I was Mistaken for a Noble Hunter – Chapter 124

Author: Cireng

Commander of the Dead (6)

“……”

<Uh… so… there are really a lot of treasures hidden here… and also…>

Hometos had always prided himself on being intelligent.

Naturally, one needed a high level of intellect to become a mage, and among them, to rise to the rank of a high-level lich.

But that very intelligent mind had now gone completely blank.

Kang Ian didn’t seem particularly interested, even when he mentioned treasure, so he had to say something that would catch his attention somehow.

But nothing came to mind.

Hometos, being the right-hand of a demon, knew a great deal about demons… but knew little about humans.

And it didn’t seem like listing knowledge about undead summoning magic would interest that swordsman bastard either…

“Do you happen to know about Valhalla?”

At that moment, Kang Ian spoke first.

<Valhalla…? Ah, those ignorant knights who perished long ago?>

“You know of it?”

Kang Ian’s gaze shifted slightly.

He had been thinking of finishing things quickly and completing the quest, but now… perhaps this could be used for another purpose?

<O-Of course I know it!>

“Then what about demons?”

“Oh?”

Kang Ian made a thoughtful expression.

Hometos’s life vessel thumped.

If anything displeased him, he would die without even leaving proper last words.

<I-If you spare me, I will tell you about demons! No! I’ll empty all the knowledge in my head and pass it on to you!>

Hearing that, Kang Ian had to admit it.

It was certainly a tempting offer.

The demons are constantly opposed by the knights of Valhalla.

And the demons that seemed connected to the gates, monsters, and danger zones appeared all over the world.

He was curious about how that whole structure worked.

When he asked Tezeros, he would either say he lacked the qualifications to know or answer as if he didn’t know either.

‘The knights of Valhalla said their land was originally destroyed by demons.’

So they had likely fought demons for a long time, yet they didn’t actually know much about them.

They were simply sworn enemies, bound by a deep-rooted hatred.

Hometos floated in the air with his small body, appealing to him as if to say, “trust me.”

‘Hmm. What should I do?’

Kang Ian hesitated.

If he spared him, he might be able to hear some useful information.

But the problem was that this guy was a lich.

A schemer who had already died once and was plotting to resurrect again… what if he let him live now and got stabbed in the back later?

“…No. Not a good idea.”

Kang Ian shook his head and raised his sword again.

<What!? W-Why!? Didn’t I say I’d tell you everything!?>

“How am I supposed to trust you?”

“It’s hard enough to trust between people… how could I trust a monster and a human?”

He had intended to kill him from the beginning anyway, so he didn’t feel much regret.

He could just search for the treasure himself.

But Hometos felt differently.

It was like the lifeline before his eyes was slipping away.

His desperation surged to an absurd degree.

<F-Fine! Then let’s write a contract!>

“A contract?”

<Yes. A contract of the Archdemon that absolutely cannot be broken. The moment either party violates it, they will die, and their soul will be taken by the Archdemon and suffer for eternity.>

Hometos seemed fearful as he said that.

With that much said, Kang Ian was tempted.

He took the contract and thought for a moment.

“Wait a moment.”

Kang Ian closed his eyes and focused his mind.

At the same time, he strongly wished to go to the sanctuary.

When he opened his eyes, he was no longer in the land of death, but in a sanctuary bathed in bright light.

In front of him, Tezeros, with wings of light spread wide, greeted him as always.

<Knight.>

“Sir Tezeros. I’m sorry, but I don’t have much time, so I’d like to ask a few things quickly.”

<Understood. Ask.>

Kang Ian explained the current situation and Hometos’s proposal.

Tezeros listened carefully and then answered immediately.

“Oh.”

<We, too, once had brief truces or negotiations with demons long ago. When you wage war, such things become necessary. I saw that contract back then. Since it is a contract that stakes the soul, it cannot be broken. The punishment would be more dreadful than death.>

“I see.”

Hearing Tezeros’s confirmation, Kang Ian nodded.

If it was like this, it was worth trying.

<However, are you planning to spare a servant of demons? He may be useful in many ways, but they are not a race to be trusted. Even with a contract, you must not fully trust him.>

“Yes. I’m aware. I wasn’t planning to trust him much to begin with.”

This was a kind of safety device.

A way to extract information while maintaining minimum precautions.

“Is it okay if the contract is a bit unfair?”

“Thank you. That was a great help.”

After finishing his thanks, Kang Ian once again saw the inside of the Black Gate… the land of death, before his eyes.

His consciousness had returned from Valhalla’s sanctuary.

Hometos stood before him.

Because the flow of time between the sanctuary and reality was vastly different, to Hometos it would have seemed like Kang Ian had merely blinked once.

Kang Ian spoke to the still-anxious Hometos.

“Alright. Let’s make the contract.”

<!!!>

***

The contract was filled with extremely one-sided clauses.

[Contract of the Archdemon]

[This contract is between Kang Ian (hereafter referred to as Party A) and Hometos (hereafter referred to as Party B).]

[1. Party B must absolutely obey Party A, cannot harm Party A in any form, cannot even attempt to harm him, and will suffer pain even from the mere thought of harming him.]

[2. Party B must faithfully answer all questions asked by Party A and must answer only with the truth.]

[3. If Party B faithfully upholds the contract, Party A may choose not to take Party B’s life.]

[4. Party B’s life vessel will be safely kept by Party A.]

[5. Party B must carry out any order given by Party A…]

…

As Hometos read the endlessly continuing clauses, his hands trembled.

<I-Is this saying that I have to sign such an unfair contract!?>

Hometos shouted angrily.

But Kang Ian didn’t even bother to listen.

“Don’t want to? Then, should we just not write the contract?”

<…At the very least, guarantee my life.>

In a dejected voice, Hometos pointed at the third clause.

“That’s true, but I can’t fully trust you, so it can’t be helped. I’m not someone who harms others carelessly, but you’re a servant of demons, so I need at least this much precaution.”

<……>

Honestly, even Hometos understood it rationally.

If the other party were a demon, he would have included such clauses himself.

Kang Ian flicked the sword still in his hand, as if urging him to decide.

<…Alright. I’ll sign.>

With the blade flickering before his eyes, Hometos had no choice but to answer that way.

It was a contract he had wanted from the beginning.

If it meant surviving, he would do anything.

Even becoming a slave was better than dying.

That was how deeply Hometos feared death.

With tearful eyes (the ghostly light in his eye sockets shook violently), Hometos signed the contract.

Fwoosh

At that instant, the contract burned up and vanished, and strands of black energy seeped into both Kang Ian and Hometos.

Now, if either side failed to uphold the contract, their soul would be taken by the Archdemon and tortured even after death.

Kang Ian placed Hometos’s life vessel, the black crystal, into his inventory.

“To reassure you, I’ll tell you one thing… I’ll store this deep within subspace, so it won’t be lost or cause any problems.”

Hometos floated ahead and began to lead the way.

At that moment, a message appeared before Kang Ian’s eyes.

Ding!

[You have completely subdued the Death Spirit Lord Hometos.]

[However, since you did not kill him, the Evil Souls and Nobility gained are reduced by half.]

[Evil Souls +2526]

[Nobility +1199]

[You have completed the quest.]

[Go to Valhalla’s Sanctuary and receive your appointment ceremony from the Commander of the Knights.]

‘Because I didn’t kill him, the rewards were cut in half…?’

Kang Ian looked at Hometos with dissatisfaction.

For a moment, the thought of just finishing him off right now crossed his mind.

***

Every city has media outlets, and in a large city like Busan, they are especially prominent.

True journalists would even run around a battlefield with cameras to fulfill their duty.

Similarly, the moment the Black Gate incident in Busan occurred, it began being broadcast live on the internet.

These days, cameras have become so advanced that not only major broadcasting companies but also countless YouTubers are streaming.

—What is that thing that came out of the Busan gate? Why is there a skull the size of a building?

—Damn, that’s terrifying. Haven’t we seen a boss monster like that come out of a Black Gate in years?

Even those watching only through videos and photos trembled in fear at Hometos’s overwhelming presence.

Then, cutting through the endless undead, several hunters reached Hometos.

And finally, Kang Ian, unleashing blue sword energy, cut him down.

That scene, like a hero’s epic, set the internet ablaze.

—Who is that guy!?

—I recognize that gear! That’s Hunter Kang Ian! I’m a fan, so I see him every day!

—Kang Ian? That kind hunter?

—I heard he operates around Seoul and Gyeonggi… when did he go all the way to Busan? At this point, isn’t he basically Korea’s problem-solver?

—Kyaaa! Kang Ian is light! I can’t look at him, he’s too dazzling!

Countless comments flooded in.

And even in places far removed from Korea, there were those watching the live broadcast.

“…Master. It seems the Death Spirit Lord… has died.”

A robed figure in the darkness spoke cautiously.

The one they addressed was their leader… the master who held their lives in his grasp.

He was also the one who had orchestrated this summoning.

In situations like this, he would normally erupt in anger, so they had to be careful not to get caught in the fallout.

“Puhuhu.”

“…?”

But the master only laughed.

“Those hunter bastards. How are they reacting? They must be celebrating, right?”

“Ah, yes. They are, but…”

“Good. That’s excellent.”

“…Pardon?”

For a moment, the subordinate wondered if his master had gone insane.

Otherwise, how could he react like this when the Death Spirit Lord they had struggled to summon had been killed?

“You may not know this, but the Death Spirit Lord was half-intentionally killed. According to the ancient texts, its specialty is to induce complacency and begin corrupting from the darkness. Busan will soon become a land of death, and starting from there, all of Korea and Japan will be devoured!”

The master laughed loudly, as if anticipating that future.

“Kang Ian, was it? The one who interfered with us last time. This time, he will weep tears of blood in despair!”