* * *

Ashvka’s body collapsed, the bloodsuckers scattering to minimize the impact. Beyond the bloodsuckers, the summoning circle loomed, but Cadel couldn’t take his eyes off the spot where Garuel had stood a moment ago.

The swirling blackness of the bloodsuckers swallowed up Garuel’s form. Though he could see nothing beyond his darkened vision, Cadel remembered the scene just before Ashvka fell.

‘That demon from a while back, whoever it was…….’

It was a High Demon that bore Garuel’s physical features. Sure, the demon was older, had a pair of ugly wings, and couldn’t match Garuel’s beauty, but there was enough similarity to realize they shared the same blood.

“Commander, shall I go?”

Van, who had cleared the [Crimson Zone], nodded toward where Garuel had been, and Cadel, who had barely turned to look at him, shook his head.

“Yozen’s with him, so he won’t be easily defeated. Van, Lumen. You find reinforcements and lead them this way. Me and Lydon, we’ll make a barrier.”

It was unknown if the demon was Garuel’s father or one of his relatives. He didn’t know why he hadn’t thought of such an important person before. But whoever he was, he was the enemy. There was no need to worry that Garuel would hesitate to attack. He would deal with the enemy in front of him as best he could, and that was enough for now.

Cadel turned to Lydon, who was surrounded by ice crystals.

“Are you ready?”

“I’ve been working on this for a while. It’s getting cold, darling.”

“Yeah. Let’s hurry up.”

While Garuel and Yozen restrained the demon, they were to create a tunnel-like barrier to lead the magicians to the summoning circle. The High Demon’s purpose could not be solely focused on Garuel. He would never stand by and watch the process of disarming the summoning circle begin. It was time for him to step in.

‘I don’t know if Garuel’s presence creates a variable, or if it’s just part of the story’s flow, but there’s no way he can’t overcome it. Whatever comes along, just get rid of it, and done.’

He trusted his subordinates, trusted their choices. On cue, Lydon and Cadel released their mana simultaneously, and a tunnel-like barrier between them and the summoning circle began to stretch out.

* * *

A giant forepaw formed from demonic energy slammed into Garuel without warning. Parrying the attack was the same form of demonic energy, sparked of purple flame each time the two collided.

“We brothers were so similar in appearance that we were called twins, and it looks like you’ve inherited the gene, too.”

“I guess it was my father who gave me this filthy blood?”

“He was my younger brother. I could tell by your demonic energy that you were a very talented kid.”

“You should have been better at keeping an eye on your brother. What were you doing while he was out there sowing his troublesome seeds everywhere?”

“What’s your name?”

“I don’t feel like telling you.”

In between parrying attacks, Garuel was busy bouncing off claws that didn’t quite make the cut with his light mana-encrusted blade. Lawrence, on the other hand, watched from a distance, arms crossed, as if to admire Garuel’s skill.

“My younger brother wasn’t that cocky. Was that temperament inherited from your humble mother?”

“Why are you asking so much? Do you think you’re going to die because your nephew is so cute?”

“Yeah, you’re cute, and you’re so cute that it’s almost laughable that you’re fighting a battle like this with this level of power.”

Lawrence smirked, but Garuel simply smirked back at the taunt. He slammed his longsword down hard on the charging forepaw, channeling all of his demonic energy into the blade in one fell swoop, sending even more light mana into the blade as he spoke.

“If I’m that cute, just close your eyes and die. I’m sure I’ll be able to tell you my precious name in your corpse.”

Demonic energy could not be wasted. This power was meant for humans and should be saved for emergencies, especially on a battlefield where healers couldn’t reach it. So Garuel decided to use light mana against Lawrence.

“It’s a foolish thing to do, using the power of a mere mortal when you have the power of a demon.”

Lawrence strode slowly toward Garuel, blowing past the clamoring bloodsuckers at a leisurely pace.

“I’ve seen your weaknesses, your pettiness, and your stupidity firsthand, and I feel a shallow sense of regret.”

“…….”

“If I had granted my brother’s request in the past and brought you to the Demon Realm, I could have reformed you and nurtured you into a loyal servant of My Lord, and you could have earned My Lord’s favor without the hassle of this process.”

Garuel’s brow furrowed as he gripped his longsword tightly.

“Did you mean to take me to the Demon Realm? Did my father kill my mother and steal her child?”

Lawrence scoffed at the sharp question. Garuel knew that destroying the enemy in front of him was more important than curiosity about the past. But he also knew that this was his only chance to hear the story of his cursed birth, the one no one had ever told him, the one he had always only imagined.

“Answer me. It seems that you’re desperate to shake my composure with my parents’ past. There’s nothing to hesitate about.”

“You seem to resent your parents as much as I do. Yes, they made choices they shouldn’t have, and they made a lot of people suffer.”

“Don’t get me started. Old men are not my cup of tea.”

The moment Lawrence stepped into striking range, Garuel swung his sword without hesitation. With a low resonant sound, the rush of blades struck Lawrence in the upper arm.

“If my brother……. If Lewin had killed the human he loved and sought help only to preserve his own bloodline, I would have helped.”

Swinging with all his might, the sword did not even leave a scratch on Lawrence. His forearm, which was as solid as rock, didn’t even flinch as the blade touched it, and only a faint trickle of demonic energy rose from it.

It was healing power at its peak. In addition to his innate regenerative powers, the healing power was so strong that it protected him from the slightest scratch on his flesh.

This infernal regenerative power must have run in the family. Flashes of his past, of his constant frustration at not being able to dig out a single eyeball, made Garuel doubt his victory. Could he really kill the damned uncle in front of him, or at least bring him closer to death?

“But Lewin said he loved your mother. He begged to be allowed to return to the Demon Realm with you, as you were the child that woman loved and gave birth to with her life.”

“……Love?”

“Ah, yes. At the time, Lewin was tasked with staying in the Human Realm to heal wounded demons and relay the plans of the Demon Realm to them. Had he fulfilled his duties, he would have returned to the Demon Realm and cemented his family’s position, but he never did.”

“Demons loved humans? That actually makes sense. It must be the ramblings of a madman.”

Lawrence’s eyes flashed at Garuel’s fierce words. He gripped the blade of the sword still pressing down on his upper arm with his bare hand and pulled it away bit by bit. It was an incredible feat of strength.

“I see where you’re coming from. You’re right. A demon cannot love a human. He must have mistaken pity for compassion for a lesser being. He brought shame to his family by failing to recognize that one lowly emotion. And that shame has grown and grown, and now it’s at my throat.”

“My mother was tricked, tricked by a filthy demon, into having a child she didn’t want.”

“A human body is far too weak to bear a demon child. I don’t understand how a seed that can’t even regenerate itself can continue to reproduce, but I respect your mother’s choice. Even if you’re only half Hywyl, your bloodline is strong. You are not worthy of a human life.”

They couldn’t have loved each other. It must have been a relationship of resentment, hatred, and only one-sided desire. A love that transcends race. The fruit of a fairy-tale love, this could not be it.

Garuel gritted his teeth. He knew he shouldn’t be agitated, but he couldn’t help himself.

“……Don’t be ridiculous.”

If the man and woman who ruined his fate were merely in love, then what did he have to blame? The father for not killing his mother on sight? The mother for accepting his father instead of running away? Their selfish love for not considering the future?

“I killed my brother with my own hands, but he squeezed out the last of his strength and sent you fleeing far away. If the summoning circle had retained any more of its strength, I would have found you and cut out the seeds of your misery.”

Laurence’s eyes narrowed as he shook off Garuel’s sword as easily as a toy. He had known from the moment they had shared their first few words – no, from the moment he had laid eyes on him – that his nephew was a hybrid, neither human nor demon. He tried to align himself with the humans, but he knew he would never be accepted.

He sustained his life with resentment. To survive the life of a halfling he had been forced to live, he would clutch at anything to climb the cliff. He was a child who used the past as darkness and the future as light to move forward.

Such a child could not accept that there was warmth in his past. His sweet nephew, who hadn’t yet come to terms with his roots, would be swayed by these tales of the past. When there was nothing but death at the bottom of that slippery cliff.

“What was life like for you, born of my brother’s tearful paternal love and your humble mother’s sacrifice?”

That child would never accept that his father loved a human being. He would deny, and reject the past in order to resent it. If he didn’t, he would eventually have to develop compassion for his parents, whom he hated.

Lawrence didn’t care if he increased his nephew’s hostility toward himself in the process. It would be more difficult for him to withdraw his hostility. Because while his nephew was in denial about his past, he had to take his own life by stabbing him through a gap that was clearly revealed.

“I hope you were happy in your short life.”

Behold the black eyeball, lopsided and shiny. Look at the pathetic figure that can never be whole. Behold the loner who will never be accepted by either. To look at this young nephew is to be endlessly nauseated, almost unbearable.

Hywyl’s hatred for his brother, who had tainted his precious blood, blossomed, and it was time to tear open the long, pathetic scar.

Suddenly, a hand floated up behind Garuel, aiming for his heart. Seemingly oblivious to his impending demise, he no longer wielded his sword but merely stared at Lawrence, who stood before him. Then, the corners of his mouth drew up in a smooth line.

“……Hearing your story gave me the courage to speak up and say what I thought was ridiculous.”

“If it’s a will, let’s hear it.”

“Go tell my parents. I hate your fucking love affair, but I’m grateful that I’ve inherited the power to keep humans alive, and I’m grateful for the people I’ve met because of it. …… I quite like it.”

Whether it was an act to hide his agitation, or his insight was off, he couldn’t tell, and Lawrence hesitantly lowered his head. His gaze fell to the floor where he had stood. There was no device, no sign of life, and yet a black energy pooled there, binding his feet.

“……Dark energy.”

“Did you think I was standing there stupidly impressed by your story? How does it feel to be caught in a trap while you’re on your own time?”

“You can’t kill me.”

“I’ll admit it, it’s hard.”

Garuel spun his sword in a circle, slowly closing the distance between him and Lawrence. All the while, the dark energy surged in all directions, creating a small space that trapped Lawrence. As he stared at Lawrence’s face, which had just barely escaped the rising wall of dark energy, his eyes widened as if remembering something.

“Oh, and one more thing: thank you for giving me an annoyingly handsome face. My mother’s genes must have given me a boost, so you don’t need to pass it on to my father. See you later.”

Lawrence opened his mouth to protest at the absurdity of the remark, but no voice was granted him as he was swallowed by the dark energy. Garuel looked away from the cubical space that held Lawrence and looked behind him, where Lawrence’s demonic energy, which had just targeted his heart, was dispersing.

“A moment too late and I would have been stabbed to death, Sir Yozen.”

At the sound of his playful voice, Yozen, wherever he’d been hiding all this time, appeared out of nowhere. He neatly ignored Garuel, who was feigning weakness, and spoke firmly.

“Even if you get stabbed, you won’t die.”

“No, this demonic energy is really dangerous. It’s high purity, if you will. Didn’t we choose to lock him up because we don’t think we can handle it on our own?”

“It won’t last long.”

“……I know. For now, let’s join Knight Commander and inform him of the information.”

His eyes flickered slightly as he followed Yozen through the bloodsuckers. His forced upturned lips quickly stiffened, but no one noticed the subtle change.

* * *

It was what they had feared. The tunneled barrier of wind and ice led the magicians smoothly to the summoning circle, but Ashvka wasn’t about to let that stop him. The insects that had once nearly killed Cadel. The energy-sucking insects.

“Don’t push yourself too hard, Lydon. I’ll take care of the barrier repairs, you keep the magicians from getting hurt.”

“I’m still fine?”

“The aftermath of the rampage will linger. Stop being stubborn and listen to me.”

Lydon winced, wondering if Cadel didn’t trust his abilities, but Cadel had no intention of forcing the mana out of him. The Scarlet Scales Knight Order wasn’t alone in this fight. If they held out, reinforcements would continue to arrive, and it was a tactic to save their strength for then.

The energy-sucking insects were all over the barrier, sapping mana at a frightening rate. Considering they were dealing with Ashvka’s entire body rather than just one of his arms, the size of the flying insects was considerable.

‘We’re just getting started on dismissing the summoning circle, so we’ll have to hang in there as long as we can, but it’s going to be about 15 minutes at the most unless we’re going to drain all our mana here, and we should have enough support to take on Ashvka in that time.’

Cadel, who had been pouring endless mana into the barrier, shifted his gaze. There was a struggling Dreyfe and his subordinates. The first reinforcements to arrive, they were taking on Ashvka on the front lines with minimal protection from the barrier through their magic tools.

Several of them had been sucked dry by the bloodsuckers, their bodies shriveled to blackened shreds, but they refused to back down. This was due to the shouted encouragement of the battalion captain ahead of them.

“Every step we take back costs the Empire hundreds of lives! If I see you begging for food when you can’t pay for it, I’ll put a knife through your throat myself! Charge, without rest!”

It was a harsh command, in true Dreyfe fashion, and it was backed up by the power of his own body as he charged forward, his twin blades aimed at Ashvka’s body without pause. It was clear that he was determined to stop Ashvka’s regeneration at all costs, even if it meant being devoured by a swarm of insects.

Even from a distance, he could see the shriveled marks all over Dreyfe’s body. Dreyfe and his battalion had already done enough.

‘However…….’

They weren’t enough. Ashvka, having lost a leg to Lumen and Yozen, lost his center and collapsed, but the amount of insects he spewed only multiplied. The swarms of insects, now resembling black clouds, swarmed relentlessly, attacking allies, gnawing at knights and even the gateway Cadel was guarding.

Meanwhile, Ashvka, still standing tall even in his fall, sought to regenerate his leg with human blood.

‘I handed over [Ullo], and I don’t know what kind of reinforcements are coming. The most likely one is Jeriel. If he comes, it will definitely be less mana intensive.’

The arrival of Sorin’s battalion would be a great boost, but the forces that were the mainstay of each gate’s defense would not be able to move easily.

‘I’m sure there are demons on the other side of the gate by now that will keep you on your toes, so with that in mind, I’m not expecting much.’

At the very least, he needed to have enough power to reduce his mana burden and shut down Ashvka’s movement for a while. Given a little time, he could destroy the summoning circle and then take down Ashvka with a pincer attack.

‘If only the other magicians could take over the maintenance of the barrier, I could go help my subordinates right away.’

Currently, all but Lydon had followed Cadel’s orders and gone to deal with Lawrence. They were nowhere to be seen, due to the abundance of bloodsuckers in the area. Cadel swiped at his dry mouth and squinted.

‘……Lawrence. It’s shocking that the guy even came out with Ashvka, let alone that he’s Garuel’s uncle.’

As soon as Garuel told him the name, his vague identity became clear. And then he became certain. He didn’t know if it was a major plot twist, but the flow of the Demon War was slowly but surely diverging from the game. What did it mean?

‘……Let’s think about it later.’

With Ashvka and Lawrence in front of him, it was absurd to think of anything else. Quickly gathering himself, Cadel began to channel mana, ready to blast the energy-sucking insects.