Zealot's mind worked quickly as he assessed the situation. He knew he had to lead the adventurers away from the castle if he wanted to survive and possibly turn the tables on them. He decided to craft a lie that would take them outside the castle, leading them toward the forest and its dangers.

Clearing his throat, Zealot spoke confidently, "The Demon King’s treasure room is well-hidden, as one would expect. In fact, it's not within the castle itself but located in a secret chamber deep within the forest outside the castle walls. The Demon King often used the forest as a natural barrier to keep intruders at bay. If you want to find the treasure room, you must follow me outside."

Jack raised an eyebrow, unsure whether to believe Zealot. "The forest? That sounds far-fetched. Why would the treasure be outside the castle?"

Zealot offered a reassuring smile. "The Demon King chose to hide the treasure away from the castle to protect it from potential sieges. The forest is filled with dangerous creatures, which acts as a deterrent to anyone trying to reach the treasure room. I'm aware it sounds unusual, but that's the truth. I can guide you through the forest safely."

Jack hesitated for a moment, considering Zealot's words. The other adventurers exchanged glances, their skepticism evident. However, they knew they had no other choice but to follow Zealot if they wanted a chance at the treasure.

"Alright," Jack finally agreed. "Lead the way. But if we find out you're leading us into a trap, you won't make it out alive."

"Understood," Zealot replied, maintaining his calm demeanor. "Follow me closely, and be cautious. The forest is not a place to be taken lightly."

With that, Zealot turned and led the adventurers out of the castle. They made their way through the city, their path lined with signs of recent conflict. As they walked, Zealot kept his thoughts focused on the plan he had formulated.

Having read the novel, he knew that the monsters in this world had a strong preference for eating humans. Although these monsters attacked anything in their path, whether humans or demons, they targeted humans more often due to their preference for the taste of human flesh over that of demons. In other words, by venturing deep into the forest, he could use the monsters to turn against Jack’s party, creating an opportunity to escape while they battled the monsters.

‘Kekeke! What a bunch of idiots! I thought humans were good people who would spare me if I cooperated, but it turns out they're just as ruthless as demons.’ Zealot thought, ‘Although I don't feel entirely comfortable using monsters to eliminate humans, my life is my top priority. They only have themselves to blame for not sparing me.’

Once they reached the forest's edge, Zealot paused and turned to the adventurers. "Stay close to me. The creatures here are dangerous, and it's easy to lose your way."

The adventurers nodded, and Zealot led them into the dense forest. As they ventured deeper, the sounds of the city faded, replaced by the eerie silence of the woods. Zealot's heart raced as he thought about the monsters that inhabited the forest—creatures that could potentially be used as bait to turn the situation in his favor.

The adventurers remained on high alert as they followed Zealot's lead. They knew the forest was full of dangers, and they couldn't afford to let their guard down. Zealot carefully guided them through winding paths and thick undergrowth, all the while keeping an eye out for the monsters that lurked nearby.

Finally, they reached a particularly dark and foreboding part of the forest. Zealot stopped and turned to the adventurers, his voice low and serious. "This is the approximate location of the treasure room. However, I must warn you: the monsters in this area are especially fierce. Be ready for anything."

The adventurers tightened their grip on their weapons, prepared for a fight. As they moved forward, Zealot carefully observed their surroundings, watching for any signs of movement among the trees. His plan was to lure the adventurers into a confrontation with the monsters, giving him a chance to escape or gain an advantage.

As they ventured deeper, the sound of rustling leaves and distant growls filled the air. The adventurers exchanged wary glances, knowing they were about to face danger. Zealot's heart pounded as he prepared himself for the next phase of his plan. He hoped the monsters would provide enough distraction for him to slip away or turn the tide in his favor.

At this point, Zealot led the adventurers out of the grand castle and into the forest, determined to find a way to outsmart them and secure his own safety. The path ahead was treacherous, with dense undergrowth and ominous sounds echoing through the ancient trees.

As they ventured even deeper into the forest, Zealot noticed the adventurers becoming increasingly cautious. Their weapons were at the ready, and they scanned their surroundings for any signs of danger. Zealot used this to his advantage, subtly guiding them toward areas with more hazards.

EYES OF TRUTH!

Although Zealot didn't know much about the forest, he used his mind-reading ability to read the thoughts of the animals living there. This allowed him to gain some knowledge about the forest through the experiences of the animals.

Throughout their journey, Jack's party encountered occasional ambushes from monsters. Although these monsters were low-level and not a significant threat, the repeated attacks did take a toll on the party's stamina. This served Zealot's purpose well. Now, all that remained was to wait for larger, more powerful monsters to bring an end to Jack's party, as Zealot had planned.

At this moment, Jack turned to his party members and said, “Good job, everyone! Alright, let's pause for a moment and take a short break.”

“Finally! Ugh, I’m so hungry… I can’t wait to eat.”

“Hey, John! We still have plenty of sandwiches, right?”

“Yeah, we have enough for the next five days. Are you sure you want to eat now? I mean, we just ate a couple of hours ago.”

“Don’t worry. I’m not going to eat a lot, just one sandwich will do.”

‘David, you damn greedy pig!’ John thought in irritation. ‘I swear, if we ever run out of food, you'll be the one to blame!’ Despite his annoyance, he still reluctantly handed a sandwich to David nonetheless.

At this point, believe it or not, Jack's party was already skeptical of Zealot's idea. However, they couldn't afford to turn back now, especially after coming this far. They were committed to seeing it through to the end. In the worst-case scenario, if Zealot lied to them, they would not hesitate to kill him.

After a refreshing break, they resumed their journey.

Not long afterward, they arrived at a stunningly expansive lake. At this moment, Zealot decided it was time to put his next plan into action. He chose this particular lake because according to the information he had gathered from the animals through mind-reading, this lake was home to a colossal Freshwater Mosasaurus, a prehistoric dinosaur-type monster.

"This is it," Zealot announced, pointing toward the lake. "The entrance to the secret treasure room lies deep beneath the lake."

Jack’s party looked at the lake with a mix of awe and apprehension. They had expected the treasure room to be hidden in the forest, but the idea of it being underwater took them by surprise.

"U-Underwater? How are we supposed to reach it?" Alicia asked, her voice tinged with uncertainty.

Zealot concealed his true intentions behind a calm demeanor. “The entrance is hidden deep within the lake, submerged underwater. Unfortunately, it's the only way to access the treasure room, whether you like it or not.”

Jack furrowed his brow, contemplating Zealot's words. "And you're sure this isn't a trap?"

Zealot knew they wouldn’t trust him readily, which was expected given humans' general distrust of demons. But since he could read their minds, he knew they had no intention of turning back after coming this far. This gave him a chance to use the situation to his advantage.

‘Everything is going as planned. Now, all that is left is to say a few more convincing words, and they'll take the bait.’ Zealot thought.

"The treasure room is secret for a reason—it’s not meant to be found easily. The Demon King was no fool; he intentionally hid it in such a place that adventurers wouldn’t be able to find it easily.” Zealot said, offering a confident smile. "If you don't believe me, you can always kill me, but before making any rash decisions, why not investigate the lake yourselves? That way, you can verify whether I am telling the truth or not."

Jack considered Zealot's words carefully, weighing the risks and potential rewards. He glanced at his party, seeking their input on the matter.

"He's got a point," Alicia said, her voice thoughtful. "If we investigate the lake ourselves, we can see if there's any truth to what he's saying. We just have to be cautious."

David, still holding his sandwich, nodded in agreement. "Yeah, we might as well check it out. We're already here, and we can't let the opportunity slip away."

John, however, remained skeptical. "This could be a trap, though. If we go underwater, we could be walking into our own graves."

Jack raised a hand to silence his friends. "We have to be careful, but let's at least take a closer look at the lake. We can assess the situation before making any decisions."

Turning to Zealot, Jack spoke firmly. "We'll investigate the lake, but don't even think about pulling anything suspicious or you'll regret it. We're keeping a close eye on you."

Zealot maintained his calm demeanor, concealing his true intentions. "Of course, I understand. You have every reason to be cautious. I'll guide you as far as I can, but the decision is ultimately yours.”

Jack nodded, indicating for his party to prepare for the investigation. They gathered their equipment and moved closer to the water's edge.

"Stay alert!" Jack reminded his party as they approached the lake. "If anything seems off, we'll regroup immediately."

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The adventurers nodded in agreement, their weapons at the ready. As they examined the lake's surface, they noticed how calm and serene it appeared, but the stillness only added to their apprehension.

Zealot watched the adventurers' every move, anticipating their next steps. His mind raced with thoughts of how he could manipulate the situation to his advantage.

John spoke up, breaking the tense silence. "Do we have any way of breathing underwater? Maybe some kind of potion or spell?"

Alicia shook her head. "No, we don't have any potions for that, but we could try a water-breathing spell if necessary. However, it might not last long."

Jack took a deep breath, considering their options. "We need to be prepared for anything. Let's stay together and explore the lake cautiously. If we encounter anything dangerous, we'll deal with it as a team."

With a plan established, Jack's party cautiously entered the lake, their senses on high alert. Zealot trailed behind them, ensuring he remained composed and supportive.

By now, after spending some time with them, Zealot had gathered information about their levels. To his surprise, these five adventurers were merely B-Class, not even S-Class, yet they possessed the audacity to raid the Demon King’s castle. Their courage stemmed from recent news: Demon King Zealot was reported dead from the war just a few weeks ago.

In summary, the original Demon King Zealot was already deceased but returned to life upon Zealot's transmigration and possession of the body. However, being only at level 10, Zealot failed to inherit the Demon King’s power. In order to inherit the Demon King’s power, one must possess a robust body capable of successfully absorbing it. Unfortunately, Zealot's body was too weak, resulting in his failure to inherit the Demon King’s power.

As Jack's party cautiously entered the lake, Zealot followed closely behind, maintaining his composed demeanor while silently scheming his next moves. The adventurers waded into the water, feeling the cool embrace of the lake surrounding them.

As they moved further from the shore, the water grew deeper, and the visibility decreased.

‘I might meet my end here... It's unfortunate that there's nothing I can do at the moment, except pray for the monster in the lake to hopefully spare me and prey on them instead.’ Zealot thought.

Given that monsters generally prefer the smell and taste of humans, Zealot estimated a 75% chance that Jack’s party would be targeted first, leaving a 25% chance for himself. In other words, this situation was a gamble for him. Naturally, he wished to avoid such a predicament, but unfortunately, he had no choice but to stick with Jack’s party, as they were watching him closely, depriving him of any opportunity to escape.

With each passing second, Zealot could feel his heart racing. He knew that as they ventured deeper into the lake, it was only a matter of time before the monsters would strike.

ROAAAARRRR!!!

The deafening roar echoed through the water, sending shivers down the spines of Jack's party. Panic surged through their veins as they whipped around, searching for the source of the terrifying sound.

John tightened his grip on his sword, his eyes darting around nervously. "What in the world was that?!"

Alicia's hands trembled as she notched an arrow, her voice barely above a whisper. "I-I don't know, but it sounds big."

"Stay together! Keep your guard up!" Jack instructed his party, his tone firm.

Zealot remained remarkably composed, though his mind raced with possibilities. "It's the guardian of this lake, warning us to stay away from its territory."

David's eyes widened in horror. "Guardian?! What kind of guardian are we talking about here?!"

Before anyone could respond, a massive shape emerged from the depths, its sleek form gliding effortlessly through the water toward Jack's party.

ROAAAARRRR!!!

As the Freshwater Mosasaurus emerged from the depths of the lake, Zealot seized the opportunity presented by the chaos. Without a moment's hesitation, he turned and fled from Jack's party, his heart pounding in his chest as he raced through the water with all the speed he could muster.

"Aaaaaaaahhhh!! I’m sorry!! I don’t wanna die!!!" Zealot shrieked in terror, his voice quivering with fear as he hastily swam away. By pretending to be scared and fleeing, he hoped to avoid blame from Jack's party, as it was entirely reasonable to be frightened in such a situation.

"Hey, Zealot! Where do you think you're going?!" Jack's voice thundered, seething with anger.

“That fucking idiot! How dare he run away without our permission!!” John spat out furiously.

“Son of a bitch! Hmph! Whatever, we’ll deal with that trash demon later! Let’s focus on killing this guardian lake monster first!” David declared, his tone determined.

Ignoring Jack’s party, Zealot remained resolute in his decision to escape the lake at any cost. Fortunately, there was no pursuit from Jack and his companions; their attention was solely fixed on the imminent threat posed by the lake monster, diverting their focus away from Zealot's departure.

ROAAAARRRR!!!

SWIM!!! SWIM!!! SWIM!!!

Zealot's heart pounded in his chest as he swam with all his might, putting as much distance between himself and the lake monster as possible. He didn't dare look back, fearing that any hesitation could spell his doom.

As he reached the surface, gasping for breath, Zealot quickly scanned his surroundings. The shore was within reach, and he wasted no time in dragging himself onto solid ground. Collapsing onto the grass, he took a moment to catch his breath, relief flooding through him at having escaped the terrifying creature lurking in the depths.

HUFF! HUFF! HUFF!

‘Phew, that was a close one! I thought I was gonna die there!’ Zealot breathed a sigh of relief.

But there was no time to dwell on his narrow escape. Zealot knew he had to put as much distance between himself and Jack's party as possible. With determination fueling his actions, he staggered to his feet and fled into the dense, lush undergrowth of the forest, his senses on high alert for any sign of pursuit.

As he ran, Zealot couldn't help but feel a twinge of guilt at leaving Jack's party to face the lake monster alone. However, survival was his top priority, and he knew he couldn't afford to risk his life for the sake of others, especially when they had treated him with such suspicion and hostility.

Hours passed as Zealot pushed himself to keep moving, the adrenaline of his escape driving him forward despite the exhaustion that threatened to overwhelm him. Finally, as the sun began to set on the horizon, he stumbled upon a small clearing deep within the forest.

With a sigh of relief, Zealot collapsed onto the ground, his muscles aching and his mind reeling from the events of the day. But even as fatigue threatened to pull him into unconsciousness, he knew he couldn't afford to let his guard down.

HUFF! HUFF! HUFF!

"Ugh, I'm feeling completely drained and exhausted...!"

…

…

…

Zealot settled himself into a comfortable position atop the tree, his back against the sturdy trunk. Despite his exhaustion, he remained vigilant, acutely aware of the dangers that lurked in the darkness below. The events of the day replayed in his mind, each moment serving as a reminder of the precariousness of his situation.

As the night stretched on, Zealot struggled to find rest, his mind consumed by thoughts of potential monsters lurking to attack him should he dare to fall asleep.

‘Hmm… I wonder if Jack’s party is still alive, or are they all dead…?’

Hours passed in tense silence, the only sounds being the rustling of leaves in the breeze and the occasional hoot of an owl in the distance. Zealot remained perched in the tree, his senses on high alert for any sign of danger.

Out of nowhere:

ROAARRRR!!!

KRAARRRR!!!

GRAARRRR!!!

‘Fuck! W-What was that?!’ he thought.

Zealot remained perfectly still, not making a sound, his heart pounding in his chest as he listened intently for any sign of the approaching monsters. As the minutes passed, the distant roar gradually faded into the night, leaving only the sounds of the forest surrounding him.

‘That almost gave me a heart attack… I've got to stop fooling around from now on and raise my level quickly.’

Relief washed over Zealot as he realized that the monsters had not spotted him and were now moving away from his location. With a deep breath, he allowed himself to relax slightly, though he remained on high alert, knowing that danger could still lurk nearby.

An hour slipped by, exhaustion gradually took hold, and eventually, he drifted into sleep without even realizing it.

***

The next morning, the bright sunlight and chirping birds stirred him awake.

CHIRP! CHIRP! CHIRP!

TWEET! TWEET! TWEET!

‘What’s going on… is it morning already?’ As he woke up, a sense of confusion washed over him as he shielded his eyes from the glaring sunlight.

Upon realizing he had made a mistake by falling asleep yesterday, he exclaimed, “Damn it! I can’t believe I fell asleep!” However, as he recognized that he was safe and alive, he calmed down, muttering, “Oh well… whatever, the most important thing is that I’m still alive.”

If he weren't a demon, he would have likely perished long ago. After all, the scent of a demon doesn't typically attract monsters, who generally prefer the aroma and flavor of humans. In summary, one could say he was very fortunate to be able to sleep peacefully without being attacked by monsters. However, relying on luck alone wasn't a sustainable strategy for long-term survival. Therefore, starting today, he was determined to grow stronger as quickly as possible.

GROWL!

‘Ugh… I'm so hungry… Well, let's head back to the castle and grab something to eat first before doing anything else.’

As Zealot returned to the castle, he couldn't shake off the lingering sense of unease from the events of the previous day. Despite his relief at escaping Jack's party and the lake monster, he knew that danger still lurked in the shadows, waiting for an opportunity to strike.

As he entered the castle, he made his way to the grand kitchen, his stomach growling with hunger. He quickly set about preparing a hearty breakfast, focusing on replenishing his energy after the exhausting ordeal in the forest. With practiced efficiency, he cooked up a satisfying meal, savoring each bite as he ate.

MUNCH! MUNCH! MUNCH! NOM! NOM! NOM!

“Mhm! This is so delicious!”

Once his hunger was sated, he made his way to the Roman-styled bathhouse, eager to wash away the grime and fatigue of the past day. The warm water felt soothing against his skin as he scrubbed away the dirt and sweat, allowing himself a moment of relaxation amidst the chaos that surrounded him.

“Ahhhh! This is the best!”

After a while, feeling refreshed and rejuvenated, he emerged from the water and changed into his clothes. With a renewed sense of determination, Zealot resolved to continue his quest for power, understanding that only by strengthening himself could he improve his chances of surviving in this world.

“Okay, I’m ready! Now, let’s not waste time and start grinding!”

Just as he was on the brink of leaving the castle and stepping outside...

Ding!

[Main Quest: Get to F-Class or Level 20]

[Reward: Class Selection Unlock]

Zealot paused, a sense of anticipation flooding through him as he registered the notification. "Main quest… Get to Level 20 and unlock Class Selection?" he muttered to himself, mulling over the implications of the task before him. Unlocking Class Selection was a tantalizing reward, one that could potentially change the course of his journey.

With a grin spreading across his face, Zealot practically bounced with anticipation. "Yes! This is it! The chance I've been waiting for to truly make my mark in this world!" he exclaimed, his voice brimming with excitement.

"Alright, let's do this!" Zealot declared, his heart pounding with anticipation. With newfound determination coursing through his veins, he stepped out of the castle, ready to seize the day and embark on his exhilarating quest for power.

Meanwhile, unbeknownst to Zealot, Jack’s party managed to defeat the Freshwater Mosasaurus and narrowly escaped with their lives, safely returning to the shore.

“That son of a bitch! He deceived us! There’s nothing beneath the lake at all!”

“I knew it! We shouldn’t have trusted that fucking demon!”

"Damn it! We've been played like fools! That damn demon almost led us to our death!”

Although Jack’s party managed to kill the lake monster, it came at the cost of depleting all their strength, stamina and mana in the process. Furthermore, they sustained severe injuries that could take days to heal.

Unfortunately, they didn’t have a Healer/Cleric in their team at this time to expedite the healing process. Nonetheless, they remained resolute in their determination to seek revenge on Zealot once they had rested and fully recovered.

“That demon! Agh! This is driving me crazy! I can’t wait to take that bastard down!”

“Calm down, you’ll take much longer to recover if you keep wasting energy like that. Besides, it’s just a low-level demon anyway, it can’t possibly get too far.”

"That's right. Let's prioritize healing for now, revenge can wait until we're fully recovered and back on our feet."