Chapter 122

Since when have people called the Calderan volcano the Calderan volcano?

If you ask who gave this volcano the name Calderan, people wouldn’t be able to answer. Even those who once lived right next to the volcano, now swallowed by lava, couldn’t tell you.

Once, a mage named Thomas William, who studied volcanoes, wanted to find out where the name Calderan came from. He visited villages near the volcano and questioned the elderly.

Of course, if you just show up expecting free answers, no one will talk. People are like that. You have to help with the farm work or something to get them to open up.

“Outsider? We don’t know anything.”


“Outsider, why are you here causing a ruckus?”

Fortunately, Thomas William was an Earth Mage and worked for the Soil Survey Bureau. He had plenty of carrots to dangle in front of tight-lipped villagers.

“Old man, here’s a little something for a drink…”


“Oh my, look at this. Come, sit. I don’t have much to offer, but how about a persimmon?”

Sometimes, a few coins could open closed mouths. He wasn’t digging for family secrets or anything—just asking about the volcano. If they could get a coin for sharing information, most would talk openly.

“I can’t tell you. Absolutely not. Our ancestors’ graves are on that mountain. How could I spill the secrets of the land where our ancestors rest to an outsider like you?”


“Grandma, I’m the one who surveys the land to adjust taxes. So, the land tax you owe this year? It’s up to me.”

Of course, some still kept their mouths shut. That’s when the authority of being a government official came in handy.

Faced with the choice of a tax bomb or tax relief under Thomas’s cooperation, everyone eventually caved. After all, isn’t tax scarier than a tiger?

“If I talk, will you really reduce the land I own on the records?”

Sometimes, he even “cooperated” with local powers to get information. Through these efforts, Thomas William learned a lot about the Calderan volcano. Sometimes, a personal hobby can lead to astonishing results.

But for this man, who spent his own money researching the volcano without earning a penny, one question remained unanswered: Since when has this volcano been called Calderan?

“Who started calling it that? What a silly question. We’ve called it that since my grandmother’s time.”


“Well, my grandfather called it that too. Why are you asking such things? Do you have a wife?”

The mystery only deepened when he heard that even the ancestors of the village elders had called it Calderan. If the people living here had created the name, there should have been some trace of it somewhere.

But no matter how much he searched, it was useless.

It was as if someone had tossed the name out and left. The name Calderan Volcano appeared out of nowhere. At some point, everyone started calling it that, and it became the official name.

‘The Phoenix hasn’t returned. Maybe it’ll stay longer this time.’

The one who first created and uttered that name was none other than the Demon King, Grimudo. People slander him as the Primal Demon King, but they have no idea they’re living amidst his traces.

‘He liked Calderan, after all.’

Whether the Phoenix is there or not, it’s a volcano. And a supervolcano at that.

The Demon King knew better than anyone why such a supervolcano had formed there. It was because of one of the Harvesters created by the Primal Body—Calderan.

Originally, Calderan wasn’t a mountain but the name of a Harvester hidden deep underground. And it was a name Grimudo had coined.

But somehow, it leaked into the outside world, circulated among people, and became the name of the volcano. Even now, it’s laughable to think about.

The Phoenix must be receiving cells and energy from Calderan. It sees Grimudo as its father and Calderan as its mother.

And it’s not entirely wrong. The Phoenix is a monster Grimudo created by cultivating a fragment of Calderan’s cells.

‘Maybe I’ll let it play a little longer.’

There’s a saying that a bird sees the first thing it sees after hatching as its parent. Whether that’s true or not, the Phoenix certainly showed that tendency. Even without mental commands, it followed Grimudo willingly.

To others, it’s a fierce bird with a nasty temper, but to its master, it’s a giant creature that acts cute and nuzzles its head.

Even the Demon King grew fond of it. It’s hard not to grow attached after spending so many years together.

But it’s not like that guy would get beaten to death somewhere, so there’s no need to worry. The Demon King flicked his sleeve and arrived at his destination.

His eyes, hidden in darkness, narrowed. Those eyes captured a towering tree that stood out even in the dense forest.

The chaos, fear, and awe happening on the surface meant nothing to this Demon King. Like the ebb and flow of tides, the flood would eventually sweep over this continent. The day wasn’t far off.

‘How many more cycles can this continue?’

The organic matter consumed by the Primal Body doesn’t come from nothing—it’s inorganic matter transformed through biological processes. This means a continuous depletion of inorganic matter.

As the Primal Body grows, the planet is gradually eroded. Continents. The Eastern Continent. Once, there were six continents on this planet, but as cycles repeated, they were swallowed one by one, leaving only two.

The remnants of what were once continents remain as islands and archipelagos scattered here and there, but that’s all.

Even the so-called Demon Continent is just a part of this continent.

For those living in an era where two continents are the norm, they’ll never understand the Demon King. Someday, the two continents will become one.

Then, only the oceans and scattered islands will remain, and after that…

Well, even if there’s a next, it won’t be a world where humans can survive. Marine life may flourish, but whether they’ll gain sentience is anyone’s guess.

There’s no meaning in clinging to survival.

He had watched the elves for a long time. Though they recognized the existence of the Primal Body, they offered no solutions.

In fact, they didn’t even try. Hiding under the protection of the World Tree, they abandoned all progress and remained content with the present. No matter how long you wait, nothing changes, so they’ll eventually face a hopeless future without preparation.

‘Someday, our mother will devour all the land.’

After that, it’ll be the ocean, but that’s still far off. For now, worrying about the land is enough. When that happens, only the parts protected by the World Tree will remain as islands, and the rest will become ocean.

And then? From drinking water to farming, problems will arise one after another. Even with the World Tree’s protection, the elves will perish. Rather than wasting away, it might be better for them to go quickly.

*Thud.*

If he didn’t deliberately hide it, the Demon King’s immense magical power alone would cause anomalies in the weather. The sky filled with dark clouds, and the vegetation withered and crumbled.

Grimudo didn’t try to hide his presence here. With a wave of his hand, a shockwave struck in all directions.

Even the largest trees were uprooted and sent flying, and reeds that usually withstand storms were torn apart.

*Whoosh!*

With a single swing of his hand, a surge of overwhelming magical power shot downward. It wasn’t something that could be deflected with ease—it was sheer, crushing force. That power lifted the entire crust.

The soil shattered into waves of earth and stone, sweeping in all directions. Even a single flying pebble carried enough force to destroy a city wall. Everything around was swept away.

“Nothing changes no matter how many times I try.”

But one thing remained untouched.

The massive tree at the center of the forest and Elvenheim, protected by its blessing, stood as if nothing had happened. Sitting on a branch of the World Tree, a winged woman smiled faintly.

“Isn’t it time to admit it? Even you can’t do anything to the World Tree and Elvenheim. Never.”

At first, they trembled in fear. But now, how many visits had it been?

Elvenheim no longer feared Grimudo. To be precise, they had found a way to deal with him.

By giving up on leaving the World Tree’s domain and hiding inside like a turtle retreating into its shell, even the mighty Grimudo couldn’t touch them.

Realizing this, the elves regained their confidence. Now, even the Primal Demon King wasn’t so scary.

“Lady Kania is right! Hey, show us more!”

Some drunken elves even hummed. As long as they felt absolutely safe, having the Demon King in front of them was no different from riding a roller coaster.

“Is this all the mighty Primal Demon King can do? A sideshow?”


“That’s right. Show us something else!”


“Ugh, this isn’t even worth beer snacks!”


“Call down some meteors like last time!”

The Demon King smiled faintly. Of course, this was just a greeting.

They didn’t seem to know. When a turtle retreats into its shell, it seems invincible, but eagles long ago figured out how to eat them.

They grab the turtle, fly high, and drop it onto rocks. Even if their claws and beaks can’t break the shell, potential energy and rocks can.

If even an eagle can develop new strategies, what about the Demon King?

Of course, he had prepared that “something else.” But whether it would make good beer snacks was up to the elves.