Chapter 13 · Eastern Empire
The Eastern Empire, the oldest kingdom in this world, possessed the greatest national power in the world. The nation upheld the principle that "strength was everything." It had been founded and was ruled by the emperor, Rudra Nam Ul Naska. His power was so great that nearly all Demon Kings were afraid to oppose him. In fact, some Demon Kings were even secretly controlled by the Eastern Empire.
The Eastern Empire had also summoned a large number of Otherworld Transmigrators. There were several thousand known to the public throughout the empire alone. By combining magic with technology, the empire's power had expanded rapidly, with the Three Great Legions being the most prominent example.
Dikas, the King of the Giant Rat Tribe, and Diri, whom he had captured, had escaped from a laboratory under the Monster Legion, one of the Three Great Legions. Using the deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) technology brought by Otherworlders, the entire legion controlled powerful monsters, then modified and studied them to create all kinds of Artificial Hybrid Beasts.
Later, they even began collecting the Bloodline of Ancient Heroes for analysis. By combining those bloodlines with powerful monsters and modifying them, they created all kinds of extraordinarily powerful monsters.
Dikas, the Rat King, had been a failed product of the earliest experiments. More than ten years ago, Dikas had been an ordinary giant rat when he was captured and made into a low-level test subject. Yet, driven by his will to survive, he endured one round of cruel experiments after another. Every part of his body had been obtained through modification.
It was precisely because of those experiments that Dikas had evolved from a Lesser Demon into the Mid-tier Monster Ratman King. A member of the Monster Legion had also given him the name Dikas. However, after becoming a Mid-tier Monster, Dikas's potential had already reached its limit.
Even with his bodily modifications, he could easily kill ordinary Mid-tier Monsters of the same level. Nevertheless, he was still regarded as a failure. To the Eastern Empire, any existence below an Upper Demon had no value whatsoever.
For that reason, Dikas had been abandoned. But just as he was about to be destroyed, he relied on the strength granted by his modifications and the carelessness of the personnel assigned to dispose of him to escape the laboratory. He eventually arrived at Elirila, this small city on the very outskirts of the Eastern Empire.
After fleeing there, Dikas used the Ratman King's Unique Skill, Racial Domination, to successfully rule all the giant rats in the sewers. But because he feared being found and destroyed by the laboratory, Dikas had hidden in the depths of the sewers for more than ten years, never daring to leave.
During that time, Dikas silently developed the Giant Rat Tribe and built an enormous Underground Kingdom. Out of fear and a longing for power, he also secretly arranged for several ordinary rats, not even monsters, to live in the mountains far from the laboratory. They observed and monitored what was happening there.
Not long ago, after nearly ten years had passed, Dikas once again discovered a test subject who had escaped from the laboratory. With Dikas's secret assistance, the test subject successfully evaded pursuit and reached this remote city, Elirila. That test subject was Diri.
"We are alike. We both escaped from that hell, and we only did so to survive. So rest assured, I mean you no harm."
Under the flickering lights, Dikas finished recalling the past and slowly extended an arm toward Diri. A faint smile appeared on his rat-like face, as though he were looking at one of his own kind.
"So I came here because you guided me from the shadows?"
Diri did not take the arm extended before him. He simply stared calmly at Dikas's golden, serpentine eyes. Although he was seriously injured, that did not mean there was anything wrong with his mind. And if there had been, he could never have escaped from that hell. By piecing together what had happened during his escape and the fact that he had been captured immediately after arriving here, Diri had already realized that this creature before him had secretly helped him.
"Yes! It was indeed me who helped you from the shadows. After all, we are both failed products who escaped from that place. I'm sure you understand how terrifying their strength and methods are. So when I saw you, I decided to save you. We have a common enemy. If I rely on myself alone, I'll be found and destroyed sooner or later."
Facing Diri's questioning, Dikas did not hide anything. He openly admitted that he had secretly helped Diri during his escape and led him here.
"...I understand. Then I'll be in your care for now."
Diri stared at Dikas's sincere expression for several seconds before nodding, indicating that he would stay here for the time being. As for the arm Dikas had extended, he simply ignored it. After all, both of Diri's arm bones had been completely shattered.
"Welcome aboard. Also, may I ask you one more question?"
Dikas chuckled softly when he saw his arm being ignored. He felt no humiliation whatsoever. Instead, he looked at Diri even more gently. However, a trace of greed and longing flashed through the depths of his eyes.
"What question?"
Diri had just begun to lower his guard when he turned around and looked at Dikas warily.
"It's nothing. I just want to know how far their experiments have progressed. After all, I've been away for more than ten years, so my understanding of the situation there is outdated. To prevent them from finding me, I need the latest information."
As he spoke, Dikas patted Diri on the shoulder, acting as though he was doing everything for the good of both of them.
"I don't know. I'm only a failed product, so I don't know much about the progress of the experiments. I only know that in recent years, large numbers of residents from other nations have been secretly captured and turned into test subjects. I'm one of them."
Diri shook his head, indicating that he was merely an ordinary test subject and knew little. Across from him, Dikas said nothing more. He simply waved a hand, ordering a giant rat to take Diri away and arrange medicine and food for him.
"Haha... Hahahaha! After all these years, I've finally, finally waited for this!"
Not long after Diri left, Dikas began to laugh. His mouth slowly split open, revealing sharp teeth stained with traces of fresh flesh. His serpentine eyes were filled with madness and greed. He raised both hands to his chest as if he had seized something he had long desired. His suppressed, lunatic laughter echoed throughout the room.
Beside Dikas, thousands upon thousands of giant rats trembled and prostrated themselves on the ground, burying their heads deep in the dirt before them.
Several minutes later, Dikas stopped and once again returned to his previous appearance. He crouched down, a gentle smile at the corners of his mouth as he stroked the glossy black fur of a giant rat beside him. The giant rat being stroked trembled even more violently.
"You don't know? But I've already caught the scent on you—the Bloodline of Ancient Heroes. How exciting!"
With that, Dikas opened his mouth, packed with sharp teeth, and stuffed the giant rat beside him, nearly the size of a human, inside in a single bite. Amid terrifying crunching sounds, Dikas returned to his throne. The giant rat he had eaten had not dared to make a sound, even in death.