Who was that guy who once said, “An army marches on its stomach”? Probably a general. Probably someone who understood that soldiers fight better when they are not hungry. The same logic applies to demon armies, it turns out.
When hapless agricultural science student Jangcheol Kim starts playing the fantasy MMORPG “Paladins of Blood” to escape the stress of school life, he never imagined he would end up inside the game. Transported into the digital world against his will, trapped in a nightmare of monsters and magic.
Much less as its final boss.
He is the Demon Lord. The ultimate evil. The last obstacle between the heroes and victory. His throne is made of skulls. His castle is built on suffering. His reputation terrifies continents.
Jangcheol does not know how to be evil. He knows how to optimize crop yields. He knows soil pH, irrigation cycles, and the best fertilizer ratios for root vegetables. He spent four years learning to make plants grow.
So he does what he knows. Instead of raising armies of darkness, he raises potatoes. Instead of summoning demons, he improves soil quality. Instead of terrorizing villages, he trades vegetables.
How can a ruthless demon overlord win over his subjects? Perhaps with potatoes. A well-fed subject does not rebel. A comfortable demon does not scheme. And a demon lord who brings bountiful harvests might just be the most beloved tyrant in history.
Now Jangcheol must balance his reputation as the Demon Lord with his actual job as a fantasy farmer. The heroes are coming to kill him. His demon subjects are confused by his kindness. And somewhere out there, the game’s system is trying to force him to be evil.
Can a demon lord who just wants to grow potatoes survive a world designed for violence?
Comment