Chapter 395
Chapter 395
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 395
Chapter Title: Unknown Threat (1)
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Two leaders who commanded factions of similar scale had gathered in one place.
A highly symbolic meeting that could shake the entire state of affairs in the Demon World.
Yet the atmospheres they exuded were so starkly different that it felt awkward for them to even share the same space.
"Nice to meet you! This is the first time seeing you in person. I'm Hella. Looking forward to working with you?"
A beauty who seemed to brighten her surroundings just by existing greeted him with a friendly smile.
The long pair of horns extending from her head and her mismatched reverse eyes only added to her unique charm amid the peculiar aura enveloping her.
She waved lightly as she stepped into the room.
"Have a seat."
In contrast, the one already seated there was utterly plain.
No, beyond plain—he radiated a drabness from his entire being that seemed capable of turning the world monochrome just by his presence.
His pitch-black robe draped long over the floor, and on his head sat an inverted goat skull with horns curving downward.
His appearance was so eerie it made even the Immortal King seem tame by comparison.
A inexplicable surge of competitive spirit welled up within Hella at the sight.
'Talk about killer visuals. And on closer look, that's not even a mask? His head is actually shaped like that!'
There were humanoid demons and beast-type demons, so an undead-type demon wasn't all that strange.
Undead inherently carried such strong negative connotations that they paired surprisingly well with demons anyway.
'But no matter how I look at it, he doesn't seem like your run-of-the-mill undead.'
She was the world's foremost authority on undead—far beyond mere expertise—so she knew she wasn't mistaken.
Black Rock Duke Pieta was undead only in parts like his head and some of his body, while the rest functioned relatively intact—a peculiar state.
'Fascinating. Undead flesh and living tissue coexisting in one body.'
Such a thing was only possible because he was a demon, not some ordinary lifeform.
Hella's eyes sparkled with intellectual curiosity as she examined him from every angle.
She had been in the Demon World for a decent while now, but encountering such a unique being was a first for her.
"...Staring like that at a first meeting is rude, you know."
Of course, such scrutiny was bound to irk the subject himself.
Unable to endure her rudeness any longer, the Black Rock Duke spat out a curt remark.
"Oh, sorry! I just got too carried away with curiosity."
"I understand. Demi-Corpses are rare even in the Demon World."
"Thanks for understanding. But that head of yours is seriously cool! Honestly, it's totally my type."
"...Appreciated."
"Not just polite flattery. In fact, if I could, I'd love to just..."
She trailed off.
She had nearly blurted out her true thought: that she'd rip his head off right then and mount it on the wall as a trophy!
Even she, who rarely minded others' opinions, knew that would be wildly inappropriate here.
'No, can't do that. Not here to fight.'
It wasn't yet time to clash with him.
Brushing past the awkward end to her sentence, she flashed another bright smile and smoothly changed the subject.
"...Oh right! My bad. This here's Davidson. Cute, right?"
"Kakakak!"
As if in agreement, all three heads opened wide, baring ferocious fangs.
Deep in their throats flickered vivid crimson flames.
Whether due to the effect or not, Pieta ignored her vague trailing words and turned his attention to Davidson.
"That's hellfire. A Cerberus variant, perhaps? No, seems closer to a chimera..."
For a magic specialist like him, an unknown entity was prime material to satisfy both curiosity and thirst for knowledge.
Especially one that looked like no pushover at first glance.
Were it not for the setting, he would have pulled out all the stops to claim that creature as a test subject.
'Though what truly piques my interest is over there.'
As he observed Davidson with fascination, Pieta's gaze shifted to Hella, who was affectionately patting her pet monster's back beside it.
Again, the result was the same no matter how many times he checked.
'No doubt about it. That's unmistakably the presence of a Demon King. And that appearance so eerily resembling the 14th...
Like an immutable law, the distinctive aura destined to lord over all Demon World denizens pressed upon his mind and body.
For a duke like him, it was merely uncomfortable, but add that unique 'demonic charisma,' and it became a nightmarish mental assault for any marquis or lower.
Any full-effort battle would fizzle out before it began; merely sharing space would subconsciously sway them to her side.
Worse were those already enthralled yet feigning loyalty—they were the real danger.
Her mere existence preemptively sealed off any minions' interference, a cheat ability if there ever was one.
'All while strengthening her own followers even more. Utterly unfair. We barely dealt with the 14th, and now the successor shows up?'
His head spun with swirling thoughts, but he suppressed them all for now.
That wasn't what mattered at the moment.
"Shall we get down to business? You want Helheim to inherit the alliance contract between Demoniac and Abnormal?"
First, address the immediate issue.
The gap between Dark Nest and the other two factions had long grown too wide for direct confrontation.
Without close cooperation, they would have been devoured by the overwhelming top dog ages ago.
Thus, reestablishing ties with the force whose leadership had changed was top priority.
"Have to, right? Otherwise, opposing them gets too tough. I didn't claw my way here just to crumble right away."
The same held for Helheim, whose forces were swelling at an alarming rate.
Yet she couldn't swallow Demoniac in a blitz like she did Abnormal.
With the element of surprise gone, Black Rock Duke wouldn't go down easy, and Dark Nest—ever watchful for openings—wouldn't ignore the ensuing chaos.
'Feared as much. No easy angle here. Even brought Davidson hoping for a chance to pounce.'
Mindful of the precedent with Ghoulang Duke, Pieta had meticulously planned this meeting.
Ensuring his safety amid any variables.
Provoking him rashly here would only hand Dark Nest a golden opportunity.
'No helping it. Maintain balance for now and bide time.'
Having achieved the goal of absorbing Abnormal, the current state wasn't bad.
Such precarious balances never lasted anyway.
"...You must know by now, but Dark Nest keeps sending those white monsters, wearing down our frontline troops' morale severely. Leave it be, and we'll collapse from exhaustion before we can counterattack."
To avert that dire situation, tight cooperation between the second- and third-place factions was essential.
Unlike the two dukes with their long-standing grudges, Hella was a wildcard who had shattered all prior alliances to rise.
With aligned interests, talks of collaboration flowed smoothly.
The content wasn't complex anyway—just refrain from infighting until Dark Nest fell.
Agreements wrapped up quickly.
"...We'll let the poaching from Demoniac's ranks slide for now. Times and positions have changed since then. But that's it. Reach out again, and..."
"Ahem! No worries. I live by faith and honor alone."
Slightly guilty amid the process, but in worldly affairs, nothing mattered until caught.
Hella shook hands with Pieta, mentally noting to rein in her swayed minions again.
'But...'
'If opportunity knocks...'
Of course, outward appearances only.
Neither intended to maintain this alliance long-term.
'Long-term, a bigger threat than Dark Nest. Need to prepare now before it's too late.'
'Her thoughts are obvious. Can't read expressions with that skull.'
Pieta and Hella, harboring divergent dreams.
"Kakakaka—!"
Thus began a temporary bedding with a potential foe—like a ticking time bomb.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ The great city of Tarac, situated in the northern reaches of Tulk Kingdom.
Fwaaah—
Holy light poured from the gate in the basement of Tarac Temple, where visitors had surged with the city's growth.
Three figures emerged one by one from beyond.
They quickly exchanged greetings with the temple priests before stepping out to face the dramatically developed metropolis.
"Feels like no time has passed since my last visit, yet it's changed beyond recognition."
The petite girl grand mage, Isea Pristin, murmured in quiet admiration as she surveyed the city.
It was her first time back since slaying the colossal white giant that had assaulted the city.
Back then, chaos gripped the streets, and battle damage was widespread, but the current vibrant skyline erased all memory of that.
"Indeed, a sight to behold. I thought it impressive even then, but to advance this far in just over a year. Shame the Saintess couldn't join us."
High Elf Lydia Granwood followed Isea, voicing mild regret.
Having overcome countless trials as the Hero Party's female trio, they had grown close personally too, so Lydia felt the Saintess's absence keenly amid her other duties.
"The Saintess has her hands full, as you know. Besides, our visit here is an extension of that very work, isn't it?"
Bringing up the rear.
A man in a voluminous robe stepped forward slowly, his gentle voice accompanying.
From under the hood peeked strands of radiant silver hair and golden eyes sparkling like captured sunlight.
It was Heinrich Saint Landgard—the Holy Son of the Church of the Main God, Aouterica's foremost faith.
"We still haven't pinpointed the unknown threat the Saintess sensed. Everyone, stay vigilant and press the investigation."
"Wise words."
"Understood, Holy Son."
"Ah, drop the 'Holy Son' title for now. Better hide our identities where possible. Few will link 'Heinrich' straight to me, so use my name going forward."
The famed Holy Son and Hero Party's presence alone could spark massive buzz in the city.
For smooth inquiries, anonymity was key.
"If hiding your identity, you should cover your face properly first. Hood or no, Heinrich, yours gives you away instantly."
"Right. Hair aside, those eyes are too striking..."
"Ahaha... Not something I can control."
Heinrich chuckled sheepishly at his comrades' points.
Even in darkness, he glowed like a human lighthouse; the hood's shadow helped little.
Needless to say, god-blessed hair and eyes defied dye or lenses.
"...Hmm, procuring plain full plate armor seems best."
"Helm too."
At Lydia's innocent addition, Heinrich sighed softly.
Unless it was the Church's premium 'Guardian of Glory,' daily life in standard full plate wouldn't be comfy.
Yet in Tarac—a strategic hub linking the northern mountains—full-plated wanderers weren't rare, making it ideal for concealment.
'Better than suspiciously wrapping the face in cloth.'
Self-convinced, he nodded—then smacked his lips.
A sudden doubt: was all this necessary?
He had urged the group to stay tense, yet he himself felt zero anxiety.
For good reason.
He already had a solid guess about the 'unknown threat' the Saintess sensed.
'She detected Hella's arrival in Aouterica. Hid thoroughly, but impressive as expected.'
And that meant, with Hella gone to the Demon World, nothing lingered here.
Hubert Merchant Group's city-wide investments had deployed hybrid vampires everywhere, boosting security sky-high too.
'Well... call it a short vacation.'
Busy with skirmishes against the undead army lately, a few leisurely days wouldn't hurt.
Time to inspect Tarac's progress in Hubert's stead, stuck in his office.
"Speaking of, what's up with that Haley guy? No word lately."
"As Mercenary King, probably on some secret commission?"
Thus, the Hero Party slowly entered the city streets.
A key Hubert-held outpost in Aouterica—and where the Saintess-sensed unknown threat lurked.