Suicide Before Defeating the Final Boss

Suicide Before Defeating the Final Boss – 105

EP.105 So You Don’t Like It?

Shin Si-ah stood frozen, staring at the carnage before her. The ground was littered with the remains of countless monsters, their twisted forms a testament to Jeong-hyeon’s overwhelming power.

Even as someone chosen by the divine, wielding immense divine power herself, she couldn’t fathom using such an immense amount of energy to unleash a domain skill of this magnitude.

‘This level of power… It’s beyond anything I’ve ever seen.’

Not even during her days as a Hero—or later as the Demon King—had she encountered someone with such overwhelming might. A cold realization washed over her: Jeong-hyeon’s strength defied common sense.

What unsettled her even more was the fact that he hadn’t even used his full power yet.

‘If he went all out… could even the three Demon Dukes together stand a chance?’

She shuddered at the thought. But her musing was interrupted by Jeong-hyeon’s voice.

“So, which way? This side? Or that side?” he asked casually, gesturing in various directions.

“Oh… Before we go any further, we should decide. Do you want to meet our allies first or the enemies?”

Jeong-hyeon thought for a moment.

“We need a base of operations, so allies first.”

“Then follow me. This way.”

With that, Shin Si-ah led him eastward.

***

As they walked, Jeong-hyeon recalled the information Shin Si-ah had shared about the Demon Realm before their arrival.

‘The Demon Realm is divided into three major factions.’

The first was the faction of Duke Reltra, who governed poison.

The second belonged to Duke Betica, who ruled over fear.

The third was controlled by Duke Pamur, master of curses.

According to Shin Si-ah, only Reltra’s faction could be considered an ally. The other two had turned hostile and would need to be subdued—or completely wiped out.

‘But that’s not my plan.’

Rather than annihilation, he intended to manipulate the factions into attacking the kingdom and the church. Preserving as much of their strength as possible was crucial to his strategy.

‘Of course, if they don’t cooperate, I can always kill them all.’

With that comforting fallback in mind, he followed Shin Si-ah to a massive city that loomed in the distance.

“This is the place?”

“Yes,” Shin Si-ah confirmed.

“Doesn’t look too bad,” Jeong-hyeon remarked, noting the city’s opulent exterior. It was a stark contrast to the desolate, malice-soaked wasteland they had traversed to get there.

Shin Si-ah frowned slightly.

“It looks impressive on the outside, but once you see what’s beneath the surface, it’s a different story. They’ve sacrificed functionality for appearance. Many parts of the city are in shambles.”

“I guess I’ll have to see for myself,” Jeong-hyeon replied, stepping forward to descend toward the city.

Before he could move further, Shin Si-ah grabbed his sleeve in a panic.

“You’re not seriously planning to go in like that, are you? Dressed like this, you’re practically screaming, ‘Hey, I’m human!’”

Jeong-hyeon raised an eyebrow.

“So what? Even if they find out, it’s not a big deal.”

Shin Si-ah gawked at him.

“Not a big deal? If you’re discovered, best-case scenario, you’ll have to deal with guards. Worst-case? You’ll run into some nasty types who’ll cause all kinds of trouble.”

He cut her off mid-sentence, his tone dismissive.

“If anyone gets in my way, I’ll just kill them all. Why complicate things?”

“…Excuse me?”

Shin Si-ah could only blink in stunned silence, her expression torn between exasperation and disbelief.

Jeong-hyeon shook his head, watching Shin Si-ah struggle to contain her visible exasperation.

“This is why a weak body leads to unnecessary stress for the mind,” he said with a smirk.

Shin Si-ah glared at him, clearly wanting to say more, but instead, she settled for stamping her feet in frustration. Jeong-hyeon’s earlier declaration of unlimited divine power seemed to have robbed her of any effective counterarguments.

‘Well, the plan is in place now, so time to set it in motion.’

Whether storming in without pretense qualified as a “plan” was debatable, but there was one thing he was certain of: it wouldn’t fail.

***

Perhaps it was the horns sprouting from Shin Si-ah’s head or the aura of demonic energy she radiated, but contrary to Jeong-hyeon’s expectations, the demonic guards at the city’s entrance let them pass without so much as a word.

“They’re letting us through?” he muttered, a tinge of disappointment in his voice.

Shin Si-ah sidled closer to him. “There are so many unique demons in the realm that most guards don’t bother questioning strangers. They just let them in.”

“Really?”

“Yes, and besides, the inner parts of the city are more of a lawless zone than the outskirts. They’re probably glad to avoid unnecessary trouble.”

Jeong-hyeon chuckled. The idea that the heart of the city was worse than its fringes was amusing in its absurdity. He scanned their surroundings, half-hoping to find a demon brazen enough to pick a fight.

Shin Si-ah sighed as she noticed his wandering gaze.

“The real danger usually starts now… Well, it would, for normal people.”

“I’m normal,” Jeong-hyeon replied with mock indignation.

Her incredulous expression said otherwise.

“You? Normal?”

He frowned, feeling slightly offended.

“I’m a perfectly reasonable person. I follow boundaries.”

Shin Si-ah gave him a look that suggested she was unconvinced, but before the debate could escalate, he shifted the conversation back to their mission.

“So, where’s this Reltra guy?”

“In the central district, underground—at the lowest level.”

Jeong-hyeon nodded, already noting the faint greenish haze that hung in the air. It had to be poison. He examined the area, his brow furrowed.

‘Will divine power shield against this?’

There was only one way to find out. He cloaked himself in divine power and began moving toward the city’s center. The poisonous gas dissipated harmlessly around him.

“It works,” he said, satisfied.

“Then let’s proceed,” Shin Si-ah replied, following behind.

Just as they were about to advance, a voice rang out nearby.

“Judging by the looks of you, you must be newcomers. If you’ve come here, you’d best show some respect to me—”

The speaker’s tone dripped with condescension, clearly trying to provoke a reaction. Without hesitation, Jeong-hyeon drew his sword and thrust it into the demon’s chest.

“Gyaaah!”

The demon screamed, green blood gushing from the wound as Jeong-hyeon kicked him to the ground. He turned to face the small group of demons who had been watching, their expressions frozen in shock.

“Next,” he said, his voice calm but commanding.

The demons exchanged nervous glances but remained silent.

“No one? Then you all die,” Jeong-hyeon declared, decapitating the fallen demon with a swift stroke.

The remaining demons scattered in panic, fleeing in every direction.

Jeong-hyeon scowled, turning to Shin Si-ah.

“I thought demons worship strength and were supposed to be a combative species.”

Shin Si-ah let out an exhausted sigh, glancing at the demon’s lifeless body sprawled across the ground. Her voice carried a mix of exasperation and resignation.

“They’re combative, sure… but only to a point. If someone like, well, you shows up—an outright killing machine—any sane demon would run for their life. Unless, of course, their entire livelihood revolves around fighting.”

“Really?” Jeong-hyeon tilted his head, not fully convinced.

“Really,” Shin Si-ah emphasized. “Demons are living beings too, you know. Above all else, they value staying alive.”

Her words only deepened his disappointment. All he wanted was a little provocation—just enough to push these demons into a frenzy, like berserk orcs who’d attack without hesitation.

‘That’d make grinding skills so much easier.’

Jeong-hyeon jabbed his sword into the demon’s corpse absentmindedly, venting his frustration, when Shin Si-ah suddenly grabbed his wrist, her tone urgent.

“Anyway, we need to get out of here. If the guards catch wind of this, it’ll be a huge headache.”

Without missing a beat, he responded, “Then I’ll just kill the guards too.”

Shin Si-ah let out a long, suffering sigh. “If you’re planning to kill every demon in this city, I won’t stop you.”

Massacring them all wasn’t off the table, but it wasn’t exactly the goal. His mission was to unite the demonic forces and unleash them on the kingdom and church. For now, he decided to restrain himself and follow Shin Si-ah’s suggestion.

“Fine. Lead the way.”

Shin Si-ah, evidently familiar with the city’s layout, began guiding him through the maze of streets with practiced ease. Jeong-hyeon followed, his eyes scanning the surroundings.

‘Just like she said—the outer glamour hides a rotting core.’

Behind the city’s opulent facade lay an underbelly riddled with poverty. Demons in tattered clothing clustered in alleyways, their faces gaunt and hollow. While it could simply be a matter of their current location, the sheer extent of the decay suggested deeper systemic issues.

‘… Interesting. I might be able to use this.’

As he mulled over potential strategies, Shin Si-ah suddenly shoved him against a wall, her body pressing against his to conceal him. Her considerable demonic energy flared, further obscuring their presence.

“Guards are nearby,” she whispered, her tone serious. “We’ll stay like this until they pass.”

Her expression left no room for argument, so Jeong-hyeon remained silent. But as the seconds stretched on, her demeanor shifted. A mischievous smile tugged at her lips as she leaned in closer.

“Wait… don’t tell me you’re embarrassed being this close to me? Jeong-hyeon, my cute little brother, are you blushing?” she teased in a hushed voice.

Her sudden shift in tone, from serious to playful, irritated him. But instead of snapping back, he decided to turn the tables. Keeping his composure, he replied calmly, “What? No, it’s just your chest pressing against me.”

Shin Si-ah froze, her mischievous smile wiped clean. Slowly, her face turned a bright shade of red, spreading to the tips of her ears. She stammered, her voice almost inaudible.

“S-so… do you hate it?”