Chapter 517: Only Pleasure

The symbol of robbery and plunder. King of Dragons. Great Demon. Vrilligant had been given countless titles and nicknames. Even including those spoken of in legends and rumors.

This simply conveyed the magnitude of the threat Vrilligant posed. Whether heroic or demonic, powerful beings were always spoken of in isolation.

But only a few knew Vrilligant’s true thoughts and ideas, or his way of thinking.

Most of those who did know were now dead.

The Great Demon Vrilligant’s massive body swayed, while his thoughts felt hazy. For now, his claws and fangs were merely acting on instinct. Vrilligant himself was finally beginning to regain his senses, thanks to the magical power that had entered his head.

Where was he? What was he doing? It unclear, but somehow, he knew that there was an enemy.

When he opened his eyes clearly, he saw a dazzling and flickering light, and a vast world surrounding that light.

Unconsciously, Vrilligant’s eyes widened. His enormous pupils glared at the earth around him. He could see all the way to the distant lands from Mount Bephimus.

There, buildings of a style he had never seen before stood side by side, and intricate paths were laid out along them. And the ones occupying them weren’t dragons, nor even demons, but humans.

It was a sight he had never seen before.

All that came into view, even beyond the horizon, was land that had once been Vrilligant’s territory.

But now the kingdom he had built was gone, and nothing he saw before his eyes was dedicated to him. He could see that even the terrain had changed after looking here and there.

It was only at this point that Vrilligant’s vague memories finally began to settle.

Yes, he had been defeated by that human. Like the Spirited God, and like the Giant King. And then everything was lost. The rulership of this land changed from demons to humanity.

Only one thing spilled into Vrilligant’s mind as he thought about this.

It wasn’t endless resentment towards the human hero Altia, nor was it the volcanic rage of the dragon race.

…Only pleasure filled the Great Demon’s heart.

Vrilligant’s eyes flashed back to the days of the past.

The usurpation of the throne. Subjugation of rebels. War with the Spirited God. The Fall of the Giant King. The invasion of the West. And the War with Altia. A life filled with blood and battle. The dragon’s head contorted as if expressing emotion. Vrilligant’s massive body wriggled.

To Vrilligant, it was all pleasure. Invasion and usurpation were pleasures beyond comparison.

The obsidian-looking dragon was once looked down upon as inferior. But they all succumbed before his fangs and claws: the great gold, the noble silver, and the strong bronze.

Vrilligant’s life began with stealing and ended with being stolen from others. The dragon knew no other pleasure.

But now, before his very eyes, there was land that he had not yet conquered. If this weren’t joy, then what?

At the same time, the world began to shimmer and changed its scenery. He began to see what he could do to this world.

His spirit, thoughts, and ideas that were contained solely within his body took shape and devoured the world. There was no need to question how abnormal this was. It was as if his ideal future became the present.

In an instant, a jewel-like brilliance covered Vrilligant’s field of vision. It was as if stakes of light were descending from the heavens.

The scene seemed familiar. A half-breed demon under the Spirited God’s rule. Had he said something about a jewel?

Vrilligant didn’t know how it all came about, but it seemed this demon had become his enemy.

Vrilligant thought nothing of it. He simply opened his jaw as if it was the most natural thing to do.

…And so he bit into the demon’s aurora and devoured the body of the Jewel Bar Agathos.

He thrust his fangs into the demon, intending to steal its flesh, its blood, and its soul. He then swallowed it in one gulp.

All that remained was his own persona.

But it was strange. Why were just two demons, at most, standing up to him? Vrilligant felt neither anger nor pity, only doubt.

—

Jewel Bar Agathos’ flesh and blood were crushed and thrown into the Great Demon Vrilligant’s body, but even so, she let out a storm-like roar.

All of her emotions poured into her voice like a raging torrent. Something so unbearable and unacceptable had happened.

「Le…Leu!? You…You…Why!? What…are you kidding me!? 」

She was slurring her words. Lacking blood, and with most of her magical power gone, Agathos was unable to even display her dignity as a demon.

But even that was a blessing.

In reality, she shouldn’t have been able to do that. Vrilligant’s body was like an Original Text in itself. So it would be easy for him to steal Agathos’ soul with his own body.

The reason why Agathos didn’t end up like that was clear. There was only one answer.

…Instead, the soul of a human named Leu was devoured by Vrilligant.

At that moment, Agathos muttered a sigh of resignation, just before being crushed by Vrilligant’s fangs. Leu pushed Agathos’ soul aside and presented herself before those deadly fangs.

And she lost her soul without a moment of resistance, before Agathos could even speak.

Agathos clenched her limp fingers and bit into the inside of her cheeks until blood spilled. No amount of pain could equal her rage.

「She…She…Damn, she…! 」

Agathos had no idea what Leu was thinking.

Souls stolen by the Great Demon could never be saved. How much would it be to have one’s soul consumed as food for others? The pain in one’s soul felt far greater than having its skin peeled off.

Agathos let out a curse-like voice as she desperately supported herself. She could only crawl after having lost both flesh and blood. Yet, she was able to stand afterwards with her own jewels.

Her breathing was rough. She had no idea what to do. She was standing, but what was she supposed to do next?

Suddenly, Agathos felt something touching her cheek. It was some kind of liquid. It was spilling from her eyes.

Agathos let out a sneer when she realized they were tears. That showed how completely she had lost track of herself.

Her lips moved unconsciously.

「You…You said it…that at the very least, you’d want to die…in your sleep. How could you do something like this!? 」

And those words weren’t right.

In truth, Leu should’ve wanted to be happy. It should’ve been fine as long as she could live peacefully. But she ended like this.

…This couldn’t be good.

Agathos had no idea who she was talking to or what she was saying. And yet, the words just kept spilling out of her lips.

「I am an unchanging, immortal jewel. No one can change me, and I will never change…Living for someone else…is completely unacceptable. Why do such a thing, Leu. 」

These were the words she professed after she had made up her mind.

Demons could only live in the role they had carved out for themselves with their Original Texts. They were pitiful creatures whose only way to prove their existence was through that power.

And that was why, for that very reason, they were willing to risk even their souls.

After regulating her breathing, Agathos used the jewels to form artificial limbs and looked straight ahead. She was no longer inside a body. It would be more accurate to say that she had been absorbed into Vrilligant’s Original Text.

Agathos opened her mouth, while her lips were pulsating. Several tear drops remained on her cheeks. Instinctively, her hands cleaned her wet face.

「Putting it into words makes it all sound cliche. But I’ll say it anyway, Vrilligant. 」

As expected, Agathos opened her mouth, speaking to no one around her.

Her voice sounded like an authentic curse.

「…I’ll kill you. I’ll show you just how beautiful the soul you stole was. 」

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