100. Hide, Right Now
The snowfield was vast.
It was cold year-round.
The blizzards that dumped snow every other day obstructed visibility, and the biting chill froze everything in its path.
It was a natural counter.
Even to Berge Dayas, the Black Flame Dragon and fire dragon.
Even to Pale, bearer of the phoenix's flames.
The snowfield was no place they enjoyed.
Especially since Reina Sordain's presence permeated everywhere, as if proudly proclaiming this her domain.
Snuck into another Demon King's territory for the second time, and it still didn't sit well.
"Can we find Lord Hillon?"
"Easy."
Of course. Armani's Orb was embedded in the bastard's head. Unless his skull exploded or he jumped dimensions, there was no escaping Berge's grasp.
But knowing wasn't the same as reaching him easily.
The snowfield.
The domain of the Frost Demon King, Reina Sordain.
She wouldn't appear in her Demon King form, so nothing like the Drakson fiasco would happen... but...
On the flip side, without full power, who knows if I can even save Hillon.
Even at full strength, it was debatable.
He hadn't reinforced the tower, expanded the territory, or bought anything to mitigate dimensional interference, so Berge's raw power hadn't changed much since his descent.
Vivian Blunt, the succubus who descended later and started weak, was one thing—but compared to the other three Demon Kings, he was inevitably weaker.
And the situation's the worst possible.
Reina had declared Hillon an example.
If she was that confident, she wouldn't half-ass it.
She wouldn't step in personally, but...
High-grade frost demons were probably swarming out in droves.
If they came at him, even current Berge couldn't win.
Damn it all.
He had to rescue Hillon Kargil through hordes of monsters, beasts, and demons—without getting outed as a Demon King.
Alein's bullshit difficulty made him want to curse the world.
Shouldn't have tried fixing that arrogant streak...
It had become the worst-case scenario.
He admitted it. This was his mistake.
Underestimated Reina Sordain. Overtrusted Hillon Kargil. Believed the habit-breaking would work.
One slip, and everything he'd built since descending could crumble.
Well, not everything—but most of it.
Still, not too late to turn it around.
Just save Hillon unscathed, and nothing changes.
The problem was how.
Couldn't brute-force through.
In a snowfield with nothing but snow and monsters, scheming was tough.
If nothing's there, make something.
Berge headed south again. The straight-line teleport cost a fortune in magic points, but who cared.
"Demon King!"
"No time for chit-chat. Hand over everything you've got, now."
"Wouldn't it be better if I used them myself?"
"Can you survive the snowfield? No spare attention for babysitting you while we run."
"Truth is, dwarves prefer the south over the north anyway."
He grabbed what he needed and rejoined Ernan Hildean and Granada up north.
Took three days. Solved what money could buy with money; the rest by sprinting.
"Not too delayed, I hope?"
"Don't worry. He's alive."
If Hillon Kargil died, Armani's Orb would vanish. And its destruction would alert the owner.
The orb hadn't signaled Berge yet.
"Good. But will this even help?"
"Better than nothing."
Just make them hesitate a moment. Escape was his specialty.
"Ernan, you..."
"I'll come too."
"Snowfield's dangerous. Need to grab Hillon fast and bolt—no time to watch you."
"Don't need watching."
"That confident?"
"I'll even help. Especially here."
"Basis?"
"Nairuniel."
"Right."
Made sense.
Ernan Hildean was an exceptional spirit summoner. Summoning a Spirit King proved it.
She pulled her weight anywhere, but ice—from water spirits she commanded—shined brightest in the snowfield.
Plus, her progress outpaced her pre-regression self.
Mid-grade demon at least—maybe even hold off weak high-grade ones.
Assuming no frost demons.
Either way, she'd help, not hinder.
"Fine."
"Thank you!"
"And you..."
"I'm in, obviously. You didn't think I'd bail, did you?"
Granada had some history with Hillon Kargil, but he wasn't weak.
Early on, weakened by long enslavement, Berge took him easily—but not now. Hero gigs had sharpened him noticeably.
This guy's no ordinary elf.
Elves' blind loyalty said as much.
He hid it, and it wasn't crucial, so Berge hadn't pried—but he guessed.
"Yes."
"Let's go."
They scaled the city walls northward.
White snow thickened on the barren land. Flakes began dumping.
"No monsters."
"Wouldn't be."
All headed for Hillon Kargil. Not good news—meant he was in deep shit.
Clear destination made navigation simple.
They raced. Elves adapted fast in forests or anywhere; spirit summoners with high water spirits kept pace.
Hours. Days.
Clash of battle echoed through the blizzard.
Shadows of countless monsters, beasts' malice, demons' auras.
Berge suppressed his presence.
No sight of Hillon amid the monster wall. But familiar mana and Armani's Orb pinpointed him dead center.
"...Too many. What now?"
"I have a plan."
"As expected of the Demon King. What is it?"
"Blast through, grab Hillon, get out."
"...Brilliant plan."
Ignored Granada's sarcasm.
No real plan existed. Too sudden—just save the guy somehow.
"First, draw attention."
Opened sub-space, pulled out Roger Friedri's haul.
Twenty mana cannons gleamed.
"...My god. That's what you went for..."
"Yeah. Twenty won't sweep them, but enough to distract."
Not ordinary mana cannons. Infused with dimensional interference by a top Berft craftsman.
One regret: regular mana stones, not tainted ones.
Magic points boosted damage but risked suspicion.
"Blast the front with mana cannons, I'll slip through the gap for Hillon. You two keep firing..."
Berge trailed off.
Hillon's aura weakened sharply. Magic points thickened. Blood scent intensified.
Alarms blared in his head.
Something was wrong.
"What's wrong?"
Ernan Hildean's question hung unanswered. Berge was gone.
Flames erupted over his body.
He soared.
Like a phoenix from legend.
No more stealth. He floated openly.
Hillon teetered amid the horde, on death's door.
Caked in gore and filth. But alive.
That sufficed.
Draw their eyes.
Keep them off Hillon.
Fwoosh—
Flames surged from him. Heat blasted; all eyes locked on.
He plunged in.
Trails longer than imagined.
Unlike suppressed magic points from interference, phoenix power was native here.
A mythical beast rivaling dragons—not to underestimate. Effort meant growth.
And flames, though different...
Were Berge's specialty.
BOOM—
Massive explosion.
World lit up. Heat wave hit. Shockwave followed.
Only some high-grade demons endured fully.
Armand...
His gaze fixed on the frost demon hounding Hillon.
Familiar face. Reina's aide from Frost Demon Tower.
"...Demon King Berge?"
He muttered blankly.
"No, impossible..."
Shook his head.
Shit.
Berge realized his mask was half-gone. Crude thing, no spells or engravings—shattered by the blast.
"What nonsense?"
No demon would peg him as Berge from face alone.
"Who the hell are you?"
"Human."
Calm reply. Armand reformed an ice spear from melting remnants.
Questions galore. Why the Berge doppelganger face? How sneak past senses? Who was he?
Trivial before his aura.
Not a hero. But...
Deadlier than most.
Knows Hillon Kargil.
Hero who slew two Demon Kings, plus this guy?
Worst nightmare for demons.
Doesn't matter who. Just kill him.
Hillon Kargil. Berge-lookalike human. Both.
"You die here."
Armand charged. Berge, drained from the flame burst, gritted teeth and reignited.
Retreated beasts bared fangs again.
Then—
Bang-bang-bang—
Dozens of booms rocked the snowfield.
Explosions roared. Monsters screamed.
All in an instant.
"...Mana cannons?"
Humans here already?
Armand's pupils dilated. Focus shattered.
That split-second.
Flame and lightning struck him. He missed blocking them.
"Stop them!"
Too late. Meteor-like human breached encirclement. Relentless mana cannons widened gaps.
And above all.
Crack—
Slash—
Monsters couldn't stop those two.
"Lord Armand!"
"Pursue now!"
Armand led demons in frantic chase.
"Pale!"
"Run!"
"The mana cannons..."
"Smash 'em."
No time to grab leisurely. Couldn't leave them either—burn it all.
Flames hit mana cannons. Ammo met fire in spectacular blasts, stalling demons again.
"Roger's gonna cry."
"His tears don't matter. Hillon Kargil."
"Yes."
"Stay sharp. Fall behind, no second chances."
"...I'll run or die."
Hillon clenched teeth.
But exhaustion mounted. Wounds too grave for willpower alone.
Lagging. Gap closing.
Ernan Hildean raised ice wall.
"Cheap tricks!"
Armand hurled spear. Flash pierced wall, aimed at Hillon.
"Keep running!"
Berge intercepted. Crang— He rubbed numb arm, swallowing groan.
Blood dripped from palm wound.
Gap narrowed further.
Grrrraaah—
Monsters blocked from another side.
"I'll handle them."
Granada swung sword. Troll head flew.
But monsters swarmed. Delay cost time. Pursuit closed in.
Damn it...!
This way, they'd get caught.
If push comes to shove...
Berge bit his lip.
Hillon Kargil mattered. That's why he came.
But no pawn outranked his own life.
Pawn was pawn—priorities straight.
Ditch the slowed Hillon, save Ernan Hildean and Granada.
Ernan especially...
Then.
Toot-toooo—
Horn pierced his ears.
Thud-thud-thud—
White snow clouds churned. Hooves shook earth.
"...Knights?"
"Chernian family crest!"
Lead knights exuded elite aura.
Aura-clad, unified charge.
A masterpiece painting.
Horse and rider, hundred knights' breaths and auras in perfect sync—breathtaking.
BOOM—
Screams, roars. Flying chunks mostly monster flesh.
Grrr—
Neighhh—
Monsters faltered. Demons halted.
"...Saved."
Berge exhaled relief. Tension-sapped Hillon Kargil collapsed unconscious.
Lucky bastard.
Won't know how close he came to me ditching him.
"We must retreat."
"Had 'em. Just needed the killing blow."
Armand laughed hollowly at the mid-grade demon's advice.
"Chernian Border Count and White Frost Knights' banners. He's here personally."
Snowfield foes: barbarians most, then imperial border guards.
Could kill them. Slaughter all.
But.
Armand ground teeth.
Wiping barbarian tribes differed from touching an imperial border count.
Killing tower-climbing hero party differed from killing a border count.
Hillon wasn't imperial—even as two-Demon-King slayer. No reason for empire to move. And none but empire could invade frozen wastes with army.
"...Retreat."
Armand cursed his curiosity—chatting with the two-Demon-King slayer.
Should've gone all-out from start.
Would've killed him...!
Irreversible now.
Demons began withdrawing.
Berge watched blankly—then eyes met Ernan Hildean's. Approaching humans in distance.
If the empire recognizes Ernan...?
Instinct shoved her head into snow.
"Hide, right now!"