Dungeon Defense (WN)

Barbatos whispered to me.

“Don’t make eye contact. You’ll piss yourself.”

I felt slightly dazed. A majority of the Demon Lords I’ve met until now have had self-conceited personalities. They weren’t always formal to other Demon Lords if they happened to have a higher rank than them. It was rare to see them greet someone courteously. And yet, every Demon Lord bowed the moment Baal appeared.

“They aren’t greeting him. They’re pretending to greet him.”

“What do you mean?”

“You feel fear if you make eye contact with old man Baal. It’s fucking terrifying. They’re avoiding his gaze as naturally as possible by pretending to greet him because they don’t want to experience that.”

This was shocking. In other words, the Demon Lords would rather show the utmost courtesy than meet Baal’s gaze. How terrifying must his gaze be that the people whose prides are as high as the Himalayas themselves would go out of their way to formally greet him simply to avoid making eye contact?

“Is it that scary?”

“If you’re curious, then give it a shot.”

“I won’t stop you, but make sure you put on a diaper beforehand.”

The grand doors of the conference room slowly opened. The hinges squeaked. The sound of metal scraping against metal echoed drearily throughout the room. At the same time, the twenty chandeliers attached to the ceiling shattered clamorously. The room became dark in the blink of an eye. The faint light leaking through the opened doors was the only source of light we had. I hastily lowered my head.

Step.

I could hear the sound of footsteps. Each step was slow. Resolved footsteps that seemed determined to make every place it touched into their territory approached the other side of the door. The air vibrated with each step. This person filled an entire building with his footsteps alone. A footstep would fill the conference room to the brim and slowly fade away before filling the room again with another footstep. Like a tune that doesn’t feel like it’d continue, but does. It almost felt as if he was being considerate so that the conference room wouldn’t collapse under the pressure of his footsteps.

As he was crossing through the conference room, he suddenly stopped. I couldn’t grasp the situation properly as my head was still lowered. Nonetheless, if I were to make an assumption to where he had stopped, it was most likely near where the Neutral Faction was gathered.

“Marbas. Have you been doing well?”

“……Thanks to you, Baal.”

“Neutrality is a lonely path. I pray that your loneliness is not that of a mere sailor held captive by the sea but as that of a captain that has to navigate through the sea on their own.”

The footsteps continued. They then stopped around the location where the Mountain Faction was gathered.

“Paimon. Your beauty never fails to amaze me.”

“It is an honor……Sir Baal.”

“Strategy is not something that is only used for battles. You must have an ideal world that you are looking out towards. I give you my support that you may approach that ideal of yours with resolved steps no matter how long it takes.”

The footsteps continued once more. It wasn’t long before they stopped nearby.

He spoke to Barbatos in a lowish tone.

“Barbatos. O eternally pure warrior.”

I felt goosebumps. I felt his voice ring right next to, no, inside my ear. It felt like his voice was reaching into my ear and shaking my brain. My sense of balance in my feet faltered. I desperately maintained my posture. If I hadn’t heeded Barbatos’ warning earlier and exerted pressure on my lower body, then I would have probably fallen over and humiliated myself.

「Demon Lord Baal has activated <Degredation of Skills>.」

「The skill will be resisted according to your might and intelligence stats.」

「The die of luck has been tossed, but by some sort of miracle, it has stopped in midair! You have failed to resist due to the ‘overwhelming’ difference in stats. You will be given a penalty.」

‘Yeah. This is how it should be.’

This wasn’t particularly surprising. From what I could remember, Baal didn’t have a skill like Degradation of Skills in <Dungeon Attack>. Baal probably has many more skills in this damned world than what he had in the game.

Right as I was about to obediently accept the stat penalty, something covered me from the front. It was Barbatos’ shadow. She had slightly covered me from Baal.

“Long time no see, old man. You’re as energetic as usual, huh?”

「Demon Lord Barbatos has activated <Null and Void>.」

「The skill has been canceled! The penalty effect will not be removed.」

I was surprised. This idiotic loli! What is she doing!?

Although I’ve decided to publically become a part of the Plains Faction, it’d be troubling if I stood out in the eyes of others. I’m weak. The weak do not have the right to boldly reveal themselves and take action. Hiding behind the strong and shrewdly pursuing survival is the proper conduct of the weak. If Barbatos covers for me excessively, then that would be no different from announcing to everyone around us that we have an uncommon relationship!

Sure enough, Baal let out an amused voice in response to Barbatos’ action.

“Oh?”

“I’ve always been curious as to how you’ve been able to stay up all night with that burning body of yours when you don’t have a wife. Are you perhaps doing that?”

Barbatos chuckled crudely. I couldn’t tell since my head was lowered, but I had a good feeling she was making an indecent hand gesture right now. Baal chuckled as well.

“At the very least, the sex life I possess is not particularly honorable enough for me to openly discuss it with others. It is alarming and intriguing that you would be interested in my sex life. If it would not be rude of me to ask, may I ask if your sex life has been affluent?”

“Oh, I can assure you that my sex life is a lot more colorful and entertaining than whatever that whore Paimon has and what you have, old man. Honestly, it’s hard to imagine you having intercourse. In, out, in, out, in, out, and spray. I feel like it’d end with that.”

“Kuhahaha!”

The sound of laughter resonated throughout the room. I felt the far corners of the building shake. An unpleasant tingling sensation went down my spine.

The other Demon Lords around Baal joined in as they laughed cautiously. My Lord, they were trying to fit his mood. After seeing this, who would possibly imagine that these are the same Demon Lords that bring about fear in the human world?

“It has been a long time since I, Baal, had such a satisfying laugh. I can only be grateful that someone willing to toss jokes at me is still alive and breathing. O pure warrior, how could I not love you?”

His voice became mellow.

“For me who gladly ushers in life, among butterflies, bubbles, and mortals, those like butterflies and bubbles appear as if they know most about life.”

“Sheesh, old man. You’re great and all, but I often can’t tell if you’re speaking to me or reciting a poem. I sometimes wonder if we’re actually speaking two entirely different languages but we’re somehow understanding each other through some miraculous and astronomical chance.”

“What can I do? My life has been so long that my way of speech is different from youngsters these days.”

I’ve also lived for 2,000 years, Barbatos grumbled. Baal laughed once more.

“I will overlook this.”

“…….”

There was no reason to explain what he was overlooking. This meant that he wasn’t going to say anything more about how Barbatos had protected me. Baal left our side and continued forward. He was now greeting the 6 highest-ranking Demon Lords below him. If asking a one-sided question and receiving an answer is considered a greeting…….

Barbatos murmured.

“Haah. I thought I was going to die.”

“Hey, why’d you do something like that?”

“You dimwit. Shut up. Did you not notice that the old man glared at you?”

What?

“……He glared at me? Why?”

“Fuck, how would I know? If I let things be, then you would have been crushed. For a weakling, you sure don’t know how to be grateful.”

Barbatos curled her lips.

I couldn’t figure out why. I don’t recall doing anything that could’ve attracted Baal’s attention. Have I ever stuck out in the first place? The only thing I can think of is the incident where I killed Andromalius, but it was hard to believe that the Rank 1 would show this much interest in me simply because I killed our own kin.

More than anything else, I roughly have a grasp of Baal’s personality. In the game, Baal was more of an advocate of war than Barbatos. No, it’d be better to call him a battle devotee. As he only finds meaning in life through battles alone, he believes that demonkind had declined because conflicts had disappeared. The Great Demon Lord who adheres to bloodstained battlefields more than anyone else. This should be Baal’s true nature.

‘Did he perhaps find out that I was the one who spread those groundless rumors about the Black Death?’

This isn’t good. I don’t have enough information. I lack the material to make a clear judgment……. At the very least, if Baal’s affection was above 20, then I could peek into his state of mind, but the only things that would appear when I called up his status were his monstrous stamina, attack, and defense stats. I decided to refrain from making any conclusions for now. Damn it, it felt like a black entity was now sitting in the corner of my mind.

“I wish to give my word appreciation to you all for having come here despite this rough season.”

Baal sat at the center of the seat of honors. At that moment, 6 large balls of flames appeared in midair. They replaced the now shattered chandeliers in lighting up the room.

Baal paused for a moment as he looked around the room. I couldn’t possibly look at him directly, so I was lowering my head slightly.

A majority of the Demon Lords were assuming a posture similar to my own. Marbas of the Neutral Faction, Paimon of the Mountain Faction, and Barbatos of the Plains Faction……only an incredibly small minority of people were able to keep their backs up straight and look directly at Baal. One’s line of vision represented their authority. I never would have imagined that this proposition would weigh down on me so heavily.

“Normally, the path of Demon Lords is something that is decided after a long period of debate and deliberation. The right sequence of events would be for the highest-ranking Demon Lords to not intervene in the discussion if possible and considerately allow you all to come to a decision voluntarily. However, I, Baal, would like to voice my will this time around.”

An uncomfortable silence fell over the room. It almost felt as if gravity had gotten stronger. Baal’s heavy voice rang out throughout the conference room.

“War!”

That single word announced the formation of the 8th Crescent Alliance.

Baal began to say the names of each and every Demon Lord while they were all frozen. An irrefusable declaration wrapped around all 60 Demon Lords that had gathered here.

“Rank 9 Paimon.”

“Yes.”

Paimon walked to the center of the room with elegant but fast steps. She grabbed the edges of her dress and raised them slightly as she bowed courteously.

“Order this lady Paimon however you wish.”

“I am appointing you as the commander of the 1st legion. Lead the Mountain Faction in the direction of the Kingdom of Teuton and the Republic of Batavia! Shred the lungs of those humans so they cannot live to taste the air ever again. You have the authority to command the Mountain Faction autonomously.”

“Understood.”

Paimon bowed once more. Paimon, the biggest pacifist and pro-human individual, obliged to this command without even a hint of hesitation. As someone who was aware of her conviction and how she tried to pursue friendly relations with humans even as she met her fate in the game, this compliance of hers naturally alarmed me. Paimon accepted the task of invading a human nation without showing any defiance whatsoever!

“Rank 5 Marbas.”

“I am here.”

Marbas walked out with dignified steps. He didn’t bow, but he did raise his right hand to his chest. It was a salute.

“This noble Marbas will heed your royal command.”

“I am appointing you as the commander of the 2nd legion. Command the Neutral Faction and march towards the Anatolia Empire and the Polish-Lithuanian Kingdom. Ravage the eastern side of the continent.”

“The eastern side of the continent will be turned to dust and be referred to as a desert.”

Marbas spoke as if he were vowing to himself.

“Rank 2 Agares.”

“Yes.”

The woman who was also seated at the seat of honor stood up. She strutted her way to the center of the room playfully. She brought her hand to her forehead and performed a salute.

“Agares of Quakes, tell me whatever you want.”

“I am appointing you as the commander of the 3rd legion. Take the Demon Lords with no affiliation and crush the Kingdom of Moscow and the Kalmar Alliance! Show those humans that the north used to be a land of perpetual snow.”

“Eeh, I hate the cold……. It can’t be helped. I’ll make sure the humans aren’t able to see the snow in the north anymore.”

With somewhat exaggerated movements, she spread out her arms and kneeled.

“Rank 3 Vassago. I am appointing you as the commander of the 4th legion. Go with Rank 6 Valefor and reduce the Kingdom of Bernicia’s navy to ashes!”

“That is sufficient for me.”

A man nodded and went to stand at the center of the conference room.

“Rank 4 Gamigin. I am appointing you as the commander of the 5th legion. Support all of the armies from the home front with Rank 7 Amon! Remain in our territory.”

“Oh dear, oh dear. You’re giving the boring task to me, my goodness. You sure are cruel, Sir Baal.”

A maiden walked out to the center with a light smile, but, despite her demeanor, she still managed to maintain a posture that didn’t go against militia rites.

Baal’s voice was eventually directed towards us.

“Rank 8 Barbatos.”

“I was starting to get angsty waiting for you to call on me.”

Barbatos walked out boldly. She spoke merrily despite being next to Demon Lords that were like glittering stars.

“It’s obvious where I’m going to go, ain’t it?”

“I am appointing you as the commander of the 6th legion. Advance towards the Habsburg Empire. I shall allow you to command the entirety of the Plains Faction.”

“Fuck yeah, all right! I’ll rip apart all of the humans!”

She raised her right hand to her chest. With this, the Mountain Faction, Neutral Faction, unaffiliated group, highest-ranking Demon Lords, and even the Plains Faction, everyone had been mentioned. There was only a single person left now.

The heat between the Demon Lords began to heighten. Their fighting spirit began to boil. This was the first time in 2,000 years since the last Crescent Alliance where every Demon Lord was in attendance. Trample, conquer, and destroy. Words that were designed for Demon Lords were prowling around the room. It felt like they could already smell blood and were salivating.

“And finally, I, Baal.”

Baal spoke.

“I declare myself as both the commander of the 7th legion and the commander-in-chief. I shall wipe out the Frank Empire on my own. By dividing our army into 7 legions, we shall cause 7 trails of destruction and screams. Comrades! Make those humans realize who the true owners of this world are.”

He stood up and unsheathed the sword that was on his back.

“Crescent Alliance! Advance!”

Immediately after, the bellows of beasts filled the room.

***

TL note: Thanks for reading the chapter. Seriously though, DD WN is really an entirely different story. Same premise and characters, but an entirely different approach. Never thought I’d see the other Demon Lords. The genders of some of these Demon Lords were never brought to light until now, so I think I might have referred to some of them as ‘he’ and ‘him’ because of their names, but now that I have a clarification with this chapter, I’ll try to keep it aligned from now on.

Now that this section is done, I can go back to Handholding. I’ll see some of you guys there.

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