The room was flooded with holographic screens. Hundreds of messages from the Plague Monarch filled the air, their glowing text sharp and venomous. Her words were laced with insults and threats, each one more biting than the last.
[Plague Monarch]: How dare you ignore me! Do you have any idea who you're dealing with?
[Plague Monarch]: If you think you can summon me and then disappear, you're sorely mistaken!
[Plague Monarch]: Answer me, you insolent worm!
Muyeon sighed, rubbing his temples as the messages continued to pour in. The sheer volume of her anger was overwhelming, but he knew he couldn't afford to lose his composure.
'This is going to be annoying,' he thought, his jaw tightening. But he remained determined. He knew he might need her cooperation if he was to succeed in his plans, and that meant smoothing things over and building a good relationship with her.
He considered the alternative—kicking her from the chat and hoping a new member would join in her place. But he wasn't sure if the chat worked like that. While he had the power to remove her, he had no guarantee that someone else would take her spot.
'No,' he decided, his mind made up. 'I'll try to work with her first.'
The Plague Monarch was a powerful ally, and the world of Solo Leveling was too enticing to pass up. If he could bring her to his side, he wouldn't have to worry about finding a replacement. But of course, all of this depended on whether he could reconcile with her.
Muyeon took a deep breath, steeling himself for the conversation ahead. With a calm demeanor, he began typing his reply.
[Demon Heir (Admin)]: Greetings, Plague Monarch. Before I begin, let me clarify something first—I wasn't the one who invited you to this chat group. Your invite was sent at random. I am merely the admin, not the creator of the chat, and I have no idea who or what the creator is.
He paused, considering his next words carefully.
[Demon Heir (Admin)]: I understand your anger. Going offline when you first joined may not have been the best idea, and I apologize for leaving you hanging. However, I had urgent matters to attend to, and I hope you can understand that.
Muyeon's tone was respectful, but he wasn't about to let her walk all over him.
[Demon Heir (Admin)]: That said, while I understand your frustration, I refuse to be spoken to in such a disrespectful manner again. If you continue to act hostile, I will have no choice but to kick you from the chat. Doing so would cause you to lose access to its many abilities, including multiverse travel through quests.
He knew this was a risk, but he had to establish boundaries. The Plague Monarch needed to understand that he wasn't someone she could intimidate.
Finally, he dropped the bait.
[Demon Heir (Admin)]: I should also mention that this chat group has the potential to benefit you greatly. With its power, you may be able to find a new world to rebuild your army for your fight against the Rulers. But of course, all of that would vanish if I were to remove you from the group.
Muyeon hit send, his heart pounding slightly. He had taken a calculated risk, and now he had to wait for her response.
He knew he had taken a significant risk. By threatening the Plague Monarch and revealing a sliver of his knowledge about her and her goals, he was walking a fine line.
'But this is the only way I can think of to get her on my side,' he thought, his expression hardening. 'Besides, I've already come up with a good excuse for everything…'
Obviously, he couldn't and wouldn't reveal that he was a reincarnator or that he had knowledge of the Solo Leveling universe from his past life. Those were secrets that anyone in his position had to guard at all costs.
After all, the two cardinal rules of reincarnation were clear: never reveal that you're a reincarnator, and never reveal knowledge of past or future events—unless, of course, you could use that information to your advantage.
'I'll have to exploit my knowledge carefully,' he decided, his expression hardening. 'Use it to manipulate her without giving too much away.'
————
On her hive-planet, Querehsha, the Plague Monarch sat atop her jagged throne, her glowing red eyes fixed on the holographic screen in front of her. She had just finished reading Muyeon's messages, and her initial reaction was one of shock and anger.
'How dare he threaten me!' she thought, her claws twitching with barely restrained fury. 'As if I even want to be part of this ridiculous chat group!'
But then her eyes lingered on the final part of his message. He had mentioned the Rulers—her eternal enemies. How did he know about them? And what else did he know?
The Rulers are an ancient race of angelic warriors and the sworn enemies of the Monarchs—her race, a race of monstrous beings.
Both races were created by the Absolute Being, a bored god who sought entertainment by pitting them against each other. Their eternal war has led to the destruction of countless worlds, all while the Absolute Being watched from afar, indifferent to the chaos they wrought.
The Plague Monarch's anger gave way to suspicion. 'Is this some kind of trap set by the Rulers?' she wondered, her mind racing. But she quickly dismissed the idea. This wasn't how the Rulers operated.
'Then how does he know?' she thought, her curiosity piqued. 'And what else does he know?'
Despite her initial hostility, the Plague Monarch realized that provoking Muyeon further could result in her being kicked from the chat. And if what he said was true, the chat group had the potential to be incredibly useful to her.
With a deep breath, she composed her reply, careful to keep her tone civil and curious.
[Plague Monarch]: How do you know about the Rulers?
Her message was short and to the point, but it lacked the venom of her earlier outbursts. She was treading carefully now, aware that she needed to maintain a delicate balance.
————
Muyeon read the Plague Monarch's reply, his lips curling into a faint smirk. Her tone had shifted from outright hostility to cautious curiosity, and that was exactly what he had hoped for.
'Good,' he thought, his mind racing as he crafted his response. 'Now to reel her in.'
He began typing, his fingers moving swiftly across the holographic interface.
[Demon Heir (Admin)]: Thank you for being civil. As the admin of this chat group, I have access to all sorts of information—both from the past and the future. However, this knowledge comes at a heavy price.
He paused, considering his next words carefully.
[Demon Heir (Admin)]: I was busy all day paying that price to learn about you. The process was… taxing, to say the least. There's more information to be gained, but I can't afford to pay such a price again after what I went through today.
Muyeon hit send, leaning back in his chair as he waited for her response. He knew this lie served multiple purposes.
First, it explained his knowledge about her and the Rulers without revealing his reincarnation. Second, it gave him an excuse if future chat members joined whom he knew nothing about—he could simply claim the price for their information was too high.
But most importantly, it set the stage for him to exploit his fellow chatters. If they wanted information from him, they would need to offer something in return. It was a way to maintain control and leverage over the group.
'Now, let's see how she reacts,' Muyeon thought, his dark eyes gleaming with anticipation.
————
Querehsha read Muyeon's reply, her glowing red eyes narrowing in thought. His explanation was intriguing, and for the first time, she began to see the chat group as something more than an annoyance.
'Access to information from the past and future?' she thought, her curiosity piqued. 'If that's true, this could be a valuable tool.'
Her earlier hostility began to fade, replaced by a growing interest in what Muyeon had to offer. She briefly regretted her earlier outburst but quickly dismissed it as unimportant. The Plague Monarch wasn't one to dwell on past mistakes—she focused on the opportunities ahead.
'If he can provide me with useful information, this might be worth pursuing,' she thought, her mind racing with possibilities.
She began to consider the potential benefits. With access to information about the Rulers, she could gain a strategic advantage in their eternal war. Perhaps Muyeon could even help her locate the Shadow Monarch, a powerful ally who had gone missing after the last war with the Rulers.
Querehsha's lips curled into a faint smirk. 'This changes everything.'
She decided to focus on repairing her relationship with Muyeon. While she remained slightly wary of his intentions, the potential rewards were too great to ignore.
————
After a few more exchanges, Muyeon sensed that the Plague Monarch's hostility had softened. She was still cautious, but her curiosity had taken the forefront. It was the perfect time to make his move.
[Demon Heir (Admin)]: Instead of fighting, why don't we work together? We can strengthen each other. Through the chat's trading function, we can exchange unique resources from our worlds. And if I grow strong enough to pay the price, I can even provide you with valuable knowledge.
He paused, letting the offer sink in.
[Demon Heir (Admin)]: Think about it. With my access to information and your power, we could achieve far more together than we ever could apart.
Muyeon hit send, his heart pounding slightly. He knew this was the moment of truth. If she agreed, it would be a major step forward in his plans. If she refused, he'd have to reconsider his approach.
————
Querehsha read Muyeon's message, her glowing red eyes narrowing in thought. While the idea of gaining valuable resources and information was undeniably appealing, she still had some questions that needed answering.
After all, she wasn't one to take things at face value, and she needed more answers before she could fully commit to this partnership.
[Plague Monarch]: You claim to know about the Rulers and my goals. What else has the chat told you about me?
Muyeon read her message, his smirk widening. He had anticipated this. The Plague Monarch was too shrewd to accept his explanation without further probing.
[Demon Heir (Admin)]: I know that you are one of the Monarchs, created by the Absolute Being. I know of your enemies, the Rulers. Your power lies in plagues and insects, and you command an army of insectoid soldiers. You've been searching for a new world to rebuild your forces after the last war with the Rulers devastated your army.
He paused, then added…
[Demon Heir (Admin)]: I also know that you value strength above all else and have little patience for weakness.
The Plague Monarch's eyes narrowed as she read his reply. His knowledge was disturbingly accurate, and it unnerved her.
[Plague Monarch]: Is that all you know?
[Demon Heir]: For now, yes. Obtaining more information would require me to pay a price I'm not yet prepared to bear. I must admit, I'm not nearly as powerful as you—but I'll get there soon enough.
Muyeon knew there was no point in hiding his lack of strength compared to her—especially if he planned to give her a quest and meet her in the near future.
'So he's a weakling?' Querehsha sneered as she typed out a reply.
[Plague Monarch]: How do I know you're not working with the Rulers?
Muyeon's response was swift and confident.
[Demon Heir (Admin)]: I'm not sure how to prove that. You'll just have to trust me, I guess.
The Plague Monarch considered his words. He had a point. Proving his innocence would be nearly impossible to do over text communication.
[Plague Monarch]: I see your point. But what do you gain from this partnership?
Muyeon's reply was equally direct.
[Demon Heir (Admin)]: I gain a powerful ally. My world is filled with enemies, and I need all the help I can get. Together, we can achieve far more than we could alone.
The Plague Monarch leaned back, her claws tapping against the armrest of her throne. His answers were logical, and his knowledge of her and the Rulers was undeniable. Still, she couldn't shake the feeling that he was hiding something.
Nonetheless, she began to consider the possibilities. With access to unique resources from Muyeon's world, she could strengthen her army and gain an edge in her war against the Rulers. Though, after hearing how weak he was, her hopes weren't particularly high.
'He must be from a low level world,' she thought dismissively.
But that didn't matter. If he could provide her with strategic information—such as knowledge of the future, the location of the Shadow Monarch, or even the Rulers' plans—it would be a game-changer.
'It could very well win us the war,' she mused, her claws twitching with anticipation. 'For good this time.'
Her claws twitched with anticipation as she typed her reply.
[Plague Monarch]: Very well. I agree to this partnership. But know this—if you betray me, the consequences will be severe.
She hesitated for a moment before adding:
[Plague Monarch]: If there's anything I can do to help you pay the price for more information, let me know. I'm… interested in what you might uncover.
Querehsha leaned back, her mind racing with possibilities. For the first time in a long while, she felt a flicker of excitement. This chat group might just be the key to turning the tide in her favor.
————
Muyeon read the Plague Monarch's reply, a slow smirk spreading across his face. His calculated risk had paid off—she had taken the bait.
'She's in,' he thought, his dark eyes gleaming with satisfaction. 'Now I just need to keep her invested.'
The Plague Monarch's agreement to the partnership was a major victory. She was now invested in their collaboration, and Muyeon knew he was one step closer to turning her into a powerful ally.
But he also knew this was just the beginning. The Plague Monarch was volatile and unpredictable, and he would need to tread carefully to maintain their fragile alliance.
'I'll need to keep her interested,' he thought, his mind racing with plans. 'Offer her just enough to keep her hooked without revealing too much.'
He also reflected on the challenges ahead. The clock was ticking, and he had less than a month before the Demon Academy began. He needed to grow stronger, deepen his bond with his mother, and prepare for the inevitable confrontation with Yeo Woon and his descendant.
'One step at a time,' Muyeon thought, his expression hardening. 'I'll deal with the Plague Monarch first, then focus on the rest.'
For now, though, he allowed himself a moment of satisfaction. The Plague Monarch was on his side—or at least, she was willing to play along. It was a small victory, but it was a victory nonetheless.
A/N: 2530 words :)
👇🚨🥺GIVE STONES PLS🥺🚨👇