have your heart pierced between your ribs…? Are you truly about to die?”
The Demon King vomited dark red blood from her eyes and mouth, while she continued questioning her dying double, seemingly enjoying herself endlessly.
“You don’t belong to the Grand Route, so it doesn’t matter if you die!”
A simple reason.
Other world lines, not the Grand Route, were simply unnecessary to her.
Regardless of what happened in the past or the future.
“There’s no need to leave behind an ugly form that will disappear anyway, right?”
Her current self just needed to hold everything herself.
She laughed as she watched her corpse, torn apart like cheese.
“This time, I will choose a different method from what my past self did. What would work…?”
How could she kill that loathsome Pina Grancia and stand beside the black knight?
Mimicking her appearance yielded no response.
It didn’t seem to lack in face or figure.
Despite her past self with erased memories keeping a promise not to kill, she couldn’t sway his heart.
“That’s right, now that I’ve truly become a Demon God… I shall resurrect people!”
With a snap of her fingers, her freshly dead body split into three, each transforming into the forms of the Demon King of All Knowledge, Head Ake; the Demon King of Might, Intinium; and the Demon King of All Knowledge, Black Cloud.
“It works, after all. Ahah, I can threaten them by saying I’ll revive my precious ones.”
As she watched that sight, Blanc raised her lips in satisfaction.
Almighty, possessing great power, and wielding godlike abilities that handle the truth—the Demon Kings.
“Love is so easy to manipulate!”
What she wanted above all else was to obliterate everything that the black knight, Lee Soo-hyun, loved.
That was it.
*
“Junior, is that true? Black Cloud has been resurrected?”
“Yes, not only him, but the other Demon Kings will also rise and attack the academy.”
While speaking, a sudden chill crept over him.
This unsettling sensation prickled all his nerves, feeling quite a while since he had sensed it.
They had been discussing the resurrection of the Demon Kings, but why did he feel this ominous sensation now?
The president’s office had a fireplace or warmth spells working, so there was no reason to feel cold.
“So… it seems we need to change our plans.”
One person alone cannot defeat a Demon King.
It would be more effective to divide those present into teams for individual takedowns.
Even if he created clones using the Mind Sword, they would be weaker than the original.
Resultantly, the conclusion of completely finishing the vendetta was voiced by Giseok.
“Let’s assign each of us to deal with a Demon King.”
I ground my teeth.
I loathed that the magician wasn’t going to give up and would try raiding the academy again.
What trick was she planning this time to drive a wedge between Pina and me?
“I’ll handle Black Cloud! I’ve been waiting for this day!”
“I-I’ll help you, Drake!”
The sage and Drake immediately raised their hands.
Drake had his family massacred by Black Cloud, while the sage lost friends in the tower’s collapse.
These two were the perfect opponents to face the Demon King of All Knowledge.
“I’ll take on the Demon King of Total Knowledge.”
“Magnolia, are you sure you’re okay? Don’t overdo it…”
Seeing that, others started to step up, declaring they would fight the Demon Kings.
“Our dear Mir still needs to be safe afterward, right? Dennis.”
The hunter and celestial demon from different worlds nodded.
Hearing his wife talk to their daughter, Dennis steeled himself.
“Licht, then can we both take on the Demon King of All Knowledge?”
“Please include me too. Licht!”
The green-haired man raised his hand to fight Head Ake.
“That guy once tried to manipulate me with a way to heal my lover.”
His identity was Laplace, the librarian of the Library of Truth and the academy’s principal.
Fists clenched, Laplace revealed his anger.
“The Demon King of All Knowledge, what a load of nonsense!”
While his lover, Claire, was suffering from a disease that turned her into a tree, Head had approached Laplace to twist his fate into becoming the principal.
“Licht, I’m counting on you for that too. That psycho who kidnapped Schartines.”
“Nex… isn’t that too dangerous?”
Nex chimed in, expressing his intent to kill Head Ake.
He had even created a dungeon in the academy’s underground to kidnap Schartines.
Once again, the final boss of [Night Heart]—truly garbage, just a notch below Magic Hat.
“Then, please assist Schartines in capturing Black Cloud.”
“Me? Really? Can I do it?”
“Yes. Magic Hat and Intinium’s spots are already filled.”
As I spoke, I glanced around.
I hadn’t even mentioned it, yet four people were already discussing plans to take down the Demon King of Might.
“Kay, let’s test out the ultimate move we’ve newly learned!”
“Ariel… calm down. Don’t let your guard down just because we’ve won once.”
The Light Hero, who lost his brother, and the Flame Magician, who lost his hometown.
Kainel and Ariel prepared their weapons as they joined the operation.
“I vow to avenge the Iron Blood Duke, my lady.”
“Right… Giseok, w-wait! Aren’t we too close?”
The Iron Blood Grand Duke had been killed by the Demon King of Might.
Giseok was conversing with the Grand Duchess, Sophia, to get that revenge.
Just holding hands made their faces turn red. Once this all over, would things go well for the two?
“Su-hyun… we…”
“Of course, we need to take down the Magic Hat with Father.”
I extended my hand for a handshake with Emperor Rock.
It seemed Pina was shocked after seeing me and her intimate scene.
“…..”
“Shouldn’t we also secure permission for marriage from Mother-in-law?”
Though I had already received it long ago, I wished for Rock to be happy by reclaiming Queen Bellin.
Losing a beloved person was truly a horrific experience.
“Right, I’m counting on you… son-in-law.”
“Thank you for your trust, Father.”
Emperor Rock’s hand trembled slightly.
I completed my handshake with him as we finished preparing for the upcoming Demon Kings.
“Now let’s truly bring this to an end.”