[You have understood a lot of the Devilâs Blessing.]
After Yeon-woo finished forging traces in the battlefield, he nimbly ripped up the thin book in his hand.
It was De Royâs studies, his reward after annihilating the Ceratopsian Dinosaur.
[You have destroyed âDe Royâs Studies (Part Two)â. Additional use of the artifact is impossible.]
[The hidden piece is being revealed!]
On the outside, De Royâs studies looked just like an old diary. Its real appearance only showed when you ripped it apart.
The frail paper was quickly absorbed into Yeon-wooâs right hand.
As he did, a black insignia appeared on his right palm. The insignia was a mountain sheep with two horns.
[The skill âDemon Studiesâ has been created.]
[Demon Studies]
Rank: D+
Proficiency: 0.0%
Summary: A study that the adventurer De Roy recorded by observing demons his entire life. You can borrow the power of a demon on the 98th floor using black magic. As your proficiency increases, you can make contracts with stronger demons.
Currently, the rank is low as parts of the study are missing, but it will increase as the other parts are found.
*Devilâs Incantation
After paying a price, you can create the demonic energy needed for black magic. There is a condition that you have to find a skill book to use black magic.
*Devil Poison
You can create the pure poison that only Demonic species and demons use. The amount you can create depends on your dark property or your understanding of the Devilâs Blessing.
Because he only had one part of the Demon Studies, the rank was low. The only magic he could use was incantations and Devil Poison.
But after you earned the skill, it became easier because black magic was extremely common at auctions. Since most people couldnât easily use it, the supply was much higher than the demand.
âOf course, Iâm planning on giving most of it to Boo. Since the Devilâs Incantation and Devil Poison are big accomplishments.â
All he needed was the hearts of the Ceratopsian Dinosaur and the purple Devil Flowers to increase the Devilâs Blessing that he had.
The amount of demonic energy and the Devil Poison he had learned would be of great help to him, not just for the Monster Army but also for various skills. There were already a couple that he was thinking about.
However, he had to use Demon Studies carefully. Dealing deeply with demonic energy meant that you would become that much closer to demons.
There was nothing good about being close to demons. Yeon-woo just needed power.
âHyung-nim, where should I put this?â
Then, Phante and Edora brought the hearts that they got out. Yeon-woo opened Intrenian and had them put the hearts inside.
âFor now, keep them in there. After they are refined, Iâll give it to you.â
âHeeheehee. The strength of demons. I wonder if itâll go well with this horn.â
Phante had been warned several times that it was dangerous to touch Demon Studies, but he was just happy that he could become stronger.
Yeon-woo grinned and shook his head, like there was nothing he could do. The guy was always the same.
âWhew! Anyway, the fight was rough! Who did you fight with that it becameâŠ..!â
Phante was about to say something looking around but he suddenly widened his eyes. At the same time, his body turned the opposite way. Edora and Yeon-woo turned their heads in the same direction.
A tremendous shock came from where Brahmâs Illusionary World was, and a tornado began to shoot up in the sky.
âBoo!â
Yeon-woo quickly called Boo in his shadow and surrounded himself and the Phante siblings with a defense barrier. Thinking that it might not be enough, he brought Aegis out as well.
But even though they were far away, the strong winds of the tornado repetitively shook their defense barrier.
Phante and Edora focused on protecting themselves within Yeon-wooâs barrier with their scrolls, flicking away the occasional rock or Demon Tree that came their way.
Just what was happening? Yeon-wooâs gaze didnât move from the tornado. Brahmâs Illusionary World should definitely have been enough to block the Elohim. Was there an unknown variable that got in their way?
But Yeon-wooâs shock didnât end there.
After the tornado stopped like it was only a lie, a heavy darkness and pure magic energy drifted towards him in the wind and caused him to shiver.
It was a power that instinctively stimulated the senses of a dragon. It was the demonic energy of a demon. Since Yeon-woo knew the purpose of the transmutation circle and the sealing circle already, he wasnât too surprised about it.
However, what surprised him was the fact that the demonic energy was so familiar to him.
It was a type that irritated oneâs senses.
It was the guy that had lent his power to Yeon-wooâs brother and tried to tempt him into a contract, but left empty-handed. Why was someone who wasnât interested in things like this on the lower floors?
âWhy is AgaresâŠ..?â
He felt anxious for some reason. Yeon-woo spread his wings of fire to dart in that direction.
He could hear Phante and Edora frantically shouting at him, but he didnât listen.
***
-You will eventually become mine.
Around the time his brother was slowly dying, fighting off the poison in his body, Agares had appeared in his brotherâs dream through their connection and said this.
His brother just replied with a smile.
-Agares. Sorry, but I canât be with you.
-Ha! A guy whoâs dying, acting arrogant until the end.
-Even if I die, there are things I have to uphold.
Agaresâs obsession with his brother was extreme. At first, he had just wanted to bind one of the only dragonâs successors to him.
His brother had tried to learn the magic of demons through Demon Studies, and the being who had replied to his desires was Agares.
Because he was the Grand Duke of Solomonâs 72 Demons, his brother and Vieira Dune, who had helped him, had been completely shocked.
Thinking back to it now, this was when Vieira Dune had started to be envious of his brother.
After Agares taught Jeong-woo his magic, he had suggested that he become bound to him, and he would share his power if he did so.
He said that if Jeong-woo didnât want to be his dependent, he could also be his disciple. He had promised that the greatest path would be waiting for him, and even after death, he would receive a high position.
But each time, his brother had firmly refused without any hesitation.
It was because he knew that what Agares wanted was his Dragonâs Blessing and his Ten Thousand Immunity.
Those rejections made Agares furious.
A halfblood that wasnât even a dragon had kicked away his generosity. On the other hand, Agares was a being that was as strong as the high gods.
Also, at the time, Agares didnât have any interest on the lower floors.
There was a goal he was trying to achieve, so he had spent thousands of years on it. How anxious would he have been when he couldnât have something that he actually wanted after all this time?
So Agares continued to offer even more tempting suggestions, but as his brother rejected them every time, he cut off ties with his brother.
His brother considered it a shame that he couldnât learn from Agares anymore.
But by that time, he had already learned the black magic he needed, and he was able to awaken up to the 5th step, so he didnât regret it.
Also, at this time, their enmity with the Eight Great Clans became worse, and this was when the problems arose.
When Agares restored his connection, it was several years later, when his brother was dying alone in the clan house.
Agares tossed his last suggestion here.
To grab his hand.
If he did, he could heal the illness that was eating at his brotherâs body and soul, and he could lend power for his brotherâs revenge.
He had also said the unbelievable condition that he would take care of all the limits of the principles of casuality on the contract.
The limits of the principles of causality.
This was the principle that forced the gods and demons to stay on the 98th floor so they couldnât do anything.
To take care of it all by himself meant that he would bear the huge damage to his level. It was an incredible offer that Agares had never given in the entirety of the Towerâs time.
Also, because of the dog-eat-dog nature demonsâ society, an offer like this wasnât made commonly.
Agares had put down the last of his pride. And on one side, he also felt anxious. If his brother died just like that, for the first time in a thousand years, Agares would never be able to get what he wanted.
However, his brother just rejected him with a smile, and Agares left, furious, saying the same words as he did when he arrived.
-You will eventually become mine.
***
âWas it because of me?â
While Yeon-woo was dashing by the forest that couldnât even be called a forest anymore, he continued to think of the same thing.
That maybe Agares had recognized him.
It wasnât weird if that was the case.
When he first understood the concept of Cores in the village of the One-horned tribe, multiple gods and demons had started to take an interest in him.
Since the beings who couldnât move on the 98th floor couldnât do anything but watch.
And to pick the next apostle, one who could demonstrate their power in their stead, they didnât easily take their eyes off of someone they were interested in.
So everything about Yeon-woo was watched, and some had definitely seen him take off his mask. As much as his brother received Agaresâs love, he was someone who received the attention of the other gods and demons.
It wasnât completely out of the ordinary for Agares to realize who he was, and it was likely he considered Yeon-woo as Jeong-wooâs replacement.
Everything else aside, Yeon-woo had seen a similar message multiple times.
âA message related to demons. They always had a discussion after someoneâs suggestion.â
According to the preference of the gods, opinions of Yeon-woo were split.
However, they had just shown interest, and not done anything else.
He just knew that because of a âmysterious demon,â they were having a discussion about him.
But he couldnât know more than that.
One thing he could figure out, however, was that for it to be a demon who could gather all the demons, it had to be a demon in a very high position.
And if that was Agares?
If Agares had come through the temporary connection that Brahm made with the 98th floor, it definitely made sense.
However,
âNo. No way.â
Yeon-woo shook his head.
It was a hypothesis that made sense, but there was no reason for Agares to show himself.
It wouldâve been fine if he just sent a servant of his, or a lower demon in his stead.
He didnât have to lift a single finger.
Furthermore, even if Yeon-woo was his brotherâs twin, they were two completely different people. A demon who could see the soul itself wouldnât be interested in him, even though he looked like his brother.
Also, if his hypothesis was right, Agares wouldnât have been scuffling with Brahm right now. He wouldâve tried to look for Yeon-woo right away.
The 23rd stage was already in Agaresâs control. If he wanted to, he could catch him easily.
Then why did he choose to manifest here?
No matter how much he thought about it, there was no logical explanation.
[What explanation? Demons are always like that. Evil, cunning. Right?]
[As much as we donât know what heâs planning, we should prepare for all kinds of scenarios.]
âAlright.â
Listening to Shanon and Hanryeong speak, he became closer to Brahmâs Illusionary World.
Yeon-woo attempted to awaken his Dragonâs Body. He felt the scales growing on his skin and activated his Magic Equip several times to raise his power to the max.
Even in this condition, he wouldnât be as much as Agaresâs toenail, but then again, he couldnât just do nothing.
And he also had this thought.
If he secretly ran away from the 23rd floor and came back, Agaresâs manifestation wouldâve ended. He was surprised at himself for running into the fight without looking back.
Then.
He saw black clouds floating around in the air. Inside, he could see something vanish and disappear. He saw Brahm and Kindred fighting violently.
There were pieces of the Illusionary World. It seemed like after the barrier was forcefully taken apart, some still remained.
The pieces were becoming fainter, like they would soon disappear.
Yeon-woo started to expand the range of his Extrasensory Perception to attack each piece.
There would be an intense vestige left in them from the Illusionary World. He wanted to see what happened while he was gone.
The entire time he was running, multiple scenes flashed through his head.
âThe Devil Army was behind Aether? And Kindred, at that?â
Yeon-woo frowned. He didnât understand.
Aether and his family had been excommunicated from the Elohim and his species because of his fatherâs mistake, right when Aether was about to be king. He had worked hard to overcome it. He was a Superior species, and he was more proud than anyone of the fact that he had godly blood.
To think that a guy like that had become the servant of a player that wasnât even a demon yet was impossible.
But his curiosity didnât matter. Aether had already sacrificed his twin sister and called Kindred in, along with two other bishops. And they had messed everything up.
It was also a mistake on Yeon-wooâs part for only coming up with a plan to catch the Elohim.
However, the greatest problem was right after that.
-I called for those like Belial or DantalionâŠ.but why are you here?
-I donât know. Why do you think?
Brahm, who was shouting with intensity, and Agares, who was jeering at him.
And Brahmâs voice had been mixed with surprise and anxiousness. The piece of the barrier with Brahm in it was shaking as well.
He seemed desperate, hoping that what he was thinking wasnât true.
-What are you talking about, Brahm. Do you think I donât know?
But Agares had just smirked.
-Iâll take the Dragon Human. Although itâs nothing more than a lump of trash. If itâs Heaven Wingâs child, isnât that enough for me to take it?!
He didnât hear anything else.
Just one phrase swirled around his Yeon-wooâs head.
Heaven Wingâs childâŠ..
Heaven Wingâs childâŠ..
If it was Heaven Wingâs child!
âJeong-wooâŠ..had a child?â
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