episode_0011
by fnovelpia“Break down their battle line! Kill them all!”
“The youngest wife! Don’t back down!”
“Your Excellency the Regent told you to stay where you are! Everyone fight and die!”
The war intensified as the expeditionary force entered the southern interior. Sporadic battles broke out every day. Aside from the army led by Warchief Gulan, there were numerous ungrouped tribes in the south, so each invasion of their land had to be met with resistance.
“They are the ones who dared to rebel against His Excellency. Cut off their heads and hang them on a pole.”
But it was still small-scale. Most of the words of the tribal warriors who bravely drew their swords at Durin ended in skewering. Whenever the expeditionary force moved heavy boots, countless piles and ruins were created. The scorched-earth operation carried out in the border area was carried out in an informal manner.
Only after six tribes were wiped from the map and the number of slave soldiers increased to 1,500 did southern resistance weaken. They realized that they could not fight back in an organized manner except for the army led by Gulan. The only options given to them were submission or death.
“Be worshiped. My master.”
“Our tribe accepts the rule of the castle.”
The two hands reaching for the sky were trembling with fear. Verdia, the rear guard in charge of the southern campaign, handed over several tribes that had surrendered to Durin. However, their misfortunes due to the expeditionary force did not end.
“Your Excellency. Cleaning around the rocky mountain has been completed.”
“I selected several demons that could be useful as guides. The Golden Guard has also completed preparations, so you can go out immediately.”
“This is a general message from the rearguard governor Aurela. It is said that all troops, including the Royal Guard, are ready for defense.”
Things were going as planned. The troops on the rocky mountain, who had taken a relatively loose defensive stance to protect the road leading to the capital, were easily crushed. Even the surrounding ethnic groups that had any chance of resistance had been wiped out. This content will also flow to Gulan.
The warchief would try his best to attract this side’s attention, but even that would not be easy as Verdia and Aurela were already holding strong.
The rebels and the expeditionary force would reach a stalemate. The southern warriors, lacking in quality troops, had no choice but to respond cautiously to Durin’s movements. It was a problem that was bound to explode the moment head-on confrontation was avoided. The leadership of the battlefield passed into Durin’s hands.
The time gained in this way led to efforts to catch and kill the hero.
-The ancient gate is a temple dedicated to Mother Rock. It’s nestled inside. Unlike the shrine of Lactelun, this place is guarded by rough southern warriors, so you will have a lot of trouble entering.
When the Witch of Prophecy confirmed Durin’s firm will, she told him the information she knew without any filtering.
-Unlike the warp used by angels and humans, the gate created by the Demon King naturally uses demon energy as its material to jump in space. In other words, only someone who manipulates demon energy like mine can awaken this warp gate.
There was only one person in the demon world who had such abilities.
-Devil. The gate can only be used by the Demon Lord. The party of heroes you are chasing will stay by her side. The moment they abandon the path created by angels, this is the only way for them to return home.
In the end, they said they would meet at the single tree bridge. At that moment, a question suddenly occurred to Durin.
-You said that the Demon King has no choice but to return to the human world.
-that’s right. Durin.
-Then may I ask whether the hero also has the same fate?
-… … .
The witch of prophecy did not answer right away. It was not a trivial emotion like embarrassment.
The world’s most eerie smile was drawn. It was more like inflated expectations.
-I think you’ll be holding that one.
“Your Excellency. The temple has been cleaned up.”
The Golden Guard approached, covered in blood. Each of them held a head in their hands.
“No one survived. I will put all of your necks on a pole.”
The Temple of Mother Rock, which Southerners consider the most sacred in the world. The place where ceremonies were held not long ago came to a tragic end under Durin’s blade.
The gift they offered for their mother was dyed red. The headless corpse was carrying the pain that could not go away.
Instead of prayers, traces of screams filled the temple.
Durin walked among the cooled corpses of his children.
“Have you found any traces of the hero?”
“Not yet. We are inquiring through the surrendered tribe, but there are no eyewitness accounts.”
“It looks like he moves a little more cautiously after being discovered by the scout demon.”
“Your Excellency. If necessary, we will mobilize ghost knights. They will definitely be able to find the hero.”
“They should be deployed throughout the South. The hero has no choice but to come this way anyway, so there is no need to create unnecessary waste.”
The witch of prophecy declared. Destiny will connect the two of you.
“Don’t worry. I will make a decision.”
“Your Excellency. We also want to face the king. Please allow it.”
“The target you will fight is neither a hero nor a former demon lord, but a blasphemous traitor. Go away.”
“Your Excellency.”
The senior demon of the Golden Guard bowed to him. He didn’t say anything more, but it was closer to a plea. But Durin was firm.
“If you have a duty to protect the king, I have a duty to protect the Demon King’s Castle. This is not the battlefield where the Golden Guard must be deployed for the survival of the Demon World.”
He said while looking at the statue of Mother Rock shedding bloody tears.
“Do you remember the first verse of the demonic law that I keep talking about?”
“The devil must confront the angels and rule over humans.”
“The first task given to you is to protect the king from the angels. so… .”
Durin turned around. Before heading to the gate, he spoke to the Golden Guard lined up.
“Wait for the day when a new demon king will be born. I will find the right person in time. The task of defeating the angel along with that person is the duty given to you.”
The regent resolutely drove them away. I will face the warrior first, not the angel. The Golden Guard knelt before Durin who made that declaration.
“If you say that, I will accept it. Guardian of the castle.”
“I’ll be waiting. Please restore our honor someday.”
A resolute voice behind him answered the regent’s will.
chuck! chuck! chuck!
The sound of the same gunfire became increasingly distant. The Golden Guard left the temple and returned to the Demon King’s barracks.
Durin, who was left alone, took a seat between the roughly erected poles. The broken foundation became his throne.
From now on, all I had to do was sit back and wait for my fate to come.
If you can’t catch the devil, you can catch the hero.
If we fail despite our strength, we struggle to at least leave behind eons of pain.
That was the devil’s attitude toward trials.
#
“Kael. Is it really right to go this way? The world is in chaos right now.”
“Lucrezia said it was right. I guess I should keep moving forward.”
With the king gone, the demon world was engulfed in war. Blood was splattered all over the land where the warrior party was advancing. It seemed like more demons had died in that short moment than the demons the Holy Knights had subdued in over 1,000 years.
So I couldn’t help but feel nervous. Since the angel’s protection was gone, the calamity created by the devils could strike them at any time.
“No matter how much I think about it, it’s strange. They said they could safely take us out to the human world, but the place they chose was the southern continent of the Demon World, where a rebellion is taking place.”
“I was rather confused so I got over it well. If we had gone to another relatively stable continent, we might have had to fight the warlords there. Who are they fighting now?”
“… It’s attached to the main body of the castle.”
The warrior Kael consoled the party. The chaotic atmosphere caused by the sudden addition of the Demon King kept dragging them into a swamp of distrust. If it weren’t for the years they spent together, a rift was carved between them that could have collapsed long ago.
“Yes. Ailee. We are moving on the right path now.”
In particular, the wizard at the party showed signs of anxiety. It was because the shadow of the Demon King’s army was approaching at every moment, imprisoning her. Kael sensed her feelings and desperately tried to comfort the wizard.
“Still, I… I really don’t know. Is this the right direction?”
“Yes. trust me Have I ever pushed you into an abyss while leading you all this time?”
“There was none.”
“You devoted yourself to the party, taking care of even the smallest details. huh? So can you trust me this time too?”
“… … .”
“No. If you don’t know, trust the oracle, not me. God’s will was clearly to follow the devil.”
He grabbed Ailee’s shoulder. He brought the wizard, who had flinched, back to his feet.
“No matter what trials there are, I will protect you. I will do my best to ensure that everyone returns to the human world safely.”
This didn’t just apply to Ailee. He said while looking at the elves and dwarves who were keeping pace with the party.
“Hmm… . Because honestly, we don’t have a choice. I have no choice but to trust and follow.”
“Elf! What if I say it that way? We are together because we are brothers. If you overcome this adversity, you will definitely become stronger. Because our party has always grown like that.”
The dwarf warrior was confident, pounding his chest. Ailee perked up while listening to him.
Looking back, I definitely went through those years. The driving force behind his journey out into the world, from his days as a low-level wizard struggling because he could not properly create a fireball, was his stickiness.
Faith and trust. Even if a wrong choice was made, it was enough for everyone to jump in together and make it the right direction.
“Yes. You can make it like that this time too.”
“Is it really okay? Kael? This time I’m so scared.”
“Don’t collapse. I can overcome this. Let’s do it together.”
Kael held Ailee’s hand. A warm feeling was conveyed. I could feel my distant spirit gradually coming back.
It was the comfort of a clear soul. I was able to regain the courage I had lost.
“Eolssi-gu. Everyone is so absorbed in filming a comedy.”
The black hooded demon lord who was leading alone muttered. The warrior smiled at her, so she couldn’t continue talking, but she couldn’t erase the cringe-inducing expression on her face.
“From here on, it’s the rock temple. If you see the Demon Lord’s army around, it looks like you’re caught up in the subjugation of rebels here too, so you’ll need to keep your head straight. Or you could be captured and torn to death by southern warriors.”
“Anyway, that damn devil always stays still and only comes out when it’s important to ruin the mood.”
The elf glared at the demon king, but she didn’t care and just moved forward. There were a lot of hardships and troubles, but there was not much time left before I could return to the human world. There was a day when they were caught by a scout demon and had to raise the tension to the max, but in the end, they overcame it all. All I had to do was solve the last part.
“Let’s sleep. Let’s stop and go back now. I should go home and get some rest.”
With the hero’s joking words, the party entered the rock temple. It was a dungeon where the strongest of the southern warriors stayed. Even if it was a warrior’s party, it was a place where there was a high risk of harm if you let your guard down. This place is even in the middle of enemy territory. If something went wrong, there was a good chance that I wouldn’t get a second chance.
“… … .”
The party was silent because they were well aware of that fact. It was the same with the Demon King.
It was clearly a rock temple. Since I received the Demon King’s guidance properly, there was no way I was wrong. All I had to do was find the gate and leave, but the picture I expected did not appear.
Whiiing-
The chilly wind was carrying the smell of blood. What greeted the party was not the burly blue-horned southern warriors, but their corpses. He was lying on the floor with no head. All that was visible was a head with a grotesquely distorted expression hanging from a pole.
“Was there a battle here?”
The Demon World was currently divided into castles and warlords and were fighting. Since the devil will do anything to achieve victory, it would not be surprising if a battle between the rebels and the devil’s army took place here as well. However, it felt different.
The devil’s criminal record was counted in the number of heads. It was a trophy that they always had to keep in order to increase their honor and achievements. That’s why there shouldn’t be a severed head here.
This scene unfolding before my eyes was not the result of a battle. It was just a scene of slaughter.
“… Who does this?”
Ailee looked around and fell into doubt. The scene that was close to expressing anger was outside the scope of the accident. She couldn’t help but be nervous because it was different from the devil’s behavior she knew.
That moment.
“Everyone better brace yourself.”
The Demon King, who had been quiet, opened his mouth. The yellow eyes visible through the black hood were calmer than ever. But it was closer to fear. The woman who was said to be the strongest in the demon world was scared. A being who did not bow down against an archangel.
At that moment, the wind blew once more.
Hwii-ing-
The strong scent of blood spread once again. What seeped through it was demonic energy. An unpleasant feeling that seemed to drag people into the depths of the abyss enveloped the party. Everyone felt the same energy.
Four pairs of eyes looked at each other. And then slowly went back towards one place.
The center of the temple submerged in a sea of blood. There was a broken foundation in front of a statue shedding bloody tears. A knight in black armor sitting there alone put pressure on the party members.
Kael knew very well who he was. Because he was a warrior who had fought against demons his whole life, he had heard countless rumors that had come out of their mouths.
“Durin the bone crusher… .”
The powerful energy felt from him began to encroach on the world.
A legendary archdemon who has never suffered a single defeat in a fight with an angel and is said to have cut down a heavenly warrior.
As rumored, he was waiting for the party to come here with red eyes.
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