The next day, Count Morveth and Baron Zathrek departed from Grimveil City.

They did not travel with ceremony.

Only a small escort of elites and Velkyr moving ahead to keep the road clear.

The land outside the city was silent, the ground dark and uneven from long exposure to demonic mana.

Zathrek walked half a step behind Morveth, his posture stiff.

He did not speak.

The pressure coming from the Count made every movement feel heavier than usual.

They had gone only part of the way when the air suddenly shifted.

Velkyr slowed.

"…Stop," he said quietly.

The escort halted.

Ahead of them, standing alone in the middle of the road, was a single figure.

No visible killing intent.

Just someone standing there casually, hands in his pockets, blocking the path like it was nothing.

Zathrek's eyes narrowed.

Morveth stopped as well. His gaze locked onto the figure ahead.

The pressure around him sharpened slightly.

"…Troublesome," Morveth said.

He turned his head just enough to glance at Zathrek. "Handle it."

Zathrek nodded immediately.

He raised one hand and gestured forward.

"Velkyr," he said. "Remove him."

Velkyr stepped ahead, his pale form blurring as he moved closer to Garion.

"How dare you block the path of Count Morveth," Velkyr said coldly. "Do you know where you stand?"

Garion tilted his head slightly, looking at Velkyr with mild curiosity.

Before he could answer, Velkyr lifted his hand.

"Soldiers," he said, voice sharp. "Kill him."

The escort demons moved instantly with no warning.

Claws and weapons were raised as they rushed forward.

Garion sighed.

"…As expected of demons," he said. "Always attacking first."

He smiled faintly.

Then he flicked his finger.

There was no explosion.

Just pressure.

The air slammed downward.

Velkyr's eyes widened.

His knees hit the ground hard, stone cracking beneath him.

The soldiers behind him were crushed flat, weapons clattering uselessly as their bodies were forced down.

Some screamed.

Some couldn't even breathe.

Garion didn't move.

He just stood there, relaxed.

Velkyr gritted his teeth, trying to lift his head.

"…How," he muttered. "How is this possible?"

Behind him, Zathrek stiffened.

Morveth's eyes narrowed slightly.

"…Interesting," the Count said.

He glanced at Zathrek.

"This demon," Morveth continued, "is not ordinary."

Zathrek swallowed.

His eyes stayed locked on Garion.

"…His power," Morveth added, "is at least Baron level."

Morveth waved a hand dismissively.

"Go," he said. "Handle him."

Zathrek clenched his jaw.

"…Understood."

He stepped forward, ash drifting more heavily from his body as he released more of his presence.

He stopped a short distance from Garion.

"You," Zathrek said coldly. "Who are you?"

His eyes burned with authority.

"How dare you block the path of Count Morveth?"

He took another step forward.

"As a Demon Baron," he continued, "I ask you once. Are you insane?"

Garion chuckled softly.

"Demon Baron?" he said. "Please."

He reached up and touched his face.

Then he removed the veil concealing it.

Zathrek froze.

The moment he saw Garion's face, his breath caught in his throat.

"…You," he whispered.

His pupils shrank. His mind went blank for a heartbeat.

Morveth's eyes widened slightly as well.

It was subtle, but for a Demon Count, it was already a clear reaction.

"…How," Morveth said slowly. "How can this be?"

His gaze locked onto Garion.

"How can a human stand here?"

Garion smiled.

"Surprise," he said lightly.

Zathrek tried to speak, but no sound came out.

Before he could recover, Morveth raised a hand.

"Enough," the Count said. His voice was calm but heavy. "Human."

He stepped forward half a pace.

"How did you enter the demon world?" Morveth asked. "This is not a place humans can walk into."

Garion tilted his head.

"Of course I came through a Demon Gate," he said. "What else?"

He shrugged slightly.

"Are you stupid?"

The air tightened.

The runes on Morveth's body pulsed once.

His eyes narrowed.

"…Watch your words," he said.

Garion only smiled wider.

Morveth frowned, but instead of exploding in anger, he paused.

"…A Demon Gate," he repeated.

His gaze sharpened.

"There is no active Demon Gate here," he said slowly. "Except..."

He stopped.

His eyes widened just a little.

"…Black Ash City."

He looked directly at Garion.

"Did you come out of the Demon Gate in Black Ash City?"

Garion raised an eyebrow.

"Maybe," he said. "Maybe not."

He spread his hands slightly.

"What do I gain by answering that?"

Morveth stared at him in silence.

"…You don't want to explain," he said. "Human, you really are bold."

Before Morveth could continue, Zathrek finally recovered and stepped closer.

"Count Morveth," he said quickly. "Please be careful."

Morveth glanced at him. "Explain."

Zathrek took a breath.

"This is the demon world," he said. "Yet this human stands here like it's nothing."

He gestured slightly toward Garion.

"There are only two types of humans who can do that."

Morveth listened without interrupting.

"The first," Zathrek continued, "are demonic humans. Humans corrupted so deeply that they lose their sanity."

He shook his head.

"But he's not like that. His eyes are clear. His mind is stable."

Garion smirked but said nothing.

"The second type," Zathrek said, "are strong humans. Ones who can ignore demonic mana entirely."

He swallowed.

"Or worse. Geniuses who have mastered demonic cultivation without losing themselves."

Morveth's expression darkened slightly.

Zathrek pressed on.

"And there is something else," he said. "This human appeared at the same time Black Ash City vanished."

He clenched his fist.

"The Demon Gate there was destroyed. And now… he is here."

Morveth was silent.

"…You think he is connected," Morveth said.

Zathrek nodded.

"I believe everything is connected," he said. "This is not coincidence."

Morveth slowly nodded as well.

"…I was thinking the same."

His eyes never left Garion.

"This human," Morveth said, "is deeply tied to the destruction of Black Ash City."

He paused.

"But how could a mere human destroy a Demon Gate?"

Zathrek did not answer.

Morveth continued thinking aloud.

"There is another possibility," he said. "The Demon Gate was already unstable."

He lifted one finger.

"The seal from the other side weakened it. When this human entered…"

He looked at Garion again.

"…The gate collapsed. It exploded. And devoured the city."

Garion's smile did not change.

"That would explain why he is alone," Morveth added. "And why no trace remains."

Zathrek nodded slowly.

"You're right, Count," he said. "That explanation fits."

Morveth's lips curved upward.

Not a friendly smile.

A sharp one.

"Either way," Morveth said, "this human is not ordinary."

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