Chapter 38: Demon Continent (Patreon)

Inside a white mental world...

A white figure paced slowly forward.

"Rudeus..."

"A transmigrator, huh."

"Looks like a fool, but he's actually a cunning one."

"My compulsory mind-reading hasn't lost its effect, exactly."

"But whenever I try to talk with Rudeus..."

"This guy can actually force his own emotional fluctuations under control."

"Which means my compulsory mind-reading gets absolutely nothing out of him."

"Incredible. What an absolutely incredible guy!!!"

"Originally, after seeing my own future get sealed..."

"I traced the world's timeline and found the father of the one who sealed me."

"But now..."

"Rudeus, I'm getting more and more interested in you."

"The more mysterious you are, the more determined I am to break through your defenses!!!"

"Heh heh, I really can't wait."

"It's been so long since I've done anything this groundbreaking."

"Ever since I threw the Six-Faced World into chaos, I've been so bored."

"Every reincarnation of the Dragon God gives up the moment he hits the slightest setback."

"Heh heh, I've finally found myself an interesting new toy."

"Rudeus, Rudeus, Rudeus!!!!"

...

The Demon Continent, under cover of night. Rudy slowly sat up, looking at the warm bonfire crackling before him.

He turned to glance beside him — Eris, Sylphiette, and Armored Dragon King Perugius, whose body Rudy had transformed into that of a beautiful white-haired girl. All three lay there, unconscious.

He lifted his head and turned his gaze to the powerfully built man sitting across from him — green hair, a glowing red gem set at the center of his forehead. A member of the Superd tribe, then...

A smile tugged at the corner of Rudy's mouth. "Morning," he said.

Ruijerd's eyes shot wide with shock.

He had always been despised by the world — everyone who ever saw him treated him like a terrifying demon.

Yet this human child in front of him... not only showed no fear of him, but had actually greeted him first!!??

A faint warmth stirred in Ruijerd's chest.

He picked up a branch, gesturing with it as he explained, "You all fell from the sky. Human children are fragile, so I lit a fire to keep you warm."

Rudy nodded, full of gratitude. "Thank you so much for saving us."

He couldn't remember how long it had been since anyone had thanked him. Far, far too long.

Everyone he'd ever met had treated him as something loathsome.

But now... Rudy was actually thanking him.

"Why aren't you afraid of me?" Ruijerd asked, puzzled.

Rudy turned his gaze toward the warm bonfire.

He smiled. "In everyone's legends, you're supposed to be a terrifying being. But now that I've actually met you, I feel exactly the opposite. Besides... it'd be pretty rude to fear the person who just saved you."

With just those few words, something warm finally kindled in Ruijerd's long-frozen heart.

"You really are an incredible child," he said, full of wonder.

Rudy smiled. "Rudeus Greyrat."

Ruijerd replied earnestly, "Ruijerd Superdia."

Rudy nodded and moved from across the fire to sit beside Ruijerd.

"So, where exactly are we?" he asked with a smile.

Ruijerd answered, "The Biheiril region, in the northeast of the Demon Continent."

Rudy nodded and sighed. "I never imagined we'd end up somewhere so far away."

Ruijerd asked curiously, "Why did you all end up here, anyway?"

Rudy smiled. "We got caught up in a massive magical disaster and were teleported here."

Watching how completely unworried Rudy seemed, Ruijerd grew even more curious. "You don't seem worried about yourself at all?"

Rudy smiled. "You mean because the environment here on the Demon Continent is harsh? Well, as a mage, as long as I have mana, I'll never run short of water. And as for food, I'm quite confident in my own means of getting it."

As he spoke, Rudy raised a hand, and a beam of purple light shot down from the sky in an instant.

In that same heartbeat — too fast even for Ruijerd to dodge — it struck the ground right beside Rudy, scorching the earth into a glowing, molten mass.

Ruijerd's eyes went wide with shock, fixed on Rudy.

Rudy just smiled. "Let me introduce myself properly — Rudeus, Emperor-rank mage."

Ruijerd asked curiously, "How old are you now?"

Rudy smiled. "I just had my tenth birthday. I'm ten now."

"Ten!!?"

Ruijerd exclaimed in amazement, "To reach that kind of strength at just ten years old — that's truly remarkable!"

Rudy smiled. "It's not bad, I suppose. My goal is God-rank, and beyond that... the vast sea of stars."

Ruijerd looked puzzled. "The sea of stars?"

Rudy raised a hand and pointed up at the star-filled sky.

"Look, isn't the sky beautiful?" he said with a smile. "I hope that someday I'll have the power to roam freely among the stars."

Ruijerd nodded, impressed. "A remarkable ambition."

"Thanks for the compliment..." Rudy said, with a small smile.

Just then, Armored Dragon King Perugius — now transformed into a white-haired girl — slowly began to stir awake.