The Heavenly Demon Can’t Live A Normal Life [EN]: Chapter 397

Panic filled the air. The Cairo soldiers were running, not marching, their faces pale with fear. They had left their strong defenses behind, fleeing like a broken army. The magical attack had been too powerful, ripping through their lines like paper. King Daniel Cairo and his advisors knew it instantly: there was no other choice but to retreat.

The next day, they had put a good distance between themselves and the terrifying Chronos Empire army. Dusty and exhausted, the soldiers were ordered to rest. But for the leaders of Cairo, there was no rest. They gathered quickly in a large tent, the grim reality hanging heavy in the air.

“Norbert, tell us what’s happening.”

Daniel Cairo’s face was tight, his eyes shadowed.

Norbert, who was in charge of intelligence, looked grim as he began to speak.

“Let me start by telling you about our losses. While defending against the Chronos Empire’s attacks, we’ve lost over 100,000 soldiers. Fortunately, we were well-prepared, so we prevented even more losses. But yesterday alone, half of that number—50,000 soldiers—died. King Daniel, Your Majesty, it’s virtually impossible to continue a full-scale war. If we face a similar situation again, we’ll completely lose our ability to resist Chronos.”

The situation was despairing.

Norbert continued.

“Our magic experts believe the Chronos mage used magic of the highest level, the 9th Circle. The magic that destroyed Odelia’s capital was also 9th Circle magic. From now on, no magical defense can stop Chronos’s attacks. And, although it’s just a guess, there’s one worrying thing. The Chronos mage called himself ‘Alexander.’ As you all know, in Chronos, the name Alexander is only for one person.”

“…Emperor Alexander.”

“That’s right.”

“Ahem.”

Everyone swallowed, their mouths suddenly dry.

It felt as if their brains had stopped working.

Emperor Alexander!

Why was that name being mentioned?

As the founder of Aura, who had achieved great things, he had made a rule that only he could use the name Alexander.

In the past, some nobles named their children Alexander, hoping they would become great heroes like the Emperor. But after they were brutally killed by shadows sent from Chronos, no one made that mistake again.

So, it was very likely either the real Emperor Alexander, or someone important enough to be allowed to use his name.

Either way, everyone was very worried.

Daniel Cairo spoke.

“The name Alexander is special. If this person is a successor who inherited the name, he must be someone trained to fulfill the Chronos Empire’s goals. The problem is, it might be the same person. Since he called himself the reincarnation of Alexander, we can’t ignore the possibility that he has lived for ages. Chronos is known for dark magic, and if Emperor Alexander has mastered ‘magic,’ he might have become immortal.”

He swallowed, his mouth suddenly dry.

“If it’s really Emperor Alexander… our chances of winning this war are very small. The fact that Alexander, who has lived for countless ages, has reached the 9th Circle means he’s ready to conquer the continent. As Norbert said, a full-scale war is impossible now. With Cairo’s current strength, we can’t stop the Chronos Empire.”

So, there was only one way.

“Keep our soldiers safe and wait for Roman Dmitry to join us. That’s the only order I, an incompetent king, can give you.”

He thought they had improved a lot.

But, their enemy was a monster beyond reason.

Meanwhile, as Cairo was running away…

Alexander, in the dark space, watched what was happening in the ‘Chronos Southern Front’ beyond the dimension.

Castro and Roman Dmitry were fighting fiercely.

Castro used the power of darkness and showed great strength, but it didn’t work against Roman Dmitry.

It was a one-sided fight. Castro, a 7-star Aura Swordsman and one of the best swordsmen on the continent, could barely block one attack, and after that, he only lost ground.

In the end, he died miserably.

Alexander was thrilled to see Castro fall.

“…Roman Dmitry. What were you in your past life?”

He was impressed.

At first, he thought Roman was from the same Murim as him and had learned some excellent martial arts.

He couldn’t help it. Names like Cheonma were too advanced, and Alexander didn’t know enough to figure out Roman’s identity even after seeing his martial arts.

But as time went on, Alexander’s opinion of Roman Dmitry changed. He was no ordinary person.

His power and bold actions made Alexander think that Roman Dmitry might be someone important, not just someone who had become famous by chance in Murim.

Why?

There’s a rumor that there are beings in Murim who are beyond human limits, like the Ten Great Masters of the World.

He couldn’t remember the names exactly, but if Roman wasn’t one of them, he couldn’t explain Roman Dmitry’s current strength.

“It’s so unfair.”

He felt jealous.

He was angry.

If he had been like Roman Dmitry in his past life, he wouldn’t have needed to use the power of darkness to become stronger.

He would have conquered the continent with his own strength, and people would have remembered Alexander as the best swordsman, not just a great emperor or the founder of Aura.

He felt miserable because he had a miserable beginning.

Alexander couldn’t stand his feelings of inferiority. It felt like his true self was being exposed.

‘I wanted to be a martial artist.’

It was his dream, a desire as strong as his desire to conquer the continent.

Alexander was truly jealous of Roman Dmitry, which is why he sent Castro to test his strength.

It was the final test.

If he realized he could never beat Roman with the Aura he had created, he would admit defeat and accept Roman Dmitry’s methods.

The time had come.

The moment he had been waiting for was near.

Before covering the world in darkness, Alexander wanted to fulfill his own desires.

“Roman Dmitry, if you turn the Cairo Kingdom into a wasteland, you’ll definitely appear before me. That will be the start of conquering the Salamander Continent, and the moment I discover your true identity.”

Rumble!

Darkness rose.

Alexander was surrounded by darkness, his eyes burning with desire.

Count Bruce, the Chronos commander, looked confused and uneasy as he looked at Alexander, who was ordering them to advance.

“Please explain. Who are you? You say you’re Emperor Alexander, but we can’t believe that.”

Even nobles like Count Bruce didn’t know that Alexander was at the rear of the Empire.

That’s why he was confused.

Not only had a 9th Circle mage appeared without warning, but he also claimed to be Emperor Alexander.

This was not normal.

It didn’t make sense that Emperor Alexander, who should have died long ago, was alive, or that he, the founder of Aura, had reached the 9th Circle.

It was a natural question.

Alexander looked coldly at Count Bruce.

“Explanation? Do you dare question me?”

The air crackled with magic. Then, a voice boomed, “Of course……”

“I am Alexander, Emperor. My name is Alexander. That name alone should make you know who I am. Do not judge me by the passage of time. I created Aura long ago. I am Alexander, and I have ruled the Chronos Empire ever since. This empire is in a place you don’t know.”

They were speechless. *Alexander*. Could he really be the mastermind behind Chronos? It was unbelievable.

Alexander frowned at their reluctance to show him the respect due to an emperor.

“Tsk, tsk.”

Blood sprayed out like a fountain, staining the ground red.

The surrounding soldiers’ eyes widened in shock.

Despite the death of their commander, they dared not express their anger.

“You worm-like fools. How dare you fail to acknowledge me even when standing before me? Have you not been satisfied all this time? With my rule, with the powerful force that the name of Chronos bestows? If you understand this, you should kneel before me now, in the name of Alexander.”

He turned his gaze.

Everyone froze.

Alexander pointed to one of them.

“From now on, you will take command.”

“…Y-yes, Your Majesty.”

“And.”

A wave of raw magic surged from Alexander, making the air shimmer.

Looking around at the people, Alexander’s eyes turned cold.

“Those who oppose my will, step forward. If all of you accept my existence……”

A smirk.

He laughed.

“Then, take up your weapons and march forth, and turn the beautiful Cairo Kingdom into a desolate wasteland, a monument to my power.”

It was a rout, pure and simple.

After breaking through the foremost defensive line, Chronos continued to push forward relentlessly, and Cairo was helplessly pushed back without offering any significant resistance.

They had given up the fight.

The fortresses of Cairo, which should have been guarded by soldiers, were empty, and occasionally magical bombs were set up to trap the Chronos Empire army.

But it was all meaningless.

Before the magic bombs could even react, the moment Alexander raised his finger, they lost their power and were destroyed.

Fsssss.

A wizard.

In their world, the difference in circles was absolute.

The power of the 9th Circle was unmatched. With Alexander, the war had completely changed.

Days turned into nights as the Chronos army marched on. They faced no real resistance.

When they reached a fortress, the Chronos Empire discovered a scene unlike any they had seen before.

“Lord Alexander. It seems Cairo is preparing for a siege. We have confirmed the presence of troops inside the fortress, and we have also confirmed that Daniel Cairo is on the walls. Please give your orders.”

The new commander.

Gordon, Count Bruce’s adjutant, seemed to have completely accepted Alexander’s existence.

If his existence was real, they had to obey.

Alexander had controlled the imperial family for a long time, and the moment one caught his eye, a path to success was practically guaranteed.

Above all, Alexander’s power was needed to destroy the fortress.

The Chronos’ forces were strong enough to win, but if Alexander helped, things would be easier.

However, Alexander looked at the fortress walls and smiled.

“He has appeared.”

“……What do you mean?”

“Foolish fellow. Can’t you tell even when you see it? The reason why Cairo, who had completely given up fighting and was fleeing after the defeat on the Western Front, suddenly chose to hold a siege, it means they are now ready to fight.”

In that moment, Gordon looked surprised.

He realized what Alexander was saying.

“Yes. Roman Dmitry must have joined them.”

It was as expected.

Roman Dmitry.

He had joined Cairo.

The original plan was to turn Chronos’ main base into a wasteland, but if Alexander appeared in the Cairo Kingdom, things would be different.

Alexander was the mastermind behind all the schemes.

If he could be dealt with, Chronos could be destroyed, so Roman Dmitry chose to change his original plan.

And he knew that Cairo alone could not stop him.

Alexander’s show of force, suggesting they fight on the stage of the Cairo Kingdom, had touched Roman Dmitry’s nerves.

It was then.

Creak.

In a situation where both sides were facing each other, the castle gate opened.

As Roman Dmitry walked out alone, the soldiers of the Chronos Empire reacted with a buzz.

He walked slowly.

Without stopping, he raised his voice.

“Alexander. The reason you have appeared here must be to put a definite end to things.”

All this time, Roman Dmitry knew of Alexander’s existence.

Although he had never met him directly, Alexander had been involved in everything that had been happening around the continent.

So he had a feeling that they would meet someday.

If Alexander’s goal was to conquer the continent, he would inevitably have to fight Roman, who had to live a life of ruling.

That day was today.

Upon receiving the report that Alexander had appeared, Roman Dmitry knew what he had to do from now on.

He drew his sword.

Looking at the wary enemies, he gradually increased his walking speed.

“So today, I will put an end to it in this place.”

Swish.

Rumble!

He charged towards the enemies.

And at that moment.

“Attack!”

“Follow Lord Roman Dmitry!”

Soldiers appeared from all directions.

Waving the flags of Cairo and Umberto, they followed Roman Dmitry as if they had been waiting for this moment, shouting with desperate cries.

Finally, it was the moment of the decisive battle.