Even Today, the Ranker Dreams of Retirement

Meanwhile, a little before Habin and Hermit met.

“What’s she doing over there?”

Hyun Siwoo.

He sighed as he watched the scene of Kriksha and Habin bickering.

‘Long time no see!’

‘Eek!’

Kriksha’s startled reaction upon seeing Habin’s face beneath the mask.

Moreover, their conversation was far from ordinary.

‘Ha, haha. I’m so delighted to see you again! Of course, I’ve been waiting for the day to meet you again, Demon God!’

‘Again’, he said.

Hyun Siwoo wore an uneasy expression.

“That means Hyun Habin has also met Kriksha before, right?”

[Indeed? When on earth did those two meet?]

“Ha, it’s obvious.”

…They must have met on the 26th floor.

Hyun Siwoo frowned. He raised his head with a displeased expression.

‘What? Hyun Habin just played with her phone in Kill Screen? Was she just malingering?’

The informant had clearly reported that to Hyun Siwoo.

‘But look at this situation. It’s not like that at all!’

Just then, he saw Kriksha groveling next to Habin.

‘Hehe, are you enjoying the banquet?’

Kriksha, bowing deeply and wringing his hands.

‘It looks like she’s been playing around, making a Demon King her lackey.’

[Wow, how can the Demon King of Pride be in such a state?]

Neaiba also expressed amazement. Hyun Siwoo shook his head in disbelief.

‘Indeed.’

Kriksha, the Demon King of Pride. He was incredibly powerful, befitting his status as one of humanity’s worst bosses, and his personality was disgustingly arrogant. The sight of him bowing his head to a human was unimaginable.

‘As expected of Hyun Habin, I suppose.’

What on earth did she do on the 26th floor to make even Demon King Kriksha her ally?

‘Ha, should I change my informant again? How is it that I never get proper information?’

He couldn’t believe the informant’s claim that Hyun Habin had been quiet in Kill Screen. To think she had been causing such a commotion behind the scenes!

‘Haah…’

Hyun Siwoo shook his head, sighing as if his insides were burning. Neaiba calmly tried to dissuade him.

[Hey, hey, calm down. Who could possibly beat Hyun Habin anyway? If she’s determined to hide, no one can track her movements.]

‘That’s true, but…’

Hyun Siwoo decided to focus on his own task, ignoring his throbbing headache.

Conquering the 50th floor.

‘And if possible, it would be good to take down a Demon King here and gain experience.’

It would be touch-and-go with his current level, but if the opportunity arose, he wouldn’t miss it.

The experience and rewards from defeating a Demon King were beyond imagination, and if he could accomplish that, he would achieve at least one of his goals.

‘It’s okay. As long as no other variables arise here, my plan isn’t completely ruined yet.’

Despite Hyun Habin’s appearance, she was still his sister and shouldn’t be a harmful presence to him.

‘I should focus on my own business.’

Hyun Siwoo, who had been looking at Hyun Habin with a complicated expression, nodded again.

◆◇◆◇◆

‘…What are you doing here?’

‘What about you, nuna?’

‘I asked first. That Demon God over there is Habin, right?’

Meanwhile, Chae Jiseok, left alone after Habin departed.

Seizing the opportunity, Chae Jise approached Jiseok and posed a question.

And then.

[The constellation ‘Nearest Light’ finds this situation extremely interesting!]

[The constellation ‘Nearest Light’ is very curious if that Demon God is really Hyun Habin, and how she managed to reach the 50th floor!]

Ding ding.

Incessant constellation notification messages on top of everything else.

‘Ah. Why are you both suddenly like this?’

Chae Jiseok closed his eyes with an exasperated expression.

On one side, his sister. On the other, the constellation.

Both cornering him with questions.

And that wasn’t the end of it.

-Piii!

Not only Libe clinging to his shoulder, but also the other demons Hyun Habin had left behind.

Chae Jiseok was overwhelmed trying to deal with them all.

“Oh! You’re the Demon God’s confidant, right? Please pass this gift to the Demon God!”

Demons rushed eagerly towards the dazed Chae Jiseok.

They all believed Chae Jiseok to be the Demon God’s confidant, so they were desperate to exchange even a few words with him.

“Here, please accept this first! It’s a gift I specially prepared for the Demon God! It’s the most treasured item in our family.”

An item offered with trembling hands. Judging by the attitude, it must have been quite precious to them.

‘How can I accept something like this?’

It didn’t feel right to accept such precious items from unrelated demons when he wasn’t even the real Demon God. If they were clearly evil beings it might be different, but seeing Ipsine, it didn’t seem like all demons were bad.

‘How should I refuse?’

What would Habin have done?

Chae Jiseok, who had frowned briefly while checking the item, suddenly smiled as if something had occurred to him. He returned the item to the demon.

“That person follows the Kim Young-ran Act, so they don’t accept things like this.”

“Pardon? What’s that?”

“Anyway, there’s such a thing. They’ll understand your feelings without this, so please return it. Next!”

“Oh, confidant of the Demon God! Please, if you could just listen to my story…”

“I’ll give you a number ticket for now, so get in line first!”

-Piii!

Libe fluttered a singed napkin to the demon as a makeshift number ticket. The demon accepted the napkin with a reverent expression and obediently went to stand at the back of the line.

An endless parade of demons, even when turned away.

‘Ah, Hyun Habin! How could you leave me behind like this!’

Chae Jiseok sighed deeply, pressing his forehead.

He could now understand why Secretary Lee Junhwi would curse so much whenever he got stuck with work.

[The constellation ‘Nearest Light’ demands to know why you’re not answering quickly!]

Ah right. There was this too.

Chae Jiseok quickly replied without turning his gaze:

‘Yes, I am Chae Jiseok! And that Demon God over there is indeed Hyun Habin! I don’t know how she was able to reach the 50th floor! We just arrived using Hyun Habin’s skill. I’m busy, so please let’s talk later…!’

A rapid-fire explanation, delivered like a rap.

[The constellation ‘Nearest Light’ weeps, saying you’ve become stingy with people because you’re busy, and that they didn’t raise their child like this!]

“……”

That’s too much. Look at this situation. Am I in any state to give a calm answer?!

As Chae Jiseok made an incredulous expression at the constellation message, Jise interjected.

‘How did you end up coming here? I’m not asking about the means, but the reason. Did something happen to Solaris?’

The reason Jiseok and Habin had followed them to the 50th floor.

After a moment of silence, Jiseok answered the question.

‘…We saw it.’

‘Saw what?’

‘Nuna’s will.’

‘……’

Jise’s expression hardened, as if this was an unexpected answer. Then she broke into a light smile.

‘No way, you two came rushing here after seeing that? That’s really touching! You adorable things!’

As Chae Jise approached as if about to hug him, Jiseok stepped back hesitantly.

‘Ah, keep your distance! There are a lot of eyes watching right now. The other demons might misunderstand!’

‘I’m telling you, I’ve raised at least one good sibling!’

‘What are you saying! If it was such a serious situation, you shouldn’t have gone in the first place! Why did you leave a will behind and make people worry?’

‘You would have gone too, even if it was you.’

‘What are you talking about! Do you think I’m like you? If I thought I was going to die, I absolutely wouldn’t go!’

‘You say that, but you’ve risked your life countless times until now.’

‘This is different from that!’

Their conversation, silently transmitted through the constellation. Just as the endless sibling argument was reaching its peak.

“-It does matter! Because I don’t acknowledge you, I won’t listen to anything you say!”

A shouting voice was heard from behind a dark pillar in one corner of the banquet hall.

Murmur, murmur.

Followed by fearful whispers.

“…?”

The Jiseok and Jise siblings immediately turned their heads towards the commotion.

◆◇◆◇◆

“Hey, did you make her cry?”

“De-Demon God. That’s……”

Ipsine, with tears welling up in her eyes.

On the other hand, Hermit, the Demon King of Lust, had a distorted expression, apparently quite displeased at being interrupted.

“Ah, who do we have here. If it isn’t the great Demon God.”

He turned to Habin and replied in a mocking tone. Hermit swaggered towards Habin.

“I was nervous when I heard you had appeared after five thousand years, but seeing you in person, you’re not much to look at, are you? I heard you were so impressive from the previous Demon Kings.”

He bent down to match Hyun Habin’s height.

“…And what’s this appearance? I heard you appear in a different form each time, but to take the form of such a tiny girl. Is this some kind of perverted hobby? Or…”

As he came closer, a bitter smell of alcohol wafted over. He tilted his head nastily, swaying slightly as if a bit drunk. He added another sharp remark.

“Or, are you not the Demon God at all, but an impostor? I can’t acknowledge that this unremarkable brat is the Demon God.”

“……”

Habin’s reaction to those words was-

‘Hmm? This bastard. Sharper than I thought.’

Everyone here had little doubt that Hyun Habin was the Demon God. He was the first and only one to cast doubt.

He was probably just provoking or guessing, but still, he came close to the truth. Habin retorted without blinking an eye.

“So what? Whether you acknowledge me or not. What does it matter?”

“It does matter. Because I don’t acknowledge you, I won’t listen to anything you say!”

“Is that so?”

A tense standoff with neither side backing down.

There was another person who was internally exploding watching this scene.

‘Cr-Crazy bastard!’

Kriksha, who had followed out of curiosity when Habin suddenly ran off during their conversation. He was aghast at Hermit’s attitude.

‘You crazy fool! Do you know who you’re dealing with! Do you want to be erased from existence?!’

Only Kriksha, who knew Habin’s abilities, stood frozen in place, terrified.

‘Regardless of whether she’s the Demon God or not, that woman overwhelmingly defeated me with her skills! I wasn’t even a match! How dare you challenge her, you worthless thing!’

The abilities of the seven Demon Kings are similar to each other. That’s why, despite their terrible personalities, a precarious balance is maintained.

‘Well, of course, I’m a bit stronger than the others!’

Kriksha bragged to himself as he thought.

In any case, even though he was the strongest, he still lost. So the other Demon Kings wouldn’t even be a match for this Demon God. That was his conclusion.

‘That stupid fool! If you want to commit suicide, do it quietly! What if I get caught in the crossfire by mistake!’

Therefore, Hermit’s bravado looked like nothing but a suicidal act in Kriksha’s eyes.

‘That bastard is going to die at this rate?’

Should he intervene, or not?

“……”

No, wait… Let’s think about this.

Kriksha’s spinning thoughts came to a sudden halt.

‘This could be an opportunity?’

Wouldn’t it be good to use this chance to get rid of the annoying Demon King of Lust by borrowing the Demon God’s hand?

Kriksha had always wanted to kill all the other Demon Kings and become the true power among the Demon Kings.

‘Good. That’s a good idea! Let’s leave that guy to die as he is!’

Demon God! I believe in you! Please erase that bastard from existence!

Just as he made his decision and was about to retreat with a sinister expression.

-Ku-gu-gung.

“…!”

Suddenly, the building shook.

An ominous black energy began to surge between them.