Chapter 105
Satan grew anxious.
It seemed even that *Saint* had caught on by now.
The fact that he couldn't kill the guy.
Why?
The torture the *Saint* had just endured should have been a level of pain no *Normal Person* could withstand.
It was stranger that he hadn't broken.
*‘Does he want to die?’*
If there was one thing more terrifying to *Humans* than death, it was *Soul Destruction*.
*Permanent Annihilation*.
The *Permanent Annihilation* of one's very existence, neither in the *Heavenly Realm* nor *Hell*.
No being existed that didn't fear that.
But what in the world was this guy in front of him?
Seeing the guy, battered and bruised, flailing his body as if he wanted to die, Satan realized his plans were completely falling apart.
He was the *Demon King of Wrath*.
His specialty was violence and ruthless slaughter.
In other words, if someone didn't fear ruthless slaughter and violence, if they were crazy enough to want to die, then his specialty became meaningless.
“[Sa—*tan*!! Hurry!!]”
It seemed *Asmodeus*'s rampage was intensifying.
*Belphegor* and *Leviathan*'s groans suggested they could no longer control her.
There was no more time for deliberation.
Satan once again summoned his *Demonic Sword Baltaruk* and gripped it.
“[I will respect your choice. Don't regret it.]”
Satan charged.
The *Saint* used *Time Stop* to create a weapon, but with his already broken body, he couldn't even properly grip it.
It was Satan's Authority.
His wrath gnawed at the body.
Even *Asmodeus*'s Authority couldn't heal it.
For those wounds to heal, *Asmodeus* would have to unleash far greater Authority than she currently was, but doing so would destroy the *Saint*'s physical body.
This was also why the three *Demon Kings* were fighting in the *Human Realm*.
The *Saint*'s absurd *Defense* was instantly shattered by Satan's *Sword Strike*.
Satan threw the *Saint* to the *Floor* and then firmly stepped on his body.
The *Demonic Sword Baltaruk* pierced into the *Saint*'s leg.
With the smell of burning flesh, the *Saint* let out a horrific scream.
“[Give up. Give up!! Please, just give up now!! Take my hand!! You don't want to suffer any more pain, do you? I know it's agonizing! It must feel like your soul is splitting apart, beyond just your body!! Take my hand!! Take it!!]”
Satan roared.
He increased the output of the *Demonic Sword Baltaruk* even further.
Along with the sound of meat cooking, the *Saint*'s screams grew even louder.
He had bitten down so hard in pain that the sound of teeth cracking could be heard, and blood was flowing from his clenched fists.
Satan desperately wished in his heart.
It was the first time in his long existence that he had felt such helplessness.
“[Take it!! *Saint Amael*!! I don't want to torment you any further!!]”
If he wasn't careful, the *Saint* might actually die.
That would be a catastrophe.
He didn't want to experience that absurd catastrophe from 300 years ago again.
Satan pulled the sword from the *Saint*'s foot.
The *Saint*, gasping for breath, unable to even faint due to Satan's Authority, looked up at him with a terribly distorted face.
“Just.........kill me, you motherfucker. Kill me quickly!!”
Satan was dumbfounded.
What in the world was he supposed to do with this?
He raised *Baltaruk*.
Where should he strike this time?
An arm?
The abdomen?
Should he sear his face?
What if he died from the pain then?
The *Saint*'s body was far from normal.
His heart was beating so fast it was worrying whether his brain vessels might burst, and with his broken teeth and convulsing body, any more pain seemed likely to send him into shock and death.
“Kill me!! Please!! Kill me!! Stab me with that sword!!”
Unable to bear the excruciating pain from his melted leg, the *Saint* screamed for them to just kill him.
Satan couldn't swing his sword.
“[This goddamn—!! *Belphegor*!!]”
Satan looked at the *Demon King of Sloth*.
*Belphegor* rushed over.
*Asmodeus*, with one hand freed, quickly tried to reach for the *Saint*, but Satan opportunely grabbed her.
A pained groan escaped Satan's lips.
The power *Asmodeus* was wielding was almost too much for him to handle.
“[*Amael*!! *Amael*!!]”
*Asmodeus* struggled.
Each time, the entirety of *Talahaim's Rocky Mountain* shook wildly, as if an earthquake had struck.
*Asmodeus's Left Wing* thrashed violently.
*Lucifer* seemed to be desperately controlling the *Black Wing*, trying to rein in *Asmodeus* somehow.
Considering he was blocking the interference of the entire *Pantheon*, it seemed clear that even *Lucifer* had reached his limit.
“[*Belphegor*!! Corrupt him, now!! Immediately!!]”
*Leviathan* screamed desperately.
*Belphegor* rushed towards the *Saint* lying on the *Floor*.
Her hand turned black.
“[It's not my preferred method, but... I have no other choice right now, do I?]”
*Belphegor* lifted the *Saint*, who was gasping in pain, unable to faint or die.
Her hand turned pitch black.
“[Don't worry. It'll be over soon.]”
Her fingers, as easily as if piercing tofu,
pierced into the *Saint*'s head.
A look of relief spread across Satan's and Leviathan's faces.
It was done.
It was *Belphegor*, after all.
The being who, during the *Heavenly War*, had corrupted more *Humans* than anyone else and claimed them as her own.
There was no way she could fail.
There was no way she couldn't corrupt the soul of a single *Human*.
“[*Belphegor*!! Hurry!!.........]”
Just as the two *Demon Kings* cried out, filled with joy,
“[Ah.........how could this.........]”
A deflated sound escaped *Belphegor*'s lips.
***
*Belphegor* was looking through the *Saint*'s life.
Memories of continuing his journey with *Kanya*.
Memories of scrambling to save people in the *Scrap Yard*.
Memories of being half-forcibly ambushed by three women.
Memories of moving to save the *Twin Princesses*.
Memories of racking his brain to save *Witch Erfa*.
Memories of being treated poorly in various ways within the renowned prophetic *Jericho Family*.
And then.........
The memories from before that caught *Belphegor*'s eye.
From that moment, *Belphegor* began to read the memories in chronological order, not reverse.
To corrupt a *Human*, she needed to know their past very precisely.
Only then could she understand him, and only by understanding could she corrupt him.
*Belphegor*'s mind quickly began to scan the *Saint*'s past.
*Belphegor* watched the moment the *Saint* was born.
She saw him growing up, spending an uneventful childhood under an ordinary *Mother* and *Father*.
The *Saint* didn't seem to be a particularly bright *Child*.
“*Mother*. *Mingyu*'s grades are.........not very good. With these scores, it'll be very difficult to get into the university he wants.”
As he entered adolescence, the *Saint*'s memories began to turn pitch black.
*Belphegor* focused on that part.
Pain and suffering.
Trauma and wounds.
Because those would be the most crucial memories for corrupting a *Human*.
On a snowy winter day.
The *Saint* experienced his first bitter setback in life.
“I think I messed up. I think I did okay on Korean, but I did terribly on the math section. I don't think I'll get into university.”
On the way back, riding in a type of car *Belphegor* had never seen before, she saw the *Saint* sobbing in the back seat.
“Son! Don't worry! We can just try again next year.”
“That's right. Don't be so hard on yourself. Let's go out to eat. *Mother*'s made a reservation.”
At his parents' comfort, the *Saint*'s memories brightened slightly.
And not long after, the *Saint*'s memories turned a terrible black.
A pitch-black color that *Belphegor* would absolutely adore.
“It was a heart attack. If only he had been found one minute sooner.........”
The *Saint*'s *Father* collapsed.
And quietly passed away.
The *Saint*'s *Mother* couldn't easily overcome the shock of the sudden death.
Her health rapidly deteriorated terribly.
“*Mingyu*. Don't worry too much. *Mother* will get better soon and figure something out.......”
His *Mother*'s face was smiling, but the *Saint* couldn't smile.
“I don't think it's the right time for me to prepare for re-taking exams, *Mother*. We still have debts, and I'll figure out your medical bills somehow.”
The *Saint* seemed to have given up something significant.
The *Saint* began to work.
He started earning money by taking on any job he could find.
In the terribly repetitive, arduous, and difficult daily life.
The *Saint*'s memories grew darker and darker.
They began to be stained a terrible, murky black.
But the *Mother* the *Saint* had tried so hard to save ultimately couldn't hold on for long.
Less than a year after his *Father*'s death, the *Saint* had to lose his *Mother* as well.
Without even a moment to properly grieve, the *Saint* had to continue living, crushed by reality.
Even with his parents gone, he still had to work.
Busy and arduous days continued to painfully pile up in the *Saint*'s life.
*Belphegor* instinctively realized that this moment would be the most crucial turning point in the *Saint*'s life.
When pain and misfortune accumulated to this extent, a *Human* couldn't endure it.
*Humans* who overcame this were rare.
Now was the time for him to break and shatter.
And if she could precisely recreate that broken and shattered part, a *Human*'s mind wouldn't be able to endure and would break.
Then he would become *Belphegor*'s toy.
*Belphegor* smiled, savoring as she scanned the *Saint*'s memories.
And then.........
The place where the *Saint* worked caught fire.
*Belphegor* watched the *Saint*'s final moments.
“You have to get out!! Right now!! Hurry!!”
The *Saint* was evacuating the *Children*.
They were the *Children* from the *Cram School District* who were in the building he was *Guard*ing.
The *Saint* desperately ran through the entire building, evacuating the *Children* who hadn't managed to escape.
After stripping off his clothes and soaking them in water, just as he was evacuating the last remaining *Child*, wrapped in the wet fabric.
The ceiling collapsed, and debris rained down.
The *Saint* threw the *Child*.
And was crushed under the debris instead of the *Child*.
“B-Big brother.........”
“Go!! Hurry!! I'll get out on my own, so run away quickly!!”
The *Child* sobbed and escaped from the burning building.
The *Saint* struggled to get out from under the debris.
But it was heavier than he expected, so the *Saint* couldn't move his body.
“Goddammit!! Why are you doing this to me! Why are you really doing this to me!!”
As his mind grew hazy from the smoke, the *Saint* sobbed and screamed.
“To me, really.........why.........”
It was the end.
The *Saint*'s memories cut off.
*Belphegor* was silent for a long time.
He was the most difficult type of *Human* to corrupt.
A being who, despite living a terrible reality and a miserable life, ultimately chose good in the end.
It was easier to corrupt someone who had lived a perfectly good life.
Because behind such perfection lay suppressed resentment and rage.
But the being before her was inherently impossible to corrupt in that way.
He was kinder than anyone, yet he believed he wasn't.
A being who constantly blamed himself for not being perfect and lived on.
A being who lived under the misconception of his true nature.
Such a being was almost impossible to corrupt.
*Belphegor* felt deflated.
Even terrible tragedies and horrific realities couldn't change the *Saint*'s soul and spirit.
Instead of resenting the *World*, he chose to live by doing good deeds wherever he could.
[*.........How.........how could this be.*]
If she had enough time, corrupting him wouldn't have been impossible.
But that was precisely the problem.
*Belphegor* didn't have enough time.
“[Damn it!! *Belphegor*!!]”
Satan's and Leviathan's screams.
[*These.........idiotic morons!!*]
*Lucifer*'s scream.
“[*Amael*!!]”
*Asmodeus*'s roar, accompanied by her explosively strengthening divine power.
And then.........
[*That damned arrogant bastard. How dare he block my sight and pull such a stunt?*]
The *Evil God* of the *Abyss*.
*Abaddon*'s cry began to be heard.