The blood that demons shed is a deadly poison, and their bodily fluids contaminate both the land and the air.
Thus, the academy—where Clara’s “corpse”, which had surpassed even the highest class of demons, had been scattered—became a true land of death.
It was a hazardous zone, incomparable even to certain areas on Earth devastated by nuclear reactor explosions and flooded with radiation.
The land that many believed would take countless years of hard work to restore was purified in an instant by Jujak, without hesitation.
“How the hell…?”
Korn, wearing a magical device to shield herself from pollution, stared at the purified academy grounds in disbelief.
So shocked was she that she sat down and scooped up a handful of dirt, bringing it to her mouth. If the pollution hadn’t been purified, her tongue would have gone numb on the spot. Now, all she experienced was a slight bitterness.
The academy had been completely cleansed—something thought impossible even with the power of a 5-star summon.
“How did you do it?”
“Level up,” Ian replied simply.
To someone from this world, unaware of the concept of leveling up, the answer made no sense.
However, Ian understood what he had discovered—and he knew it could be replicated.
He also realized just how massive the ripple effects could be.
“…Can anyone do it?”
“No, not everyone. Only under certain conditions.”
“What kind of conditions?”
“Well… beauty? A pretty girl, maybe?”
Ian couldn’t pinpoint the requirement, but one thing seemed clear: having an attractive face increased the odds.
“How is that even a condition?” Korn asked, clearly unimpressed.
Ian could only shrug. Unfortunately, he wasn’t the one who set the criteria.
‘No way would they let some plain-looking NPC become a party member in a pretty-girl gacha game…’
To be Ian’s companion was to appear as an NPC in the game. And in a system designed around dating mechanics and favorability to milk players’ wallets, no company would let an unattractive character play that role.
In other words, it was pure capitalism that dictated only beautiful women could party with Ian—and benefit from leveling up.
“Anyway. Korn—let’s go.”
“…Where to?”
“First to the Imperial Capital, then…”
He looked into the distance.
The Demon Continent.
The demons’ homeland.
Their ultimate goal.
“I’m going to take the Demon King’s head,” Ian declared.
***
“You’ve gotten stronger.”
“You noticed?”
Upon arriving at the imperial castle, Ian met with the emperor in private. Though still just a cadet—technically, only holding the rank of marquis—the emperor had already issued an imperial edict to treat Ian as his equal within the castle.
While some nobles grumbled, none dared oppose the emperor outright.
“That old geezer is still the same, huh?” Ian said with a half-smile.
“We’ve fought together for a long time,” the emperor replied.
Ian then explained what he had been doing: training deep in the academy’s basement, in a hidden Infinite Dungeon.
When the emperor heard about it, he was stunned that such a dreadful place had existed beneath the academy all along.
“…Inside the academy? And I, the emperor, didn’t know?”
“Maybe the principal forgot about it.”
“Hmph… It’s hard to interrogate someone who’s bedridden.”
The emperor’s interest faded for a moment, but then he shifted focus to what Ian had gained.
“So—did it pay off?”
“Do you think I’ve gotten stronger?”
“Summoners are still human. Becoming stronger yourself won’t be enough to defeat even low-tier demons. Isn’t it more important to strengthen your summons?”
The emperor already had an inkling about Ian’s level-up. After all, Ian had previously pointed out how absurd it was for a 3-star summon to beat a 4-star summon in direct combat—no matter the tactics.
Ever since the midterm tournament, when Ian defeated Stella in a 3v3 match, the emperor had been watching closely.
“Your summons seem to be growing. Is there a secret to it?”
“Well, you could say that.”
“Is it possible for others to grow as well?”
“No. Only me.”
The emperor noted Ian’s blunt answer. It didn’t sound like a lie—but he mentally marked it for later investigation.
“Either way, you’ve achieved remarkable growth. Perhaps even high-class demons are no longer your match.”
Summoners who wield 4-star or higher summons are typically needed to raid large-scale monsters as a team. Ian now claimed he could handle them alone.
Hard to believe, but he’d already surpassed expectations. He’d defeated one of the Four Heavenly Kings—alone—when they invaded the human realm.
“So, Your Majesty—I request your permission to cross over to the Demon Continent.”
“…If you want to go, you will go no matter what I say, isn’t it?”
“Yes, that’s right.”
Ian bowed his head and began listing the items he needed—a space-expansion bag to serve as a substitute for an inventory, several months’ worth of non-perishable water, and various real-world supplies that couldn’t be acquired through the system alone.
Upon hearing the list, the emperor gave a small nod. Some of the requested items were treasures that should never have left the hands of the imperial family. Nevertheless, the emperor overruled the restriction.
“Give him everything.”
But there was a condition.
“Please come back alive.”
“I will get the head of the Demon King.”
“No need for something like that.”
At that, Ian raised his head to look at the emperor, who met his gaze and said calmly:
“Whether it’s the Demon King or a Four Heavenly Kings, I care nothing for their heads. What I want… is for you to return alive.”
“…I’ll do my best.”
“Say it clearly.”
“I will definitely come back.”
With those parting words, Ian stood up. It was unauthorized and rude by aristocratic standards, but it didn’t matter.
He was about to put his life on the line. There was no room for the heavy, pointless formalities of nobility here.
***
“—Here are the items His Majesty the Emperor instructed me to hand over…”
Afterward, Ian received a pouch from the warehouse keeper—a magical pouch created with the full power of the Imperial Family.
Everything Ian had requested was inside the pouch, which resembled Doraemon’s 4D pocket in its convenience.
While some of the tools were not as powerful as the abilities of the summons, they offered functionality without relying on summon power.
Ian distributed several items to the women who had chosen to accompany him, then mounted the Daebung.
The Giant Eagle took to the skies immediately, heading straight for the Demon Continent.
***
Everything on the Demon Continent was toxic to humans.
The air alone caused pneumonia.
Red clouds obscured the sun and created constant discomfort.
The ground, tainted with demonic energy, triggered skin diseases, and magical contamination clung to the body like radiation.
Only demons could survive here. A naked human on the Demon Continent would not last even an hour.
In other words, with the right preparation, a person could manage—at least to some extent.
“This is suffocating…”
“It’s okay. Filter the air again.”
Ian glanced at Syrah, who voiced her discontent, and adjusted her hood properly.
The entire party was covered from head to toe—long robes with inner spell inscriptions, masks over their mouths, layers of protective clothing.
Despite the preparation, even the slightest movement left them gasping for air, their breath short, sweat pouring like rain.
‘I’ll borrow that phrase… a dying continent.’
There was no way horses could survive here. They needed animals adapted to the Demon Continent.
But all such creatures were inherently vicious. There were no records of any ever being domesticated by humans.
“Ugh, when—will we arrive?”
“I don’t know either.”
Unfortunately, Ian had no idea how many more days of walking lay ahead before they reached their destination.
Their target was the Demon King’s Castle—somewhere in the heart of the Demon Continent.
A place no one had ever reached. Its exact location was unknown.
‘A journey with no end in sight drains the spirit… but what choice do I have?’
Even though Ian had knowledge from the game, this wasn’t a simulation. He couldn’t locate everything with a few lines of text and images from a mobile gacha game full of pretty girls.
So he simply followed divine guidance.
Anna’s Origin Art—Wish.
It couldn’t be used constantly. At best, it gave a vague sense of direction.
‘Anna—’
[Yes, Master. This direction is correct.]
They had already asked too many questions, but divine guidance had led them here. Just as Ian was starting to question the existence of that god…
A massive structure appeared on the horizon.
“That…”
“… Four Heavenly King.”
“Is this where the Four Heavenly Kings live?”
Stella asked, eyeing the towering structure in the distance. Ian simply shook his head.
An enormous, moving fortress of unknown height.
“No. That is one of the Four Heavenly King.”
A colossal, mobile construct built by the Demon King—
The Four Heavenly Kings’ Heavenly Steed Tower.
Before them stood the second of the Four Heavenly Kings.