Chapter 1787: NO.402: Some demon king has quietly passed away

NO. 402: Some demon king has quietly passed away.

What's more contrary to common sense is that, although the vacancy of the Lust Crown has made recent news in the Hei'an region revolve around 'which new king will emerge', in the general impression of the Hei'an region, the succession of the demon king's throne does not need to be so troublesome.

In the few records of power transitions on this land, the normal selection of 'the throne is vacant, urgently needing someone to take over' is the rare 'special case' that has occurred only twice.

Aside from those, the five other transitions were all achieved through regicide and usurpation.

Yes.

Any pure-blooded negative-factor Digimon native to the Hei'an region will not trigger the mechanism whereby the Great Sin Crown transfers upon the demon king's death during the final strike against the king's carriage, and can in one fell swoop break the rule that 'Digimon that die in the Hei'an region leave no DigiEggs, and even their data quickly collapses and feeds back into the environment'!

Only because 'slaughter and devouring' is the true underlying logic of the Hei'an region does the concept of the 'Great Sin Crown' appear as a crude later addition before this logic.

——It is the result of, during the development of the internet, the increasing recording and sedimentation of data concerning concepts such as 'sin' and 'the seven deadly sins'.

Although the 'Great Sin Crown' also counts as core‑level data and greatly promoted the formation of the Hei'an region's worldview as related to 'hell' and 'the dark depths' of the Digital World, it still cannot shake the Digimon's original law of survival through mutual consumption.

Thus, compared to the 'qualification review' of the Great Sin Gate, many new kings take the path of assassinating the king and seizing the carriage, winner‑takes all, and this approach can easily establish authority, unlike the normal selection where one's ability is still questioned and countless 'fleas' jump about in front of them.

Although such offenders will most likely be used by the new king to execute and establish authority.

But this does not prevent each new king's accession from having this kind of coercive prelude; one can only say that demon kings indeed rarely change terms, yet the populace of the Hei'an region is cut down like leeks, one batch after another—several generations have already turned over, who still remembers how those Digimon of yesteryear died?

No one even records this in the histories!

So the next time a new king ascends, everyone still dares to mutter and point fingers. jpg

Regardless of whether those nonsensical fellows will pop up again to wave flags, the Hei'an region does indeed have historical records.

Although this land most of the time gives the impression of a 'wild and untamed place', with several demon kings either passively or actively settling in a corner, giving the impression that no civilization develops, let alone technology, and not even a decent civil servant can be found, but don't forget that this land still contains a region that has never been drawn into conflict.

Even when the seven demon kings unite in resistance and cause great turmoil, that region can still remain aloof.

【Hei'an Castle】

The plain and unadorned name actually carries great significance; once one realizes that this name is practically contemporaneous with the birth of the Hei'an region, one cannot help but wonder whether there is a connection between the two concepts, and ultimately who is overseeing whom.

However, pondering this matter is clearly limited to the realm of academic curiosity, with no other real significance; a truly grounded perspective should instead focus on the lord of that castle.

GrandDracumon/Grand Dracula Beast

In the Digital Domain, where a literal understanding leaves no room for error, it is naturally regarded as the king of vampire Digimon. It boasts a legend of an immortal body, a record of felling vast numbers of Angel‑type Digimon, and is shrouded in rumors that it has myriad connections to the events that gave birth to the Hei'an region in the Digital World—yet no one can investigate them.

If one asks why, it is simply because reaching its castle itself is exceedingly difficult—as an independent and powerful entity not aligned with the seven demon kings, its stronghold is also extremely remote; to get there one must first pass through the Hei'an sea where the Leviathan Beast operates.

This in itself is already an extremely high‑difficulty choice, after all, the ocean is not only home to giant beasts that lurk in its depths, but also to other highly aggressive dark‑faction Digimon.

The ocean's eat‑or‑be‑eaten ecology can be even more savage and primitive than that of land; if you truly manage to endure the dual trial of spirit and body and reach the gate, you will be able to sense the traits of civilized society and see that the lord's speech and demeanor are courteous and refined.

And don't forget its widespread rumor in the Hei'an region: merely by speaking, it can cause many of the Angel‑type Digimon that come to challenge it to fall from heaven.

GrandDracumon's voice inherently carries a 'confusion' effect, and when one of its signature moves, EyeoftheGorgon, is activated, it is truly without any omen.

——One need only gaze into the opponent's spirit to turn them into a Hei'an captive.

This can be described as the ability to resort to violence at the slightest disagreement, and to operate silently and soundlessly, making it a wall of sighs for anyone attempting to negotiate.

This suffices to explain why, over the past many years, the information of the seven demon kings is no longer secret, their territorial layouts can even have maps leaked, yet the Hei'an Castle remains shrouded in mystery.

GrandDracumon is clearly not as easy to communicate with as its courteous demeanor suggests, and the fact that its castle has never been associated with any activity rumors also skews its external image toward that of a Belfeymon—namely, quiet and aloof.

Indeed, this once led people to suspect that it might also possess a 'slumber' mechanism.

After all, any etymological musings linking GrandDracumon inevitably bring to mind 'vampire', 'Dracula', and similar concepts that are easily tied to 'slumber', though these remain mere speculation.

Because the visitor arriving today would not ask these questions.

"Really a rare guest, Barbar Beast. X."

Blue‑flamed fire burned in torch after torch, as if an unseen feral beast were kindling it. One after another, the blood‑magic beasts stood in line, bowing with each step of the conversation, indeed taking on the role of male attendants.

Having those vampiric demon beasts, akin to blood‑nobility, serve as male attendants is certainly a waste of their potential, and their overly extravagant attire bears no resemblance to what a servant should wear.

But it is common knowledge in this world that Digimon cannot easily don attire that lacks data, so there is no choice: as long as the master here holds sufficiently high status, even such a mismatched appearance will provoke no resistance from any Digimon.

As the beast‑like lower half of four legs gradually stepped forward, emerging from a row of pillar‑like barriers to reveal the towering, ferocious form of the castle lord, even the Barbar Beast. X, standing over 2.5 meters tall, appeared utterly insignificant.

He could not help but look up at that presence, merely his words remained as calm and detached as ever:

"Are you a rare guest? I thought you had been waiting for me."

"I can't say there's none, but your arrival is still much earlier than I expected."

His scarlet palms clapped together, his magnetic, rich male voice as comforting as a solid rock, and though his lower half was beast‑like, his upper body resembled that of a human male noble in build and attire, lending him an extra touch of eccentric intellect.

Furthermore, there is a detail that anyone seeing it for the first time cannot help but notice—GrandDracumon wears a purple mask that covers both eyes.

This undoubtedly makes its ever‑ready evil eye even more concealed, and leaves visitors unable to relax in the slightest.

But the Barbar Beast. X does not appear that tense.

Even his tone of cold, listless nonchalance remains just as before.

"Predictions are always wrong; I only ask whether your guarantee from back then still holds."

"Oh?" GrandDracumon said, somewhat surprised, "You mean you've already made preparations?"

He gave no verbal reply, but his arm, unusually long compared to his opponent's upper limb, had already risen, bearing the orange‑yellow markings of the Great Sin.

"That successor has already been dealt with."

(End of Chapter)