Daddy is too Strong-Chapter 265

This was the moment Agares had been waiting for.

In the past, there was talk of a demon sword hidden away by Solomon. At one point, Agares had read a passage from the law of the Core.

“Where the star has fallen lies Apophis in slumber.”

Apophis possessed the power to absorb life. Now, Agares had passed the trial of the “place where the star fell.” The demon sword, Apophis, was embedded in the ground as if it had been struck by a meteor, creating a deep crater. Although the sword’s malice nearly consumed Agares, he was ultimately acknowledged as its master.

With a loud crackle, an electric current surged through the sword. Moments later, an eye appeared on the blade.

Apophis was an artifact with a will of its own—a demon sword that scorned the weak and devoured their life force in an instant. Reading the sword’s stats, Agares burst into laughter.

Then, the ground shook as if hit by an earthquake.

***

Meanwhile, Kiriel, observing the scene from a distance, rubbed his chin thoughtfully. Agares was the second-strongest demon under Solomon. He was clearly an enemy of Kiriel. Now that Agares had obtained the demon sword Apophis, the situation was undoubtedly dire.

What’s he going to do next? Kiriel wondered.

With Apophis, the ultimate weapon for demons, Agares was now more powerful than ever.

Recently, Agares had been gathering an army, and now that Apophis was in his hands, he had little to fear—besides Baal and Imfelheim, who stood as an unshakable top two. While surpassing them to claim the top spot seemed impossible, Agares could easily eliminate anyone beneath him if he so desired.

Kiriel debated whether to tail him or return to Earth immediately. After some deliberation, he decided to follow Agares. He rummaged through Ivela’s Pouch, which he had borrowed from Do-Jun, and pulled out Aduntath’s Cloak of Invisibility, an artifact once used by an assassin of the Deep Realm that rendered its wearer invisible.

Sure enough, when he put on the cloak, his body disappeared from sight. Hiding his presence, Kiriel cautiously followed Agares. Ultimately, he managed to uncover part of Agares’ plan without being noticed and returned to Earth.

***

It was another peaceful morning.

Hakase, who was preparing ingredients for the day’s business, looked up as Kiriel entered the food stall.

“You’re late,” he said to Kiriel, glaring sharply.

“Something came up.”

“You know what today is, right?”

“Yeah. My playdate with Byeol,” Kiriel replied.

“For someone who gets to play with Byeol, your face looks awful.”

Kiriel let out a long sigh and said, “You know Agares?”

“Yeah...? But why are you bringing him up out of the blue?”

Hakase, who retained memories of the past, knew well about Agares. As the second-strongest demon after Baal, Agares was impossible not to know.

“I happened to see him in the Deep Realm. And guess what? The bastard got himself a demon sword.”

As he sliced the green onions on the cutting board, Hakase’s hand froze momentarily. “Hmm...”

“I wondered if he might cause trouble right away, so I secretly followed him...”

“And?”

“It looks like he’s planning to march directly to Earth as soon as his army is ready,” Kiriel revealed.

Hakase let out a low hum and then asked, “When?”

“I think we have about a month.”

“Then he’ll come with his army.”

That was a major problem. Agares’ army would likely number at least ten thousand. Each soldier’s strength would surpass what the Hunters on Earth could handle. When that time came, it would be impossible to prevent serious damage to Earth. Buildings might collapse, and tens of thousands or even hundreds of thousands of civilians could die.

“Well, just go play with Byeol for now. It’s not like there’s anything we can do right now,” Hakase said.

“You’re right, I’ll do that.”

***

The always lively Kiriel had a gloomy expression today. Even while reading a storybook to Byeol, he sighed deeply from time to time before resuming. It was the first time Byeol had seen Kiriel like this, and she found it hard to adjust.

“Kirieh, are you sick?” she asked. “Do you want me to kiss it better?”

Kiriel glanced at his reflection in the mirror. His face looked as though he might burst into tears at any moment. Not wanting to show such an expression to a baby, he forced a smile, lifted Byeol into the air, and patted her back.

“I’m not sick.”

“But Kirieh, you look sad.”

Kiriel said nothing. His mind was entirely taken by Agares from earlier. He gently placed Byeol on the floor and stroked her cheek. Feeling it wasn’t enough, he repeatedly kissed her cheeks.

Usually, Byeol would squint her eyes in annoyance and show her dislike, but today, she stayed quiet.

“Byeol,” Kiriel said.

“Yeah?”

“I really like Earth. So, I hope no one gets hurt, and I hope it stays peaceful forever.”

“Me too,” Byeol replied and smiled brightly.

She had experienced many happy moments since coming to Earth. Every day was so precious that she always wished time would pass slowly.

“So, Kirieh, why are you sad?”

Kiriel didn’t answer.

“Is it because I asked you to wead too many stowybooks?”

Byeol studied his expression. Judging by the lack of response, it seemed to be the correct answer. Although realizing this made her a little sad, she soon smiled again. After all, there was no rule saying Kiriel had to read her the storybooks. She could read them to him instead.

“From now on, I will wead to you! So don’t cwy, okay?”

For a moment, Kiriel was taken aback and let out a chuckle. He patted Byeol’s head. What was he doing, showing such a pitiful side in front of a baby?

“I’m not crying. I’m not even sad.”

“Hmm... okie.”

“Are you hungry? Should I make you something?” Kiriel asked her.

“Yeah!”

Kiriel headed straight to the kitchen. He already knew exactly what dishes Byeol liked, so choosing a menu wasn’t difficult. He pulled out meat and an assortment of instant foods from the fridge. Byeol liked rich, spicy, salty, or sweet foods—anything with a strong flavor.

First, instant hamburger steak. The recipe was incredibly simple: just place the packaged steak in boiling water and cook it for about three minutes. Kiriel took the steak out of the package, cut the steaming meat into bite-sized pieces, and arranged them on a plate.

Next, he planned to make some beef bulgogi. In the past, cooking wouldn’t have even crossed his mind, but after spending so much time at the food stall, he had honed his skills enough to manage without trouble.

Just then, Kiriel noticed a piece of paper attached to the side of the fridge with a magnet. It was a page torn from a sketchbook, with a drawing Byeol had made of their neighborhood. The picture included the food stall, a grocery store, and even the building they lived in.

“Byeol,” Kiriel said seriously.

“Yeah?”

“I’ll protect this place, no matter what.” He had a resolute expression.

What was he talking about all of a sudden? Byeol tilted her head in confusion but soon smiled again.

“Okie!”

***

Do-Jun left work two hours early and headed straight home. As he stepped inside, the first thing he noticed was Byeol sleeping soundly on the couch, her soft snores filling the room. Next to her, Kiriel was slumped over, looking utterly drained.

Upon spotting Do-Jun, Kiriel rose from his spot and gave a slight bow. “Ah, welcome back, my king.”

Do-Jun remained silent and looked around.

The house was a mess. Blocks and children’s storybooks were scattered across the living room floor. Empty plates with food scraps sat haphazardly on the dining table. Usually, Kiriel would have tidied everything before Do-Jun’s arrival, but today, he had the audacity to leave the cleaning undone.

Just as Do-Jun was about to say something, he caught sight of Kiriel’s downcast expression and let out a sigh.

“You look like you have something on your mind,” Do-Jun said.

“I... I do.”

Do-Jun sat across from Kiriel.

“I visited the Deep Realm today,” Kiriel said.

“You mentioned you would.”

“I’m sure you are aware of Solomon’s Demons.”

“Of course.”

“Today, I happened to encounter Agares.”

Do-Jun already knew who Agares was. Among Solomon’s Seventy-Two Demons, he was ranked second, and his position in the overall ranking of the Deep Realm wasn’t too far off from that. From what Do-Jun had learned about the inner workings of the Deep Realm, Agares resided in the northern region.

“And?” Do-Jun prompted.

“The demon sword Apophis was lying dormant in this spot called ‘the place where the star fell,’ and today, Agares succeeded in claiming it.” Kiriel’s expression was grave.

Although Do-Jun didn’t know much about Apophis, it was clear that Agares obtaining it posed a serious threat.

“I had a bad feeling, so I followed him while wearing the invisibility cloak. And I discovered something.”

“What did you find out?”

“Agares plans to invade Earth with his army. He commands over ten thousand demon soldiers, and I believe it’s impossible to stop them without Earth suffering significant damage. That’s why... I’m feeling uneasy.”

On Earth, there were two beings more powerful than Agares. But could they prevent an army of ten thousand from crossing over without any casualties? That was Kiriel’s concern.

“If even one demon soldier sets foot on Earth, the damage will be...” Kiriel trailed off.

Do-Jun looked at Kiriel. Or rather, at the pile of unwashed dishes behind his shoulder.

“You’re right. If they come to Earth, there could be casualties,” he agreed.

“Yes...”

“Then we’ll just have to stop them before they get here.”

“Precisely... wait, what?” Kiriel stared at Do-Jun in shock. Was he planning to descend into the Deep Realm right now?

Do-Jun glanced at the wide-eyed Kiriel before rising to his feet. Then, the shape of a sword emerged around Do-Jun’s body as Kiriel watched in awe.

Do-Jun slowly closed his eyes, and an intangible energy began to radiate from his hands. This continued for about three minutes before Do-Jun opened his eyes. He slashed through the air as if he actually held a sword in his hand. Though there was nothing visible, the distinct sound of something being cut echoed through the room.

Then, he extended his hand toward the scattered blocks and storybooks. They immediately floated into the air and returned to their proper places, leaving the living room spotless once more.

Do-Jun grabbed a set of clothes and a towel from the bedroom and headed for the shower. Just before stepping inside, he pointed to the dining table with his finger.

“Kiriel.”

“Yes...?”

“You do the dishes.”

The sound of running water soon followed.

Kiriel scratched his head and trudged toward the kitchen. Not long after, he received news from Do-Jun that Agares had been eliminated.

***

Hakase glanced up as Kiriel entered the food stall.

The melancholy that had clouded his face a few hours earlier was completely gone, replaced with a bright, cheerful demeanor. Humming a tune, Kiriel went to his seat and pulled out a comic book. It was the same foolish Kiriel as always.

“Hey, lizard. Did you read that comic book I recommended last time?” he asked. “It’s a masterpiece. Make sure you read it. Heh.”

What’s going on with this guy? Hakase’s face showed a mix of confusion and disbelief.