Chapter 17: This World Is — Hell

I believe that among all the emotions in these three thousand worlds, the most unbearable, the lowest and vilest of them all, is “hunger.”

The Demon Realm is vast beyond comprehension, but I can’t imagine any desire greater than this insatiable craving.

That’s why, when I was born as a demon and eventually awakened to my power — the 『Gluttony: Gula』 — it felt like the most natural course of events.

As the years passed, I thought only of filling that endless hunger. Before I realized it, I had risen to the class of 『Demon King』.

But becoming a Demon King didn’t change anything. My role remained the same — to eat, and eat, and eat. That alone was enough.

The only real change was that, by becoming stronger, “the range of what I could eat” expanded.

True survival of the fittest — in its purest form. We devour because we are strong, and by devouring, our class evolves.

It didn’t take long before my prey expanded beyond what ordinary demons called “food” — to inorganic matter, and eventually, even my own kin.

To those who bear the power of Gula, the fact that demons are delicious is common sense. Most avoid eating them simply because it’s troublesome and time-consuming. In other words, as long as you solve that one problem, there’s no reason to hesitate.

I lived for a long time.

I was born a demon, became a Demon King, served under the Great Demon Lord, and devoured other Demon Kings who opposed us.

The stronger the prey, the more exquisite the taste upon my tongue.

In the hierarchy of demons, there are five classes:

『Pawn』
『Knight』
『General』
『Demon King』
And below all of these, the nameless, those without rank.

The “nameless” taste the blandest, while the Demon Kings have a flavor beyond comparison.

And on top of that, the flavor changes depending on the cravings they carry within them. If you asked me what I considered the ultimate delicacy, I would answer without hesitation: “a demon.”

For one born with infinite hunger, there can never be enough food.

Gluttony, by its very nature, is shunned by others of its kind. With such overwhelming offensive power, if I acted without restraint, those around me would eventually grow afraid and eliminate me.

Order was necessary. And to satisfy my craving, the fastest solution was to place myself under the protection of a higher existence.

That existence was the Great Demon Lord.

There was no complicated reason. No tragic story. It was simple — I became one of the Great Demon Lord’s demons, received a fiefdom, gained subordinates, and, most importantly — I was granted the right to devour hostile demons.

More years passed.

My power as a demon continued to grow — and so did my hunger.

My palate became so refined that ordinary food no longer satisfied me in the slightest.

Three generations of Great Demon Lords came and went, and then he appeared — the one who hadn’t even existed when I was born. The one they called the “Crimson Demon of Ruin,” Kanon.

He was a demon as beautiful as if he had been sculpted from the flames of purgatory itself.

I still remember the day I first had an audience with him after his appointment.

The power radiating from him burned like the embodiment of 『Wrath — Ira』 itself. It was overwhelming, suffocating, like the air itself would ignite. Sin poured from his presence, so much so that I almost fell to my knees.

I thought he was the strongest and most beautiful demon I had ever seen.

He had charisma.

I knew it immediately — under this Great Demon Lord, I would finally be able to sate my hunger as never before.

I would taste flavors I had never known.

And at the same time, another thought crossed my mind:

If I could devour him… it would be bliss beyond the heavens.

I devoured parents, friends, subordinates, even fellow gluttons.

I devoured Sloth, Greed, Lust, Wrath, Gluttony, Pride, and Envy alike.

I devoured them as they cried, as they raged, as they laughed, as they thanked me.

There is no nobility in food, and thus, there is no hierarchy in value within this world.

Whether delicious or vile, whether I knew it would never fill the hunger — I devoured it all.

This world is — hell.

Things vanish, are born anew, change, collapse, and rise again. Wars begin and end, civilizations fall and are reborn. Everything flows, everything fades, and through it all, hunger alone remains unchanging.

Only hunger never changes.

And so too does the immeasurable bliss of finally sating it.

That is why, when I one day turn my blade against Great Demon Lord Kanon Ira Lord, it won’t be about food or politics.

It’s simply inevitable.

Because, after all, I am a demon of Gluttony.