The Novel’s Villain

59. Underworld Conquerors (1)

The day of the competition had arrived.

Jin-woo summoned his army to the Sanctuary. They all had fairies, but they decided to leave them back on Earth.

‘Hmm…’

Everyone was dressed as they did in New World.

Surprisingly, the one that looked the most normal was One-Handed Swordsman, who was just wearing green underwear.

The man standing next to him wore strawberry shorts and was displaying a disgusting pose. Just looking at his terrible appearance made Jin-woo feel like his eyes were rotting.

He had iridescent Moi Khan hair, a bow tie around his neck, a metal veil sticking out over his nipples and vital areas, and black socks and sandals. What made that even worse was that everything he wore had strawberries painted on it.

Anyone who’d see him would think he’s a terrible pervert.

‘I’m really glad we gave the game an R-18 rating.’

This sight would have way too big of an impact on children.

Jin-woo set New World as an R-18 game because of cruelty, not realizing then that it would also prevent youths from witnessing such traumatic visuals.

The present New World’ end of the century vogue was quite modern because of the Universe’s emergence.

Jin-woo looked at the players. Each of them held a unique pose like a villain introduction scene while waiting for his instructions.

‘I’d rather they just stand still properly…’

He had long since given up on that wish, however.

“Let’s go.”

He entered the portal of the underworld and moved to the Tower of Hades. Having installed a portal stone there, they had no trouble reaching it.

As soon as they arrived, One-Handed Swordsman picked up a handful of sand on the floor, closed his eyes, and let it flow in the wind. It was as if he was doing some sacred ritual.

“There aren’t enough trees here.”

Spoken like a true Elonti warrior who always thought of trees.

They went to where he promised to meet Hades, but he wasn’t there. Instead, they found one of Persephone’s warriors searching his subordinate, who was pinned to the ground.

Their opponent seemed quite strong, yet he still flinched when he saw Jin-woo and the Underworld Conquerors walking over to him, seemingly shocked by the players’ attires.

“I-I am Halus, one of Goddess Persephone’s soldiers! Get down on your knees!” He said proudly, barely managing to overcome his surprise.

Before Jin-woo could answer, Strawberry Underwear was already standing right in front of him. Taller and more muscular, he grinned and easily grabbed hold of his target.

“H-hey!” Halus trembled.

“Do you know?”

“K-know w-what…?”

“We have a saying among the Underworld Conquerors.”

“Huh?”

Strawberry Underwear positioned his lips right next to Halus’s ear, his next words causing his face to turn blue.

“Rude bastards will have their nipples ripped off.”

“What— Aaaaaaah!”

Pussack!

The messenger collapsed.

Since when did they have such a saying? The Underworld Conquerors were formed just yesterday.

Flower Garden Retiree shook his head with a deep smile.

“Oh, my, Strawberry Underwear… You’re too excited.”

The unbearable pain made Halus pass out.

One-Handed Swordsman dug a pit and buried him in it, cleaning up the mess they made. Since he was just a soul, he wouldn’t die from that anyway.

“I-I bring a message from Lord Hades.” Hades’s subordinate said, pulling out a parchment. It might be what Persephone’s warrior was searching for.

“Here you go, master.” Flower Garden Retiree took it and politely handed it to Jin-woo. Afterward, he licked a poisoned dagger.

Though he called him master, he didn’t say anything about it since he had grown accustomed to people calling him as such.

He read the contents of the parchment, which essentially told him to come to Persephone’s arena.

Hades apparently received an invitation to eat with her before the game, but he had to come alone, and he accepted it to buy Jin-woo some time.

‘… You’ve become brave.’

His eyes reddened. He never thought Hades would willingly meet with his wife.

There was one problem.

He didn’t know where the arena was. The guide Hades had sent had already lost consciousness, and Persephone’s warrior was buried on the floor.

Her sabotage worked to some extent.

“Where is the arena?”

“We should find a crowded area and ask around.” Flower Garden Retiree suggested.

“Let’s do that.”

Jin-woo moved to the city near the Tower of Hades with the Underworld Conquerors.

There were quite a few people in it, all of them special warriors or noble heroes who had met a glorious death in the World of Gods. They now enjoyed their peaceful lives in the underworld, seemingly without even the slightest worry.

They had immense pride in earning themselves the right to be in such a glorious place.

Jin-woo talked to a passerby.

“Hey, I have a question.”

“How dare you block Geus’s path, cunning fox?!” Geus flinched at the sight of the Underworld Conquerors, but he still spoke arrogantly.

Jin-woo thought communicating with him wouldn’t work.

However, to the Underworld Conquerors, there was no such thing as heroes. There were no such beings in New World, after all. There were only insane people that brought forth blood and fire upon their wakes.

“W-what?! Hey!”

Flower Garden Retiree grinned as he grabbed Geus’s shoulder, who was looking down on Jin-woo.

Geus was quite a powerful warrior in the World of Gods, but he was nothing compared to Flower Garden Retiree. When he tried to resist, he quickly suppressed him and brought him down to his knees.

The Underworld Conquerors member smiled menacingly.

“Listen, you foolish citizens of the underworld.”

Slip!

He pressed his poisoned dagger to the man’s neck.

“You deeply disappoint our master.”

“Hiee!”

“You are all weak, arrogant, mannerless!”

The people around them didn’t dare retaliate, finding the Underworld Conquerors’ looks and terrifying aura too powerful for them to make a move. One-Handed Swordsman looked at their audience.

“Kneel before your true master.”

Releasing a tremendous amount of mana, he pressured them until they faltered to their knees. He then turned his attention to Geus.

“Where is Persephone’s arena, weak little pig of the underworld?”

“O-over there.”

Geus raised his shaking arm and pointed to a huge colosseum behind him. A group of warriors had gathered in front of it.

Flower Garden Retiree pushed Geus’s head to the side, causing him to scream and tremble as he ran towards the arena.

“Hahahaha!”

“This’ll be fun.”

“Look, he’s crying!”

The Underworld Conquerors grinned ominously as they watched him retreat.

Jin-woo didn’t mind. He still got the results he wanted.

“Onwards.”

Fortunately, he’d arrive on time.

* * *

Hades went to Persephone, accepting her invitation to share a meal before the duel. He initially intended to refuse but decided to proceed with it to buy some time, even if it meant going alone.

When he arrived, she walked over to him gracefully. Many of her warriors followed right behind her.

They were Hades’s warriors before, but they now cooperated with Persephone for reasons he couldn’t fathom.

“Persephone…”

“Long time no see, Hades.”

She was beautiful, but he couldn’t see it. All he saw was terror and fear.

When he averted his gaze, her eyes turned cold.

They ate at the top of the arena. The meal itself was tasteless. Since he had grown accustomed to Jin-woo’s amazing dishes, he couldn’t even bring himself to eat it. He’d much rather have boring cereals.

“… Does it not suit your taste?”

“Uh…”

Trembling before her stare, Hades forced himself to eat. Persephone was evil itself. She had to have enjoyed torturing him.

The two sat in silence for a while.

He found it difficult to survive each passing second. If he were being honest, he just wanted to go home and play dating sim games to calm his mind. Games under that genre were always full of kind and beautiful girls.

Persephone was beautiful, but…

‘2D is better.’

The first 2D girl he encountered brought peace to his heart and became the reason why he regained his former self. He even thought of making her into a soul using his powers.

The time for their duel slowly came ever closer.

They returned to the arena. Hades desperately tried to buy more time, but she already knew what he was thinking.

Persephone smiled deeply.

“Radius was a fool, Hades. I didn’t expect you to seek help from a god from another dimension, but it’s already too late.”

Her words startled him.

Persephone was aware of not only Radius’s existence but also Jin-woo’s help to some extent.

She was smart and malevolent!

She had the underworld dancing on the palm of her hand, putting Hades in a deep swamp Hades couldn’t escape from.

Behind her, renowned warriors with great physiques appeared. He knew them quite well.

“Theseus, Pirithous…”

There was a time when he confronted Persephone by sending those two to bring her to the ground. However, she simply sat them in a chair of oblivion and turned them into zombies that mindlessly obeyed her words.

Since they were in a half-zombie state, they couldn’t be regarded as living beings. Rumors about them ceased after Hercules visited, so he didn’t expect them to reappear like this.

“You won’t be able to beat them even if you ask for help.”

His complexion darkened.

Theseus and Pirithous were godlike heroes.

“But I won’t let my guard down. That foreign god… His help will be a huge factor in this battle. Do you know why I called you in advance?”

“That’s…”

Urururur!

Noticing the warriors charging out of the arena, Hades understood her intentions.

She was trying to prevent him from arriving on time.

Hades looked at the person next to her. A trusted subordinate of his in the past now stood beside her with an awkward smile.

“I’ve already made my move.”

“You are a coward.”

“A coward? This is a battle between gods. Isn’t it only proper for us to do our best and everything we can to ensure victory? Haha!”

Hades’s face filled up with despair.

There was little time left, and Persephone had sent her strongest warriors to guard the arena’s proximity.

‘Jin-woo…’

Even if Jin-woo managed to bring his combatants to the underworld, it seemed they wouldn’t be able to enter the arena at all.

Persephone laughed out loud.

“I’m pretty sure I’ve already won. I’m looking forward to winning this bet.”

“… What do you want?”

Hades wanted control of the underworld. Persephone accepted his challenge, saying he could take whatever he wanted if he won, but she didn’t tell him what she desired.

Persephone had a serious expression on her face.

Hades gulped, afraid of what she was going to say.

Looking calmly at him, she spoke ever so slowly, prolonging his agony.

“What I want is…”

“Aaagghhh!”

“No!”

“Urghhh!”

However, just as she was about to finish her sentence, heavy noises began to echo from outside the arena. Turning their heads to the entrance, they saw warriors screaming as they collapsed onto the floor.

“Howl, brethren! Sing! Let their blood flow!”

“Hey, don’t run around too much. Maintain our position.”

Boom!

The stadium door exploded and disappeared, the surging pillar of flames dazing Hades and Persephone.

The heroes Persephone took pride in were sent flying to the sky, eventually falling to the ground like a rain of flesh.

Whoosh!

A band of combatants soon broke through the pillar of fire, all of them appearing in great shape. A man wearing nothing but green underwear dragged a subordinate of hers along by the neck.

When he raised him, he trembled profusely.

“Weak.”

Whik!

He threw him away with ease, causing him to roll and skid right in front of the two gods.

Persephone’s pupils shook, greatly astonished by the One-Handed Swordsman’s appearance.

His green underwear took her breath away!

“Shut up and listen!”

One-Handed Swordsman roared, spreading out his arms. Startled, all the warriors in the arena turned their gaze to him.

The spirit he emanated made him seem like Hercules himself. Every time his muscles twitched, sparks bounced, and the air vibrated.

“Hades, God of the Underworld!”

“Y-yes?” Hades answered in a terrified manner.

“Rejoice! A great being has come to save you! May the skies sing, the earth dance, and the sun roar to commemorate the day of your salvation!”

Hades’s face brightened, the despair that once filled it now being eliminated by his newfound hope. The One-Handed Swordsman’s vicinity exploded, causing bright light to flood in.

“Persephone and weak warriors of the underworld!”

“… Huh? Me? What?”

His voice changed, now sounding no different from that of a beast.

Persephone flinched, and so did Theseus, Pirithous, and the other heroes in the arena.

“Let fear and desperation consume you! The bringer of your darkness and demise has come! Hellfire will burn your flesh and bones, and the abyss shall devour your souls as they cry and scream for help for all eternity!”

His words caused her to instinctively take a few steps back.

“Citizens of the underworld! Lend me your ears! Behold, your new ruler, your new master, the true and rightful lord of the underworld! Kneel and pay your respects to him!”

As soon as he finished his monologue, the Underworld Conquerors appeared beside him. In the middle of them all stood Jin-woo, his expression quite awkward and sullen.

“Uh… Um… I’m back, Hades.”

Everyone’s gazes turned to him.

“Sorry it took so long. We had a little trouble finding this place.”

Hades stared blankly at him.

“J-Jin-woo…”

Warm tears flowed from his eyes.

He kept his promise.

Fortunately, despite the circumstances, he was able to reach the arena in time.

Jin-woo thought Persephone was beautiful. She looked like a flower blooming in a barren wasteland.

Hades came to his side, regaining his vigor.

“You’ve certainly brought wonderful warriors!”

The Underworld Conquerors’ appearance moved him. They seemed really dignified.

On the contrary, Persephone’s face hardened.

It took a little while for things to calm down.

Taking a deep breath, she approached Jin-woo. He didn’t even need to introduce himself.

“You’re the foreign god from another dimension.”

“You knew.”

“I know everything about Hades… The underworld is mine, after all. I busied myself thinking of a way to get rid of Radius, not knowing you’re a much stronger foe lying in wait. I have no choice but to admit I fell for your tactics.” Persephone sighed.

She seemed to have misunderstood something, but he didn’t feel the need to tell her.

She then turned her attention to Hades, staring at him.

Noticing her actions, Jin-woo tilted his head.

‘Contrary to how I envisioned her…’

She didn’t look that wicked.

She looked at Hades and admired the warriors with eyes filled with emotions far from contempt or anything of the sort.

From Jin-woo’s perspective, her feelings were closer to jealousy.

She took a deep breath.

“… Alright. There’s no rule prohibiting external help. Let the battle commence.”

Jin-woo sat with Hades, and Persephone sat down not far from him.

A referee stood in the middle of the stadium as the combatants entered the battlefield.

Persephone chuckled and introduced him confidently.

“My first warrior is Pirithous, the king of Lapiths, a legendary tribe. Hephaestus himself forged his sword, which is imbued with the power of lightning! Even monsters cannot easily overcome it!”

She gazed at Jin-woo, her eyes filled with pride.

It cost her quite a lot of money to get that sword, but that only served as a testament to its ability that transcended human limitations.

Persephone was certain of victory.

The Underworld Conquerors member that came out to face Pirithous was relatively small.

He certainly looked weaker than him, too.

Hades and Persephone looked at Jin-woo, their gazes seemingly asking for an introduction.

He hesitated for a moment but was soon forced to speak up.

“… His name is Yakayot, the twin swordsman and leader of the Space Pirates.”

“What? Pirates? Haha!”

How could a pirate be a hero?

Persephone covered her mouth, suppressing her laughter.

There was no way a being from another dimension could compete with a fighter from the World of Gods.

She thought so, at least.

Shiing!

Pirithous unsheathed his sword.

Even by Jin-woo’s standards, that Hephaestus-crafted weapon’s quality was excellent enough to earn a spot in the Sanctuary’s warehouse.

Each he swung it, its blade unleashed electrifying sparks.

With a mocking smile, Pirithous looked at his opponent.

Yakayot pulled his swords out of his subspace.

Jin-woo’s mouth opened as soon as he saw them.

“The weapons Twin Swordsman Yakayot uses are…”

Jiying!

Red light beams rose from the handles he now wielded, roaring as if they were burning through space itself. Compared to them, Pirithous’s sword looked quite shabby.

“… Beam swords.”

Not just one but two of them appeared in the underworld!