The Demon King Overrun by Heroes Chapter 217 : Subjugation

Chapter 217: Subjugation

The bitter cup of failure wounded their pride and, furthermore, reawakened a fear they had long forgotten.

That was why the Alliance had sharpened its blades before, and before that as well.

To reclaim the initiative that was slipping away.

The Empire’s sudden withdrawal caused confusion, but precisely because of that, they had no choice but to give it their all.

Tens of thousands of elite troops who had failed to make even a single proper contribution during the hero’s march that lost the floating battleship regrouped. Even more forces gathered beyond that.

One hundred thousand.

A massive army of no less than one hundred thousand assembled before the lake.

It was excessive for subjugating a single Demon King. Especially since, unlike Dark Fla, this was a False one that required no search of a tower.

However, in the eyes of the kingdoms seeking to restore their utterly shattered pride, nothing else was visible.

The greater the numbers and the stronger the force, the less they worried about failure, so they spared no effort.

But it was not all good.

With too many boatn, the boat headed for the mountains.

When people ford a group, they struggled to beco the leader. Let alone an allied army composed of dozens of kingdoms.

Where the tiger was gone, the fox beca king, and where the Empire had withdrawn, Arkan was the most powerful.

Arkan had contributed the largest forces, included the strongest individuals, and held the greatest support from other nations, so it was, in a way, only natural that Arkan would take the position of supre commander.

However, this ti there was a variable.

Ernan Hilderan.

The Crown Princess of the Kingdom of Hilderan, and the contractor of the Spirit King.

The authority and power she possessed were already overwhelming compared to anyone present, and since her assistance was indispensable for subjugating the tower on the lake, no one could easily open their mouth.

As everyone gauged the situation, Ernan slowly spoke.

“I have no interest in the position of supre commander.”

“Is that truly so?”

So nobles brightened.

“It is.”

Power, honor, nation.

Ernan had never been interested in such things. And that was still the sa now.

Yet at the sa ti, she believed that power had to be wielded to build honor and strengthen the nation.

And that was never for her father’s sake.

‘For the Demon King.’

And for the people of the continent.

She believed that Berje’s conquest of the continent would surely succeed. In the process, an imnse amount of blood would probably be shed.

Ernan did not want that.

Of course, one person close to her was more precious than thousands she did not know. But that did not an she would stand by and allow aningless deaths. If it could be avoided, it should be avoided; if it could be stopped, it should be stopped.

That was why she had to completely take control of Hilderan.

She had to elevate Hilderan’s standing even further.

So that Hilderan could beco the catalyst that broke the will of the continent.

But the thod was not limited to taking the role of supre commander. That was rely one path.

This battlefield was a lake. There were countless elents in which she could shine, so there was no need to cling to the hollow title of commander.

Especially since becoming the head ant she could not personally enter the battlefield to command.

“Is that so?”

Duke Olten of Arkan nodded calmly.

It had been a matter already under agreent from the start. In exchange for him taking the role of supre commander, Hilderan would also be credited with great achievents.

“Then Her Highness Ernan Hilderan has withdrawn as a candidate, and the rest will be decided by vote.”

Twelve commanders representing each kingdom, and the newly elected Guildmaster of the Hero Guild. A total of thirteen votes found their destination.

Duke Olten beca the supre commander.

“I will accept congratulations later and imdiately explain the plan going forward.”

At Duke Olten’s gesture, a massive map was unfurled. Gracikal Lake and its surroundings, and the island at its center.

“Within the next three days, all remaining troops and ships will arrive here, at Torn Port.”

Hundreds of warships and transport vessels to carry one hundred thousand troops. Once they arrived, after brief maintenance, the subjugation would begin.

“The two most important points are these: safely reaching the central island where the tower is, and safely landing to assault the tower.”

“There is a high likelihood that monsters released by the False Demon King are present in the lake. Therefore…”

The eting grew deeper.

* * *

Shwaaa—

A massive vessel cut through the water.

At the bow of the ship filled with heroes, Ernan spread both arms.

“What are you doing?”

“I feel good.”

“About what?”

Ernan smiled as Berje, changed into Pale, asked.

“Just everything. The wind is nice, the water is nice, the lake is beautiful. It would be even better if the Demon King were backing up from behind.”

“There are many eyes watching.”

“It’s fascinating.”

“What is?”

“That we’re on a ship from the hero’s march, with hundreds of heroes together, and we’re with the Demon King?”

It was natural. Because the guild had packed all the heroes participating in this hero’s march onto one ship, and they were all Berje’s subordinates.

“This hero’s march… it’ll succeed, right?”

“I can’t guarantee it.”

“Even the Demon King has monts without confidence?”

Or perhaps not.

She murmured.

“Thinking back, you didn’t have confidence from the start.”

“What did you say?”

“Isn’t it true? Back then, when you asked to stop Sir Hillan, you looked pretty anxious.”

“…….”

He had been anxious. At the ti, all Berje had was his adjutant Gordon and one mad dwarf nad Roger.

His released interference power was almost nonexistent, and the strength of his true body was weak. He had to grasp at even a straw.

“A Demon Dragon is always confident.”

“Your eyes were shaking quite a bit back then.”

“My eyes are always steadfast.”

“You were fretting because you didn’t know how I’d answer, weren’t you?”

“I asked because I knew you would accept.”

“Really?”

Ernan narrowed her eyes and leaned her face close. A sweet scent washed over him.

“Did you put on perfu?”

“Is that important?”

“It slls good.”

“I knew it, right? It’s my favorite. But why are you changing the subject?”

“…….”

“Do you know how shocked I was back then? Honestly, telling a princess to stop a hero.”

“And yet you went on to create sothing called the Four Heavenly Kings.”

“It had more impact than just going out and saying sothing. That’s why Sir Hillan was flustered, and it worked well.”

“Well, his expression back then was sothing to behold. I thought the world was ending that day.”

The conversation between the Crown Princess and the Demon King flowed on quietly.

“Really?”

“That didn’t happen.”

“The Demon King said it did.”

“I’ve never heard of it.”

“Then what about the dwarf charging in with a hamr?”

“That part is true. He’s the bastard currently commanding the dwarves in the tower.”

“And the part where his expression was even more worth seeing?”

“I know nothing about that.”

Hillan felt like covering his ears. His first eting with Ernan Hilderan—no, with the Spirit Sorceress of Darkness—was his dark history.

A bolt from the blue in a life devoted to humanity while aiming for the position of Guildmaster. If he could go back, he would never have taken part in the Dark Fla Tower hero’s march.

“The Demon King doesn’t lie.”

“He does it well.”

“He does it well?”

“Especially when he swears upon the First Demon Emperor and The Demon King’s Standard. That has a 99% probability of being a lie.”

“Really? That’s good advice. I should take it seriously. After all, it’s advice from the Guildmaster himself.”

Rozel engraved it firmly in her mind.

anwhile, the conversation between the Demon King and the Crown Princess entered a new phase.

“By the way, why didn’t you co to Hilderan? You said you would.”

“…I was busy.”

“I heard from Lavinia that you were spending a leisurely ti together at the annex palace.”

“I was avoiding the mages pestering …”

“Is that really all?”

“Then what else?”

“There are strange rumors in Arkan…”

Berje’s and Ernan’s gazes turned simultaneously toward the lake.

“…We should talk about it later.”

“Hm, there are quite a lot of them.”

The heroes who realized it belatedly began drawing their weapons one by one, preparing for battle.

“It doesn’t matter how many there are.”

As long as this was a lake.

Ernan sensed the flow of water.

- This place is filled with lifeforms that do not originally belong here.

The Water Spirit King shared her senses. Enraged at the disrupted ecosystem, the Spirit King seethed.

- They all need to be swept away and purified.

The water responded to the king’s anger.

Waves radiating from the ship sought out the uninvited guests revealing their killing intent.

Ernan snapped her fingers.

A small ripple occurred. That was all. But soon, blood rising from below dyed the lake red.

Monts later, the corpses of sea monsters with holes pierced through their foreheads floated up.

But that was only the beginning.

Shrrrr—

The ripples in the water increased. Drawn by the sll of blood, the number of monsters swarming in beca countless.

“The False Demon King sure has a lot of monsters.”

“Monsters, many. More?”

Lavinia, who had been quietly sitting atop Cher, brightened as she looked at the rising monster corpses.

“Sister Lavinia, not now.”

“Can’t?”

“Later.”

“Okay.”

“Lady Aina.”

“Yes, Your Highness.”

“It seems the waves might get a bit rough.”

“I will protect the ship.”

Although she was completely overshadowed by Ernan, the contractor of the Spirit King, she was still an exceptionally skilled grand water mage. Given that this was a lake, it was no exaggeration to say she was the most reliable force to protect the ship right now, second to Ernan.

Ernan’s body floated lightly. Aina began chanting. A thick barrier of water enveloped the ship.

At the sa ti—

─!

──!

Ripples spread across the once-calm lake.

A whirlpool ford, sucking everything in. Water was drawn up high into the sky.

Along the rising streams of water, the massive bodies of monsters and beasts were lifted together.

Kwakakakak—

It was a gigantic grinder. Sharpened blades of water rotated, shredding everything.

Blood mixed with screams splattered in all directions.

The water churned. Waves and surges rolled.

“No matter how many co.”

None of them would be able to pass her.

- Yes, as my contractor, you should naturally have that confidence.

- But there are quite a lot of them.

- A foolish thod. In terms of numbers, we are not lacking either.

Water mana gathered by the king’s will tore open space.

From the gaping rifts, the king’s subordinates erged.

- It is the king’s summons!

- Exterminate all the monsters!

- Finally, we’re out!

Upper-grade, mid-grade, lower-grade. More than a thousand water spirits dove into the lake.

- Ernan! I missed you!

Only one was different.

- There’s a rumor you’ve gotten even sweeter with the Demon King! How far have you gone? Lady Naias won’t tell anything! That’s dirty and unfair! This is an abuse of power!

- I have the right to watch this play too! I discovered it first! I was the first audience!

“…Why do I feel happy yet not happy to see you after so long?”

- Please understand. Despite appearances, she’s a fairly capable upper-grade spirit. Nairuniel, hurry and go command the spirits. Sweep away those lawless monsters.

- Yes. Ernan, you have to tell after this is over.

Nairuniel belatedly dove into the water.

The ships advanced through the path cleansed red.

At last, the island appeared in the distance. The towering tower ca into view.

“Battle formation!”

The ships that had arrived with ease ford an encirclent around the island. Though nothing was visible yet, they did not lower their guard, given that this was the Demon King’s tower.

At that mont—

- ………!

Sensing an anomaly, the Spirit King drew up the water of the lake. Condensed by the king’s mana, it beca a massive shield.

────!

But the hastily ford shield failed to fulfill its role and vanished.

The black flash surged forth with little loss of power.

Ernan drew up her mana, but before her, a shadow interposed itself between her and the flash.

Black-crimson flas surged.

────!

A massive shockwave swallowed the surroundings.

The explosion raised waves. A surge followed. The ships rocked.

“…Interesting.”

Berje shook off the lingering impact from his arm.

“Thank you.”

Ernan stood beside him.

Far away, the tower was visible. The island was visible. Upon it stood a demon race individual with black wings spread wide and horns sprouting from its head.

No—could that really be confined to simply ‘demon race’?

- That is a Demon King.

The Spirit King declared.

“That is indeed a Demon King.”

Berje also declared.

“But it is not the False Demon King…”

“It is the one that has newly descended.”

He had not expected that one to be Jason’s dog.

No—he had never imagined that Jason would take another Demon King as a subordinate.

‘Because of ?’

Probably. Berje was certain.

In the brief mont his mind wandered, when he looked forward again, many things had changed.

Shadows ford beside the soaring Demon Dragon.

They were monsters. Beasts. Demons.

An uncountable legion of monsters awaited them.

On the island.

In the lake.

And in the sky.

“My goodness!”

“Are all of those monsters?”

“There are so many!”

The murmurs of the fleets following behind pierced Berje’s ears.

“Prepare the mana cannons!”

“Maintain formation!”

“Prepare for battle!”

They were voices steeped in fear, yet also resolute in preparation for combat.

“That’s quite a rough welco.”

“And a grand one.”

“Looks like they intend to face us outside.”

“Seems so.”

A tower amplifies a Demon King’s power. It is not sothing that can be destroyed from the outside.

Thus, eting enemies from within is the standard approach. Then why had Jason chosen to face an army of one hundred thousand outside?

“What is he scheming?”

He did not know the exact reason. But one thing was certain—Jason was brimming with confidence.

“We can’t take this lightly.”

Berje folded his arms.

‘Claws and scales are out.’

By consuming the Dragon Heart, Berje’s mana and demonic energy had completely fused. Whether he used mana or demonic energy, the absolute amount was the sa.

If there was a problem, it was that he could not reveal his true body. Having to hide his claws and scales was a considerable risk.

“Hillan Cargill.”

He called Hillan.

“Yes.”

“Hand over your sword.”

“…Pardon?”

“Hand it over.”

“…….”

Hillan offered up the sword made from a dragon’s bone.

“Ernan.”

“Yes. Leave the opening move to .”

“No. Aside from those approaching this ship, do not touch anything.”

“What?”

“There are one hundred thousand of them.”

How strong the confident human alliance army truly was—

“We need to check.”

“Yes.”

At that mont—

“Fire!”

“Fire!”

Thousands of mana cannons erupted at once.

Monsters and beasts charged forward, shrieking.

The battle began.