There are various races in the world, but if everyone were to name the race most specialized in ’combat’, they would say in unison:
That would be the ’Demon Race’. Even the demons themselves acknowledge this.
Horns sprouting from their heads, blue-tinted skin, and inverted eyes that sharply contrast with other races.
Mana used naturally thanks to their innate constitution, and magic with overwhelming power compared to others.
Combining all of these, they are called the demon race, and true to being demons, they are faithful to their desires.
Teaching you guys some continental history
In the past, the Demon Race went wild, and now the Elves are going wild.
End of history lesson!
ㄴReal talk, if you look at history, the Demon Race were total thugs
ㄴLOL there’s a reason a Hero appears in every era
ㄴLOL if no one checks these bastards, the world is fucking doomed
ㄴWhat kind of lives do demons even live?
Being so faithful to their desires, in the distant past they were famous for being extremely villainous.
Their atrocities were so severe that a ’Hero’ appeared every generation just to slay or keep the ’Demon King’ in check.
The Demon King is the ruler of Mephisto, the nation of demons, while the Hero is a powerhouse raised directly by humans.
Noble character, outstanding talent, devout faith—and mighty divine power gained in proportion to it.
All these backgrounds combined led to endless battles between Demon Kings and Heroes in the past, claiming countless lives.
But did they grow weary of the endless struggle? Or were they simply fed up with it?
Since when did the Demon Race get their minds straight?
They suddenly got quiet at some point
ㄴThey got quiet the moment they got sick of fighting and started playing weird ball games
ㄴWoah, weird? Say that to a demon and you’ll get torn limb from limb
ㄴLOL these bastards are weirdly dead serious about ball games
ㄴLOL it’s not like they got sane. Back in the day, someone literally killed a player for scoring an own goal
ㄴWow, crazy, totally crazy LOL
ㄴWas that why ’own goal’ got renamed?
ㄴThat’s why player protection is strictly enforced in Mephisto
The demons intensely craved a different form of combat rather than fists.
They wanted something thrilling and nail-biting enough to rival combat. Trading punches and fighting had grown boring.
Pushing their fight with the Hero to the back burner and conducting research upon research, they eventually built a culture.
Namely, ball games such as football, baseball, basketball, rugby, and American football—in short, sports.
At first, even the demons themselves thought it was absurd. Why play with a ball when they could just fight?
Why ball games of all things when gladiators were fighting right around the corner?
But as time passed and society and laws developed, violence gradually became taboo.
Crucially, there was a severe lack of entertainment. When people have leisure of mind, they seek entertainment.
Under these trends and the limitations of an era with no proper entertainment, the demons inevitably grew dead serious about it.
Thus, second only to drugs and gambling, the dopamine-crazed demons fell head over heels for mere ’ball games’.
How serious are these bastards?
You can tease them that they suck at fighting and they’ll just chuckle it off. Why? Because they know they’re stronger. They’re naturally powerful beings on par with the Elves.
But ball games? Tease them that they suck at ball games, and they’ll charge at you like they’re ready to murder you for real. Especially with football, their pride was shattered when humans won the championship LOL
ㄴHow do you know that?
ㄴI teased a demon friend while playing futsal and got my arm broken
ㄴLOL
ㄴLOL
ㄴLOL serve you right
ㄴDid you get compensation for medical bills?
ㄴI did, but he told me never to say that to another demon. Said I could literally die
ㄴHow insane are they about it? LOL
Naturally, it was a culture enjoyed only by demons at first. Other races couldn’t care less.
How could they accept demon culture when demons might invade at any moment blasting magic left and right?
Paradoxically, however, the first race to adopt demon culture was humanity.
You might ask, "Why humans, when they suffered the most damage from the long war with the demons?"
It was because humans have short lifespans. Consequently, generational change happens far faster than in other races.
The generation that remembered the villainous demons of the past gradually shrank, leaving only a generation that remembered them as idiots obsessed with playing ball.
Thus, interaction with the demons subtly increased, and as humans adopted their culture, they pulled out a clever card.
An unwinnable scenario for demons
Humans: "If there’s an issue between us, let’s settle it with ball games. You guys are fucking strong anyway."
Demons: "OK OK, fair."
Humans: "In return, you know it’s uncool to throw a fit just because you lose a ball game, right?"
Demons: "Why would we lose? LOL"
And 10 years later, humans crushed them.
Humans: "We won, you scrubs LOL"
Demons: "Fucking hell, it’s war!"
Humans: "Wow, going to war just because you lost a ball game? Have you no pride?"
Demons: "Sigh, fuck... It pisses me off, but I got nothing to say."
ㄴLOL there’s literally nothing they can do
ㄴDoes diplomacy really work like that?
ㄴIt’s a summary, but it’s totally true LOL
Demons are a race with pride so fierce it rivals that of the Elves.
They had a history of mocking neighboring nations with their innate strength, but that belonged strictly to the age of barbarism.
Even as public perception improved by spreading sports culture across the world, their pride remained unchanged.
And humans craftily poked at that pride to reap profits.
Trapped in a contradiction of their own making, the demons were forced to swallow their pride and focus on diplomacy.
Here’s one fact
If there were no Hero, the demons would’ve declared war too
ㄴThat’s a fact
ㄴIt’s only possible because their powers are balanced LOL
ㄴBut what are the Elves doing?
ㄴThose bastards just stand back with hands behind their backs LOL
ㄴThat’s because Mephisto is close to human nations, yeah
ㄴSigh, knife-ears are useless as always
ㄴAnd now the knife-ears are throwing a tantrum, right?
ㄴWhat did we humans even do wrong?
ㄴOur ancestors picked a bad spot to build a nation LOL
ㄴWe’re surrounded by non-human nations on all sides LOL
Of course, this was said half-jokingly, and sports remained sports.
However, because it allowed them to overcome racial disparities and fight fair and square, its popularity skyrocketed.
A combat where mana usage was prohibited, deciding superiority purely through physical body and skill.
Above all, the chivalry suited to the era—namely, sportsmanship—existed, stirring romance.
What advantage do Dwarves even have?
Football and basketball are tough because they’re too short. Rugby and American football are out due to build. Baseball is hard because the strike zone is weird.
What can they even do?
ㄴPassing Dwarf: We make the balls, you asshole
ㄴLOL
ㄴLOL
ㄴDo you make a lot of money?
ㄴPassing Dwarf: We make a metric fuckton of money every big tournament
ㄴDid Dwarves make the balls back in the day too?
ㄴNo no no, I heard they used human heads as balls
ㄴShudder...
Dwarves, disadvantaged in build, couldn’t enjoy playing directly, but gained various lucrative side benefits.
From balls and uniforms to various gear. Given the era, all detailed craft was entrusted to Dwarves.
With industrialization and commercialization progressing rapidly, and holding various tournaments, Mephisto transformed into a nation of culture.
Sports: something that allowed people to experience joy, anger, sorrow, and pleasure just by watching—and at the same time, a drug that drove people crazy.
Fascinating thing about Beastfolk
They are the race that loves baseball (the quietest) and American football (the roughest) the most.
Why on earth?
ㄴSuspiciously...: What are you talking about? In baseball, people smash heads with bats
ㄴWTF that’s a bench brawl LOL
ㄴBench clearing LOL
ㄴBeastfolk have sturdy bodies, so they’re totally fine even after that LOL
The popular sport differed by country and race, but the fact that Mephisto was the origin remained unchanged.
Thus, in Mephisto, sports were deeply woven into daily life.
Entertainment enjoyed by everyone regardless of age, gender, or status.
"What?! How did he miss that?! Are you kidding me?!"
And that was no different for Mephisto’s high-and-mighty figures.
A woman who possessed captivating beauty despite her blue demon skin and inverted eyes.
Glossy jet-black hair flowed down, and the ram horns sprouting from her head displayed an exotic charm.
Finally, a figure that set fire to any man’s heart. She lacked absolutely nothing.
"Wow. Even I could’ve scored that."
Princess of Mephisto and heir to the Demon King’s throne, Kaylin Rondel Archive.
She spewed profanities while watching the football match projected from the broadcasting magic orb.
Since the birth of sports, Mephisto had invented various spells for proper industrialization.
The broadcasting magic Kaylin was watching was part of that effort, covering a vast range.
"Seriously, that guy cost 100 billion Eura? Are the Chaeyu execs blind or what?"
Kaylin knitted her fair brow and clicked her tongue, her face filled with dissatisfaction.
As Princess of Mephisto, she was revered by countless people. Thanks to her innate prowess and background, she faced almost no political pressure.
Thus, if something displeased her, she could exert pressure at any time. But the moment it applied to sports, shit would hit the fan.
’I know it can’t be helped, but it’s so frustrating.’
A club owner could be a noble. But dragging that into politics meant immediate expulsion.
It wasn’t enshrined in law, but it was an unwritten rule. Sports were a culture enjoyed by everyone, not just nobility.
Unless it was an inevitable matter like war, even high officials couldn’t fully control it.
They could at most exercise control through policies, but further interference was impossible.
"And the match is over! Chaemes United falls 2 to 1 at home!"
"Today will be a celebration in Moss Village. They take one step closer to the long-awaited Challengers League!"
"On the other hand, Chaemes United is barely hanging onto their ranking. How Head Coach Horen will handle this..."
"Ah, damn it."
Click-
Kaylin nervously turned off the broadcast magic. They threw away a match they had in the bag because of a red card.
She covered her face with her hands for a moment before quietly removing them. Then, with a dazed expression, she logged into the Gallery.
Chaeyu mid-table standard! Chaeyu mid-table standard! Chaeyu mid-table standard!
Look at those Chaenggu bastards trembling~ Look at those Chaenggu bastards trembling~ Look at those Chaenggu bastards trembling~
???: Should I suck up to them?
Chaenggus cut LOL
As soon as the match ended, psychopaths flooded the Gallery. Business as usual.
Kaylin let out a hollow laugh and typed a post in the Gallery.
Title: Asshole Reveal
Princess Chaenggu
(Picture of an emblem stamped with a deer crest)
Here is my asshole~
ㄴLOL did Chaenggu lose today?
ㄴPrincess Chaenggu: Those motherless bastards conceded 2 goals in extra time alone, teehee~
ㄴLOL
ㄴNo wonder the nutjobs are popping up
Kaylin made the post and stood up. Blood was boiling in her head; she needed to cool off.
’Before that, I need to clean my room.’
She looked around.
From Chaemes United jerseys to various replica trophies, the room was packed with Chaeyu-related merchandise.
It was truly a room decorated by someone obsessed with football. Which was actually the case.
Ttak!
As Kaylin snapped her fingers, all the items vanished, leaving behind a completely empty space.
Originally, this place was used as a training hall—a custom-designed private training hall built solely for Kaylin.
She looked around the vacant hall a few times before looking down at herself.
Not a dignified dress, but a jersey that was plain to a fault.
It was a jersey bearing the name of Seon, who was once a legend of Chaeyu.
Ttak!
With another snap of her fingers, even the jersey morphed into a beautiful black dress. All of this was done through magic.
Normally, incantations were required, but Kaylin had no need for them. She could manifest magic with a mere gesture.
After meticulously checking if anything was out of place, she walked toward the exit.
At the exit stood a door outfitted with various security magic and locking mechanisms.
Deolkeong!
Kaylin unlocked all the security devices and stepped outside.
Outside, a middle-aged butler was waiting, accompanied by knights.
"Thank you for your hard work, Princess-nim. Have you finished your training?"
"Yes. You’ve worked hard as well."
"Not at all. Escorting Princess-nim is my duty."
The butler answered with a deep bow. Kaylin patted his shoulder as she walked past him.
It was her way of acknowledging his hard work. Touched, emotion washed over the butler’s face.
A kindness unfound in the current Demon King. That kindness captivated people’s hearts.
An environment where holding arrogance as the next Demon King would surprise no one.
Kaylin’s martial prowess was among the top five on the continent.
Yet she was neither arrogant nor cruel, possessing a gentle disposition.
One might think, ’Just over this?’ But one must consider that they were demons.
Furthermore, though Kaylin spoke sternly, she was kind and considerate not just to the butler, but to everyone.
’However, she seems to be in a foul mood today. Did she gain nothing from her training?’
The butler thought to himself as he followed Kaylin. Having served her for many years, he could at least read her emotions.
She was in an awful mood today. Extremely awful.
In times like this, keeping one’s mouth shut was the best policy.
Although kinder than other demons, Kaylin was still a demon. Ruffling her feathers meant magic flying your way.
’Even if emotional control training only happens once or twice a week, it must be exhausting.’
Demons were a race no less belligerent than the Beastfolk, inherently loving fights that decided victory or defeat.
In the past, that manifested as violence, causing severe harm to their surroundings, but not recently.
As violence became taboo, controlling one’s own emotions became paramount.
This tendency was especially crucial the higher one’s status, since losing one’s temper often ruined matters.
Thus, training to govern emotions was vital, making it difficult and agonizing.
’Sigh. Seriously. So frustrating. How the fuck do you concede 2 goals in extra time alone?’
It was true that Kaylin engaged in emotional control training. However, her method differed from the norm.
As an ardent Chaemes United fan, watching matches alone caused her emotions to swing wildly.
In the past, when control proved difficult, she smashed the training hall at every opportunity, but not lately.
Now, she could let it slide, thinking, ’Sigh. Stupid bastards. Typical of you guys.’
If nothing else, her mental fortitude was gradually rising to a level comparable to a Saintess.
’Why am I a Chaeyu fan?’
Returning to her bedroom, Kaylin lay on her bed and recalled the past. Why had she become a fan of football, and specifically Chaeyu?
Originally, she lived a life far removed from football. No matter how widespread the culture was across the world, she belonged to the upper class.
Football in particular was a sport that spread from the lower classes, so the upper class harbored a rather strong aversion to it.
But capital power derived from culture was something even the upper class couldn’t stop.
Furthermore, culture inherently couldn’t be stopped, and the moment one tried to suppress it, it spread all the more.
’Would it have been harder without this?’
Kaylin had been taught during her education that football was something watched only by clueless peasants.
But ironically, owners of numerous clubs were nobles. Only a few conservative nobles, including royalty, detested it.
They held a favorable view of sports in general, yet harbored a bias against football specifically.
Because of this, Kaylin also didn’t view football fondly at first, but at some point she gradually fell into it.
The cause was none other than the ’Gallery’. Connecting to the Gallery by chance changed everything.
Knowledge she never knew while growing up like a greenhouse flower, and the subtle addictiveness unique to football.
For Kaylin, a demon by birth, it was tantamount to laying hands on a new kind of drug.
Thus, she naturally came to root for her local team, Chaemes United, and even made her handle ’Princess Chaenggu’ in the Gallery.
’Agh, shit. It pisses me off that I can’t even go watch in person.’
However, Kaylin did not express this in reality due to political issues.
One might ask, ’Could a mere sport like football really spark political issues?’
Strictly speaking, it was closer to a generational conflict. Demons had fairly long lifespans, though not quite as long as Elves.
As a result, generational change was quite slow, and many of the older generation who remembered past cruelties were still alive.
That older generation held a tight grip on power, creating a politically awkward situation.
A generation that treated violence-stained glory as honor versus a generation introduced to the new entertainment called sports.
As these two generations clashed, nobles naturally had to tread carefully.
Since football held the greatest popularity among these sports, it inevitably got intertwined with politics.
’Why did I do that... I just hated seeing Chae City grow...’
Kaylin was also outwardly treated as part of the generation distant from football.
The reason was the policy she had introduced: capping Setan’s gold money to a certain extent.
She was annoyed that the damn dark elves were swallowing famous clubs with their obscene wealth, but above all, her troublesome brother was the biggest reason.
Chaemaster City, originally a trash 3rd-tier club, swallowed gold money and rapidly shot up to powerhouse status.
Didn’t they even lift the championship trophy in the world’s largest tournament last year?
On the other hand, Chaeyu was floundering. Her pride was utterly crushed.
Kaylin couldn’t help feeling deeply twisted inside. So she voiced her opinion just once.
Poll: Person Chaeyu fans hate the most
Medes Family
Princess Kaylin
ㄴI know why Medes, but why Princess Kaylin?
ㄴAcquisitions got strict because of her. Otherwise Chaeyu would’ve sucked up sweet gold money too, right?
Basically like this:
Medes Family: "Selling Chaeyu~ Currently on clearance sale!"
Setan: "Oh! We’ll buy! Take money!"
Kaylin: "Hell no! Not a chance! Policy slammed!"
Medes Family: "Oops. Because of policy we gotta raise the price, teehee."
Setan: "Fuck it, not buying."
ㄴLOL instantly crystal clear
ㄴBut doesn’t Kaylin’s side make sense too?
ㄴOpinions are split half and half. Still, to Chaenggus, she’s a sworn enemy to be ripped apart LOL
ㄴDoesn’t Kaylin hate football too?
ㄴNo official stance, but she’s probably on the side that hates it?
For Kaylin, it was infuriating. Her love for football—beyond just Chaeyu—was genuine.
If her reins were unbridled, she would go watch in person every week. She might even turn hooligan and cause rumbles once in a while.
Since she couldn’t do that, she secretly bought jerseys and merch to soothe her mind and body.
Granted, anger surged every time she watched a match, but let’s move past that.
’Just wait until I become Demon King. I’ll proudly attend wearing a jersey.’
Grounded in football, sports was a domain even the Demon King couldn’t touch recklessly. Touching it meant making an enemy of the people.
It was the terrifying power of culture and its side effect. That’s why not only demons but other races fell head over heels for it as well.
Countless spells were invented just to advance that single culture. Broadcasting magic was one such example.
Hilariously, Mephisto was moving closer not to a Conquest Victory, but a Cultural Victory.
’Forget all that, if only they stopped signing players like trash.’
Kaylin sighed inwardly, making a tearful face. Her expression looked somewhat gloomier.
Not as the ever-dignified demon princess, but as an individual Chaeyu fan, her heart was troubled.
To soothe such a heart, the Gallery was best. There was time left until the next match anyway.
’Wild Grylls... why did this guy fall into the Forest of the Four Seasons?’
Normally, she would just post about Chaeyu or write shitposts before matches. But recently, things had changed.
Among countless people and posts, Wild Grylls’s posts stood out. A person who claimed to have fallen into the Forest of the Four Seasons.
At first she didn’t believe it, nor could she. But as time passed, she had no choice but to pay attention.
First off, the upvote count was overwhelmingly higher than other posts. That was the biggest reason for her interest.
’From another world? What a joke.’
Whether it was a roleplay concept or a lunatic talking, it was enough to pique her curiosity.
Since she had nothing better to do in her spare time anyway, with a few days left until the next football match.
So, partly to kill time and partly to help out, she had given him a compass.
[Princess Chaenggu: Then please root for our Chaeyu~ That’s more than enough~]
[Wild Grylls: I don’t know this world well, so what kind of team is Chaeyu?]
"What?!"
Kaylin was appalled. How could anyone not know the famous Chaeyu?
If he was from some backwoods countryside, maybe. But Grylls was a Gallery user.
90 percent of Gallery users were abnormal, but among them, sports fans were undeniably the most outstandingly abnormal.
Because sports fans were users whose minds weren’t just out, but completely rotten to the core.
There were even cases where someone rotted so thoroughly that they attained enlightenment and became a Buddha.
"Doesn’t know Chaeyu? I better teach him this time."
Kaylin preached the greatness of Chaeyu while gifting him a jersey.
Grylls accepted the jersey with hesitation. Kaylin didn’t stop there.
Deciding to upload a special highlight video, she posted a Chaeyu special video in the Gallery.
The Gallery had a storage feature and could pull external videos.
This was why sports highlights popped up at regular intervals.
Shortly after uploading the Chaeyu special video...
From today on, I am a Chaemes United fan.
(Picture of giving a thumbs-up toward the jersey placed on the floor)
Thank you, Princess Chaenggu-nim. Thanks to you, I have less clothes to worry about.
ㄴAh... the whole world is Chaeyu...
ㄴOf all teams, Chaeyu LOL
ㄴHe’s alone anyway so doesn’t it not matter?
ㄴBetter than walking around naked
ㄴAs of today, this is the Chaemes United Gallery
Satisfying. Truly satisfying.
Kaylin formed a proud smile as she read Grylls’s post in the Gallery.
As of today, the Chaeyu fanbase gained one more member. Though stranded in the Forest of the Four Seasons, a fan was a fan.
If nothing else, this was the most satisfying. All she had to do now was support him to her heart’s content.
’If a fan dies, Chaeyu will be sad too. So I must support him passionately to keep him alive.’
If a Chaeyu fan grieved, Chaeyu would grieve too, which could directly affect their performance.
It was a single-celled line of thinking, but that’s how people were. Once thoroughly immersed, thought processes became simple.
Just as Kaylin was about to close the Gallery satisfied, a comment appeared that grated on her nerves.
ㄴKing Reor: Why gift trash like that? Smells fucking foul
"..."
Kaylin’s smooth brow furrowed. She knew this fixed handle.
A fixed handle who rooted for Reor, Chaeyu’s greatest rival. Concurrently, the fixed handle Kaylin hated the most.
Mocking Chaeyu as ’Chaenggu’ at every turn was standard. Beyond that, he picked at her nerves constantly.
ㄴPrincess Chaenggu: Welcome back again~ You really have nothing to do~
ㄴKing Reor: Look who’s talking LOL So did you beat us?
"Fuck."
Kaylin cursed. Recently, Chaeyu had lost 0 to 3 against Reor.
A score that could only be called overwhelming. That was why that handle could mock her.
’Those bastards used to be mocked as Reor mid-table standard...!’
Just 10 years ago, Reor was a fallen dynasty. But once their head coach changed, they regained their former glory.
On the flip side, Chaeyu suffered a continuous decline. Even changing managers yielded no results.
ㄴPrincess Chaenggu: Haha, we’ll win too once our club owner changes~
ㄴKing Reor: Nah, nope. Kaylin is still there~
ㄴLOL look at him scraping at her nerves
ㄴRight after Medes comes Kaylin LOL
"..."
How could someone scrape at her nerves so precisely? Kaylin clenched her fist tightly.
Failing to fully control her emotions, mana began to seep out, but she managed to suppress it at the last second.
Venting anger right now would do no good. She barely calmed her mind.
ㄴPrincess Chaenggu: Talk about the frog forgetting its tadpole days, perfectly fits you~ teehee
ㄴKing Reor: Whatever, trash Chaenggu scrub LOL
ㄴPrincess Chaenggu: So did you get knocked out of the Master Cup? We at least made it into Chals though~ teehee
ㄴKing Reor: So what’s your rank? A whooping 7th place!
ㄴFierce, so fierce LOL
ㄴBut isn’t Reor’s popularity higher?
ㄴYou fucking bitch, what did you just say?
ㄴI just stated facts LOL
An uncalled-for flame war erupted.
"Hmm... I should just stay quiet as a fucking rock."
Grylls watched silently without a word.
Truly a wise decision.