Suicide Before Defeating the Final Boss

Suicide Before Defeating the Final Boss – 96

EP.96 The Demon King Part 3

The barren, lifeless land seemed to breathe again, as if hope itself had taken root. Jeong-hyeon couldn’t help but marvel at the sight of greenery slowly sprouting around Hana. She wasn’t even trying; it was as if restoring life to this desolate place was second nature to her.

As he silently observed the phenomenon, a familiar system message appeared before him:

[Congratulations! You have achieved a monumental accomplishment and earned significant achievement points!]

– Harbinger of Revival.

‘Revival, huh?’

The message seemed to imply he was reviving the land, though that wasn’t his intention.

‘I don’t plan on reviving anything.’

His ultimate goal was the world’s destruction, after all. But achievement points were always welcome, so he accepted them with mock gratitude.

While he mulled this over, Hana tugged at his pant leg, her eyes sparkling with excitement.

“Daddy! Look! It’s getting really big!”

She exclaimed, pointing at the rapidly growing plants.

Her delight was contagious, and Jeong-hyeon found himself smiling as he patted her head. Then, out of the corner of his eye, he noticed shimmering forms resembling animals gathering around them, one by one.

“What…?”

Though they didn’t appear threatening, their sheer number and unknown nature made him instinctively wary. His hand hovered over the hilt of his sword.

Before he could act, Miria let out a gasp of amazement.

“Wow… I’ve never seen so many spirits gather in one place before.”

“Spirits?”

Taking a closer look, Jeong-hyeon realized she was right. The glowing figures indeed resembled spirits from stories he’d heard. As he observed them warily, Hana suddenly reached out and hugged the largest of the spirits, a dog-like figure.

“Fluffy!”

She declared triumphantly.

“Fluffy? What’s that supposed to mean?”

Hana held the spirit—now dubbed “Fluffy”—tight and proudly brought it over to Jeong-hyeon. He raised an eyebrow at her, wondering what exactly she had latched onto.

“It’s a water spirit!”

Hana chirped.

He could tell that much. But instead of interrogating her further, he turned to Miria, figuring she’d have a better explanation.

Miria’s face was a mix of astonishment and unease as she spoke.

“I… I think that’s a high-ranking spirit. But… how is it letting her hold it so easily?!”

Her shock only made Jeong-hyeon more curious. Though he’d never fought a high-ranking spirit, Miria’s reaction suggested they were incredibly powerful. For a moment, he considered testing its strength.

But the sight of Hana cuddling Fluffy with pure joy quelled his competitive instincts.

‘Besides…’

The spirits didn’t seem hostile. In fact, their movements hinted at a protective stance around Hana. Jeong-hyeon decided to let it be.

Still, it couldn’t hurt to learn more about spirits, just in case. He turned to Miria again and asked.

“Are they dangerous?”

Miria quickly shook her head.

“Spirits? Oh, you don’t need to worry about them. Spirits are incredibly loyal to those they choose as their masters. They’ll even sacrifice their lives to protect them.”

“Really?”

Jeong-hyeon silently nodded as Miria explained.

“Especially for mid- and high-ranking spirits, their combat prowess is exceptional. It’s said that forming a contract with a high-ranking spirit guarantees survival even in surprise attacks. You don’t need to worry about Hana.”

That reassurance made Jeong-hyeon glance at the dog-like spirit snuggled against Hana. If it truly was that strong, then it changed things significantly.

‘This might finally ease some of the anxiety I’ve had.’

At the very least, Hana would have protection even if something happened while he wasn’t around.

Satisfied, Jeong-hyeon decided to let things be for now. Watching the spirit nestled in Hana’s arms, a thought occurred to him.

“Hana,” he asked gently, “could you ask Fluffy—or whatever its name is—if it knows where the Demon King is?”

Hana perked up, her expression radiating confidence. She nodded vigorously and began communicating with the spirit, her tone casual yet oddly fluent.

‘What language is that?’

Jeong-hyeon wondered as he listened to the incomprehensible exchange. He didn’t recall ever teaching her anything like it.

Before long, Hana tugged at his pants, her face glowing with excitement.

“Daddy! I found it!”

That quickly? Jeong-hyeon blinked in surprise. He hadn’t expected results so soon.

“Where?” he asked, leaning down to her level.

Hana released the spirit, pointing as it began moving in a specific direction.

“Fluffy says to follow him!”

Without hesitation, Jeong-hyeon nodded and began walking, Hana holding onto his hand and trailing behind the spirit.

***

For most humans who didn’t rely on the World Tree, it was just an enormous tree—a symbol at best. But for elves, the World Tree was their deity, influencing their lives directly and indirectly.

No, it wasn’t merely like a god; it was their god, the literal source of their existence.

But that sacred being no longer existed.

Someone had shattered the protective barriers around it, set the World Tree aflame, and stolen its lifeblood. The once-majestic tree, once teeming with vitality, now stood brittle and pale, a skeletal remnant of its former self.

Bima, the elf village chief stood before the withered husk of the World Tree, his expression somber.

‘Is there truly no salvation left for us?’

If there was even the faintest glimmer of hope, he would have seized it with his life. Yet there was nothing—not a shred of light at the end of their despairing path.

As his thoughts spiraled deeper into hopelessness, a panicked voice disrupted his reverie.

“Chief! There’s… there’s a sign of life—!”

A strange term, “sign of life,” but Bima understood what the speaker meant. His heart stirred as he sought clarification.

“An intruder?”

“Y-Yes. But… it’s strange. Among the intruders, there’s… there’s a presence carrying the power of the World Tree itself!”

“The power of the World Tree?”

Normally, Bima would’ve scoffed at such absurdity and dismissed it outright. But desperation had dulled his skepticism. He turned toward the messenger, his voice calm but commanding.

“Where?”

“In the Sentinel Forest, just on the outskirts.”

“Very well. Inform the elders to prepare for combat and meet me there immediately.”

“Yes, sir!”

After delivering his final words to the elders, the village chief stepped outside. The pristine white snow blanketed the landscape, painting a serene yet haunting picture. However, this purity was marred by the grim reality of those living in the settlement—elves who were starving, freezing, and clinging desperately to life.

Screams echoed through the air as some resorted to extreme measures, like severing frostbitten limbs to survive.

Ignoring the despair around him, the chief focused on preparing to address the gathering elders. As they assembled, he glanced over the group and began to speak in a firm yet measured tone.

“There is something that needs to be confirmed.”

The elders remained silent—not out of agreement, but perhaps due to the exhaustion that dulled their spirits. Still, their attention remained fixed on him.

Relaying the information he had received about the intrusion and the faint presence of the World Tree’s power, he watched as the elders broke into hushed, animated conversations. After all, it had been so long since anyone had mentioned the World Tree in any hopeful context.

The chief cleared his throat, silencing them.

“First, we will determine the truth.”

He paused, his expression hardening as he laid out their course of action.

“If it turns out that the intruders have indeed brought someone connected to the World Tree, I will ensure they are brought back—no matter the cost.”

He then addressed the possibility of conflict.

“I would prefer to avoid violence. However, if the intruders refuse to comply, I authorize the use of force.”

The mention of “force” caused unease to ripple through the elders. They understood that his words implied more than restraint—it meant using deadly measures if necessary.

‘Not that any of this matters if the connection to the World Tree turns out to be false,’ the chief mused grimly.

Nevertheless, he clung to the fragile hope that this lead might restore the elves’ broken faith. With his orders given, he directed the elders to prepare for departure.

***

Following the spirits’ guidance, Jeong-hyeon arrived at a cliff overlooking the remnants of the World Tree. The tree’s once-majestic form now stood as a ghostly silhouette, surrounded by a ramshackle settlement of elves.

From above, Jeong-hyeon observed their dire situation. Their gaunt frames and makeshift shelters told a story of survival against insurmountable odds.

‘There’s more of them here than I expected.’

The elves’ unwavering devotion to the World Tree baffled him.

‘No matter how sacred they consider it, clinging to a dead relic like this is just throwing their lives away.’

Still, something else caught his attention—the sheer number of elves below. They moved with a frenetic energy, their activity resembling that of an ant colony.

A dark thought crossed his mind.

‘Maybe I should burn it all.’

The destructive power he had inherited from Rosario called to him. Wiping out half of the population would simplify things considerably.

As Jeong-hyeon weighed the idea, he noticed movement in the distance. A fully armed elven battalion was marching toward his location.

‘Looks like they’ve spotted us.’

Their formation and the weapons they carried made their intentions clear. They weren’t coming to welcome him—they were here to take Hana.

A cynical smile crept across Jeong-hyeon’s face.

‘Not much different from Daisy’s approach, are they?’

He raised his hand, letting divine power surge around him. If the elves wanted to fight, Jeong-hyeon was more than ready to deliver a response they wouldn’t forget.