Chapter 178
Ch.178 Wow, Can That Really Be Overpowered by Strength Alone?
After days of raiding dungeons across the New and Old Continents, the Hero Party was exhausted.
“Ugh, that damn master of ours. If he wanted it earlier, why not just say so?”
Leah grumbled, and the others stayed silent—
each monster they’d faced was terrifyingly strong.
“The world feels endless. I thought killing the Demon King would end everything…”
Scarlet’s bitter remark left everyone somber.
They’d clearly defeated the Demon King in the human world—
yet in Hell, they’d been crushed by him.
Scarlet, already plagued by low self-esteem, sank into self-loathing.
Remembering her days as a powerless hero, she hunched over, knees drawn to her chest.
Her friends exchanged worried glances.
—Feels just like the beginning, doesn’t it?
—Yeah?
—Losing to the Demon King, then facing stronger foes…
Having known each other so long, they could communicate volumes with just looks.
“Scarlet? Are you okay?”
Cecilia’s question made Scarlet lift her head slightly.
“Yeah… I’m fine.”
But her expression said otherwise.
Cecilia felt she was staring at the powerless Scarlet of old—
her slumped shoulders and downcast eyes echoing that painful past.
Unable to bear it, Leah forced a bright smile.
“Scarlet! You were amazing today!”
Scarlet had just swapped her old dagger for Levi’s Dagger.
Though only a gear change, their combat effectiveness had drastically improved.
Yet seeing Scarlet so deflated after showcasing such power filled everyone with sorrow—
especially Nephert, who couldn’t fathom her idol being so disheartened.
“Is this new item yours too, Hero?”
“Yeah! Master said these new boots are exclusive to you, Scarlet.”
The Celestial Boots—maximizing Scarlet’s movement speed.
With them equipped, she’d grow even stronger.
“So you’ll get even stronger? What do the boots do?”
At Nephert’s question, Leah’s eyes darted side to side.
“Heard they boost movement speed.”
“Wow… you’re already fast—so you’ll be even faster?”
Nephert tried cheering Scarlet up, but Scarlet quietly said:
“I feel like… I only ever receive things from Hans. Without him, am I still just a powerless hero?”
Her deeply insecure tone prompted Mia to speak up.
“That’s unlike you. You’re not powerless anymore. A country girl became a hero overnight—that alone proves your worth. Don’t let small mistakes define you.”
“Exactly. Clinging to past failures is foolish.”
Cecilia joined in, urging Scarlet on.
“Right. Scarlet, you’re an excellent hero.”
“But… how can there be so many monsters in this world?”
Though hailed as humanity’s strongest, every recent foe rivaled—or surpassed—the Hell Demon King.
Even if the Demon King was restricted in the human world, his power alone was world-shattering.
“Hey, but we won, right?”
“Yeah! Don’t be so hard on yourself!”
Leah and Nephert added their encouragement.
“But…”
Scarlet had one lingering worry.
Hans had helped the Hero Party countless times—
gifting Scarlet items, sharing dungeon intel, and even funding them.
Surely Leah, Cecilia, and Mia had received similar help.
Though Hans framed this as ‘indirectly experiencing’ their world…
‘What would this world’s future have been without Hans?’
Just imagining it was horrifying.
‘Did Hans come because this world was doomed to fall?’
Scarlet suddenly realized:
Hans arrived because, without him, this world was fated for destruction.
***
Day 4 since Leah left.
Though it was late evening, the Hero Party had cleared hidden items and bosses.
In-game, they’d have gained massive EXP and leveled up—but here?
Item effects seem similar, but EXP feels different.
Defeating strong foes grants slight strength gains—but not absolute growth.
“Hmph…”
The Demon King, who’d been sitting silently like he was asleep, finally spoke.
“The Succubus Queen is dead.”
“What?”
His unexpected words puzzled me.
“Seems the King of the Dead killed her. She respawned quickly, but lost her left arm.”
I recalled Roy losing an arm.
“Now that you mention it, he lost an arm breaking the Seal Stone.”
Annoying how Roy treated Selena’s body so carelessly—but it was done.
More importantly… the Succubus Queen?
A mid-tier boss occasionally encountered in Hell—
unlike crude, lewd succubi, she was elegant and popular for her refined demeanor.
The Demon King nodded.
“Seems he used the Queen’s arm as his left.”
But can limbs really be grafted like that?
Wouldn’t there be immune rejection?
But magic defies modern science—so I let it go.
“Hmph… Roy must’ve grown incredibly strong.”
Considering Hell’s monster tiers, it’s nearly impossible for the King of the Dead to kill the Succubus Queen.
Though Roy is the final boss, this realm exists for players who’ve already beaten him—
so in-game stats actually favor the Queen slightly.
Good thing I sent the kids to the human world.
At their current strength, facing Epic King of the Dead would be suicide.
But now they’ve acquired powerful gear—
they should handle it better.
“This time, I’ll truly rip out his soul.”
“Speaking of which… The King of the Dead somehow broke multiple Seal Stones despite only having one or two divine powers. That’s odd—especially compared to the Hero Party or that strange blind elf.”
Puzzled, I asked:
“Wait—did I not mention it?”
“Mention what?”
“He has Infinite Regression.”
The Demon King’s face twisted in confusion.
“What’s that?”
“He respawns in the past. I don’t know how far back, but he learns how he died.”
Infinite Regression is absurdly overpowered.
Given the circumstances, he must’ve died dozens—hundreds—of times before breaking the Seal Stone.
“And that’s not all. Normally, death is final—but for us, it’s like he never died.”
The Demon King’s expression hardened—
as if pondering the implications.
“So… the gods truly intervened. No wonder he’s no easy foe.”
“Exactly. That’s why we’re cornered like this.”
Killing Roy won’t solve everything—
the Demon King before me, the Gates of Hell, countless issues remain.
Ignoring him, I messaged Leah:
—Good job. Rest one or two days in Pisa, then return here.
Knowing how hard they’d pushed themselves, I ordered them to rest in my territory.
That eased my mind a little.
—Yes! We will!
—thump
After reading Leah’s reply, I closed the notebook.
At least we’ve avoided the worst-case scenario.
The true nightmare would’ve been Roy arriving before the Hero Party secured their gear.
But luckily, he missed that critical window—and now we’re much stronger.
Speaking of which… when will Roy arrive?
I’m waiting for him.
***
Time passed—the Hero Party returned.
Eager to challenge the Demon King immediately—
especially Nephert, brimming with excitement.
Was it because she’d finally face the legendary Demon King?
Or because she now stood shoulder-to-shoulder with legendary heroes?
I don’t know.
“Do you really think a week changed anything?”
The Demon King taunted them.
Perhaps due to past defeats, the Hero Party wasn’t as arrogant as before—
tense, yes, but only they seemed wound up.
Compared to them, the Demon King just looked annoyed.
Still… I was curious.
They’d gained gear, so they must be stronger—
but gear alone doesn’t guarantee victory.
“Hey, Demon King—stop acting so bored. Give it your all. They’ve grown quite strong.”
Worried he’d hold back, I warned him.
“Who knows? Maybe this time, you’ll be the one crawling like a dog.”
Annoyed, he glared at me.
“If you lose this time, I take your horn.”
“Do you truly seek death?”
He growled, and I tapped Arbiter’s Armor on my chest.
—Clang!
A clear metallic ring echoed.
“Pfft? Can’t kill me, can you?”
—Trembling.
My taunt worked—his eyes widened furiously.
“Fine. I’ll fight. If they die, don’t blame me.”
At his menacing aura, Leah shouted:
“Master! What are you doing?!”
“Hans!”
“Father Hans!”
Pale-faced, they cried my name.
“If you’re going to fight, do it properly. Show me how much stronger you’ve become.”
Before I finished speaking, the Demon King lunged at Nephert—
—Clang!
—but she blocked his strike with her sword.
“Fine! Because of you, they die here.”
The Demon King began transforming.
“Urgh!”
As Nephert grunted, Scarlet charged—igniting the battle.
—Slice!
Her dagger slashed the Demon King’s side.
—Graaah!
Huh? That actually hit?
Thanks to Levi’s Dagger and Celestial Boots?
For the first time, Scarlet landed a solid hit on the Demon King.
—Inferior creatures!
The Demon King spread his wings, soaring upward—
but Leah aimed Vallien’s Staff at him.
“Gravity!”
—Hrk!
Crushed by immense weight, he groaned.
“Gravity! Gravity! Gravity!”
Watching Leah spam Gravity, I thought:
That skill hits absurdly hard…
It’s not even a human-usable spell—
reserved for upper-tier beings.
Unless you have insane magic resistance like the King of the Dead, how can you resist Gravity?
—Graaah!
The Demon King roared, finally breaking the spell.
Wow, can that really be overpowered by strength alone?
—You’ll all die!
A violet orb formed in the Demon King’s hand.
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