Doslepo belonged to one of the four Demon Kings' battalions.
Every Demon King commanded several battalions, and each battalion was further divided into smaller units led by generals. Doslepo was the commander of one such unit.
At first glance, the position didn't seem particularly impressive…
But in truth, it placed him above tens of thousands. Every battalion commander was essentially a candidate for general—calling them "quasi-generals" was no exaggeration.
Doslepo alone could have easily annihilated Val City. Yet, for various reasons, he chose to lurk in the shadows with a few dozen subordinates, slowly corrupting the city from within. He used Demonfall Eggs to breed expendable forces and eventually succeeded in transforming the city into a grotesque City of Flesh and Blood.
But why go through all this trouble? What benefit was there in turning Val City into such a spectacle? Wouldn't it only draw human crusaders?
The answer lay in a massive upheaval within demon society: the traditionalist high priest had been assassinated, and the newly appointed priest aggressively broke tradition, pushing for sweeping reforms.
Because of these reforms, Doslepo was forced to brainstorm endlessly, striving to create "wonders" across the continent.
"Have you recorded everything?"
Lounging in a pool of blood, Doslepo sipped leisurely from a goblet—whether it contained wine or fresh blood was anyone's guess. His relaxed posture contrasted with the immense power coiled beneath the surface.
"Yes, my lord. As requested, all ten memory stones have been filled."
His subordinate, a bat-like demon named Kejie, bowed deeply.
"Send them to the other nine battalion commanders. The last one goes to the priest."
Doslepo looked deeply satisfied as he murmured to himself:
"Now my score will definitely outshine everyone else's."
"My lord is surely the strongest candidate for the next general," Kejie said smoothly, then added, "The human coalition is nearly here. I've sent the converted ones to delay them, but they won't last half an hour."
The "converted ones"—humans transformed into demonkin through Demonfall Eggs.
Two days passed in a blink. Forty-eight hours had elapsed since Bedford City's departure, and the coalition army was finally about to reach Val City. War loomed on the horizon.
"Excellent."
A sly, sinister grin crept across Doslepo's face.
"Let the converted ones die to their heart's content. They were humans to begin with. This is nothing more than humans killing humans."
He lifted his gaze to the sky.
Strands of blood-colored energy drifted in from all directions, converging into the fleshy city. Whether humans or converted demonkin died, Val City greedily devoured their residual flesh and blood.
Not just the lord's mansion—
The entire city had become a mass of writhing meat, as if something within was incubating.
No one could imagine how many innocents had been slaughtered to forge such an abomination.
The accumulated resentment clinging to the flesh thickened into storm clouds, darkening the heavens until they seemed ready to collapse. Heavy thunder rumbled overhead.
"Grow well."
He wiped a finger across his eye—activating long-distance vision magic—and the battlefield came into focus.
Thousands of coalition soldiers were cutting down the converted ones. Against adventurers seasoned by countless trials—
Trials referring, of course, to a certain Dungeon—
—these cannon fodder stood no chance.
In less than half an hour, the coalition wiped out the first wave and arrived before Val City.
The sight of the grotesque, twisted city made everyone recoil. The overwhelming stench of blood caused several weaker guards to vomit on the spot.
"Hehehe…"
Doslepo laughed proudly.
He noticed a well-dressed nobleman among the coalition issuing commands—ordering priests and mages to attack Val City.
A noble?
Worth capturing.
With a thought, Doslepo unleashed the second wave of stronger converted ones, driving them to charge the coalition.
But the coalition remained calm and disciplined, as if they had predicted this. Behind their infantry, siege engines—catapults and more—were slowly being pushed forward.
"Hehehe… preparing for a siege, are they? Typical human thinking."
He withdrew his gaze.
"We've been dormant too long. Humans have forgotten the terror of demons. It's time to remind them."
Kejie's grin mirrored his own.
Then Doslepo declared:
"Go to the Dungeon. Wake all our brethren. Let them sate their thirst for blood."
"Once I've slaughtered the humans and shattered their formation, everyone will pour out and drown them in despair. Don't let a single one escape."
Kejie applauded enthusiastically.
"And record my heroic moment. That'll earn bonus points."
Outside Val City, Charon stared grimly at the fleshy monstrosity.
The city no longer resembled anything human—
It was a colossal fortress of meat, completely unrecognizable.
Its existence alone was blasphemy against all gods.
"My lord, siege weapons are ready," his personal guard reported.
"Do you really think a few stones will harm that abomination?" Charon replied coldly.
"…"
The guard fell silent.
"Against demons, holy light is far more effective. Protect the priests. Keep the siege engines in reserve."
"Yes, sir!"
Once the guard left, Charon turned to the mercenary beside him.
The man wore a horned helmet, a muscular frame, and a cloak made from some unknown beast—wild and intimidating.
"You truly have a way to deal with them?" Charon asked, his distrust obvious.
"If we're cooperating, then don't doubt me," the mercenary replied, his voice rough like a beast's growl.
"No one knows Doslepo better than I do."
Charon was silent for a moment, then said:
"Once the Holy Light Church initiates, you move in. Try not to draw attention."
The mercenary didn't respond—only stared at the towering city of flesh with mocking contempt.
The second wave of converted ones focused on the priests, but under heavy protection they failed.
Meanwhile, the priests completed their chant. Together, they unleashed a King-Tier Holy Light spell.
A radiant glow like descending angels gathered above Val City.
Black clouds scattered instantly—
Just a moment more, and divine purification would have descended.
RUMBLE—!
The ground abruptly shook.
"Huh? Does Holy Light cause earthquakes now?"
"Are you stupid!? LOOK OVER THERE!"
Shouts erupted.
"Val City… is standing up!"
Before their eyes, the base of the flesh city sprouted four gigantic legs.
The monstrous structure rose—
A hundred meters tall—
Roaring as it stood.
The scene resembled a classic Warhammer joke:
You transmigrate into a medieval world, try to modernize society, rally the masses, and march to overthrow a corrupt noble—
But when you reach the castle:
"What do you mean the lord's castle just stood up?"
High above, Doslepo howled with manic laughter.
In his mind, the colossal creature beneath him would crush the coalition like insects.
All he needed now was for Kejie to return with the awakened demons from the Dungeon—
Then despair would swallow the humans whole.
(***)
Val Dungeon
Using the priest's technology, the demons discovered this dormant Dungeon and forcibly opened its teleportation gate, using it as the origin point of Val City's corruption.
The strongest converted ones and pure demonkin were stationed inside, waiting for the order to erupt and deliver overwhelming demon-style devastation.
Kejie burst into the Dungeon.
"GET UP! Time to claim your blood and glory, you bastards!"
The few demons wandering the open area looked up, startled—faces lighting up awkwardly.
"Just you few?"
Kejie frowned. Only a handful were present.
They exchanged uneasy looks, wanting to explain but unable to form the words.
Cold sweat trickled down their faces as they forced stiff smiles—clearly hiding something.
Kejie understood instantly. His veins bulged with anger.
"Those pig-headed idiots are STILL asleep!? I warned them—no laziness today!"
He barreled through the bronze corridors until he reached the dormitory.
The door was tightly shut—
Clearly, everyone inside was still "sleeping."
In an overlooked corner, strange growths clung to the walls—fungal masses in shades of pale white and deep scarlet, horrifyingly dense.
If General Radahn of Elden Ring were here, he would have recognized it instantly.
Because this was—
Kejie kicked the heavy bronze door open with a thunderous crash.
The demons inside didn't move—
Still "asleep."
Kejie grabbed a large, fat demon by the shoulder and roared:
"STILL SLEEPING!? YOU WORTHLESS—"
He froze mid-shout.
The demon's body was covered in grotesque mushroom-like growths. His nutrient-rich flesh had become fertile soil for the rot. His expression was frozen in terror, as if he had witnessed something unimaginable.
Kejie realized—
He was already dead.
"…What happened?"
A chilling dread crept up Kejie's spine.
He dragged the others—
Same condition.
A curse? A disease?
When did it spread through the Dungeon?
"Cough… cough…"
Kejie hacked twice—
And his expression twisted in horror.
He—
He was infected too!?
He stumbled backward, panicked, and kicked open a second dormitory—
A cloud of scarlet mist sprayed into his face.
"AA—!!"
Kejie staggered back, slamming against the wall, coughing violently as he tried to expel the mist—but it was useless.
He felt something taking root inside him—germinating—ready to bloom.
The creature that sprayed him was a plump, harmless-looking blob:
[Land Squirt – Scarlet Rot Variant]
Yes.
What had infested the bronze ruins was the nightmare from Elden Ring—
Scarlet Rot.
A disease, a curse, the blessing of an Outer God—
Whatever one called it, all infected lifeforms perished in misery.
A thousand times deadlier than poison.
Even mighty demigods succumbed to despair.
These demons stood no chance.
Kejie vomited a mouthful of blood. His body was decaying rapidly.
Panic overtook him.
The path he had come from was now filled with Land Squirts, spraying wave after wave of Scarlet Rot mist.
Run.
He had to run.
He flapped his wings, fleeing into the deeper chambers, praying the rot hadn't spread there—hoping for a cure—
But as soon as he entered the inner depths, a line of text appeared before his eyes:
[Be careful. Don't let them notice you.]
What?
Who!?
Kejie didn't understand and charged onward—
Until he met a hunched figure in the darkness.
The moment he saw it, his eyes burned—
As if staring into a mass of golden fire.
The true identity of the figure was—
[Aging Untouchable]