The battlefield was littered with grotesque corpses.
Whoosh
A cold wind swept through, caressing them, passing the monstrous demons catching their breath after the battle, and soared high into the sky.
"…Tsk, I had a hunch."
In the sky high above, at a vantage point overlooking the entire battlefield, a beautiful woman, her hands swirling with the converging winds, frowned in dissatisfaction.
"I really lost him. As expected, finishing him here was impossible."
Her yellow heterochromatic eyes returned to normal, and the swirling winds around her gradually subsided. She had used even the elemental control of her 「Seven-Colored Demonic Eyes」 to scour the area, but she couldn't find any trace of him.
'Well, it's only natural, considering he was called the strongest in the Demon Realm.'
Hela clicked her tongue in disappointment and lightly cracked her neck. The Demon Dragon Duke wasn't an opponent she could defeat in a single battle. More than anything, she hadn't been able to fight properly because she was too busy preventing him from escaping back to his headquarters.
'Well, this is still more than I initially expected.'
She had bought more than enough time, which was her initial goal. It was all thanks to the 「Seven-Colored Demonic Eyes」 she acquired from the Demon Dragon Duke. She could react quickly to his tricks with the 'precognitive eye'.
'Of course, he also had the same demonic eye, so he got away in the end. But even if he goes back now, there's nothing he can do.'
It was already far too late. Hela chuckled softly, recalling the rewards from her successful mission.
[Lady Hela! The initial assessment is complete. We're currently identifying the detailed casualties for each unit and classifying the surrendered enemies!]
Just then, a large Balrog flew over, flapping its wings, and began its report. It was a tedious process, but as the current commander, Hela had to go through it.
"…As expected, it's because the Demon Dragon Duke personally intervened. The battle wasn't even that long, but the casualties are the highest so far?"
[Actually, this is better than expected. It's all thanks to your consideration during the battle, Lady Hela. And many enemy troops surrendered after the Demon Dragon Duke retreated, so we should be able to quickly recover our losses.]
Marquis Tovares, who had defected from Dark Nest to Helheim and was now in charge of Hela's army, began his report. She simply nodded at his words, wondering how he had gathered all that information so quickly.
[From the moment we captured Otorel's territory, Dark Nest's central gate, the momentum completely shifted to our side. Now their defense strategy will be disrupted depending on where we move, so they'll probably be racking their brains for a while.]
This was why Hela, who knew nothing about strategy and tactics, entrusted him with command of the army. As one of the high-ranking commanders on the enemy side until recently, he was well-versed in their current situation and response system. He was also a talented individual who led the troops on the front lines when Dark Nest merged with Duke Tuma's Burning Inferno.
"Hmm, so we can now dictate the flow of the war as we please?"
[That's right. This is a strategic location worth fighting for. I can't understand why the Demon Dragon Duke, who came all the way here, retreated so easily.]
'He had no choice. That was more important than a single battlefield.'
Hela chuckled at Tovares's words and glanced at him. His contribution to her smooth rise to power was significant, as he commanded her troops like his own limbs. She didn't know why he sided with the Demon Dragon Duke and attacked Duke Tuma, a fellow Balrog…
She didn't care about such personal matters. Since she had decided to conquer the entire Demon Realm, all she needed from her subordinates was competence.
'Well, not all members of the same race get along. Especially in the Demon Realm, where struggle and betrayal are commonplace.'
The factions that dominated the Demon Realm's political landscape were merely warlords united by their leader's abilities and inclinations, pursuing their own interests. In that sense, Dream Walker, a close-knit group of succubi, was rather unique. The ascension of the 14th Demon King, Leraye, and the subsequent oppression after her death must have played a role.
'Liliana, leading Dream Walker and in charge of defense, won't fall easily either. Then next…'
Helheim wasn't fighting on just one front. As they grew into one of the top three factions in the Demon Realm, the territory they had to defend also increased. And she also had to be wary of Demoniac, their temporary ally. In this Demon Realm, complaining about being betrayed only earned one ridicule.
'Of course, I don't need to worry about that side for now. I hope he likes my gift.'
Hela, a meaningful smile on her face, looked up at the sky. The ever-purple sky, the large sword scar across it, and the Milky Way visible within. She felt a sense of calm as she gazed at the beautiful scenery.
"…Then let's move on to the next stage. Now that our ally is actively helping us, this is the perfect opportunity."
Their morale was sky-high, having even forced the enemy leader, the Demon Dragon Duke, to retreat. Thus, the army led by Hela, the ruler of Helheim, began to move once again.
***
At Dark Nest's headquarters.
"Your Grace! Are you alright?"
"To return so suddenly…"
His subordinates flocked around the Demon Dragon Duke, surprised by his sudden return from the battlefield. It was a natural reaction, considering their supposedly strongest leader had returned in what was practically a retreat.
"Get out! You fools!"
But it only fueled his rage. Even if the existence of the underground ritual site was hidden, and they didn't notice anything unusual from the outside, this wouldn't have happened if they had properly defended the headquarters! He drove away his subordinates with a ferocious aura, despite his human form, and hurried towards the underground area where the secret ritual site was located.
Along the way, he tore apart the Viscount-class bull-headed demon guarding the gate with his bare hands. And what he saw there was… even worse than he expected. The scene of the incident remained untouched due to the tight security.
The Demon Dragon Duke, his face hardened, slowly walked towards the center.
"Sodian…"
All that remained of her in the completely destroyed underground chamber were a few wood chips. But that was enough to deduce what had happened here. The culprit who killed Sodian had taken not only her remains but also everything within the chamber. His face contorted in a grimace, he headed deeper. To the place where Duke Tuma Karaku, whom he had captured, was imprisoned.
All that remained there was a pool of blood on the floor. Similarly, the restraints, the large frame, and the ritual equipment had all been meticulously taken.
Crack
He gritted his teeth and strode forward. Towards the door on the pillar at the back. He already had a good idea of what had happened, but he needed to see it with his own eyes.
'Ken, that bastard…!'
His blood boiled. How much effort had he put into the security of this place? Yet, things had come to this. His mind was blanketed with rage.
'This isn't something he could do alone. There must be an accomplice.'
It started with defeating Sodian, the first gatekeeper. She was a Marquis-class demon, one rank below him. And within her meticulously prepared chamber, she was an unmatched powerhouse among those of the same rank! That thought solidified as soon as he entered the temple.
[GRAAAAAAAAAAH——!]
The Demon Dragon's enraged roar echoed through the massive temple corridors. As if destabilized, the normally unshakeable interior shook as if an earthquake had struck, but the Demon Dragon Duke didn't have the time to care.
[How dare you! How dare you, how dare you! I'll kill you! I'll kill you all—!]
He only unleashed his burning rage, as if ready to tear the culprit apart. At this point, it wasn't difficult to deduce the suspect. Even if Ken helped him enter the ritual site, there weren't many in the Demon Realm capable of doing something like this!
Just in case, he thoroughly searched every corner of the temple, and a crucial piece of evidence fell into his hands. A small piece of torn cloth. But with his extremely sensitive senses, he could clearly identify the energy clinging to it.
"Keuh huh huh… I had a hunch, but it was you after all."
A sinister laugh escaped his lips as the evidence turned his 99% certainty into 100%. Normally, he would have questioned even this kind of evidence, but the situation was different when there was only one suspect. Someone capable of killing Marquis Sodian, who was fully prepared in her own chamber, deciphering the ritual in the temple, stealing the sacrifices, and even taking the remnants of the 15th Demon King…
[Pieta—! You bastard—!]
Who else could it be but Shadow Duke Pieta? This wasn't something a few Marquises could accomplish together. And the other suspect, Hela, the leader of Helheim, was busy fighting him at the time, so he was the only one left.
'How did he sneak in here…!'
It wouldn't be strange for that walking corpse, who used unorthodox magic different from ordinary black magic, to have employed some unknown trick. More than anything, wasn't there clear evidence?
"So, you want to play this game? I thought you were suspiciously quiet, and you were plotting something like this behind my back. It seems you're working with that mongrel…"
The small piece of cloth in his hand turned to ashes and scattered in a sudden burst of black flames. At the same time, his last shred of patience snapped.
[GRAAAAAAAAAH——!]
The temple shook again at his furious roar. But he didn't know.
——!
That the temple had been sending signals since the moment he entered, as if trying to tell him something. But he didn't notice the signals until the very end and left the temple with heavy footsteps.
To immediately resume the war.
——!
The temple sent another strong signal as if in frustration, but it couldn't be helped.
The Demon Dragon Duke here was just a tenant, and
There were no apostles left to heed its call.
***
At Demoniac's headquarters.
Blue flames flickered in the eye sockets of Shadow Duke Pieta, his black robe trailing on the floor, a goat skull on his head.
"He's certainly impressive. To think a newly formed faction could do this much."
Sitting on his throne, he muttered softly, examining the battlefield map on which his subordinates were moving in real time. His gaze fell on the Helheim symbol, sweeping across the battlefield.
"I'm glad I prepared in advance."
A voice tinged with laughter emanated from the goat skull. Demoniac had finished all preparations and was waiting for an opportunity to strike Helheim from behind. Even though Dark Nest was currently larger, it was only natural to be wary of Helheim, which was clearly growing into a greater threat. Wasn't the current situation proof enough?
'Perhaps they've already surpassed Dark Nest.'
That's why Demoniac had been responding passively on the battlefield. While Helheim, with its aggressive moves, and Dark Nest, forced to focus on them, clashed repeatedly, he was conserving his strength, waiting for the moment their power waned to strike. He was also devising schemes to worsen their relationship and weaken both sides.
"Hmph, war isn't just about strength."
The Shadow Duke, who preferred schemes to open warfare, mocked his competitors' foolish actions. The more those two fought, the more advantageous it was for him.
"Your Grace! Your Grace!"
Just as he was feeling smug,
One of his adjutants rushed into the situation room, his face pale. He clearly looked like something serious had happened. Pieta, sensing an ominous premonition, narrowed his glowing eyes and looked at him. Vowing to punish him if he was making a fuss over nothing.
And fortunately for the adjutant,
He avoided the unfortunate fate of being punished by the Shadow Duke.
The situation was far more serious than he had anticipated.
"It's all-out war! Dark Nest's entire army is converging on our front lines! And the Demon Dragon Duke is also…!"
"…What?"
It was the moment Demoniac, waiting for an opportunity like a sly fox, was dragged out into the open.