The Ruler of Blood and Brawls’ realm was a crowded place that matched its name. It had structures made of bones, flesh, and blood everywhere. Moreover, the demons living in it fought at random to catch the attention of their master. The nightmare demons’ master was the Manipulator of Dreams and Desires. If so, shouldn’t this realm be more faithful to desires?

"What's wrong?"

“To be honest, it’s a bit different from what I expected.”

“What were you expecting, Constellation-nim?”

“For it to be faithful to desires? I apologize in advance if I was rude.”

“Huh? Oh, no. It’s nothing!”

Arni waved his hands dismissively and continued.

“You didn’t say anything wrong.”

“?”

Choi Yeonseung was puzzled.

“We are a race faithful to our desires.”

“Hey, what is wrong with that? Everyone is pretty much like that.”

Choi Yeonseung snorted. Even humanity was a race faithful to their desires. Humans had committed so many mistakes because of that.

“It embarrasses me to say this, but we... do it a bit too much...”

“Really? That’s completely different from what you look like.”

“I am always disciplining myself because I can’t control my desires. These buildings are also a form of discipline.”

Just as alcohol lovers completely abstained from alcohol in order to quit drinking, the nightmare demons chose a similar method to control their desires. Unless it was necessary, they didn’t create a situation where desire would arise at all. These crude buildings were all a part of a rehab facility!

“Discipline? That sounds good.”

Choi Yeonseung responded to the word ‘discipline.’ A trainee who didn’t change even after thousands of years!

“Hmm. Can I go in as well?”

“That isn’t possible.”

Arni firmly rejected the notion. Choi Yeonseung became sullen.

“I see.”

“Ah... No... That... I’m sorry. Constellation-nim, if you enter, then the other nightmare demons...”

“?”

Choi Yeonseung wondered what Arni was talking about.

Bang!

After a while, something roared and landed in the distance.

“!”

Arni turned pale at the sudden surprise.

“What are you doing? Everyone!”

“I... I’m sorry!”

“Stop!”

“Kuaaak! No one can stop me!”

Urgent cries echoed.

Nightmare demons that weren’t in view before burst out in a hurry from all directions.

“Grrr... I can’t hold it in...! Desire! Give me your desire!”

“What is that?” Choi Yeonseung pointed forward, seemingly bewildered.

[A succubus has used ‘Soul Bewitchment’!]

[The Origin of the Celestial Divine Arts...]

[A succubus has used ‘Soul Absorption’!]

[The Origin of the Celestial Divine Arts...]

[A succubus...]

The succubus in front of him had a beautiful appearance, but her eyes had no reason. They were as fierce as a wild beast! The sight of the succubus dripping with saliva and aiming for Choi Yeonseung was extremely horrifying.

Choi Yeonseung flicked his finger, executing the Origin of the Celestial Finger. The sound of the air being torn reverberated, followed by a hole being blasted into the ground in front of the succubus. That was a clear warning. Even if the succubus didn’t feel the difference in strength, she would at least feel the threat to her life. However, the succubus didn’t stop.

“Your desire! Give up your desire!”

“My desire?”

Choi Yeonseung was puzzled for a moment.

Desire...

What desires did he have? The desire to eat delicious food, become stronger, return to Earth, do some bench press first thing when he got back, become a constellation...

‘Does she mean these?’

No matter how much Choi Yeonseung thought about it, they were quite frugal desires. What use did they have for these desires?

The succubus approached him as he was lost in thought. Surprisingly, she was covered in all sorts of enhancement spells. He hadn’t expected the succubus to still be able to use magic so naturally despite being half out of her mind.

‘She’s A-grade or higher!’

By Earth’s standards, it wouldn’t be strange for her to be treated as an A-grade monster. Of course, she was no match for Choi Yeonseung.

Thump!

Choi Yeonseung grabbed the succubus’ head and pressed it to the ground. He then used Covert Attack Reversal to return her strength back at her. After that, a huge amount of pure internal energy crushed her.

“Uwaaah! Give me your desires! Give me your desires! Give me your desires!”

“Is she crazy?”

Choi Yeonseung wanted to kill the succubus, but he held it in. He was in the nightmare demons’ realm, after all. 

“I’m really sorry!”

“I don’t need an apology. Just do something about this. She keeps using her skills against me.”

[A succubus has used ‘Desire Absorption’...]

[A succubus has used ‘Energy Drain’...]

[......]

[......]

The succubus continued to take advantage of their bodies touching to try and steal Choi Yeonseung’s desire and strength! The difference in stages was so great that there was no effect, but the Energy Drain skill was very terrifying.

The skill to permanently absorb the opponent’s power!

Magic spells like Low-Grade Magic Absorption and Low-Grade Vitality Absorption were highly reputed for their rarity and power. On top of that, Energy Drain wasn’t low-grade. 

He seemed to understand why the nightmare demons were dangerous monsters. These skills could be used in a special way.

A race of absorption! Upon being caught, one could be absorbed to death.

“Move quickly! What are you doing?” At Arni’s shout, the other succubi and incubi rushed in and chained the succubus up tightly.

“Uwah! Let me go! You guys want to eat as well! I want to eat! Let’s feast together!”

“Shut up!”

“You will be sealed for 300 years!”

The succubi and incubi ignored their colleagues’ words and finished their work. They also tried not to look at Choi Yeonseung as much as possible.

“Please excuse the rudeness! I’m sorry!”

“Why are they averting their eyes?”

“That... Um...” Arni sighed deeply while trying to explain. “Uhh. I didn’t want to explain it this way, but... It’s because our desires are strong.”

***

The nightmare demons longed for desire. In other words, the succubi and incubi’s staple food was the desires of other souls. This longing for desire was so greedy that once triggered, they would all lose their minds. Skills such as Energy Drain were forcibly activated so much it would seem as if they were trying to suck their target whole!

“Nightmare demons who have trained for a long time can consume desires without causing harm to the other person, but most nightmare demons can’t do that. So I ordered everyone to stay inside.”

“... So that’s what’s happening here.”

In short, upon seeing Choi Yeonseung, they lost their minds and were quarantined in fear of attacking him! The succubus earlier had obviously sneaked out and attacked him. Their desire was so strong they’d even attack constellations. How powerful was their desire...?

“Well, my desires are boring. They’re really nothing special.”

‘Oh, I want to do bench press~’

Would nightmare demons really like that?

“No. Constellation-nim’s desire... seems really appetizing and shiny... Slurp.”

“......”

“N-No. I’m in complete control of myself! Believe me!”

“I see. Please stay at least 10 meters away from me.”

“Ahh...” Arni tearfully distanced himself.

According to Arni’s explanation, the amount or type of one’s desire didn’t seem to matter. All that mattered was its quality, which depended on how purely and firmly they wanted it. Choi Yeonseung’s desire was of the highest quality, having been trained and matured through his strong will for thousands of years. They had never seen anything like it even in this vast Abyss. Thanks to this, Choi Yeonseung approaching in the distance was enough for the nightmare demons to gasp and go crazy.

Clink—
”Then those sounds are really...”

“...M-Most of them are tied up.”

For some reason, he seemed to keep hearing faint cries.

‘Should I have come?’

Choi Yeonseung felt a bit uncomfortable. The Manipulator of Dreams and Desires was deeply related to the nightmare demons. What if this constellation was also after his desire? Of course, there was no harm to Choi Yeonseung if that was just its aim.

According to Arni, if a lot of a person’s desire was eaten by a nightmare demon, that person would just feel refreshed. It would almost be as if their desire had been resolved. Over time, Choi Yeonseung would regain the desire to train and return to Earth. However, there was a possibility that the constellation would try to absorb other things, so he couldn’t take it lightly.

‘Well, if that happens, I’ll just fight.’

“Arni. Why are you mumbling from so far away?”

“You told me to stay at least 10 meters away from you, constellation-nim...”

“Ah. That was a joke. Come over here.”

 “Constellation-nim!” Arni approached with an emotional expression. Choi Yeonseung took a step back.

“By the way... If you can control yourself, why couldn’t that succubus do the same? She didn’t come across as weak.”

“Level and control are different. In order for nightmare demons to govern themselves, they have to practice self-control and abstinence for a long time. Without this type of training, they’d have a higher risk of running wild even if their level is high.”

“Level?”

“Huh? Is there something wrong with levels?”

“What is a level?”

“......?”

Arni looked perplexed.

“It’s... It’s a skill that measures strength based on level... Constellation-nim, don’t you use it?”

There were many ways to measure strength on Earth. Magicians used circles. Martial artists used terms like third-class, second-class, first-class, etc. A hunter’s rank was based on those measurements and the dungeons and monsters that they had cleared!

“Isn’t strength determined by the magic circles or martial arts stage?”

“?!”

Arni was astonished. That was such a primitive method. No, that wasn’t even a measurement skill! That was just a guess!

“There are many skills to measure the strength of an opponent, but… measuring it through magic circles is just too inaccurate. Even two 7th-circle magicians can have huge differences. Academia traditionally believes that beings should be measured through levels in the Abyss.”

“That... I see. How do you do that?”

“Through the ‘Level Measurement’ magic skill.”

‘That wasn’t on Earth.’

Earth’s magic either came from dungeons and gates or was given by constellations. It hadn’t been long since the gate was opened, so it wasn’t surprising that there was still a lot of magic that hadn’t been discovered yet.

‘Um. It has been a while since I left. Perhaps they’ll have it by the time I get back?’

“I think it is better to show you in person. Level Measurement.”

Arni used magic on himself to show Choi Yeonseung.

[Arni

Lv: 480

Strength: 490

Agility: 1,100

Physical Strength: 620

Magic Power: 1,200

Intelligence: 460]

[The following can’t be checked.]

As expected, Arni’s level was high. He was one of the strongest among mortals! He was clearly talented even among these nightmare demons. In terms of the hunter rating, 1st to 3rd-circle magicians were treated as E or D-grade hunters, 4th-circle magicians were C-grade, 5th-circle magicians were B-grade, and so on.

They were generally measured that way, though a lower-circle magician could get a higher rating through outstanding performance. According to Arni, 1st to 2nd-circle magicians were usually below level 100, 4th-circle magicians were usually between level 100 and 200, and 5th-circle magicians were between 200 and 300.

Arni was in the late 400s...

‘He would be ranked S-grade or higher if he was a hunter!’

Considering S-grade hunters weren’t actually much different from A-grade hunters but rather just received that promotion due to their achievements, it meant Arni’s skills overwhelmed S-grade hunters. No matter how high the S-grade hunters were, they would be in the early 400s at most. The fact that there were 6th-circle magicians among S-grade hunters proved that. They didn’t exceed level 400.

‘There are no martial artists...’

Li Yuyuan, an A-grade hunter, had the highest level among martial artists, Among the high-level martial artists. No one had managed to reach the same rank as him.

“Can I try it?” He wondered.

“Huh? It has no meaning for a constellation.”