Confronting the Demon King
Colonel Hotsix of the Red Bulls Knights, commander of the unit, was breaking out in a cold sweat.
If a spell gets interrupted midway through casting, it causes massive backlash damage. Even if we chalk it up to that upper demon botching a large-scale flame magic ritual and getting reverse-summoned back to the demon realm from the blowback...
But a being on the level of an upper demon wouldn't make a mistake like that. Which means some external force strong enough to cancel its massive flame magic must have intervened.
But...
All that pink-haired boy in front of him had done was casually raise his left hand and flick it, right?
What the hell just happened?
Hotsix began scrutinizing Cliche closely. Everything about him was ordinary except for that eerily beautiful face. His pink hair was a bit unusual, sure, but it wasn't exactly rare.
Right then, a mutter came from beside him—Brigadier General Padding, leader of the Black Yack Knights.
"I see! Now it makes sense!"
"...?"
Hotsix turned his head, and Padding shouted.
"That brat must've snuck in and landed the finishing blow on something we almost had in the bag!"
"...!"
Hotsix's pupils shook. A finishing blow? Was that supposed to explain this?
But Padding was rambling on like he was in a daze, desperately trying to cram the situation into his own common sense.
"That's how magic works, right? It demands total focus, so if something interrupts midway and rattles your nerves, of course the casting fails!"
Padding kept going. He seemed more focused on convincing himself first before anyone else—and it looked like it was working, somewhat.
Hotsix asked cautiously.
"But aren't demons a battle race that lives to fight? Magic and destruction are everyday stuff for them... You really think a kid interrupting would make one self-destruct like that?"
"What else explains it?"
"... "
"You saying that pink kid just flicked his hand and sent an upper demon packing back to the demon realm?"
"...Th-that's..."
"He must've just hit upper demon status and still be green about it. Let's just go with that."
Hotsix had no choice but to nod at Padding's curt explanation.
"But that's not the point right now," Padding said, his face turning grave. "If that upper demon's death draws the attention of something from an even higher realm..."
It was a real possibility. Demons call to demons. When one dies, others sense the mana ripple and swarm in—for the thrill of fighting something stronger!
Demons, that battle-loving race, saw dying to a superior foe as the ultimate honor. From birth, they endlessly fought, seeking the one who could kill them.
With an upper demon dead here, something even stronger was bound to be lured in. Not right now, maybe, but eventually.
"Th-then we need to pull back fast..."
The moment Hotsix opened his mouth—
Kuoooooo!
The mountains beyond lit up brilliantly.
Kururuk!
The flames, which had died down a bit with the upper demon's death, roared back hotter than ever. Dying embers everywhere reignited and swelled.
From beyond the mountains, massive pillars of fire shot skyward.
Crimson Flames. Like a giant serpent from myth, it slithered across the range toward them.
"A reaction this fast!?"
Padding's shout drew a yell from Roin in the refugee tent.
"I told you! The Demon King has descended!"
Hearing her, Padding's face twisted in fury. He'd brushed off the country girl's words as nonsense—that was his mistake.
"Wh-what's... comin'... sis~~?"
Hotse's eyes narrowed. Her hand went to the hilt at her waist; the approaching flame storm's momentum was ferocious. Far beyond what the upper demon had spewed.
Like red veins cracking across distant peaks, the inferno spread at terrifying speed—straight toward them. Visible to the naked eye!
Padding and Hotsix went pale.
The entity approaching, thrilled by the upper demon's death. The flames surging toward them reeked of savage glee and madness.
Great Demon!
That was the thought in both Sword Masters' minds. Great Demons were Demon King-tier. Just one descending to the human realm turned the world into hell.
It was serious enough for martial law across every nation.
"Retre—"
Padding whirled on his soldiers.
"Retreat!"
The troops scrambled to pack up. As they turned their horses—
"Stop right there!"
Roin blocked their path.
"Where do you think you're going, abandoning the people?!"
She scolded the two knights. Padding's eyes narrowed.
"How dare a country bumpkin block knights? Don't you get it? We go back to fetch reinforcements!"
"You need to evacuate these refugees first!"
Roin pointed to the terrified villagers huddled in the field tents. For a country girl, it was astonishing courage.
But Padding just scoffed.
"Colonel!" he barked at Hotsix behind him. "Ignore her and pack up quick. Follow me."
Padding led the Black Yack Knights past Roin and galloped down the mountain.
"... "
Hotsix bit his lip.
"Sorry, everyone. We'll definitely bring reinforcements!"
He bowed to Roin, Swain, and the villagers, then spurred his horse past her.
"... "
Swain watched the retreating army with mixed feelings. He got it—the knights and soldiers' panic. With a Demon King descending, they might've thought rushing back to report was priority, to minimize human losses.
But only some needed to go. Knights should stay, hold off the demon, protect the refugees. That's why the people paid taxes and obeyed the king, wasn't it...?
"Ahh! Knights... the nation abandoning its people! How heartbroken His late Majesty would've been!"
Roin staggered, shocked by the knights' backs. It was an oddly grand line for a country girl, but no one had time to notice.
Right then—
Thud.
Someone caught the collapsing Roin. Cliche.
"Don't worry, Roin."