With Rotark dead, the battle concluded with surprising ease.
The intense ground battle was resolved with a few gestures from Hemis.
Choi Hyun-seok made sure to scour the area, finishing off any remaining enemies to gather experience points.
And so, the reaping was done.
Choi Hyun-seok encountered a welcome friend amidst the ruins of the Black Star Fortress.
“Bobo! You’re alive!”
“Hwehp! Hwehp!”
Bobo bounded over excitedly.
He looked rather gruesome with blood and flesh stuck to his fur, but Choi Hyun-seok was in no better shape.
Choi Hyun-seok vigorously stroked Bobo’s head.
“Good boy. Your combat power isn’t just for show.”
The last time Bobo’s combat power was measured, it exceeded 130,000.
Numerically, that was close to the strength of a division commander.
No matter how formidable the chimera was, it would have been nothing more than a snack for Bobo.
“Mutty! You’re alive!”
Rahel circled around Bobo, acting familiar.
Bobo stared blankly at her before sticking out his snout.
“Ptooey!”
The bone that shot out of Bobo’s mouth struck Rahel.
“Kyaa! What is this crazy mutt doing!?”
“Woof, woof!”
Bobo barked excitedly.
The corners of his mouth were clearly raised in a sneer.
“Our Bobo has gotten so smart! Does combat power improve the brain too?”
“Doesn’t seem to be the case with the Warrior though?”
“Shut up.”
Choi Hyun-seok checked Bobo’s combat power with the meter.
[ Combat Power: 152325 ]
“Hmm… it’s increased a lot…”
It had risen by nearly 15,000 since the last measurement.
It was an inexplicable phenomenon.
All Bobo did was eat and sleep.
“Is this what they call genetic luck…”
The Demon King’s pet dog.
The bloodline of the King of Beasts was more potent than he had imagined.
“Choi Hyun-seok. You’re safe.”
Avelson’s voice reached him.
Turning around, he saw Avelson standing there, looking a little weary.
“Yes. Are you alright, Avelson? You don’t look so good.”
“I’m fine. I’m just a little tired from moving around after such a long time.”
Suddenly, Choi Hyun-seok felt a surge of curiosity.
‘What is Avelson’s combat power?’
He had never checked it before.
He never considered that she would possess any combat abilities.
But in this battle, Avelson had played a significant role.
Even though her abilities were limited to demons,
it meant she possessed considerable combat prowess.
Choi Hyun-seok aimed the combat power meter at Avelson.
[ Combat Power: 71835 ]
It was a much higher number than he had anticipated.
‘Judging by her physical abilities alone, I wouldn’t have guessed it would even be 10,000.’
Even 10,000 was being generous.
He would have estimated it to be around a few thousand, but it was over 70,000.
That was almost the same as Choi Hyun-seok’s own.
“Choi Hyun-seok.”
“Yes?”
“Your gaze is making me uncomfortable.”
“Ah, I’m sorry.”
He had been staring at Avelson without realizing it, lost in thought.
Choi Hyun-seok cleared his throat and looked away.
He would have to ponder the question of her combat power later.
“Anyway, Warrior.”
“What?”
Rahel landed on his shoulder.
Choi Hyun-seok answered without turning around.
“What will happen now? The Black Star Fortress has collapsed.”
“I don’t know…”
The Warrior and the dedicated fairy gazed at the Demon King’s castle, which had once been their base.
The Black Star Fortress had collapsed.
The continent’s leading fortress was utterly destroyed.
It was beyond repair.
The debris had to be cleared and the fortress rebuilt from scratch, a task that would take considerable time.
“Besides, almost all of the 3rd Corps’ direct units are dead. Won’t they move the corps headquarters?”
“Move the headquarters? Would they go that far?”
The moment Rahel voiced her question,
a voice was heard from behind.
“That’s right. They will move the headquarters.”
It was a beautiful, melodious voice.
Turning around quickly, he saw Hemis and Raidrun approaching.
Rahel was startled and hid.
Bobo ran over, wagging his tail so vigorously it seemed like it would detach.
“Why do you keep hiding when you know everything?”
“Ahem…”
Hemis chuckled, glancing in the direction where Rahel had disappeared.
Choi Hyun-seok cleared his throat awkwardly.
Rahel, realizing she had been spotted, cautiously revealed herself.
Hiding behind Choi Hyun-seok’s shoulder, she peeked out at Hemis.
Hemis, who had no interest in her, ignored her.
“Anyway, with the corps headquarters in this state, there’s no other choice.”
“Then where are we going?”
“I’m still considering. I’ll have to kick out one of the useless division commanders and use their base as a temporary corps headquarters.”
“I see…”
There were a total of five divisions under the 3rd Corps.
In order, from the 6th Division to the 10th Division.
All of them belonged to the 3rd Corps.
Hemis planned to commandeer one of the division headquarters as the corps’ temporary base.
“Raidrun.”
“Yes, Corps Commander.”
“Crocodile head. Is he still alive?”
“If you’re referring to the 8th Division Commander, he is still alive.”
“Okay. Should we head there first?”
Raidrun’s expression hardened at the mention of going to the 8th Division.
“The 8th Division is located at the forefront of the corps. Would that be wise?”
“That’s precisely why we’re going.”
“Understood.”
The 8th Division was the most forward division within the 3rd Corps.
That meant it was stationed where the fiercest battles took place.
It was not an ideal location for the corps headquarters, but Raidrun did not object.
If that was Hemis’s will, he would follow it.
“Then Raidrun, I’m counting on you. Gather the remaining troops and head to the 8th Division first.”
“Aren’t you coming, Hemis?”
“No. I have some business to attend to.”
Hemis raised her hand and pointed to a spot.
“They’ve already arrived to escort me.”
Standing there was a demon she had never seen before.
He bowed politely to Hemis.
“I greet Hemis.”
“Who are you? I’ve never seen you before.”
Hemis tilted her head slightly, facing the unfamiliar demon.
She had expected the corps commander or the Demon King himself to come.
“I am Risen from Drectra [Demon King’s personal guard].”
“Aha.”
Drectra.
They were the Demon King’s elite soldiers, and it was Hemis’s first time encountering them in person.
‘Not bad?’
At least a regimental commander level.
She didn’t know how high this demon named Risen ranked in Drectra, but it didn’t seem like a group of nobodies.
“So, what’s the matter?”
“The Demon King has called for a temporary corps commander meeting. He wishes to begin the meeting immediately.”
“Alright.”
Hemis grinned.
She had anticipated the Demon King would act, but it was happening sooner than expected.
Starting the meeting right after the battle ended.
“Then, excuse me for a moment.”
Risen approached.
He stood next to Hemis and channeled his magical energy.
“We’re departing.”
Whoosh!
A flash of black light, and Hemis and Risen vanished.
***
The Demon King’s Castle, Central Conference Hall.
It was the place that had collapsed during the last meeting due to the war of nerves between the Demon King and Hemis.
Fortunately, the restoration work had been completed quickly.
The cracks and damage to the outer walls could be easily repaired with magic.
But what about today?
Those present in the conference hall today feared.
That the Demon King’s castle might truly collapse this time.
The agenda for today’s meeting was that weighty and sensitive.
“Speak. It is the duty of a monarch to at least listen to excuses.”
The Demon King Tegrad snapped sharply.
It was a different atmosphere than usual.
His gaze was fixed on Hemis, who was seated there.
The corners of her mouth slowly curved upward.
The Demon King returned the smile.
His eyes were filled with seething anger.
“Do you find this situation amusing?”
Recently, Hemis had fought Park Hyun-ah and driven her to the brink of death.
She had disregarded the Demon King’s order strictly prohibiting private battles between corps commanders.
It had nearly escalated into an all-out war, but fortunately, it ended with the mediation of other corps commanders.
The problem was that it hadn’t been long since that incident when another one erupted.
However, the gravity of this agenda was different.
If the last one was a criminal record for violence due to a brawl,
this time it was murder.
“A corps commander is dead. So, this is the amusement you sought. You disobeyed my orders and killed a fellow corps commander for your own amusement.”
“Oh, Demon King. Someone might misunderstand if they heard that. Am I not also a victim?”
“You’re repeating what you said last time.”
“Because it’s the truth.”
When she fought Park Hyun-ah, Hemis had claimed.
That she was also a victim.
There had been a human attack, and she couldn’t help it because she suspected Park Hyun-ah was a traitor.
The Demon King reluctantly accepted her excuse.
Then he warned her.
Never let this happen again.
But Hemis disobeyed the Demon King’s orders once more.
This time, she went beyond fighting and killed a corps commander.
The excuse she offered now was the same as before.
She was the victim.
“Didn’t I report it? Rotark led the corps’ forces and invaded the Black Star Fortress.”
Hemis spoke the truth.
Even if she was concealing something, she wasn’t uttering falsehoods.
“In this situation, shouldn’t I be commended for refraining from wiping out the entire 2nd Corps myself?”
“Why did Rotark lead his forces to attack you?”
“I don’t know. As the Demon King is aware, Rotark is a protégé I raised myself. I am also frustrated and wronged by this situation.”
Hemis’s large lips formed a sly smile.
The Demon King Tegrad swept back his hair and let out a deep sigh.
‘It’s truly infuriating.’
There was suspicion, but no concrete evidence.
Indeed. As Hemis stated, she was Rotark’s patron.
She had protected and nurtured him from a young age.
Why would such a Rotark attack Hemis?
The Demon King suspected that Hemis had orchestrated the situation.
Whether she fanned the flames or manipulated his mind.
‘Rotark would have created a situation where he could attack Hemis’ – that was the Demon King’s belief.
‘In the end, it’s merely a suspicion.’
There was nothing that could be done without proof.
Especially against a powerful figure like Hemis.
As she claimed, she was clearly the victim in this instance.
There was no justification for the Demon King Tegrad to take action here.
“Did you have to… kill him?”
“Well, Rotark was much stronger than I anticipated? If I had miscalculated, I might have been defeated instead.”
This was also true.
Rotark was more powerful than Hemis had expected.
And if she had continued to hold back her power as she had been doing, it would have been dangerous.
Of course, that adjustment was an adjustment that didn’t even require half of her power.
Honestly, she could have spared Rotark if she had wanted to, but there was no need to voice such thoughts.
“I understand.”
The Demon King Tegrad did not pursue the matter with Hemis any further.
It was impossible to discern his thoughts from his rigid expression.
Tegrad turned his head and looked at Park Hyun-ah.
“Why were you present?”
Then his eyes shifted to Park Hyun-ah.
Other corps commanders also looked curious.
Park Hyun-ah scratched her head at the sudden attention.
“Uh… I had some business to attend to?”
“What exactly was it?”
Tegrad’s eyes flashed sharply.
Even though he didn’t emit any energy, it was enough to take her breath away.
Park Hyun-ah frowned and continued.
“Actually, the rat [Rotark] suggested we fight together. So I was contemplating what to do, but I decided to just observe.”
“Why didn’t you report it?”
“If I had reported it? My position would have become precarious as well. The rat was acting erratically, so there was no guarantee that his attacks wouldn’t be directed at me?”
“Hmm…”
Tegrad closed his eyes and pondered.
‘There is no other option.’
There was nothing he could do about this.
It would be unwise to punish Hemis and Park Hyun-ah here.
Regardless of whether it was justified or not, it would create a significant void in the entire Demon King’s army.
‘The loss of Rotark alone is too significant.’
Rotark’s power was not solely a matter of brute force.
The 2nd Corps, with Rotark and the Scevin clan at its core, was responsible for the supply and support of the entire Demon King’s army from the rear.
The core of such a corps had been wiped out at once, so it was inevitable that the war with humans would be greatly disrupted.
If he punished another corps commander in this situation,
then it would truly be over.
The Demon King’s army would not be able to withstand the human offensive and would collapse.
If he wasn’t careful, humans might even invade the Demon King’s castle.
He opened his eyes after organizing his thoughts.
“Be careful to prevent this from happening again in the future.”
“Of course!”
“You’ll have to be extremely cautious.”
The Demon King glared at Hemis for a moment.
Hemis calmly met his gaze.
“Let’s conclude here.”
The Demon King then declared the meeting adjourned.
“I will discuss the appointment of the 2nd Corps Commander to succeed Rotark at a later time.”
He ended the temporary corps commander meeting.
On the way out of the conference hall,
Hemis wore a deep smile on her face.
She was recalling the Demon King’s final words.
‘Be careful… how intriguing.’
She had been careful for the past hundreds of years.
She had been confined in a deep cave, but the cave that had imprisoned her had crumbled.
She felt a tinge of regret for the Demon King.
But she had no intention of stopping now.