“Hel?” Yeon-woo’s eyes widened at Hel’s unexpected appearance.

Hel suddenly trembled like she had been electrified. Then, she looked back at Yeon-woo with a flushed face. For some reason, her breathing was rough.『Can…you…say my name again?』

“…Hel?” Yeon-woo had the impression that Hel’s bold attitude had suddenly disappeared, but he heeded her request with a flabbergasted expression since she had helped him.

『Kyaaa! ### said my name! Hel! Hel has no regrets even if she dies today! 』

“…?”

Hel jumped up and down with glee. Her sparkling eyes almost seemed dangerous, causing Yeon-woo to subconsciously take a step back.

『###…!』Just as Hel was about to run into Yeon-woo’s arm…

『Hel! What are you doing this time?!』

『Tsk. That annoying nagger is back again.』Hel grumbled with annoyance, looking at a distant figure who spoke to her from above.

[Jörmungandr descends!]

[Fenrir descends!]

A massive snake and a tiny puppy, Jörmungandr and Fenrir, appeared with black lightning. They were next to Hel. Woof! On top of the tail-wagging Fenrir was the child Agares, like always.

『Huhu! How have you been?』

[Agares descends!]

Yeon-woo had no idea why Agares of the East Demon Army appeared with Fenrir and the others, but his arrival meant Yeon-woo would have more powerful forces on his side. However, Yeon-woo didn’t know if he could trust Agares.

『Anyhow, is it because it’s been a while since I’ve seen you? There’s a very nice scent coming from you.』Agares looked at Yeon-woo with greed. He seemed to be particularly fixated on the chains and the pocket watch as if he smelled a new scent. He licked his lips with his red tongue.『A scent that’s…familiar yet tasty.』

Ssss. The pocket watch trembled before Cha Jeong-woo’s vestige body slowly appeared with white wings that directly contrasted Agares’ black ones.『Long time no see, Agares.』

『I knew it! It’s you! You! Ahaha!』Agares burst out laughing maniacally, unbefitting of his five-year-old appearance. Then, he suddenly stopped with a smirk.『It’s quite nice to see brothers next to each other like this. Yes. Very nice.』

『You still haven’t given up?』

『Give up? Why? I’ve always said that you brothers are mine. No one can ever take your souls from me!』

『The reason why you’re doing this isn’t that you want our souls but because of Saint Peter’s…!』

『Shut up! Cha Jeong-woo, even if it’s you, I’ll rip your mouth apart if you speak further!』Agares cut Cha Jeong-woo off mid-sentence and growled. Suddenly, the maniac aura around him turned into one of fury and heated up the atmosphere, but the bitterness on Cha Jeong-woo’s face didn’t disappear.

Yeon-woo realized that there was another reason he didn’t know regarding Agares’ lunatic obsessiveness.

Agares glared not at Cha Jeong-woo’s vestige body, but at the pocket watch. The greed that had been present until a moment ago was now a mad obsession, and his desire to have it could be felt by Yeon-woo. It seemed like Agares was ready to bolt for the pocket watch, but he wasn’t able to.『I want to punish you, Cha Jeong-woo, for saying that impudent nonsense, but…』

Swoosh! The dragons of light were rushing toward them again.

『I’ll have to think about it after getting rid of those annoying things.』Agares’ thrust his tens of pairs of black wings and darkened the sky as he soared up.

[On Agares’ request, the ‘East Demon Army’ will advent!]

[The allied forces’ has declared their participation!]

Agares’ black wings seemed to disperse, and demons exuding demonic energy appeared between them to simultaneously hunt the dragons of light.

Woof! Woof woof! Fenrir transformed into a large wolf and tore apart the dragons of light’s necks near him. He clawed at the dragons appearing behind him and slashed their heads. Meanwhile, Jörmungandr and Hel busily got to work, and messages saying the demons of Niflheim had descended popped up with bursts of black light.

『Hyung.』

“Yeah. Let’s hurry.”

Tick, tock!

[The speed of the spring of time has sped up!]

[The current speed is 4x.]

Yeon-woo slowed the surrounding world as much as he could and moved to the center of the stage again.

[The spring of time is running as fast as possible. The current speed of 8x.]

[The spring of death is being sped up!]

[The two springs are activated at the same time!]

[Your body is overloaded!]

[Warning! The cogwheels may be more damaged and worn if the speed of the two springs is too fast!]

[Warning! The speed of the two springs is too fast and your divine powers may be harmed!]

Yeon-woo’s body was overburdened because the springs were wound simultaneously. Even if his soul had matured, his body was mortal, and he hadn’t exuviated yet. The only reason why he had lasted until now was that he had a unique Giant Demonic Divine Dragon Body. However, he paid no mind to the pressure on his body.

[Warning! The speed of the two springs is too fast! The durability of your body is decreasing rapidly! Please be cautious!]

[Warning! The damage to the spring of time has exceeded the expected amount! It is advised you stop!]

[The collective use of the two springs has strengthened the concept of ‘death!’]

[An unidentifiable power has been strengthened through the concept!]

Rather than stopping, Yeon-woo entirely focused the released strength into Vigrid and let loose the Eight Extremes of Sword Thunder with his Yin Sword. Crash, crash, rumble. Boom! Every time he swung Vigrid, Sword Thunder crashed down onto the world of light with the concept of death. The dragons of light chasing after him were swept away.

[An unidentifiable strength wishes to dismember the great holy territory ‘Territory of Light.]

[It has failed!]

[An unidentifiable strength wishes to dismember the great holy territory ‘Territory of Light.]

[It has failed!]

…

The world of light tried to endure Yeon-woo’s brutal attacks, but it wasn’t easy.

[An unidentifiable strength has successfully implanted ‘Death’ within the great holy territory ‘Territory of Light.]

[The durability of the great holy territory ‘Territory of Light’ decreases dramatically!]

[All graces have been paused.]

[All blessings have been paused.]

…

[All functions have been paused.]

When Yeon-woo reached the Fifth Extreme, the great holy territory began to let down, and the wall of defense on the Sixth Extreme completely collapsed.

[An unidentifiable strength has successfully taken apart a part of the barrier!]

Yeon-woo landed beyond the broken barrier, reaching a world that was so white it almost seemed to be waiting for him. A prison—it was what Count Ferenc had called this place in Kronos’ memories.

“Count! Where are you, Count?” Just then, the Vampiric Lord who followed after Yeon-woo, called for Count Ferenc desperately. She had always acted with dignity, but right now, the anguish on her face was plain to see. “Count!”

However, it wasn’t easy to find the inmates because the prison was whiter than outside the barrier. Just when Yeon-woo was about to open his Fiery Golden Eyes, he heard Count Ferenc’s voice from far away. “Bathory! I’m here, Bathory!”

“Where…?!” Count Ferenc’s voice was now close, but they didn’t see him. They wondered if they were listening to a hallucination that Allforone had created.

‘Or perhaps….’ Then, Yeon-woo brought down Vigrid mid-air at the thought that suddenly occurred to him. What he attempted to cut wasn’t this prison, but the system beyond it.

[An unidentifiable strength has immobilized the defenses set up in the holy territory.]

[The defense system ‘Illusion’ has been paused.]

Ssss. As if the white curtains on a stage were pulled back, the light retreated from the world, revealing countless people.

“…Count!”

“Bathory? Is it truly you?” Count Ferenc and the Vampiric Lord, who had never forgotten each other for the last hundreds of years, stroked each other’s cheeks as they looked into each other’s eyes. They felt and sniff each other as if to confirm the person in front of them was real. Then, they tightly embraced each other.

[‘Summon of the Dead’ has been activated.]

[Who would you like to summon?]

“Lana.”

Swish! And when Yeon-woo summoned their daughter, Lana, the reunited family let out a flood of tears. The parents and daughter had finally met and seemingly achieved the impossible. Count Ferenc was heartbroken that Lana could only return as a soul. Because he could only helplessly watch as his daughter had died, he felt even more in pain. However, even though they were crying, they didn’t lose their rationality. They couldn’t lose this opportunity because of these momentary emotions.

“Kro…nos.” Count Ferenc patted his wife and daughter’s backs as he turned back to Yeon-woo. Kronos had descended and was smiling at him.

『I kept my promise from back then.』When Kronos was planning to escape this prison with Count Ferenc’s “fang”, he had casually asked the Count what he wished for.

-My wish? Hahaha! I’m happy just thinking about it. The fact that we can hope for such things when we don’t even know if we’ll be successful…

-So tell me. Thoughts are a precious treasure that no one can take from you. Would you wish to leave this place or learn where your family is?

-Hm! If I am granted a wish…

-Ahem. You must have a wish. So what is it?

-I wish to see my family.

-You don’t want to escape?

-I don’t want anything more. If only I could hold my wife and daughter’s hands… If I can do that one last time before dying…I would want nothing else.

Back then, Count Ferenc had just smiled sadly, as if he thought it wouldn’t be possible. He had forgotten about it, but Kronos had remembered it to this day and really granted him that wish. The count was so grateful that he looked at Kronos and Yeon-woo with a wavering gaze. Then, with determined eyes, he slowly kneeled and bowed on the ground. “I, follower of darkness, Nádasdy Chachette Ferenc, do solemnly swear. My body and soul will forever follow during my life and after death.” After him, the Vampiric Lord and Lana also kneeled.

“I, follower of darkness, Erzsebet Bathory, also solemnly swear.”

“I, follower of darkness, Lana Ferenc, also solemnly swear.”

[A new follower has pledged their allegiance!]

[A new follower has pledged their allegiance!]

[The amount of faith in you has exceeded the limit.]

[You have gained more properties of darkness.]

[You have gained more properties of darkness.]

…

[The concept of death has been strengthened.]

…

[Obtain more followers who worshipped you. The greater the faith in you, the more you can use darkness.]

[The Black King has sensed your presence for the first time!]