"Let's disguise ourselves. Prettily."
"......"
Said the Demon King.
So they were thrilled.
Aha.
Today as well, their Demon King is establishing wise and progressive countermeasures to pioneer the future of this abandoned land… or so they thought. Yeah, right.
"...Excuuuse me?"
The first to burst out in protest was none other than Zephyros. The Demon King's loyal secretary and clever archivist furrowed his brow deeply and asked again.
"My Lord? I believe I just heard something strange."
"Yeah, it's not something strange."
"No, I think I just heard complete nonsense."
"Uh, it's not nonsense though."
"So you're saying, if we disguise ourselves and infiltrate the human world, we can eliminate their sense of caution and fear, and smoothly sell our chuno? Is that what you're getting at?"
"Yeah, exactly that. Great summary."
"My Lord."
"Yeah?"
"Are you out of your mind?"
"...."
Kim Jangcheol brought his upper and lower lips together with a tap. And through those tightly shut lips, he suppressed a bitter smile trying to escape.
'Well. I guess to them it does sound absurd.'
Disguise.
Usually, the best you can do is break even.
A clumsy disguise only brings disaster.
Like smearing on BB cream thinking it'll make you look prettier, but skipping the neck so your face floats ghostly white—there could be even worse disasters than that.
But himself?
He had a firm belief he wouldn't mess up.
Last night, while pondering how to sell chuno, a certain secret popped into his head.
It was none other than...
"Have you ever heard of the Elixir of Transformation?"
"......"
He asked everyone.
No one could answer right away.
Only Hartok slowly raised his hand, his face lost in thought.
"Oh, do you know it?"
"Yes, a little... isn't that the elixir that completely changes the drinker's appearance into another being?"
"Yeah. That's the one."
A blooming smile spread across Kim Jangcheol's lips.
The Elixir of Transformation.
It was a consumable item in the game that this world was based on—Paladin of Blood.
And it wasn't just any disguise—it was a rare item that completely changed the user's appearance.
'Once you drink it, your appearance changes at random. The range is wide enough to ignore race, gender, or age.'
Once the appearance is set? From then on, you can transform into that specific form at will.
Only that specific form.
'So if you don't like the transformed version... you have to take the elixir again. That's the only way to disguise appearance.'
He remembered the times he played the game.
It was during the 1st and 2nd playthroughs, when he was still suffering under the game's brutal difficulty. Back then, he used that elixir to disguise himself and pass through gates and fortresses that were nearly impossible to clear normally.
"But, Demon King? From what I've heard, that Elixir of Transformation is extremely rare…"
"Yeah. Hartok knows his stuff. It's rare. There are only ten in the whole world."
Just as he said.
Only ten Elixirs of Transformation were available per playthrough. And where were they…?
"All ten are in the lake in the 2nd Star Master's territory, so you don't have to worry about how to get them. I've got it all figured out."
"You've got it all… figured out?"
"Yeah. So, on our way to the human world, we'll just pick them up along the way."
"...."
Hartok closed his mouth.
And he thought.
The Elixir of Transformation—he'd heard even the most elite among the demons might never see one in their entire lives.
But to their Lord…
Did he see that legendary elixir as something as common as some dog poop lying by the roadside?
"......"
He couldn't tell.
What was going on in his head.
No—what kind of being he even was anymore.
'He wasn't like this before.'
He used to be just another demon, only slightly—no, quite a bit—stronger. But now, it is different. There was a fundamental difference in existence, one that couldn't be explained with words.
And yet, on the other hand, he also felt a sense of unease.
"However, my Demon King. Even if the Elixir of Transformation grants exceptional disguise capabilities, it's not enough to ensure our safety."
"You can't feel safe, huh. Why not?"
"From what I've heard… even if the elixir provides perfect disguise, if the user receives a certain amount of physical shock, the disguise breaks immediately…"
"Oh, that's right."
"...You knew?"
"Of course."
Kim Jangcheol shrugged his shoulders.
What Hartok said was true.
If someone under the influence of the Elixir of Transformation took even a single wrong hit from an enemy, the disguise would immediately vanish. And for a certain time afterward, you couldn't disguise yourself again!
"So just don't get hit?"
Problem solved.
Simple as that.
Of course, to Zephyros and the Four Heavenly Kings, that didn't sound simple at all.
"But my Lord. That's far too dangerous."
Zephyros was the first to express concern. Sirgi quickly nodded and joined the parade of worry.
"The archivist is right. For us demons, the human world is the heart of enemy territory. There's no telling what unexpected events we might face there. Hartok, you're worried about that too, right?"
"Of course. I feel the same, my Demon King. And I'd say Asurat would agree too."
"…Ugh. It makes me sick, but just this once, I'm with you bastards. No matter how good the disguise, the moment it breaks, we'll be facing the full hostility of humanity. Baal, you feel the same, right?"
"Baal! Disguise is fun!"
"....."
Let's exclude him.
Zephyros and the not-quite-Four Heavenly Kings exchanged silent glances. Zephyros stepped forward to speak on their behalf.
"In any case, that's our stance. No matter how viable the disguise, it's too dangerous."
"Pfft. I don't think it's that dangerous."
"And there isn't anyone suited to take on such a near-suicidal mission."
"What do you mean there isn't?"
"Excuse me?"
"There is someone."
"Who…..?"
"Who else. Me."
"..."
To Kim Jangcheol, that was the obvious answer.
The Four Heavenly Kings?
No way.
Not even close.
Those who had never interacted with people in any way other than invading and plundering them—that was what the Four Heavenly Kings were.
And entrust the task of selling chuno to such people? That's a recipe for disaster.
And what about Zephyros?
Still a problem.
No matter how smart Zephyros is, he's still clueless about the ways of the human world.
'So in the end... there's no one but me who can go to the human world and sell chuno. Tsk…'
So many demons, and not a single one reliable enough to trust with this.
As he thought about it, a wave of sighs welled up within him. At the same time, a subtle sense of anxiety began to bubble up.
"...."
He'd promised never to run into Aged Kimchi again. Eh, it's not like they'll actually meet, right? The world's big, after all. So don't worry too much about that.
'Don't lose your nerve, Kim Jangcheol!'
With newfound resolve, he turned to everyone and said,
"I'll be taking on the mission to sell chuno this time. Everyone take note of that and stop worrying. Especially you, Zephyros. Got it?"
"Yes, understood."
"If that is the Demon King's will, then gladly. Hartok, your thoughts?"
"...I agree, Sirgi. Thinking about it again, disguise does seem like a very stable method. I'm sure Asurat feels the same way."
"...It still disgusts me, but I'll agree with you bastards this time. If the disguise fails, well, it's not my problem… no, I mean, I'm sure our Lord will handle it just fine."
"Baal! Wants to be pretty!"
"..."
Kim Jangcheol's gaze toward Zephyros and the Four Heavenly Kings turned coy.
"Tsk? Hey, didn't you guys say disguise was a dangerous and unreliable plan just a minute ago? Why the sudden change of heart, huh? Zephyros, answer for the group."
"If it's the Demon King himself going, then we can trust it?"
"Aha. So since it won't be happening to you, you don't care?"
"That's not what I meant."
"Oh, is that so?"
"Yes."
"I'm bringing you all too, you know?"
"Pardon?"
"I said I'm bringing all of you. We're disguising together."
"...As the Demon King's secretary, upon reconsideration, I believe disguise is ultimately just a temporary measure that relies on luck."
"Indeed, my Demon King. I, Sirgi, share the archivist's opinion. Right, Hartok?"
"Hmm, as everyone fears, my Demon King, placing the fate of the Abandoned Land on a method that still carries uncertainty seems like too risky a gamble. Asurat, your opinion?"
"......Still disgusted, but I agree with you all. How long can we really fool humans with a disguise anyway? It's kinda concerning."
"Baal! Wants to be adorable!"
"......."
These bastards.
Kim Jangcheol held back a bitter smile as he asked,
"Alright, zip it. Now, is there any demon here who can suggest a better plan than disguise?"
"......"
Silence.
No one answered.
Kim Jangcheol spoke.
"Nothing? Then we go with disguise, yeah?"
"My Lord? Are you planning to mobilize all personnel here? What about the remaining demons and the potato storage…"
Zephyros raised the concern immediately.
As expected, a smart one.
"You're right. We'll definitely need someone to stay behind and manage things."
"Indeed. As the archivist, I shall—"
"Hartok?"
"Yes, my Demon King."
"You stay behind and manage the Demon King's Castle. Zephyros, Sirgi, Asurat, and Baal will all accompany me on the chuno sales journey."
"I, Hartok, shall unconditionally obey the Demon King's wise decision. Moreover, on further thought, there truly is no method as excellent as disguise."
"...."
Scathing gazes, led by Zephyros, rained down on Hartok. But Hartok didn't seem to mind in the slightest.
Well, same goes for this side, honestly.
"Alright, now that it's decided, let's move. Get ready for departure."
From that day on, the chuno sales expedition to the human world—its preparations steadily progressed.
The freshly harvested super potatoes were turned into chuno. They were spread out, frozen, stepped on when thawed, dried again, frozen again, stepped on again—it was repeated over and over.
The resulting chuno was sorted into reserve stock and for-sale stock. The sales-bound chuno was tightly wrapped in a massive waterproof tarp.
"Ughhh."
A massive, mountain-sized bundle.
He hoisted it on his back and stood at the edge of the cliff's summit. Standing side by side with the Four Heavenly Kings—minus Hartok—and Zephyros.
"Everyone knows what to do, right?"
"......"
"Jump."
"Yes, sirrr—"
And jump!
In a flash, they descended the cliff. Recalling the in-game route, they scoured every corner of the lake. All ten elixirs were swiftly secured.
"Alright, time to disguise ourselves."
Kim Jangcheol personally stepped up as the first batter(?).
He glanced at the Elixir of Transformation squirming in the palm of his hand.
…Wriggleeeeee… squirm, squirm!
"......"
The appearance and the movement—it looked exactly like a live octopus.
'Tsk. Now I'm craving sesame oil sauce.'
Suddenly, a wave of nostalgia hit him.
Someday, if he could ever harvest sesame, he was definitely going to make a solid batch of sesame oil.
With a secret vow in his heart, he brought the elixir to his mouth.
After ten deep breaths, he gulped it down.
Squirm!
'Ugh!'
A bitterness beyond imagination surged in.
It felt like his tongue had been deleted! Or like the taste buds on his tongue were doing a celestial dance like a lamprey ascending to heaven!
Immediately after.
….FWOOOOOSH!
His entire body began to glow with a brilliant light. It was the moment when the spinning roulette of the Random God of Disguises descended upon him.
[T/L: I am not getting any support from webnovel platform, so please support me and read ahead chapters on my ko-fi page "RevengerScans" : https://ko-fi.com/revengerscans ]