Chapter 146

“What is it?”

Gor stared intently at the Dimensional Gate.

The gateway to Earth was still firmly shut.

But Gor smiled.

Because Chaos’s answer had arrived.

The order to force open the gateway to Earth and kill Choi Gi-woong.

He recalled the distant past. Back then, Ian had tormented the Demons relentlessly.

But how had it ended?

In the end, Choi Gi-woong would be the same.

Just as Gor chuckled and turned his back.

Verno was approaching.

Though he tried to act otherwise, the trembling corners of his mouth betrayed his feelings.

“You look like you have something to say.”

“···Do I look that way?”

“Am I wrong?”

“I do. Have something to say.”

“If it’s about the Dimensional Gate, don’t worry. Chaos has given his permission.”

“···That’s a relief. It means I can kill that Reincarnator bastard with my own hands.”

“Don’t let your guard down. He’s no pushover.”

“How could I? In fact, he seems even more formidable than I thought.”

“?”

“I think it’s a trap. No, it’s definitely a trap.”

Gor tilted his head.

“What do you mean?”

“Our information is being leaked.”

“I know that much. If it weren’t, three Demon Kings wouldn’t have died at once.”

“Is there any rule that says we won’t be next?”

“If you and I attack at the same time, is there any way the Reincarnator can stop us?”

“That was the same reaction when the three Demon Kings invaded.”

“……”

Gor stroked his beard.

“It certainly seems there is a traitor among us.”

“If it’s one of us, there’s only one person it could be.”

“···Are you suspecting Peter?”

Verno nodded as if it were the obvious answer.

“Who else could it be but him?”

“I thought so at first, too. Where on earth could the information have leaked from? But it’s not Peter.”

“Why not?”

“The information Peter gave was perfect. There was no room for doubt.”

From the magic and Skills the Reincarnator possessed, to his relationship with the one he called the System, ‘Lu.’

Every single piece of information was fatal to the Reincarnator.

And Peter had handed it all over.

“There was nothing wrong with Peter’s information.”

“Of course. The Reincarnator said it was okay to hand over the information.”

“Do you think that makes sense? What kind of idiot would hand over information that his life depends on?”

“So, did the Reincarnator die?”

“It’s better to think that there was information Peter didn’t know.”

“No. There must have been information we didn’t know.”

“Fine. What was it?”

“That is…”

That is, because of the look on that bastard’s face earlier.

The expression he made when I said that Gor and I would go to kill the Reincarnator ourselves.

That face, as if we had walked right into a snare.

Just thinking about it again made the rage surge to the top of his head.

But how could he explain this? That the bastard was smirking? Based on just that?

As the silence lengthened, Gor patted Verno’s shoulder as if in understanding.

“I too regret that your son was killed by Peter. He might have become a Demon King, making you a father-son pair.”

“Lord Gor. My son died as a Warrior.”

“But as a father, sadness is sadness, is it not?”

Verno chewed his lip as if wronged.

“I hold no personal grudge against the bastard. However…”

“Then prepare for battle. As you said, the Reincarnator is no pushover.”

“……”

“This is not the time for politics. Just think about catching the Reincarnator.”

Gor turned and walked away.

Verno calmed his trembling hands.

Even so, the agitation wouldn’t subside.

Peter’s smirking face wouldn’t leave his mind.

But Gor was right.

At times like this, he had to remain composed.

Only then would he be able to kill Peter.

“Here is the analysis of the Demon King you mentioned, Gor’s military strength.”

It was when he had returned to his own Demon King’s Castle.

The General Manager began his report as if he had been waiting.

“What?”

“The analysis of the military strength possessed by the 2nd ranked Demon King, Gor, which you requested…”

Verno, who had been striding forward, came to an abrupt halt.

“···Right, there was that.”

There was something he had planned even before becoming a Demon King.

To bring all the Demon Kings except Chaos to their knees. Among them, of course, was Gor.

Although his rank was higher, Verno was confident he could make Gor kneel.

Provided, that is, that his son was still alive.

“The results show that if we commit all our forces, our house can win. I will continue. This is the analysis of Gor’s military strength. One 7th Demon King-class, five hundred thirty High Priest-class…”

“Wait a moment.”

The voice cut off abruptly.

Verno was lost in thought.

Gor, who said he was sorry his son had died; Gor, who told him to stop worrying about politics and focus on catching the Reincarnator—various afterimages flickered through his mind.

That’s right.

This was not the time to think about other things.

It wouldn’t be too late to think about bringing Gor to his knees after catching the Reincarnator.

His deeply pondering gaze stopped in mid-air.

“The operation is canceled.”

“Canceled… you say?”

“Now is not the time. Instead, monitor Peter’s movements.”

“Understood.”

“There’s no evidence, and no clear reason. But that bastard is in league with Choi Gi-woong.”

Verno struck his chest.

“My years of survival as a Demon prove it. That bastard is a traitor.”

There was no evidence, but his sharp instincts were telling him.

The fact that Peter was definitely in league with Choi Gi-woong.

“So search him from head to toe.”

“Will Gor permit it? If no evidence turns up, there’s a high chance of backlash.”

“I will take responsibility.”

At the mention of Peter’s name, the General Manager’s eyebrow twitched.

The one who killed the heir of the house. The one who was once human. The turncoat, and the one who must be beaten to death.

That, at least, was how Peter was seen in House Verno.

And Ruiche, who was by his side, as well.

“As you command.”

It started from then.

House Verno began to investigate Peter from head to toe, his every move.

House Verno was a family with a long and storied history even in the Demon Realm.

When they set their minds to it and charged, Peter’s side also expressed its displeasure.

“What do you think you’re doing?”

“Just looking around. Seeing what you’re up to.”

“By what right?”

“You wouldn’t know, having been human. Lord Verno is a higher-ranking Demon King than you, Peter.”

“So, just because his rank is a bit higher, that means you can rummage through things as you please?”

“Exactly. We are here as Lord Verno’s representatives to conduct an inspection, so you’d better not treat us poorly.”

The General Manager looked around the Demon King’s Castle and asked.

“What were you doing?”

“What do you think? Researching how to catch the Reincarnator.”

“What kind of research?”

“Do I have to tell you that?”

Verno’s General Manager frowned.

“It would be better if you did.”

“Find it yourself.”

“We’ll do just that.”

The two sides exchanged a blow each.

The fire began to spread even wider.

The Demons of each territory clashed over every little thing, and as they did, the tension mounted.

“We can’t train because those guys are raising such a fuss.”

“Whining just like the dogs under a traitor. If you don’t like it, get stronger.”

The wildfire grew larger.

Claiming they were being persecuted for siding with a lower-ranking Demon King, high-ranking Demons began to break their Oath of loyalty to Peter.

Verno, for his part, had his own fire to put out.

He was searching diligently, but not a single piece of clear evidence was being found.

At this rate, he could be summoned by Gor and disciplined.

It was then.

Just as the seeds of conflict had grown lushly and were about to explode.

“I’ve found it.”

The General Manager handed an object to Verno.

It was something found after days and nights of searching as if for lice.

Naturally, a broad smile spread across Verno’s entire face.

“Of course. If a man betrays once, what’s to stop him from doing it a second time?”

“What will you do? Shall we open a trial immediately?”

“No. That bastard deserves to die a more miserable death than that.”

Verno took the object and went to see Gor.

His stride was more confident than ever.

In contrast, Gor’s expression was still displeased.

“Did I not tell you? Not to do anything useless.”

“This is not useless. I’ve caught him.”

“Caught what.”

“Peter. I’ve found proof that he is the traitor.”

Gor frowned.

His gaze toward Verno was not at all favorable. It seemed it wasn’t just because he was pressuring Peter.

It might be a delusion, but it also felt like Gor was sizing up his strength against his own.

In any case, that wasn’t what was important.

“What is it? Do you think I’m doing something strange again?”

“Did I not tell you? Now is the time to focus on the external enemy, not politics. How many times must I say it for you to understand?”

Gor clicked his tongue and continued.

“What in the world are you doing when we don’t have enough time to focus on the Reincarnator?”

“I think differently.”

Verno shook his head and said.

“Lord Gor. I believe that finding the internal turncoat is more urgent than catching the Reincarnator.”

“…If you’re going to say that, you should have brought some solid evidence. Let me be clear. If you pressure Peter without reason one more time…”

“Yes. That’s why I brought it.”

“?”

“Please take a look at this.”

What Verno took out was a jewel.

Gor’s eyes narrowed on their own.

“It’s imbued with Divinity. What is this?”

Gor’s expression changed.

“What else could it be? It’s the decisive evidence that the bastard is communicating with the outside.”

“……”

Divinity was an energy created by Lu. For Demons, it was a complete antithesis.

An item that a Demon should not and could not use had been discovered in Peter’s residence.

At this point, Gor’s expression also grew grim.

The more it did, the brighter Verno’s face became.

He was finally certain he could kill the bastard who had been a thorn in his side.

“Let’s go together. I’m saying you should confirm it for yourself, Lord Gor.”

His voice was filled with a sense of injustice.

“As I said, just as important as catching the Reincarnator, no, even more important, is eliminating the turncoat.”

Gor stroked his beard. It was a sign of permission.

Gor and Verno went to find Peter right away.

Peter was smiling his usual, infuriating smile.

Verno was dumbfounded.

“Is this a time for you to be smiling?”

Then he threw the jewel. A jewel filled with Divinity. There could be no clearer evidence.

And yet, Peter was still smiling brightly.

“Oh my. Where did you find this?”

“Is that what’s important right now?”

This time, Gor stepped forward with a frown.

“This, did you make it?”

“Yes. That’s right, but…”

Peter scratched the back of his head and said, as if explaining.

“You might misunderstand.”

“Misunderstand what? Speak now. What is your relationship with the Reincarnator?”

“No. That’s not it…”

Peter took the jewel and applied force to it.

Immediately after, something astonishing happened.

Fwoosh-!

The jewel, which until a moment ago had been riddled with Divinity, was shrouded in black.

It happened in a mere instant.

“…?”

“It’s an Artifact that turns the target into a Demon when force is applied.”

He then mumbled and continued.

“I made it on my way to catch the Reincarnator, thinking it might be of some help…”

The next moment.

Verno’s face hardened. The first thought was that he had been tricked. It was clear. This bastard, pretending to be innocent, had calculated that he would do this.

Verno’s creaking head turned to the side. A sharp gaze had been fixed on him for a while now.

Gor stroked his beard and muttered.

“Did I not tell you? Right now, the external enemy is more important than politics.”

“That is…”

Just as he was about to offer an excuse.

“Or is it you? Are you using Peter as an excuse and trying to get past me?”

“Th-There’s no way.”

“Are you sure?”

“……”

Verno couldn’t say a word.

Gor snorted.

“Just prepare for the campaign.”

Gor turned his back and left.

Peter, who remained, gave that smile.

That infuriating smile.

“What are you going to do, getting into trouble because of me?”