CHAPTER 26 — Two Years Later, A New Rhythm
Two years had passed…
Razan at 14 years old stood at the top of the colossal tree that protected the city, the same living giant whose roots formed the vast, natural wall surrounding everything below. From this height, the city stretched out beneath him like a living painting. The wind brushed through the leaves around him, carrying the distant murmur of life—voices, engines, footsteps, and everyday noise that had never existed here before.
He looked down with a tired yet satisfied expression, watching how drastically everything had changed. Unlike the day the city had first been built—empty, silent and pristine—now it was full of motion. Cars moved steadily along organized streets, their engines humming. People hurried from place to place, carrying bags, chatting, arguing, laughing. Even demons from distant regions of Hell arrived in groups, lining up for treatment at the famous Healing City, now known throughout the underworld.
Razan exhaled.
"Well… Loona and the others really did an amazing job these past two years. I was able to relax. After all, the only thing I actually did was win the system lottery and gather people during Adam's extermination…"
He rubbed the back of his neck, remembering a certain detail that still annoyed him.
"But unfortunately, thanks to that, the angels can't even hear my name without getting pissed off…"
He sighed again, remembering the looks of pure rage he had received from them.
"I just wanted to be a lazy, quiet guy…"
As he looked down once more, his attention shifted to a small commotion on the street. An imp was sprinting away from a shop, clutching a large box of healing potions. Razan rested his elbow on his knee and placed his hand under his chin, observing with a dry, unimpressed stare.
"Even knowing he's in the territory of someone he shouldn't mess with… he still steals. The intelligence level of some creatures in Hell is concerning."
Down below, the imp bolted across the street—but before he could escape, a blazing chain of fire streaked through the air, slamming into him with a violent impact. He was launched across the pavement, rolling until he stopped near a parked carriage-car hybrid.
Joe stepped forward.
After two years, his bull-like body had grown even more massive, his silhouette towering and powerful. His uniform displayed the city's emblem: a black dragon resting atop the enormous tree, the same symbol worn by every worker—support staff, medics, guards. It wasn't mandatory; they wore it out of respect for the man who had given them a new life.
Joe approached the imp slowly, hooves cracking small pieces of stone with each step.
"Seriously, kid? Out of all the places you could've robbed, you had to choose our city? You really don't know the rumors about this place?"
The imp spat blood onto the ground. Even injured, he glared up defiantly.
"Who doesn't know the Black Dragon King's fame? Owner of the Healing City… the one who fights Adam every year to gather sinners for his troops… Or Loona, the Hellhound Queen, admired by every hellhound in the underworld… And then creatures like you lurking in the dark…"
Joe blinked, genuinely surprised.
"If you know so much, why would you be stupid enough to steal from us?" he asked, confused. The kid clearly wasn't an idiot.
The imp's breath trembled as he answered:
"I was desperate… This city has the best medicine in Hell. My wife… I need to save her. So I had to try…"
Joe punched him—not hard enough to knock him out, but enough to shut him up.
"I don't care about your problems. You shouldn't have stolen."
By now, the pedestrians who had been watching the commotion had hurried away, not wanting trouble with the city guards. Joe crouched down, grabbed one potion from the box, and called over one of the wolves.
"Jack, this guy contaminated the potion. Find out where his wife lives and tell her her husband messed up and dirtied this thing. We're not using it anymore, so she can have it. But the guy's gonna work to pay for it. And tell her she can come watch him embarrass himself."
Jack gave a sharp-toothed grin.
"Yes, captain."
Joe grabbed the imp by the collar and began dragging him toward the city jail.
"We can't forgive everyone," he muttered. "But if someone genuinely wants help… we help them. Right, Boss Razan?"
High up on the giant tree, Razan watched all of it play out. A small, approving smirk formed on his face.
"Yeah… if they truly want help, we help because we want to help them. Nothing more."
He stepped off the branch and let his body drop. The wind rushed past him as he fell toward the mansion. The building's enormous structure grew larger in his vision as he descended, its black-and-gold architecture standing out as the heart of the city.
"Who would've thought a random otaku would turn into a shady businessman…" he muttered dramatically while landing.
He walked through the courtyard, hands in his pockets. Even from outside the command room, he could hear Loona screaming with so much intensity the windows almost rattled.
"VELVETTE, YOU BITCH! WHO TOLD YOU TO SPREAD RUMORS THAT WE USE SOULS AS HEALING POTIONS?!"
On the other side of the communicator, Velvette yelled back indignantly:
"I only said what my sources told me! It's not my fault my fans are loyal and won't tolerate injustice!"
"INJUSTICE?! YOU HAVE THE NERVE TO SAY THAT WORD?!" Loona roared.
"I'm done talking to you," Velvette huffed. "I'm hanging up. You're tired, my beauty appearance …"
The call ended with a dramatic beep.
Razan entered the room, sat on the couch, and smirked.
"Tough day?"
Loona massaged her temples, exhausted.
"Sometimes I just want to throw a bomb and blow up Velvette, Valentino, and Vox."
Razan shrugged with a smile.
"If you want, I'll help. We can blame Alastor. Vox hates him, so he'll believe it instantly."
Loona raised an eyebrow.
"Why do you hate Alastor so much again?"
Razan sighed.
"You know why."
Loona burst out laughing, remembering the story.
"Oh yeah… after you let out that dragon roar during the fights with Adam and accidentally injured him… and since his ego can't handle humiliation, he found out about your preference for older women and leaked it all over Hell."
Razan covered his face with one hand.
"Because of him, Carmine was on guard when we went to talk business. Yes, fine, I like older women… yes, she fits my type… but that doesn't mean I would attack her! Maybe… possibly… I'm almost certain I wouldn't do that…"
Loona threw a stapler at his head.
"Stop fantasizing, idiot! And if you were so pissed off, why didn't you do anything to him?"
"That was my fault," Razan replied calmly. "He didn't do anything that serious. I don't see a reason to go after him."
Plus, I can record his fight with Adam in the future, when he gets knocked out in one hit, and laugh at him later… so why ruin that fun? Razan thought to himself.
Loona crossed her arms.
"You should act more evil, you know? Look at the Overlords, the Goetias, the Seven Sins… They all have that boss aura. But you… when you're not fighting, you look like a lazy nerd."
Razan shrugged again.
"If I had to act arrogant even in my own home, in front of my little wolf… what would be the point? My arrogance is in knowing I can protect you and protect this city. If Adam or anyone else comes to declare war, I can say 'come at me, asshole,' and break their face. That's what this power is for—to say 'no' to this fucked-up world when it tries to take something from me."
Loona smiled softly, her tail swaying just a little.
"Still as much of an idiot as always."