“Wake up.”

Woohyuk shook the unconscious princess awake.

However, she did not easily open her eyes, as if she were affected by a debuff.

‘This is troublesome.’

Her pulse and breathing were fine, but it would be hard to carry her outside.

Woohyuk took out a potion to remove all abnormal status conditions and made the princess drink it.

“Mmm…”

Soon enough, Princess Lizbeth groaned slightly and slowly opened her eyes.

“How do you feel?”

“Wh-who are you?”

“I was requested by King Henry to rescue you, Princess.”

“By father…?”

Princess Lizbeth’s eyes widened as if she couldn’t believe his words.

“We mustn’t stay here. We have to escape as fast as possible.”

“That, that woman won’t stay still.”

Amy Klein.

She was the woman who had kidnapped her as well as the mastermind behind this entire incident.

Woohyuk nodded as he listened to the princess’ explanation.

“I am aware. She won’t be an easy opponent.”

“How did you bypa.s.s the Witch Cult and reach here?”

“I will tell you once we return to the Izuna Kingdom safe and sound.”

There was no need for him to narrate his terrible orc portrayal in this underground cell.

Woohyuk verified that there was no witch stigma on her before speaking again.

“You will have to wear a disguise before we leave. Would that be alright with you, Princess?”

“Yes? Yes…”

Princess Lizbeth nodded with a confused face. She had no idea how she was supposed to disguise herself.

Woohyuk handed the items he was wearing to her one by one.

[Banshee’s Cloak].

[Moonshadow Ring].

[Queen Star Snake Ghost].

[Elder Naga’s Ancient Ring].

[Jester’s Mask].

They were vital to her protection and her concealment.

“Did you understand how to use them all?”

“Yes… These are all incredible items.”

Princess Lizbeth expressed her astonishment.

She now understood how Woohyuk had reached her location without getting caught.

“You have to act as I say from now on.”

She first had to use the Jester’s Mask to pose as a believer of the Witch Cult, and use the Moonshadow Ring to modify her status window.

Finally, she had to wear the Banshee’s Cloak to make herself invisible.

“Will this plan really work?”

“This is indispensable if we wish to increase your chances of survival as much as possible.”

They wouldn’t get detected by Amy until they left the 3rd underground floor, as Woohyuk was using Agnes’ Dark Crystal to avoid the witch stigmas, while Princess Lizbeth was invisible.

“You need to blend in with the Witch Cult as naturally as possible once we reach the floor above us. Don’t worry, I can recognize you whenever and wherever you are.”

He had received the Messenger's Wings as a reward back on Twilight Tower’s 96th floor.

Woohyuk could use it to share his vision for upto 3 days with an individual he had touched physically. However, the number of times it could be used was limited to 3 times.

He had already used it once before, and had 2 usages left.

“You’re really thorough.”

“That’s how I’ve managed to survive until today.”

It was difficult to survive on the Eeth Continent if he couldn’t keep his cool during moments of danger.

Woohyuk told Princess Lizbeth of certain things to be cautious of, and they both exited the stone cell.

Step. Step.

Their footsteps echoed in the hollow corridor.

[Choi Kayoon, how are things on your side?]

[We’ve made it into the inner area of the wasteland. Where are you?]

[Underground. Tell Ronald not to enter but to guard the entrance.]

They had to destroy the Izuna Kingdom’s Witch Cult from its roots now that things had come to this.

After finis.h.i.+ng his conversation with Choi Kayoon, Woohyuk and Princess Lizbeth arrived at the bottom of the spiral staircase.

“...”

“...”

The air weighed heavily on their shoulders.

If their plan derailed even by a slight amount, things would become chaotic.

Fortunately, nothing happened to them until they reached the 2nd floor.

‘Seems like they haven’t finished the summoning ritual yet.’

Behemoth was a legendary demonic beast. It wasn’t a surprise the ritual would take a long time.

Woohyuk separated from Princess Lizbeth and ran instantly to the open area where the summoning was taking place.

“We meet again, Amy.”

“You’re… Oh! You’re Chun Woohyuk, aren’t you? Or should I call you Asura? I didn’t recognize you for a moment since you changed your appearance.”

She appeared to have done a background investigation about him since their last encounter.

Amy made a relaxed smile while Woohyuk brandished Verserios.

“Trying to summon Behemoth here… You’re completely insane. Are you going to offer the believers as sacrifices?”

“The believers? Don’t worry. They don’t fear useless things such as death.”

The believers of the Witch Cult were prepared to offer their lives at any time for the return of Lilith.

Woohyuk frowned as Amy spoke proudly.

“I’ll have to defeat you here... Unless you’re another puppet right now.”

“Huhu… There’s no way I’d conduct such an important ritual through a wooden doll. But if you’re really curious, you can try cutting me down like last time.”

Amy swung the blood-drenched scythe and provoked her enemy.

Soon enough, her appearance began to fade away, and Woohyuk released the demonic energy in him.

‘She’s a lot more agile and nimble compared to last time.’

It was no surprise that the actual body was stronger and faster than a puppet controlled at a distance.

However, she was but a mere human.

She was no match to Woohyuk who had defeated Demon King Volak and the Witch of Envy Kriemhild.

‘Unless her powers have reached the same heights as Aleister Crowley’s.’

Woohyuk avoided the scythe cutting through the air from behind him and grabbed Amy’s wrist.

Immediately, a bone-cracking sound echoed as Amy’s arm twisted in an odd direction.

“Argh!”

“You chose the wrong opponent, Amy.”

Her miscalculation was to rush her plans after the death of Kriemhild.

He didn’t know how things had turned out in his past life, but this time, there was no way her plan would succeed as long as he took action.

No matter what method she used, Amy couldn’t surpa.s.s Woohyuk.

Stab!

Verserios penetrated slid inside Amy’s abdomen. Her innards were cut apart and she let out a screeching wail.

“Kyaaaaaaak!”

“Let’s settle this now.”

Woohyuk raised his sword to end his opponent’s life.

At that instant, countless dark arrows flew towards him from every direction.

The priests of the Witch Cult had intervened in the battle.

‘Annoying pests.’

Although they were getting in his way, Woohyuk refrained from slaughtering the believers right now.

If all these members were to be sacrificed, there was the possibility that the magic sigil on the floor would be completed.

Woohyuk gathered the demonic energy and protected his body from the attacks.

“Now, the time has come! You shall all take your own lives to offer a great, nouris.h.i.+ng meal to Behemoth! This is all for Lady Lilith’s return!”

Amy shouted in a piercing voice as she held onto her bleeding stomach.

At those words, the believers obediently took out the daggers hidden in their robes and slit their own necks.

Slas.h.!.+

A dark red liquid began bursting and pouring out of the severed carotids.

The small puddles of blood surrounding the sigil gathered to form a single sea of blood.

Rumble!

Pitch black sparks of electricity bursted out of the magic sigil on the floor and a dark vortex formed as it swirled.

‘So things have come to this.’

He had somehow expected this situation.

He had experienced a similar situation back in the witch’s forest, and he was also aware of the Witch Cult’s believers’ mentality.

However, he had hoped that this series of events would’ve happened after he had successfully ended Amy’s heartbeat.

Princess Lizbeth’s hidden location would be revealed with the death of the believers, and Amy could take advantage of the defenseless woman.

“Why aren’t you killing yourself?! Cut your throat with your dagger already!”

“...”

The disguised princess flinched at Amy’s outburst and stepped backwards.

Amy’s expressions relaxed immediately as she saw the scene.

“Oh, I see. So you’ve already rescued Princess Lizbeth. Impressive, Chun Woohyuk. I never expected you to hinder my plans this much.”

“...Silence.”

Woohyuk was currently concentrating on the magic sigil.

He had to destroy the sigil before the summoning was complete, just as he had done within Martinus’ imaginary world.

As Woohyuk raised Verserios to prepare his attack, Amy mocked him.

“Huhu… The sigil is already complete. Behemoth will soon be summoned! You should escape instead of attacking meaninglessly, if you wish to save the princess.”

Their surroundings were a mess.

The floor was bloodied and corpses were scattered everywhere, and a black vortex spun around the magic sigil.

However, Woohyuk stood steadily in the middle of this chaotic hall.

“We would’ve escaped already if that could resolve our current problem.”

And if he wasn’t someone who would patiently wait and pray for help. If he were, he never would’ve regressed 40 in time.

He had realized it back in his previous life.

This world had no paradise.

“...That is why I must reach it.”

The Demon G.o.d’s Throne.

If he kept challenging and completing impossible feats, he could one day reach the Demon G.o.d’s Throne.

It was with this belief that he survived and would continue marching forward.

The importance was to remain calm and steady no matter the situation.

And once this belief turned to resolve and fighting spirit, despair would finally turn into hope.

Woohyuk’s face was confident as he watched the Behemoth reveal it’s head from the pitch black magic sigil.

‘This is but a simple step towards achieving my goal.’

It was unknown if his accomplishment in Martinus’ spiritual world was also achievable in reality.

However, this was another challenge he had to take on.

Avoiding this confrontation would result in nothing but destruction and deaeths.

Crack!

Woohyuk stabbed Verserios into the ground and a large fissure grew on the sigil.

Things had developed differently compared to the battle in the imaginary world.

But Woohyuk didn’t falter and concentrated all his demonic energy at the tip of his sword.

Boooom!

The energy gathered at the tip exploded and shattered the magic sigil, as a black smoke expanded with the shockwave.

Amy coughed and stared at Woohyuk with a furious face.

“Im, impossible… I’m certain that Behemoth had answered my call…”

“Isn’t it a bit too big to call it a pet?”

Asura’s successor spoke as he stepped out of the black cloud.

He pointed at Amy’s throat with Verserios.

“You had great ambitions, but they were all in vain.”

“Huhu… Do you really think so?”

“You couldn’t change anything. Not the believers, nor the kingdom, nor your own fate.”

During their battle, Woohyuk had activated the Memory Pendant when he had grabbed and twisted Amy’s arm.

She had been abandoned when her parents had divorced and remarried due to familial discord.

Amy cursed at the G.o.ds and at her own fate, and vowed to turn the tables of the world and change everything.

Later on, it was quite obvious that she was raised by the Witch Cult into a cold-hearted a.s.sa.s.sin.

“Yes, you’re right. It’s my loss, so kill me already using that fascinating sword of yours.”

“...I shall grant your wish.”

Woohyuk raised Verserios to put an end to this conflict.

Amy smirked at his movements and suddenly took a dagger out of her chest.

“Watch out!”

Princess Lizbeth cried out as she ran towards the two.

However, Woohyuk didn’t react and stared down on Amy. He had already predicted her actions.

Slit!

The sharp dagger cut the woman’s thin neck.

The princess was shocked by the sight of Amy dropping on the floor, as if the strings controlling her had been cut.

“She, she killed herself…?”

“She must’ve wanted to choose her own destiny.

She was like a firecracker that bloomed magnificently and immediately faded into nothingness.

Woohyuk clicked his tongue as he watched the wide-eyed Amy on the floor.