Ch.71Twisted One (1)

“Hmm.”

Serpin was perplexed. The flood of information overwhelmed her mind completely, leaving no time to savor the victory report.

She had only planned to share drinks with Durin at the banquet, but the sudden appearance of the Primordial Witch had turned all the Demon Lord’s plans to dust.

“This is difficult.”

The vanished god of demons.

The path to the celestial realm.

The awakened hero.

It was fortunate that she had confirmed the existence of the sleeping hero before the war; otherwise, she would have spent all day questioning the High Magistrate. Actually, that was still the case, but the difference between being in a state of panic and not was quite significant.

She calmly assessed the situation, digesting every detail.

“High Magistrate.”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

“So that demon, the Witch of Prophecy, is trying to awaken the hero to create a new situation?”

“That is correct. The flow of destiny is leading us there.”

“Durin must have contacted her earlier and drawn up a grand plan.”

“There must have been a reason for bringing the hero here alive rather than killing him.”

Matheus raised his head to look at those who had gone ahead.

The Witch of Prophecy and the Regent walking side by side. Only those two knew what was about to unfold.

No. Even the Regent likely couldn’t predict it. Such was the nature of the world’s intention.

“Your Majesty, steel your heart when facing the hero. He will likely be burning with intense vengeance.”

“That’s to be expected, given that he lost an arm and was imprisoned.”

“Moreover, his former companions are now with us.”

A glance to the side revealed the hero’s party surrounded by the Golden Guard.

An elf, intimidated under the imposing halberds, and a dwarf warrior who kept looking around curiously.

Serpin nodded as she observed them.

“I’ll keep the possibility of betrayal in mind.”

“Having just awakened, he’ll be disoriented and incapable of rational thought. He’ll likely cause a significant disturbance.”

“If necessary, I’ll summon the Guard.”

She would not permit chaos in the Demon Lord’s castle.

Serpin showed firm resolve, trying to display responsibility as the young Demon Lord.

But the High Magistrate pointed her in a different direction.

“The day will come when the hero’s existence must be revealed, Your Majesty.”

“What do you mean?”

“We cannot hide it forever. Now that the Witch of Prophecy has arrived, rumors must have spread throughout the castle, so it will all come out at once.”

The High Magistrate smiled, joy nestling among his wrinkled features.

Serpin wore an expression of disbelief.

“Would Durin want that?”

“Your Majesty, that demon bears stronger obligations than anyone, but in other matters, he favors conflict born from instinct. In truth, he is the warrior who most craves battle in this castle.”

His body must already be heated from the encounter with the angel.

There was a high possibility he would enjoy some small entertainment.

“Your Majesty need only command the army to prevent chaos. He will shoulder everything else.”

“If that’s the case, my role is minimal.”

Durin versus the hero.

A one-armed human warrior displaying prowess against the strongest warrior of the demon realm?

It seemed utterly impossible no matter how she thought about it.

“He will offer me victory, so I just need to wait.”

Serpin remained steadfast. Even amid the flood of information, she maintained her resolve.

This was her first encounter with the world’s hidden stories, but it was manageable.

Had it been her duty to bear, it would have been extremely difficult.

But with Durin stepping forward, the story changed.

She became intrigued. What lay at the end of the path he was taking?

Perhaps it truly was the key to the celestial realm mentioned by the Witch of Prophecy.

“Captain of the Royal Guard.”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

“Order the Royal Guard to push the soldiers out of the training grounds immediately.”

“I will do as commanded.”

“Also, control all passages from the eastern tower to the royal hall. Ensure they are thoroughly managed so as not to interfere with Durin’s movements. I will not tolerate mistakes.”

“Leave it to me, Your Majesty.”

The large Durahan general bowed and moved quickly.

Anticipating possible disturbances related to the hero, he would mobilize all Durahans in the castle to eliminate variables.

The intention was to create a stage solely for the Regent and to witness the future he would shape.

“Matheus, continue to impart your wisdom to me. I want to know everything related to the hero.”

“I will do my utmost.”

She would no longer lag behind, merely waiting.

In that scene at the observatory, the Demon Lord gave birth to a new resolve.

It was the moment when a ruler who had been confined to the magic of dominion took a great step forward.

#

The western tower that punished demons.

And at its antipode, the eastern tower that had aroused curiosity in every being in the demon realm.

Before this space, which had been partially closed for lack of visitors, important figures gathered.

“I didn’t expect this moment to come now.”

“Fate has moved faster than anticipated.”

“Will the path to the celestial realm truly open?”

“You’ll see when we enter.”

The Witch of Prophecy smiled sweetly. She had a face similar to Ludmila’s, but with a deeper sense of inner strength.

The mysterious energy emanating from the primordial demon instilled will in Durin. He advanced toward the tower without hesitation.

“Your Excellency.”

As the Golden Guard knelt before the Regent, the sealed entrance with its magical wards was revealed.

Powerful energy pulsated through the ancient inscriptions covering it. It was a sign that tremendous power was swirling inside.

It was a natural progression, given that the hero who had shown a clash of powers before the war was now said to be awakening.

“I’m going in. Open the door.”

“Yes, Your Excellency.”

At the Regent’s command, the Golden Guard rose and grasped the handles.

Creak…

The massive stone door raised dust as it gradually opened.

A fierce wind blew through the dark gap that appeared. Demonic energy, divine power, and some force of unknown origin.

“It’s been a while.”

Boom—

Finally, the moment the interior of the sealed tower was revealed.

“……”

He came face to face with the one-armed hero.

Though he should have been bound at the top of the tower, the chains had long been broken.

Despite Ludmila’s spells, they had shattered more easily than expected.

“Were you waiting?”

“Durin.”

“Yes. It’s quite meaningful to speak like this after seeing you in the south, Hero.”

The hero gritted his teeth. His eyes blazed like flames.

A vengeance beyond hatred was boiling within him.

Had he a sword, he would have charged immediately.

“Originally, I had questions I wanted to ask when you awakened.”

A viscous emotion flowed out, darker than demonic energy.

“But now, that seems impossible.”

The hero clenched his fist.

“I feel I can only speak after either I die or I kill you.”

It was indescribable. As mentioned earlier, it was neither divine power nor demonic energy. There was only one explanation.

At this moment, the hero was powerful enough to face an archangel or an archdemon. He had raised his aura even higher than before.

“Be careful! Durin.”

Ludmila, who had followed, immediately cast a spell while remaining vigilant. She moved quickly to protect Serpin and the other demons.

A dome-shaped space formed around the eastern tower. An opaque barrier of demonic energy blocked the sun.

The area grew dim.

“Good.”

The hero and the demon Regent.

They had much to discuss, but now was the time to set that aside.

“Let’s see the strength you’ve honed through vengeance.”

Durin didn’t hesitate either.

#

BOOM!!

The ground shook.

There was little dialogue after confronting the hero.

If they wanted resolution, it had to be through strength.

The battlefield born of fighting spirit would choose a victor.

Even fate seemed to step back and observe.

Far from stopping this situation, the Witch of Prophecy watched with her persistent smile.

“Surround the area with the Royal Guard. And if anyone shows interest in this place, expel them all.”

Following the Demon Lord’s orders, the army moved promptly to prevent major chaos.

With nearly twenty thousand apostates currently in the castle, once a fire started, it might become uncontrollable.

“This is somewhat fortunate, I suppose.”

Ludmila rolled her eyes intently. As the highest sorceress, she had to protect the castle, and she also needed to observe what choices her master would make.

When she first heard the witch’s words, it seemed like the beginning of a grand epic, but facing it now, it appeared to be nothing short of chaos.

THUD!!

“Ugh!”

Every time those two clashed, the protective spell rippled.

Durin was understandable as the strongest in the demon realm, but the hero was not.

His source was unknowable. If such power could come from a mere human body, the demon realm would have perished long ago.

“To see such a demonic scene again. How beautiful.”

The Witch of Prophecy, who was expressing admiration beside her, would never explain.

So the task fell to the sorceress.

“How did the flow of fate shape the hero like this…”

THUD!!

“Eek!”

It didn’t allow for other thoughts.

The moment she diverted her attention elsewhere, the protective spell shook violently.

Was this also the will of fate?

All she could do was lament, but there was no choice.

She could only hope that Durin would end the battle quickly.