Anything to Survive in Hell: From Weakling to Tyrant-Chapter 12 Moment to go

"Brother Knull, how pitiful. You packed so much stuff in that backpack."

"Ah. This?"

Right after the Descent Ritual, they said I’d just drop straight into the Mortal Realm, and I couldn’t just stand there empty-handed. I had no idea where I’d land. The randomness was supposed to be insane.

So I packed everything I possibly could.

Survival prep had to be thorough. Inside a backpack almost the size of a military ruck were tools, books, spare clothes, and simple rations.

With this I could almost film my own season of Law of the Jungle. If things went south it might turn into Tears of the Amazon, or worse — Knull’s Law of Dying. At least I hoped the ending would be as moving as.

"Hehehe, if I prepare properly the chances of survival should go up, right? So I packed everything. Even if it’s heavy, I’ll endure."

"That’s exactly why I said you were pitiful."

"Why?"

"There’s no way they’ll let you participate in the ritual carrying something like that. All that preparation you did has become useless."

Instantly the strength drained from my legs.

"What...?"

"The sight of you hauling a huge backpack like that — none of the Hell nobles will like it. They’ll definitely think it’s unsightly. It’ll probably get confiscated."

Karla traced her eye rim with a finger, looking genuinely sad.

"Th-this... I can’t take it?!"

Does this make any fucking sense?!

"Yes. It’s obvious. This is a grand ritual honoring the Great Demon King. The very act of showing up with something like that is unimaginable."

"To think I couldn’t even remember something that basic...!"

"So in Karla’s opinion, it would be best to hide only the absolute necessities inside your coat. Without it being noticeable."

"Uwaaaaaaak!"

There’s nothing but infuriating bullshit!

"Aoh!"

But what could I do? That’s how it was! I immediately ripped off the backpack, picked out the most critical items, and stuffed them into the inner pockets of my coat.

First, since there was a high chance of landing in a forest or jungle, I slipped in a hand axe. Then a water bottle. Then some rope.

"You have to pack Karla’s masterpiece collection too!"

Karla tried to shove one of her books into my coat.

"No! I’m putting in the Dark Magic tome!"

"But if not now, you’ll never see it again!"

"No! I’ll definitely come back and read it! I promise!"

"Heung... Really?"

In the end my coat became heavy. Because I had to keep it discreet, I couldn’t pack much.

We walked together like that.

...

...

...

But as we moved with Karla, there was no trouble at all. The moment other high-ranking blood relatives of the palace saw her, they bowed deeply at the waist.

"Brother Knull! Everyone is greeting you!"

"Huh? No? Aren’t they bowing to you?"

"Today is the day of the Descent Ritual. Just for today, they’re paying their respects to the sacrifice."

"I-is that so?"

So that was it.

I immediately waved my hand at the bastards who had bowed to me.

"Hehehe, yes. Live well. I’ll be going now."

If not now, when else would I get to swagger?

"Brother Knull? What are you doing?"

"You said they were paying respects to me. So I’m greeting them back. If not now, when else would I get to swagger?"

"Kuk...! Hu, huhuhu. Yes. You’re right. Well done!"

Receiving praise from Karla felt good.

We kept moving and finally reached the airfield attached to the palace.

"Huh?"

I thought we’d be riding a wyvern, but we weren’t.

Waiting at the airfield was some bizarre flying monster-like thing.

Its head looked like a giant mosquito, complete with a long, menacing snout. The upper body was muscular and almost human, while the lower half was serpentine. Bat-like wings sprouted from its back.

Crucially, thick leashes were wrapped around its neck and connected to a pitch-black carriage behind it.

A pumpkin carriage like in Cinderella — if it had been twisted into a nightmare.

"What’s that?"

"That’s a familiar too. Let’s ride."

Kki-ik.

As Karla walked forward the carriage door opened by itself. Truly... Hell was Hell. There were so many strange things. I climbed in and sat beside her.

The carriage lifted off.

"Ooh-ooh..."

As we rose, Karla spoke from beside me.

"Brother Knull you will now prepare for the ritual."

"Preparation, huh."

I’d heard a little about it. Before the ritual there were several steps — receiving blessings, offering prayers to the Demon God. I just had to follow orders and let my body go with the flow.

"After the proper preparations you’ll go to the hall where the Descent Ritual takes place, and then it’s over. You’ll descend straight into the Mortal Realm. Along with demons from other families."

Other demons.

"Are those bastards all just fucking nobodies like me?"

"Probably? Some families even use the Descent Festival for education. They say they’ll make the most incompetent bastard among you participate. If they do that, everyone will desperately cultivate their power."

Those demon bastards were fucking cruel, really.

"Although it has degenerated into such an event, it’s still a traditional ritual, so most of the Hell nobles will attend. Mother will probably observe as well."

"Wow."

She just wanted to see my face once before I disappeared?

I didn’t particularly want to see her.

"I don’t want to see her..."

"Huh? Why? For what reason?"

"Of course I don’t like it. How could I? She openly said she would abandon me."

"Heung... It’s really strange, as expected. Usually if Mother ordered something, blood relatives would accept it gladly."

"It’s a personal difference. Personal difference. Everyone has personal differences."

"Is that so?"

Anyway, the sky carriage flew fucking fast, as if it didn’t care about my feelings at all.

"Go while stepping on the brakes a bit, you bastard!"

* * *

Finally we arrived at the ritual site.

There was a circular dome-shaped building sitting on top of a colosseum. Around it stood numerous jagged-roof structures. For now this place seemed to be the territory of the Ozvalka family.

"Ozvalka? Isn’t that the Great Demon King’s name?"

"They are his descendants. They don’t have nearly as much power as the Great Demon King. They manage the ritual site."

"Hmm... But are the Hell overlords on good terms? Seeing them all do this ritual together, it seems like they might be."

At my words Karla slowly nodded.

"Well, Hell’s main enemies are the angels. Among demons there are many alliances. Of course."

She raised her index finger.

"There are many wars too, you know. Still, during the Descent Festival period they don’t fight. If an unfortunate incident occurs and the Descent Festival is permanently suspended... Isn’t that right? In the future the chance for influential demons to gather so peacefully in one place and see each other’s faces would completely disappear."

So there were political reasons too.

"Even if they fight when they fight, a place to converse like this is still necessary."

"Exactly."

For now it was better to have a venue for conversation prepared.

"In reality this Descent Festival can be called a venue for conversation between Hell overlords and nobles. Perhaps sacrifices like brother Knull might be nothing more than a mere excuse to meet."

"Consider me the main event! At least consider me the main event!"

To push me into something that wasn’t even that important! These sons of bitches really treat us sacrifices like fucking jokes! Fucking evil bastards!

Our lives were nothing more than a mere excuse to meet!

"Keueu...! Anyway, Karla. Did they really all die? The demons who went to the Mortal Realm? Without a single one missing, all of them?"

"Well? Perhaps they didn’t all die. There might be barely surviving individuals?"

"As expected, right?"

"But there are no cases of them having built a significant force. If there were, it would have reached our ears."

Karla once again looked at me with that same pitying gaze.

"So Karla thinks... if brother Knull is lucky he’ll live hidden like a beast, and if he’s unlucky he’ll just die. It’s truly sad."

She was negative to the very end. No. Rather, it was realistic, cold, and clear-headed judgment. That’s why Karla was pitying me... But yes. I was an adult. No matter what Karla said, as an adult I would show a dignified appearance until the very end.

As I had been until now.

"Don’t be sad, Karla."

Soon now it would be time.

I smiled.

"I promised, didn’t I? That I’d come back to read books. I’ll definitely return and... the books you recommended. I’ll read them all. So wait for me."

I grabbed Karla’s shoulder.

I said it confidently.

That I would definitely return.

"Promises you can’t keep are bad!"

But Karla shouted exactly that!

"No! Just tell me something good! I’m leaving now, aren’t I?!"

"Karla is not a demon who only tells good stories. Karla is always cold."

"FUCKING HELL!"

It was at that very moment I was tearing at my hair!

Tak!Tak!Tak!

Footsteps approached from behind.

I turned my head and saw.

"Ah."

Demons with ragged cloth covering their heads were walking over. Holes had been cut only where their horns and eyes were, making them look extremely bizarre. Not only that — while their heads were covered like that, their clothes were clean formal attire.

"It’s time, brother Knull."

"Ah."

"Go now."

Saying that, there was no playfulness left on Karla’s face.

Just an adult’s face.

"I’ll cherish the book report you wrote."

"..."

"Talking about books was really fun too. Yes. Karla won’t forget you."

Still, in the end she smiled.

"I’ll be like that too."

Yes.

For the last time, I saw Karla’s smile.

That was enough, wasn’t it?

"Let’s go, my lords."

I moved my steps toward the demons who had come for me. Immediately those bastards naturally flanked both my sides.

Let’s go now.

Ritual preparations or whatever — do it yourselves.