“D-damn it…”

The eastern Kratan defense forces murmured nervously as they watched the Demon King’s Army cross the border through Yaphenon.

“That’s all Demon King’s troops?”

Their numbers were overwhelming—this was a full-scale war. With Yaphenon having simply opened the way, it seemed the Demon King’s Army had suffered no losses at all.

“How the hell are we supposed to stop that?”

The Kratan soldiers stationed along the border had already been swept away like dust before the advancing army. Now the main eastern defense garrison was the only line left to stand against them.

But since Yaphenon had once been a fraternal nation, there had never been a proper defensive setup on this front. At best, after Yaphenon had been shattered by the ancient god Vlad, they had hastily thrown up palisades and temporary border outposts.

“We’re all going to die…”

Panic-stricken soldiers clutched their weapons with trembling hands as the Demon King’s Army steadily closed the distance.

“Raise your weapons!”

Even with morale already shattered, the defense commander shouted, trying to rally them.

“No matter how fearsome the Demon King’s Army is, we are Krata’s elite!”

These were soldiers trained in better conditions and with better equipment than those of any other nation. Their combat power was nothing to scoff at—formidable, even.

Even without the Guardian Knights, their prowess was more than enough to defend Krata in a normal battle. And here, they had ten thousand troops.

“If we truly believe we can win, we can face them!”

What mattered most was morale. The troops here had been hastily assembled after seeing Yaphenon’s fall, so their command structure was rough, and they hadn’t fought together enough to establish solid coordination.

But that didn’t erase everything they had built. The commander wanted that fact etched firmly into their minds.

“We are the people protected by Elhaen! These filthy demons are no match for us! And the Demon King, corrupted to lead them, is fated to be torn apart by our sacred spears and blades!”

Aura flared along the commander’s upraised sword.

“Right here, we will stop the Demon King’s Army and claim all the glory for ourselves!”

At his cry, the soldiers—who had been cowering at the sight of the enemy—gritted their teeth and gripped their weapons tighter.

“Y-yeah, we can do it!”

“Our numbers aren’t small either!”

“We can do this!”

We’ll win!

Their own shouts turned into something like a battle roar. The commander raised his sword again and again, feeling their morale rise to a peak.

Every gap was filled. Now he faced the oncoming army with a resolute expression.

“Come, Demon King!”

The moment they clashed, his army would know despair.

“…?”

But then—

“What…?”

From the first defensive line, which had been set to stall the enemy, came the screams of Kratan soldiers.

The commander saw his men flying in all directions—smashed aside by a massive demon with two great horns, wielding a warhammer. The sight was enough to make one wonder if this was the Demon King himself.

Beside him appeared a white-haired woman in pale robes, radiating freezing cold with every step. The ground iced over in her wake. Soldiers tried to flee her chill, but it was too late—most were frozen solid where they stood.

“B-barrier! Raise the barrier!”

At the commander’s order, priests rushed forward, chanting scripture. Before the second defensive line, right in front of the main camp, a wall of light rose up. The onrushing frost smashed against it and stopped, sparing the soldiers behind.

“Archers! Loose!”

Arrows flew in unison, soaring high before raining down upon the Demon King’s Army like a storm.

–Kraaagh!

–Ghhk!

–Screeee!

Beast-like screams rang out. But the commander’s true target wasn’t the rank-and-file demons.

Thud! Boom!

Where the arrows landed, anti-magic shockwaves burst outward, suppressing and dispersing the white-haired woman’s frost.

“Yes!”

The commander’s voice was full of satisfaction. They had been shaken, but they were prepared. The artifact-forged bows and mage-engraved arrows were doing their job.

“Brace for impact!”

The Demon King’s Army, having smashed through the first line, now charged for the second. The commander swallowed hard and gripped his sword.

We can do this.

He’d known the first line wouldn’t hold. But in front of the second was a long trench, like a castle moat, covered over and disguised as normal ground. Inside, holy seals painted by the priests would melt any demon that touched them.

Come…

Just as he bared his teeth—

Whooom!

The sky darkened. The startled commander looked up.

“Th-that’s—!”

“Beatrice!”

A massive crimson dragon’s shadow swept over the second line in an instant.

Kwoooaaaarrr!

In the process, the dragon—Beatrice—unleashed her breath and incinerated the trench concealed in front of the second defensive line.

The explosion collapsed the pit entirely, burying the holy seals beneath rubble. The Demon King’s Army vaulted over or marched across the soil covering the seals without issue.

The trap had been rendered useless.

“Damn it!”

The defense commander groaned as the second line began to crumble.

“Hold your positions!”

All he could do was order his men to stand fast. As the Demon King’s Army closed in, everyone held their breath—until, moments later, the clash came.

Kwoooom!

A troll swung its club, splintering the palisade, and through the gap surged goblins and orcs.

“Uraaagh!”

Soldiers screamed as they met the onslaught. The commander himself swung his blade, cutting down the more troublesome foes his troops struggled against.

“Don’t fall back!”

Most of their forces were concentrated here. No matter how strong the Demon King’s Army was, they couldn’t sweep away every soldier at once. If they could cling on stubbornly, the enemy would have to pay dearly in blood.

If we can just do that…

They might lose the battle, but they could still win the war. The rest would be up to Lutan in Krata’s heart.

“How amusing.”

But then—

“The Demon King hasn’t even stepped in yet.”

A white-haired woman suddenly stood before him.

“You don’t think this is enough to stop us, do you?”

Up close, her face was strangely familiar. As his eyes widened, she spoke.

“Looks like you recognize me.”

She was the younger sister of the Emperor of Hanumayer. He had once seen her at an event in Krata, when he’d been in charge of security. Back then, she had seemed nothing more than a spoiled child.

“Selimia, how…?”

“Sorry, but this is my real self.” Selimia smiled faintly, “Let’s just say the Demon King’s Army suits me better.”

“What are you—!”

“One of the Four Generals.” Her voice dropped, “That’s what you can call me now.”

“!”

Something was wrong—but his duty hadn’t changed. He tightened his grip on his sword.

“Selimia!”

She had betrayed the Holy Alliance.

“Hanumayer will pay the same price!”

“Sure.” She raised an index finger, “Why don’t you try?”

Crack!

A spear of ice burst from her fingertip. He twisted aside and cleaved it with his sword.

“Uaaah!”

Aura blazing, he charged, cutting down every ice blossom she cast in his path. He was about to swing again when—

Thunk.

His body stopped. Staggering, he looked down to find his feet frozen to the ground by ice that had risen around them.

“Ghhk!”

He struggled, but the frost had already climbed to his calves, his thighs—spreading to freeze his whole body.

“Selimia!”

“Sorry about this.” She looked at him evenly, “But the gap between us is too big. I’d rather not drag this out and trouble the Demon King with something so petty.”

She reached out, forming a sword of ice in her hand.

“So why don’t you bow out now?”

“Witch!”

He flared his aura, shattering the ice binding him.

“Elhaen will judge you all!”

He lunged again, blasting aura, swinging at her. She blocked with her ice blade and was forced back. He pressed on, determined to at least take her down himself.

But he barely got in a few strikes before—

“Kuhuhuhu, judgment?”

A horned demon strode up and seized him, lifting him clean off his feet.

“Let Geshkafor be the first you try to judge!”

Before he could even counter, the demon hurled him aside.

“Ghhk…!”

Pain wracked his body, but he planted his sword in the ground to haul himself upright. He knew if he fell, the line would collapse instantly.

“…That’s enough.”

The voice made him look up—

“!”

—and he saw a man whose face was impossible not to recognize.

“You…”

Clay.

Once hailed as humanity’s savior, now the man disgraced and executed.

“How quaint.”

Clay looked down at him.

“Everyone should already know I’m the Demon King now.”

“To deny your crimes and choose the path of corruption—do you think Elhaen will stand by—ghhk!”

Geshkafor’s hand closed around his throat, lifting him.

“You will not insult the Demon King.”

The commander tried to swing his sword, but—

Crack.

His arm froze over again, Selimia’s frost locking it in place.

“Elhaen, is it?”

Clay’s expression grew thoughtful, then he spoke.

“Hasn’t Elhaen always stayed still?”

When the previous Demon King appeared, when Clay was executed—Elhaen had been silent. Not a single word in either case.

“What Elhaen does best is nothing at all.”

Clay leaned in, delivering his verdict.

“The ones who must pay are those who buried me.”

Leaving that single line behind, he turned and walked on—as if everything was only just beginning.

(End of Chapter)

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