The overwhelming soundwave sent Cadel reeling, forcing him to clamp his hands over his ears. The continuous, echoing shrieks resembled a woman’s scream. As instinct took over, he conjured a protective barrier. The moment it wrapped around him, the unbearable pain in his ears subsided.

“What the hell is that sound? I don’t see any enemies nearby……”

Garuel grimaced as he slowly lowered his hands from his ears. The sound remained, yet the pain was gone. This wasn’t just any ordinary soundwave—it carried demonic energy. A direct assault on the eardrums, physically damaging anyone who heard it. But once shielded against demonic energy, it reverted to just sound. A wide-range attack in its purest form.

“So, so…… loud……”

But for Yozen, whose senses were far more acute, even the dulled sound was unbearable.

Seeing him curl up, hands still pressed tightly over his ears, Cadel reinforced the barrier around him.

“It’s probably one of the High Demons at the main gate. Looks like the battle’s already started.”

“The main gate’s pretty far from here…… and yet it’s still affecting us?”

“It’s a sound-based attack. And as you can hear—he’s got one hell of a voice.”

If the barrier so much as faltered, they would take immediate damage. This screeching assault would persist until the demon’s breath ran out, steadily chipping away at the human forces—like a relentless damage-over-time effect.

‘This was supposed to be my fight. But because I led my subordinates to chase after Lydon……’

Should he have at least shared some strategies in advance? The urgency of tracking Lydon had left no room for that. There were simply too many enemies to warn them about.

Could the human army really defeat an opponent that was meant for the original protagonist?

‘Even Lord Hyron, who managed to do it, still ended up dead because of the system. Even if the human forces somehow take down a High Demon…… I doubt it will be something to celebrate.’

He needed to take part in eliminating the major High Demons. Otherwise, another tragedy could unfold.

Clicking his tongue in irritation, Cadel ran a hand down Yozen’s back, comforting him as he finally regained his composure.

“Let’s hurry. Finding Lydon is important, but we also need to open the main gate as soon as possible.”

Despite the relentless screaming that filled the air, they pressed on.

And soon—

“This statue looks like the most recently built one.”

A pristine stone statue emerged from the surroundings. Unlike the others, it bore no signs of weathering. There were no creeping vines covering it, no layers of dust-dulling its surface. And with the castle walls rising just ahead, there was no doubt—this was a statue of the current Demon King, Emilia.

“……So this is Emilia.”

The statue, flawlessly smooth, captured her face in perfect detail. As if drawn in, Cadel reached out, running his fingers over its stone features. The expression was unreadable, yet he could feel her will emanating from it.

‘You are my enemy, Emilia. The enemy of Cadel Lytos. You have no idea that you were created purely for the entertainment of an otherworldly audience.’

Her determination would bear no fruit. If she won, this world would be reset. If she lost, the Demon Realm would once again plunge into despair.

There was no room for sympathy—not after coming this far. And, of course, he had no intention of cheering for her.

Yet, knowing that all of her will and effort would ultimately be in vain…… left a bitter taste in his mouth.

“Compared to the past Demon Kings, she looks weaker. Maybe it’s because of her small frame. If I hadn’t seen her face on this statue, I wouldn’t even recognize her in person.”

“……Make sure to remember it well.”

Cadel pulled his hand away and turned away from the statue. Now that they knew Emilia’s face, they had to find Lydon and escape the castle.

But—

“……Cadel.”

Yozen’s voice, heavy with unease, broke the silence. While the rest of the knights were distracted by the statue, he had been quietly searching for Lydon’s trail.

“What is it? Did something happen?”

“I smell blood.”

“Blood?”

There were few beings in the Demon King’s castle’s back path who could leave the scent of blood behind.

Cadel’s face turned pale in an instant. Without a moment to think, he sprinted forward. His sudden dash startled his subordinates, who quickly followed after him. However, it was his subordinates who arrived first at the source of the scent, overtaking Cadel with ease.

Seeing their backs as they halted in place, Cadel desperately pushed himself to run faster, squeezing into the gap between them. But before he could take in the scene before him—

“What the……!”

Someone grabbed Cadel’s arm and pulled him forcefully into their embrace. Holding Cadel’s head down as if to shield him, the person whispered in a trembling voice.

“Wait a moment, Leader.”

“……What? What is it? Let me go.”

“Lydon will be fine.”

“Let go of me!”

Whether it was from the intense sprint or the ominous feeling creeping up his spine, Cadel’s heart pounded so violently that he felt nauseous. He forcefully shoved Lumen away, who had been holding him, and quickly scanned the scene before him.

“Ah……”

What they had discovered was a sea of blood filling the pathway. Puddles of thick, crimson liquid mixed with dirt and sand, forming murky pools. When Cadel took a step forward, a sickening squelch echoed in his ears.

Demonic blood was not red. They bled in shades of violet. That fact was evident here as well—scattered among the bright red were patches of deep purple. Yet, in comparison to the overwhelming crimson, the purple seemed insignificant.

“Why is there…… so much blood……?”

It was difficult to finish the sentence. Could anyone possibly survive after losing this much blood? Without healing magic, without regenerative abilities?

Lost in panic, Cadel kept repeating himself as he slowly advanced. The wide pool of blood soon ended, but in its place, a long trail of blood extended forward—as if someone, drenched in their own blood, had been dragged mercilessly along the ground.

Ahead stood the fortress wall, solid and imposing. The blood trail continued past a small opening in the wall, disappearing into the darkness beyond. Cadel hesitated, unable to step forward. His entire body trembled. Whether it was from rage or fear, he couldn’t tell.

“Commander.”

“……No. This isn’t…… right?”

“Commander, look at me.”

“No way. This isn’t Lydon’s blood. Someone else, someone who arrived before us…… Who could it be? Who could have reached this place before Lydon……?”

“Yeohwan, look at me.”

A low, steady voice broke through his spiraling thoughts, making Cadel abruptly shut his mouth. When he finally lifted his eyes, a warm hand cupped his cheek. Against his cold, clammy skin, the heat of another human being spread.

Golden eyes, reminiscent of the sun, burned with unshakable determination.

“The things you’re imagining aren’t going to happen. Look at me—you’ve survived countless near-death situations, haven’t you? We’ve all survived, just to stay by your side. And…… Lydon is the same. That bastard would never leave you behind and die first. You know how ridiculously possessive he is.”

“……”

“Don’t fall apart. Keep searching.”

Van firmly believed in Lydon’s survival—more so than Cadel himself. It was the belief of a comrade who had fought alongside him on countless battlefields, a warrior who understood his fellow knight. And, above all, the belief of a man who loved his commander, Cadel.

That unwavering confidence slowly brought Cadel back to his senses. The fog clouding his mind began to clear, allowing him to think more rationally.

‘……Right. If something truly horrible had happened to Lydon, the system would have informed me first. Lydon is still my knight. He’s not dead.’

Lydon wasn’t dead. He was alive, waiting beyond this fortress wall. Pushing down his creeping despair, Cadel lifted his gaze toward the structure before him.

“……There’s a magic circle set up. It’s not exactly a trap…… More like a barrier meant to seal off this entrance. I don’t know why, but it doesn’t seem to be active right now. We should go in before it reactivates.”

After catching his breath, Cadel turned to Van once more.

“Thank you, Van. I didn’t bring you back just to show you such a pathetic side of me…… but I really do need you.”

“I know. That’s why I came back.”

Van let out a small smile as he brushed a hand over Cadel’s back, gently pushing him forward. Then, he turned to face the rest of the squad. Unlike his reassuring demeanor toward Cadel, his expression was now heavy with gravity. As the others slowly approached, a similar shadow of concern darkened their faces.

The situation was dire. Lydon wouldn’t have died so easily—but with this much blood loss…… And considering the trail leading into the fortress, there was no doubt he had been dragged away unconscious.

If they didn’t locate him soon, his death could become a reality.

“Sir Yozen, I’m counting on you.”

“Focus on tracking any traces of movement. We’ll handle the rest.”

At the words of his two comrades, Yozen immediately nodded. Whatever relationship he had built with Lydon until now was irrelevant. He would never allow him to perish in this dark underground world. That was the duty of a comrade who had fought alongside him.

About three minutes after the knights passed through the fortress wall, the magic circle activated, causing the entrance to vanish without a trace.

* * *

“I asked for the human who summoned the Scarlet  Dragon, didn’t I? Sellev, you’re not someone who fails to understand simple orders.”

“……”

“I commanded you to bring me that human’s head, yet you…… you brought me the lives of two fairies who entered the Demon Realm instead. Did you think this would be enough to make up for your failure?”

In the dark, damp fortress of the Demon Realm—more specifically, in its most dismal underground prison—Lydon was confined. His limbs were bound against the cold stone wall, his body hanging limp as he barely clung to consciousness.

Standing before him, Emilia watched with an indifferent expression, as if waiting for him to die and be preserved like a mere specimen. Beside her, Sellev tensed, her mangled body unable to heal properly.

Drip. Drip.

The sound of water endlessly dripping echoed through the prison. Or rather, the sound of blood—Lydon’s and Sellev’s—falling to the ground. Emilia focused on the clear, rhythmic noise for a moment before letting out a quiet sigh.

“If it weren’t for you, I would’ve killed him already. I’ve made a decision unbefitting of a Demon King…… but I’ll forgive you, Sellev. That fairy was indeed dangerous, and this one is troublesome as well.”

“Thank you, Emilia. Ah, no—Your Majesty.”

“How foolish.”

Emilia’s gaze softened slightly as she turned to Sellev, her eyes briefly scanning his blood-soaked, trembling figure before settling back on Lydon.

“His mana is incredibly unstable. It seems he experienced something akin to a berserk state. And yet…… even in that condition, he still managed to leave you half-dead. He’s quite a remarkable fairy.”

At her remark, Sellev bit her lip in frustration. But she was right. While she had succeeded in capturing Lydon and dragging him to the fortress, it was only because Lydon had been in an extremely unstable state. His turbulent energy and uncontrollable rage couldn’t surpass Sellev’s ability to think rationally.

“See? He’s already waking up.”

Like a child playing with a new toy, Emilia let out a thin chuckle as she grasped Lydon’s cheek. With a slight squeeze, she lifted his face, revealing the murky eyes rolling beneath his blood-caked eyelids. He seemed to be sluggishly working his dulled mind, trying to understand his situation and identify the people before him.

“Hello there. Such a pretty little thing, aren’t you? I’ve heard about you. You’re one of Cadel Lytos’ subordinates, aren’t you? Did he dote on you? If you behaved as your looks suggest, I imagine he treasured you quite a bit. I hope my assumption is correct.”

“Don’t, don’t…… say Cadel’s…… name……”

His voice, cracked and raw to the point of pain, struggled to form words. Even without understanding the full extent of his circumstances, he reacted blindly to the mention of Cadel’s name. Emilia quickly realized that Lydon would make for excellent bait. A satisfied smile spread across her face as she roughly rubbed his cheek as if wiping away the blood.

“I’ll use you to lure Cadel out. I was wondering how to deal with that human, but this worked out perfectly. A wise decision, Sellev.”

Lydon’s torn lips parted as he tried to say something more, but no sound came out. Instead, a fresh trickle of blood slid down his chin. Even with all his might, he could only twitch slightly—only now realizing that his limbs were restrained.

His body was a wreck. With no way to stop the bleeding, his mind was growing hazier by the second. Yet, even in that fog, one thought kept repeating itself.

‘Cadel must not come here.’

The High Demon before him planned to use him as bait to draw Cadel out. He was going to be the reason Cadel walked into danger. That wasn’t why he had left alone to seek revenge. He had meant to kill Sellev, lighten the weight of his father’s death, and then return to Cadel to end this wretched war together.

‘I can’t let Cadel get hurt because of me. I have to stop this. I have to kill them.’

The more his thoughts spun, the stronger the murderous intent in his eyes became. That singular purpose cut through the fog clouding his mind, rousing him from his stupor. But in his tattered state, there was little he could do.

“Hah…… starting to grasp the situation now, are you? Judging by that killing intent, you must have figured out where you are. How arrogant. Normally, I would kill you on the spot for that, but you still have your uses, so I’ll let it slide. Of course, you’ll pay for your insolence soon enough. I suppose Cadel Lytos’ corpse should suffice.”

The chains binding him rattled faintly—but that was all. That was the only form of resistance the fairy before her could manage. Smirking, Emilia turned on her heel. With a light step, she exited the cell, speaking without sparing even a glance to the side.

“Koda, have your fun. But obviously, don’t kill him. He still has a role to play.”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

With that brief command, Emilia walked away. As she did, Sellev’s gaze flicked sideways.

From the shadows of the dark prison, a figure slowly emerged. A puppet-like silhouette stood upright, unnaturally still.

Sellev frowned slightly at the sight. That eerie bastard. She hated the thought of that freak getting to play with her catch. But now was not the time to risk upsetting Emilia. Clicking her tongue, she turned away and left.

* * *

The bloodstains disappeared completely just a short distance past the fortress wall. Since they were no longer visible to the naked eye, the group had to rely on Yozen’s sense of smell to track Lydon’s trail.

“I thought it was a trap when the gate vanished right after we passed through, but… that doesn’t seem to be the case. It’s oddly quiet here. There are no signs of demons moving around.” 

Lumen observed. Just as he said, the rear of the fortress was eerily silent. Even Yozen, with his heightened senses, couldn’t detect any presence, confirming that this was indeed an area devoid of activity.

“The problem is, we can’t find a way into the fortress.”

The castle loomed above them, towering like a cluster of spires stacked upon each other. The highest point was shrouded in thick, dark mist, and Emilia was likely stationed there. However, it didn’t seem likely that Lydon was in the same place as her.

Garuel, who had been persistently searching for an entrance, rubbed his chin in frustration.

“At this rate, we’ll have to break through the walls.”

“That’ll bring every demon inside the fortress straight to us. Fighting them on our own while the rest of the knights are outside is too dangerous.”

“Hmm…… But having the entire Knight Order circle around to the front gate would be ridiculous. We’d be spotted immediately, and we’d also lose anyway to confirm Sir Lydon’s whereabouts.”

Without a rear entrance, their mission became significantly more difficult. Cadel sighed and turned to Yozen.

“Yozen, how far does Lydon’s scent go? If we follow the trail, we might find a door.”

“……We have a problem.”

“A problem?”

Yozen abruptly stopped walking, his expression hardening. Cadel swallowed dryly at the sudden shift in mood. Had something serious happened? Had Lydon already—? Before his imagination could spiral further into dark possibilities, Yozen spoke.

“There are too many entrances.”

“……Too many?”

Where? No matter how much Cadel squinted, stretched his neck, or shielded his eyes with his hand, he couldn’t see a single door. He even carefully surveyed the opposite side, making sure not to expose himself. But nothing. Just as he was growing more confused, Yozen continued.

“There are five. Five entrances, all leading to different places. I can’t tell where each one goes.”

Five. The number made the knights instinctively glance at one another.

“……There are exactly five of us.” 

Van murmured, concern flashing in his eyes as he looked at Cadel. He already knew what decision Cadel would make. And sure enough, his commander’s response was exactly as expected.

“Then we’ll split up and search. Wasting time moving as a group when we don’t even know the destinations isn’t an option. Yozen, can you show us where the entrances are?”

“They’re close. Follow me.”

Yozen led them to a blank section of the castle wall. No door, no cracks, nothing resembling an entrance. As the group looked on in confusion, Yozen extended a hand toward the wall. Dark energy rippled at his fingertips, forming distinct shapes upon the previously featureless surface.

Five circles. Each one was about the size of a palm, evenly spaced in a line.

“Stand in front of the one you want. Place your hand over the mark, and it’ll take you to its corresponding destination.”

No way of knowing where Lydon was. No way of knowing which entrance led to the most danger.

The knights wanted to send Cadel to the safest location, but even Yozen, who had found the mechanism, couldn’t determine the destinations. That left them hesitating, their faces heavy with deliberation.

But before their concerns could weigh him down, Cadel confidently stepped forward and chose the central circle.

‘The center is usually the most important. This place is likely deeply connected to Emilia. I doubt she’s keeping Lydon by her side, but I’d rather face her myself than leave her to someone else.’

Finding Lydon was the priority, but they also had to avoid the risk of any of their scattered members encountering the Demon King unprepared. After a brief moment of thought, Cadel turned to his subordinates and spoke.

“You all remember Emilia’s face, right? If you happen to run into her, don’t try to fight. Run immediately. Don’t even think about finding the others—just break through the walls if you have to and head for the front gate. If you’re willing to destroy the gate at all costs, you’ll find allies waiting.”

He had come too far to turn back now. Yet, he couldn’t recklessly throw his subordinates into danger either. Even as he planned to confront Emilia himself, Cadel made sure to emphasize their safety.

“Then I’ll take the far-left circle.”

Lumen took the first position, Garuel the second, Cadel the third, Yozen the fourth, and Van the fifth. Standing in their chosen spots, each of them hesitated only briefly before reaching out. Just before they made contact, Cadel took a deep breath and spoke.

“Lydon is alive. No matter what, we’ll get him back and escape together.”

Determination flashed in their eyes. It was reckless and impulsive to infiltrate enemy territory by splitting up, but for Lydon’s sake—and for the Cadel they trusted—they were willing to take the risk.

As Cadel placed his hand on the mark first, dark energy surged and swallowed them whole.

* * *

“What a joke…… Of all places, I ended up here?”

Van could only let out a hollow laugh. He had chosen the fifth circle, activated the mechanism, and found himself in—

“A human? How did a human get past the fortress walls?”

“Hey! Who let their guard down? A rat snuck in!”

“Shut up, all of you. It’s just one. Just kill him and be done with it. We should be glad we found him early.”

“Oh, please. I hope Her Majesty didn’t see this disgraceful sight.”

—right at the main gate of the Demon King’s castle.

Van scowled as he looked up at the sky. A massive iron gate stood between him and the allied forces outside, completely cutting him off from them.

“One, two, three, four…… Well, isn’t this just walking straight into hell?”

Powerful High Demons stood guard at the gate, effortlessly suppressing any human forces that dared to approach. And then there was Van himself, who had activated the mechanism without a shred of doubt, fully expecting to be transported inside the castle.

If he had to choose who was more bewildered—the demons or himself—he would pick himself without hesitation.

The High Demons stationed within the walls began to descend, preparing to eliminate the unexpected intruder. A battle he hadn’t anticipated was about to begin.

“……Damn it. Just my luck.”

But there was no escape.

In front of him stood the main gate, barring the allied forces from entering. Behind him lay the Demon King’s castle, where his commander and comrades were. There was no need to debate which direction was the right choice for everyone’s sake.

“If I break through that gate first, I’ll figure out the rest later.”

If he allowed more demons to gather, this wretched Demon Realm would become his grave. Without hesitation, Van drew his greatsword and dashed forward, dodging the High Demons chasing him.

His target was the main gate.

Before the demons inside could shift their focus elsewhere, he had to open the gate and let the allied forces in. That was Van’s goal.