Chapter 944

## Chapter 944

Two days ago, in the Soul Tree Forest near the Seventh Castle of Belgasyum in the True Demon World, Hell.

“Haah, ja…!”

Basset gasped for air.

Three days ago, a great war suddenly erupted in the True Demon World. Because of this, the members of Visepps’ death squad, who had come out of hiding to prepare for the final battle against Zito, were caught up in the war and were fighting day after day.

“Are you alright, Elder Brother?”

“Sir Basset, your internal injuries are serious. You should get treatment from Silkia.”

Tilias and Misol said as they stood next to Basset.

Basset had been injured protecting the non-combatants who were evacuating. He had almost single-handedly protected nearly a million people from the ten Demon Kings, over fifty commanders, and countless soldiers.

The reason why he could face all those enemies by himself was that they weren’t focusing on Basset as before.

Zito’s followers, or more precisely, Zito’s subordinates, seemed to be trying to kill everything they saw. They were massacring not only their enemies but also their own allies.

The nearby members watched Basset with a mixture of apologies and admiration in their hearts. Basset believed that protecting them from Zito was the true purpose of his existence.

“No. That boy’s power shouldn’t be wasted on something like this.”

“But, Sir Basset…”

“I said no. Anyway, we have a few hours, so I just need to recover until then…”

The members showed their respect towards Basset, but they also spat curses and obscenities upon the countless corpses surrounding them.

This was because the True Demon World Army had always been seen as ruthless oppressors in the eyes of Visepps until now. The members of Visepps had lived their lives running to survive, and each of them had lost a loved one at the hands of Zito’s subordinates.

Therefore, they couldn’t help but feel hatred. If they didn’t harbor hatred, life would be unbearable, as each cycle of forgetting only increased their accumulated resentment.

Basset suppressed his despair as he watched his companions curse and vent their frustrations while trampling on the corpses.

“Tilias, how can I tell them the truth?”

“Elder Brother…”

“It was also hard for me to believe the information we heard from Jin Runcandel. But Zito has unleashed a horrible massacre in this world, and those we considered our enemies until now… they were all just more victims of Zito.”

The brainwashing wasn’t limited to high-ranking demons, including the Demon Kings and commanders.

Zito had brainwashed the entire True Demon World Army. However, the reason why this fact hadn’t been revealed in Valeria’s Record Magic was because all the common demons who were initially brainwashed had died.

The current rank-and-file soldiers of the True Demon World Army had grown up under parents and superiors who had been brainwashed since birth.

Therefore, it wasn’t necessary to brainwash them separately. The demons had no choice but to become Zito’s dogs in that absolute environment.

Only the members of Visepps hadn’t been brainwashed by Zito. That’s why they had resisted the oppressors until now.

“Haha.”

“We’ve all often thought that it might be like this. Maybe Zito would finally use even his most loyal subordinates as expendable pawns for his own pleasure.”

But no one had expected that even the most powerful demons, like Paellito and Sakiel, would be used in such a way.

“Command” naturally requires administrators, and it’s a concept that can only be established if there are people in the first place.

However, Zito’s actions were completely inconsistent with this idea. He had driven people to madness, causing them to kill each other, and had discarded his subordinates — who should have become administrators — like trash.

“This, this isn’t right. We all thought that bastard wanted to rule the world. But what he really wanted was… destruction. Or it could be the end where only a small minority chosen by Zito survives. Since the entire True Demon World is engulfed in war, it’s possible that hundreds of millions have already died…”

Now, Visepps was in a position where they not only had to protect their companions but also Zito’s subordinates.

What Visepps desperately desired wasn’t the safety and freedom of the Visepps affiliates, but the peace of the entire True Demon World.

However, the members of Visepps cursed Zito’s dead subordinates, and their hatred showed no signs of diminishing.

“How can they accept that everyone in the True Demon World was a victim? The blood on our hands cannot be washed away, and the dead cannot return.”

Basset was heartbroken.

Basset had killed countless members of the True Demon World Army until now, and spies like Tilias had tortured and killed captured members of Visepps to maintain secrecy.

Now, no matter how this ends, Visepps couldn’t expect a bright future. Only a cruel truth, heavier than life and immense wounds that would never heal, awaited the demons.

“Even so, we must inform them. And we must fight. We have no choice but to move forward, even if we crumble in the end because we can’t accept the truth, Elder Brother.”

“Yes… you’re right.”

“By now, Jin Runcandel should have already reached the True Demon World to confront Zito. We have to stop the artificial sun somehow before he meets Zito.”

The artificial sun, a massive organ created by the True Demon World for its survival after the death of the Sun God.

The device drew its power from the “Sun Land,” which was deep within the True Demon World. Visepps judged that as long as the artificial sun existed, not even a Genesis Knight like Jin could kill Zito.

The reason why Tilias had initially said that Zito couldn’t be killed unless the alliance joined forces with Basset was because of this.

Currently, Visepps’ spy, Ridolos Trinak, was located near the Sun Land.

“We will meet Ridolos as soon as the Belgasyum army passes the battlefield. I will destroy the artificial sun with this key that Paellito copied in the infernal past, and Jin Runcandel will win…”

“Yes, Elder Brother. From then on, we start again. Somehow, we will start over. That’s why you’ve been keeping Silkia’s power, right? Freedom is within our grasp, so focus on your recovery. I’ll take care of the members.”

Basset repaired his internal injuries for five hours. The scouts began to report that the Belgasyum army was leaving the battlefield.

“Sir Basset, the Belgasyum army has left the outskirts of Hell.”

“Understood. We must also prepare to leave now.”

“But, Sir Basset, the Belgasyum army didn’t kill each other, unlike other units.”

…What?

“They were under Layla Belgasyum’s command, and they were simply moving somewhere, despite having had friction with other units along the way. Moreover, they fought without panicking even when they saw friendly forces killing each other.”

“So, does that mean that Layla Belgasyum knew how the situation would unfold? Where was the army heading?”

“It seemed like they were heading towards Zito’s residence. But our estimation is that they were heading towards the Venomous Demon Castle.”

“The Venomous Demon Castle… If that’s the case, it seems that she has defected to Kelliark Zipple. Those who betrayed Zito and sided with Kelliark are not under Zito’s mind control.”

Basset paused for a moment, then nodded.

“Immediately, go to the Venomous Demon Castle and assess their situation. We don’t know about Ragal, but if he recruited people of Layla’s level, there’s a high possibility that he has already gained over 10% of the True Demon World Army. And he will try to oppress us and use us again like Zito.”

Although the high-ranking demons who formed alliances with Kelliark might not care, they must prevent the common people below them from becoming cannon fodder in someone else’s war.

“Understood, Sir Basset.”

Visepps began to move again. It would take about another ten hours of travel to reach the entrance of the Sun Land.

They were stepping on corpses wherever they went. Piles of corpses and rivers of blood formed in place of the roads.

Now, they only needed to destroy the artificial sun, and the True Demon World could start over.

It would be a dark world without false light at that time, and their already broken hearts would be filled with irreparable sadness, but it would still be incomparable to living under Zito’s rule.

“…Elder Brother, something seems strange.”

Tilias looked around and said as they approached the Artificial Sun.

“The traces of the corpses have changed. There were no signs of ordinary soldiers fighting and killing each other, and it seems like a powerful individual had killed them.”

“I’ve noticed that too. It seems like there’s a Demon King mixed in with the regular troops who had lost their minds due to mind control. Or perhaps, a Demon King who has already eliminated other units and is wandering alone, only to encounter another unit.”

He gave that answer, but the Visepps executives felt uneasy.

They had already seen battlefields where a Demon King indiscriminately massacred everyone because of losing their minds. However, it was the first time that the traces left by a single individual were overwhelmingly evident, at least up to that point.

It was the footprint of someone who was at least as strong as Layla.

“Good job, Tilias.”

Suddenly, a voice was heard, and the Visepps executives were startled and looked around. It was a demon with exceptionally long horns and a large sword as big as his own body hanging over his shoulder: Ridolos Trinak.

“Sir Ridolos?”

“Wow, it’s Sir Ridolos! You’ve surprised us.”

“Ridolos, when did you join our ranks? Why didn’t we detect you…?”

“There were too many demons passing by, so I blended in with the corpses. I apologize if I scared you. Now, hand me the key. I’m going to destroy the artificial sun.”

Basset and his executives stared at Ridolos’ outstretched hand for a moment.

His hand was covered in blood, broken bones, and demon flesh, as if he had just crushed someone’s head moments before.

“Ridolos… by any chance, did you kill these demons here?”

Ridolos had no intention of hiding it.

He nodded immediately.

“Yes, I did. Hand me the key, and in return, I’ll give you the spare executives who have been with you, in memory of all the past kindness.”

“Ridolos! What is this…?!”

As Basset shouted, Ridolos tilted his head as if he were amused and burst into laughter.

“Don’t you and your rabble know that attacking me won’t work, Sir Basset? Anyway, it seems you’ve been quite shocked. Since it seems you have no intention of handing it over voluntarily, I’ll have to eliminate all of you and take the key.”

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