The Demon King Overrun by Heroes Chapter 189 : Descent and Return

Chapter 189: Descent and Return

Maintain absolute secrecy.

Jason and Balraf made secrecy their top priority in this hero’s march.

“Berje is sensitive to information, unlike other Demon Kings. If he finds out that we are preparing a hero’s march using floating ships, there is no telling what he might do.”

『Yes, I know that very well.』

Although it would require paying quite a heavy price, the location of the Tower could continuously be obtained.

However, the actions Berje Deias had shown did not stop at simply hiding the Tower.

He used mountainous terrain to obstruct the hero party, set traps using fake Towers, and spread demonic energy to draw monsters together.

The great hero and the Demon King reached the conclusion that Berje must be prevented from even being able to prepare.

“But there is no such thing as complete secrecy.”

Even if things were done covertly, invading the sea required cooperation with multiple nations. Dormunt, Hessen, Arkan, and Berfht—four in total.

It would inevitably be discovered by Berje.

But if not now, there would be no chance.

While everyone was intoxicated by the death of the Gold-Steel Demon King, while Berje was letting his guard down, thinking that another hero’s march would not occur so soon.

Before the ever-accumulating Demonic Points beca impossible to bear.

That insolent head had to be cut off.

“If we cannot hide it completely, then we must draw his attention elsewhere. We must keep him preoccupied. That is why your role is important.”

『Do not worry. I myself cannot tolerate another failure.』

“How is your physical condition?”

『Excellent.』

Not only had he killed the Gold-Steel Demon King and absorbed his power, he had also devoured every last piece of the dragon’s tail he had personally cut off.

Although insignificant compared to a dragon heart or eyes, dragons were a species with mana evenly spread throughout their entire bodies. Their flesh itself was a mass of elixirs.

And that was not all. The dragon’s scales and bones had beco his armor.

“That is fortunate. Ugar’s sacrifice was not in vain.”

『That sounded pointed.』

“How could that be? I simply hope that after this matter, there will be no more discord between us.”

『Very well.』

“Then I look forward to it.”

The communication ended.

Jason slowly rotated his wineglass and closed his eyes. Shortly after, the adjutant knocked on the door.

“Demon King. Lord Dorche will be descending shortly.”

“So he has finally arrived.”

Jason rose from his seat. He straightened his attire while looking into the mirror, then adjusted the monocle that had slipped halfway down.

He went outside and took position directly in front of the Tower together with his subordinates.

Imdiately after—

───!

A hole opened in the sky. From the enormous abyss, the forcibly torn rift in space, sothing dropped out with a dull thud.

It was not just one.

Thud—

Thud thud—

Dozens, hundreds, perhaps even a thousand.

Each and every one of them was a legion composed entirely of demons or high-ranking monsters, descending upon the land.

Huuu—

At the forefront, a man radiating the most intense presence inhaled deeply.

“The air of a lower dinsion… it has been a while.”

He brushed back his disheveled black hair and surveyed his surroundings. His gaze stopped on Jason. Jason lowered his head.

“It is a pleasure to et you for the first ti. Lord Dorche Astain.”

“You are Jason Kokemundo?”

“Yes.”

“I have heard the general story.”

Tsk, Dorche clicked his tongue.

“Utterly incompetent. I heard you have been in this dinsion for quite so ti, yet you still have not fully conquered it and are struggling like this.”

“I apologise.”

“How boring. I was joking.”

Dorche was unlike Vivian, who had co to Arein without knowing anything. He clearly understood what kind of place this was and why he had co here.

“I hear that so impudent young Demon Dragon who insulted the Standard at the graduation ceremony went on to kill a fellow Demon King?”

“Yes. He was involved in the killing of Lord Draxon Doldov.”

“Draxon, hm.”

Dorche pondered briefly, then nodded.

“I have t him before. Was he a wolf? I rember him being fairly capable. A pity.”

At the end of the day, he had rely been a beastman.

That was the extent of his reaction to the death of a Demon King.

“I heard you will hand over the Demonic Points.”

“Yes. Once you establish your Tower at a location of your choosing and contact us, we will provide enough Demonic Points to release sufficient interference power, along with information about this place.”

“I heard you had gathered quite a lot of Demonic Points, and it seems that is true.”

His brow furrowed in displeasure.

“Why not use that to summon demons and monsters and sweep away the humans instead?”

“It was beyond my capabilities.”

“Well, lower species do have their limits.”

Dorche nodded and replied.

“The wandering of that wayward young Demon Dragon will end as you wish. Establish the Tower, then contact again.”

“Yes. May I offer one piece of advice?”

“Speak.”

“The Tower should be built in a remote area where humans will not detect it—”

“Are you telling to violate the great First Demon Emperor’s Standard? Have you lost your mind after being stuck in one dinsion for over a hundred years?”

Jason flinched and trembled under Dorche’s killing intent.

“...If I overstepped, I apologise.”

“I have heard that the Demon Kings of Arein arrogantly twist the Standard slightly. You are not one of them, are you?”

“No.”

“Hmph. For now, I will believe you.”

Then I will contact you later.

Dorche turned his back and lightly kicked off the ground. The thousand-strong host followed behind him.

Jason and Aina watched their figures as they skimd across the surface like slipping shadows.

“...He truly lives up to the rumours.”

“Yes. He is the very archetype of the Demon Dragon.”

Dorche Astain.

He was a fairly famous next-Archduke candidate even in the Demon Realm.

Born into a great race, he had stood out from the beginning and graduated top of his class from the Demon King Military Academy.

Afterward, he descended upon multiple dinsions and conquered them, and even among the Demon Dragons—each of whom ranked among the very top—he was counted as one of the strongest.

And just as strong as he was, he was arrogant.

He regarded all demons who were not Demon Dragonkin as beneath him and considered it natural for himself to reign over them.

Of course, that was not unique to him. Most Demon Dragons were like that.

If anything, Berje, who was free of such prejudice, was the odd one.

“Do you think Dorche can kill Berje?”

“He has ability to match his arrogance. And he has sufficient reason as well.”

Demons were individualistic, and Demon Dragons were even more so.

Unlike lower-dinsion dragons who cherished their young under the na of hatchlings, Demon Dragonkin had little affection even for their offspring.

However, there was one word that, if mishandled, would cause the entire race to descend at once—‘the Standard’.

Among all races in the Demon Realm, they were the ones who most faithfully followed and revered the Standard.

Why? Simple. The First Demon Emperor had been a great Demon Dragon. To others, he was a great emperor; to them, he was a great ancestor. The pride of their race.

Their pride and arrogance allowed no compromise when it ca to the First Demon Emperor and the Standard.

That was why Berje’s denial of the Standard and the First Demon Emperor caused an even greater upheaval in the Demon Realm.

Had he not been chased into descending upon Arein imdiately, the problem would have grown even larger.

“The fact that a fellow Demon Dragon is denying the Standard will displease him even more. He will likely regard it as the sha of the race.”

Among the Demon Dragons, there was no such thing as racial solidarity.

Extre individualism. Even between parent and child, that was the Demon Dragon. Compared to the honour of the Standard, the life of so Demon Dragon they barely knew ant nothing.

“There was value in paying such a high price to Archduke Arkaine.”

It had been the best possible choice.

Although he could not yet fully exert his power due to the influence of interference, once Jason provided Demonic Points and released his restraints, Berje—who had only just set foot in his first dinsion—would surely be devoured in an instant.

“However, Lord Dorche is not favorably disposed toward you, Demon King. After killing Berje, there is a high likelihood he will beco a second Berje.”

“I am aware.”

Of course.

Jason smiled.

“Did you know? Even Lord Dorche took at least a dozen years to conquer a single dinsion.”

That was undeniably fast, but compared to Berje, it was infinitely lacking.

“Lord Berje is an unprecedented Demon Dragon.”

Dorche had also graduated top of his class at the Demon King Military Academy. For a Demon Dragon, that was expected. But only Berje had been given the title ‘unparalleled in history’.

“Lord Berje Deias is the most outstanding among all Demon Dragons.”

That was guaranteed by the Demon King Military Academy. And the current results proved it.

“In just two years, he might have completely released all interference power. What Demon King could possibly achieve such a feat?”

No one. But Jason, unaware that efficiency could be increased by combining Towers, and unaware that Berje had devoured the phoenixes and dragons of Arein, had no choice but to think that way.

“Lord Berje will not be easily defeated.”

That was not a re assumption, but conviction. No matter if the opponent was Dorche, he could not imagine Berje being defeated without accomplishing anything.

“If the hero party led by Balraf Dislode fails to kill Lord Berje, Lord Dorche will step in.”

Dorche was a Demon King faithful to the Standard. When humans attacked another Demon King’s Tower, he would not interfere and violate the Standard.

But if Berje survived, he would move to execute a traitor.

“The battle will not end easily, and both sides will be wounded.”

And at that mont—

Jason swallowed the rest of his words. His eyes sank coldly.

“But what if Balraf Dislode kills Demon King Berje? The Demonic Points given to Lord Dorche would not return, would they?”

“If left alone, he would beco an even greater calamity than Lord Berje.”

He would rampage wildly, showing how Demon Kings from dinsions other than Arein conquered worlds.

And although that was not what Jason desired, he was not overly worried.

Because there were always counterasures.

“I do not intend to give him enough demonic energy to fully release all interference power.”

Just enough to control him, within manageable limits.

“And if Lord Balraf succeeds in killing Lord Berje, his power will only grow stronger.”

And soone like that—

“Hunting yet another Demon King would be only natural.”

Jason would rely provide a bit of assistance.

So that the overturned board would return to its original state.

“But what if—just what if.”

Aina asked cautiously.

“What if Balraf Dislode subjugates not only Demon King Berje, but even Lord Dorche? Would that not beco uncontrollable?”

“The possibility is…”

He could not confidently say it was nonexistent.

“This may be presumptuous, but may I offer one piece of advice?”

“By all ans. I like your advice.”

“I know you and Balraf Dislode have worked together for a long ti and have mutually benefited, but I see signs that he is beginning to slip beyond your control, Demon King.”

The way he had bared his teeth at Jason, the way he had killed Ugar simply because he failed to capture Reina.

All despite whose help he had grown so smoothly.

“Humans are not to be trusted. When goodwill continues, they mistake it for entitlent. Balraf Dislode takes your favour for granted. If necessary, he will surely betray you.”

“Is that how you see it?”

“Yes.”

“You are mistaken. What I gave Lord Balraf was not goodwill, but a transaction. It has continued for quite so ti, and it was a transactional relationship that satisfied both sides. Although the relationship has been sowhat strained due to the variable called Lord Berje…”

Not yet. Not yet.

“Of course, there is no denying that Lord Balraf has grown. He is under the great delusion that he achieved everything on his own.”

“Indeed. He will beco the greatest obstacle to your grand undertaking, Demon King.”

“That will be the case if Lord Berje dies.”

“There are many heroes. There is no imdiate replacent for him, but one can be created in ti. Moreover, do you not hold a card that can deal with him?”

“No.”

Jason shook his head firmly.

“There is no hero who can replace him. Anywhere. That is why he—no, why Balraf Dislode—is special.”

“...To be honest, I do not understand why you are so obsessed with Balraf Dislode.”

“Lord Aina. How long has it been since you beca my adjutant?”

“Exactly 114 years.”

“My previous adjutant was killed by a hero, and that is when I appointed you.”

“Yes.”

Originally, adjutants were assigned to Demon Kings by the Demon Realm. But that did not an they could never be changed.

“...In that case, you may not know. So please just rember that Balraf Dislode is special.”

“...Understood.”

“Although things have diverged greatly from the original objective, he still has great value in another sense.”

And perhaps—

“If things go well, it may even proceed according to the original objective. If he subjugates the Demon King of Dark Fla, and further, even Lord Dorche.”

“The original objective would be?”

“I suppose it could be explained as ‘faithfully following the Standard’.”

Jason avoided giving a detailed explanation, and Aina did not ask further.

Because his eyes were chillingly cold.

* * *

“...An ergency convocation order?”

『Yes. Not only the elders of the Guild, but also Argann and all mid-ranking Guild executives have been issued the order.』

“That is strange. As far as I know, the only one who can do that is…”

Of course, it was an ergency. Hundreds of heroes had been swept away by a Demon King, and a Star had died.

Even if killing the Gold-Steel Demon King had partially restored their shattered honor, such deep wounds did not vanish completely.

But humans were always inefficient beings. They would even risk their lives for authority or empty formalities.

If an ergency convocation order were to be issued, it should have happened long ago.

When the Demon King of Dark Fla attacked the Empire.

When hundreds of heroes lost their lives.

But it did not happen. Because there was only one person who could issue an ergency convocation order to the entire Guild.

『...Yes. The Guildmaster has returned.』

And Hillan’s prediction was correct.

“...I will prepare at once and go.”

The supre authority of the Hero Guild, who had vanished for over a dozen years, finally broke his long seclusion and reappeared.