Ch-201. **The Banquet of a Special Envoy**
—
The Demon King.
Ruler of ten thousand demons and the absolute sovereign who presides over the Eight Hells.
Seated upon the throne of the Demon Realm, listening to the reports on the progress of the war, he could not help but twist his expression in raw irritation.
“Issera has been defeated…”
If anything, the fact that Issera at least managed to invade before losing was… a small relief.
The King of the Dead, Ahram, had evaporated before he could even attempt an invasion of Earth.
But failure was failure.
*Utterly stupid and hopelessly incompetent.*
He had been so arrogant that the Demon King had chosen to simply sit back and watch — and yet nothing had changed from before their deaths.
Of course, the Demon King hadn’t expected much from the start.
Had Issera not been the younger brother of the 7th Lord, Basara, he would never have even become the 2nd Lord.
The only reason that wretched fool was seated among the Lords was because he possessed a peculiar condition that made him “invincible” — and because he rode upon Basara’s coattails.
Even after tearing off pieces of the Dragon God’s flesh and forging a contract with the Spirit King Agnis, perhaps he had changed a little… but…
“To fail after contracting with a Spirit King — truly pathetic. Pay it no mind, my lord.”
A man beside the Demon King read his mood and calmly offered advice.
A demon wearing a tribal chieftain–like mask, spear in hand.
“Is that what you truly think, Mammon?”
He was Mammon — master of the Third Hell and successor of the Primal Spirits.
Among all demons, he alone could harness Primal Spirits, and he was the one who helped Issera forge his contract with the Spirit King of Fire, Agnis.
“Yes. Issera managed to draw out only 20% of Agnis’ power. To think someone bearing the title of master of the Inferno could amount to so little… it is disappointing beyond measure.”
“You’re saying he lost because he could not unlock the Spirit King’s power?”
“That is correct.”
Mammon was confident.
Had Issera fully unleashed the Spirit King’s power, the invasion of Earth would have proceeded with ease.
But… was that really true?
*A new Dragon God has been born on Earth. And the birth of that Dragon God involved the Mad Dragon, Einhassar.*
Only one being knows how to birth a Dragon God.
The one once called the Dragon of Wisdom — Einhassar.
Driven mad by the Curse of Ruin, he suddenly reclaimed the burden of the Dragon God — and coincidentally, around the same time, a new Dragon God was born.
A *mutant* Dragon God.
There was no way this was coincidence.
*Is this the devils’ trickery?*
The Demon King also knew that recently, the Devil of Greed had appeared.
But the movements of the ancient devils had never concerned him.
Even if their pranks were severe, they never collided with him.
And if they tried, he would have snapped their necks long ago.
But if this — all of this — was the devils’ handiwork, then it was a clear attempt to provoke him.
*The divine beings weaken us.*
The Demon King — the only blood descendant of *Ruin*.
Ruin had birthed both the Demon Realm and the Demon King by annihilating countless worlds, slaughtering and cursing countless divine beings into madness.
Because divinities weaken Ruin.
Therefore, the natural mortal enemy of Ruin — and of its descendants, the Demon King and the demons — could only be the gods.
And so he was born with the fate of an invader.
*…Whoever moves, whatever their purpose is, it is merely flailing.*
Yet the Demon King did not rush.
His body was nearly perfected.
After seizing Wilhelm’s flesh, he had long since surpassed Wilhelm’s level.
The cold skin now bore warmth, and his strengthened heart and body felt ready to burst out and destroy all.
If the ancient devils were playing games, he would simply tear their throats one by one.
“I will never fail, my lord.”
Mammon vowed.
Just like Ahram and Issera once had.
And to be fair, Mammon was on an entirely different level than those two.
Two consecutive failures.
At this point, one might think it would be better to invade with full force.
*But that damned Pina laid a curse on me.*
The Goddess of the Sky — Pina.
The wretched goddess who saved Wilhelm’s soul didn’t just leave behind a star when she died.
She also left behind a curse.
A curse preventing the Demon Realm from mobilizing its full power.
She shackled his feet.
Thanks to it, the Demon Realm and all the Lords had fully revived — and yet were unable to unleash their entire army.
Irony.
*But that curse…*
It would eventually weaken.
Every time a Lord failed an invasion and died, their magic flowed into his body.
And as his body strengthened, Pina’s shackles weakened.
“…Hmm?”
It was then.
Suddenly, the Demon King’s expression darkened.
“My lord — is something amiss?”
Startled by the Demon King’s abrupt change, Mammon asked. The Demon King answered with an even grimmer voice.
“Mammon… you do not feel it?”
“Feel what, my lord?”
“Somewhere on the continent of Pangaenia… a colossal destiny has just been born.”
“…I am sorry, but I cannot sense anything.”
Ah.
Did Mammon truly not feel this overwhelming wave?
Not only Mammon — not a single demon felt it.
Only the Demon King — descendant of Ruin — could feel it.
Thump. Thump. Thump.
…His heart pounded. His palms sweated.
*Am I… nervous?*
That newly born, colossal destiny — its vortex was threatening him.
What could it be?
Could there truly be something capable… of threatening even *Ruin*?
*…Impossible.*
He rejected the thought violently.
Even when divine beings resurrected or were newly born, he never once felt tension.
Therefore… there was no way.
—
—
Outside the Demon Realm —
The first fire, used to forge armor.
Its appearance was as crude as its name, yet the substance it contained was anything but crude.
“Armor… from fire…?”
“W–what is that?”
Auril and Hudson visibly trembled as they stared at the newly forged Primordial Armor.
They had thrown the materials into the fire — and suddenly, the armor was complete.
But this was one of the functions of the *First Fire*.
This single function alone was worthy of being called *legendary*.
*With materials, there is no need for a blueprint.*
A furnace that *creates without a blueprint.*
If enough materials were available, it could produce items of *Unique grade and beyond.*
*…Insane.*
There was no other word.
How many items could not be crafted simply because the blueprint could not be found?
Especially *Unique-grade blueprints* — as rare as stars in the sky.
If not found in very specific places under very specific conditions, they simply didn’t exist.
Obtaining materials was already hell. Obtaining blueprints was even worse. That was why so few Unique-grade equipment existed in the world.
But if the *First Fire* eliminated the need for blueprints…
*Crafting Unique-grade becomes far easier.*
Not twice — ten times easier.
There were even items that could be crafted *right now.*
As long as the Golden Scale Shop and Auction House were stripped clean.
So it wasn’t just a flame that protected and developed a city.
Even that awe wasn’t close to what I felt now, staring at the Primordial Armor before me.
*Heh.*
This was beyond insane.
It was so insane… I was speechless.
—
### 【Primordial Armor (Primordial Grade)】
* Armor forged using the wooden stick that once held the ‘Mother of Creation,’ the ‘First Fire.’
* Minimum Physical Resistance: +50%
* Minimum Physical Resistance *cannot* be pierced by Penetration
* Reflects 210% of physical damage taken
* Talisman Slots: 6
* Talismans equipped are amplified by ×1.5
* Gains bonus *Total Penetration* based on level
* Skill Available: *Primordial Despair*
* Indestructible
* Soulbound
* Can change form
* Can be enhanced with *Primordial Mana Stones*
—
What could possibly be *more insane* than this?
Even the first option was madness.
*An option higher than Penetration?*
Penetration stands above all forms of resistance.
Now there was an option that *ignored Penetration itself.*
Equipment that shattered the entire foundation of Pangaenia’s system.
Even with the condition of “minimum resistance,” reducing 50% of physical damage and reflecting more than twice that amount was already broken.
*Six talisman slots. Amplification. Complete madness.*
My pupils trembled.
How was this even real?
Even the best equipment normally had two — maybe three slots.
But this armor amplified the effects of talismans.
An option I had *never once seen.*
Everything about it was unprecedented.
*9% Total Penetration…*
This level-based bonus was the same.
My current level: 9.
So my bonus Total Penetration: +9%.
Just that put my Total Penetration over 20%.
And it could be enhanced?
*What is a Primordial Mana Stone?*
I didn’t know — but if it was written here, it existed somewhere.
And form alteration meant it could be hidden perfectly.
Not that anyone could observe what this armor really was anyway.
“L-Lord Randolph… h-how is something like this possible?”
Hudson stepped forward, voice trembling.
It wasn’t just him — everyone was burning with the same curiosity.
Auril, Isaac, Balte, Andasar — all of them.
“Before that, I am going to appoint everyone here as ‘Regular Knights.’”
“Eh? C-cough! D-don’t tell me… you’ve surpassed 10,000 Honor?!”
Hudson knew.
One could appoint Regular Knights only after surpassing 10,000 Honor.
Those appointed as Regular Knights would receive additional stats and Mysteries, and would become direct knights — like royal knight-protectors.
It was an immense honor — and worth more than words.
But I shook my head.
“No.”
“Th-then how could you appoint Regular Knights…?”
“It’s not 10,000.”
“What?”
I raised three fingers.
Hudson’s eyes widened.
“W-wait. You don’t mean… thirty thousand…?”
“I exceeded it.”
“—! *Cough!*”
Hudson choked.
10,000 meant the qualification to become a King.
20,000 — even an Emperor.
But 30,000?
Was 30,000 Honor even possible?
“I can appoint up to thirty Regular Knights.”
“— Wh-what?!”
Thirty Regular Knights?
Even the Eight Fang Knights — the Emperor’s direct knight order — did not fully reach thirty.
Just by numbers alone, I could exceed even them.
Hudson’s eyes shook violently.
*…How far do you intend to go?*
Randolph’s limits… could not be seen.
Hudson felt fortunate — deeply fortunate — that he could follow such a man.
And not only Hudson — everyone felt the same.
…If Randolph had been their enemy, it would have been a nightmare beyond imagining.
—
—
The Empire — the Envoy Church.
The Lineage Patrons began to appear one by one.
“Tonight is the night of the Full Moon.”
Everyone gathered.
The Golden Mask slowly opened his mouth.
Tonight — the night of the Full Moon — would be the night when a “special existence” awakened.
“The one who prepares the most extraordinary banquet shall challenge the ‘Full Feast.’ Under the gaze of the ‘Great Moon,’ this banquet shall become an experience unlike any other.”
The Great Moon.
At that name, the Patrons twitched their shoulders with excitement.
“Are you all prepared?”
The Golden Mask’s gaze swept across the crowd.
And then it stopped.
…Staring directly — at me.
—
