038. Butterfly Effect
“Your Highness!”
“Your Highneeeess!”
Heart-wrenching screams echoed through the air.
But their prince had already crossed the river of no return.
“Did you love the prince that much? Anyone would think your parted lover had just died.”
But what could they do?
Luize sneered. She yanked out her axe and shook her head, her braids swinging wildly.
“Want to take Max's head at least?”
“You filthy bitch!”
“Kill that wench!”
“Retrieve His Highness's remains!”
Luize's taunt became a massive crater. Grief turned to despair, screams to rage.
A raw, primal killing intent—far beyond anything before—surged straight toward her.
“Come at me, you fucking dogs! You think I'm scared?!”
“Protect the princess!”
Luize roared. Volbof and the knights hurriedly formed a barrier.
A tempest of warriors, cloaked in fury and bloodlust, crashed down. The dwarves planted their short legs firmly on the ground and thrust out their shields.
Boom—
The shields shuddered. The dwarves screamed.
“Charging like rabid dogs just 'cause you killed one prince.”
The princess rolled up her sleeves and raised her axe high. Volbof desperately blocked her path.
“You must escape.”
“You think I can just run?”
“Princess!”
“Don't worry. If I die, I die—no way I'm getting captured.”
“I won't let that happen. I'll stake my life to carve a path!”
“You think that'll work? Better to hope some mystery demon shows up like before and smacks those bastards around.”
Come to think of it, where did that guy go?
“Who do you mean?”
“The demon who served those rabid fucks up on a platter for me.”
“...He vanished.”
Gone without a sound, just like when he'd appeared.
That was when it happened.
Kreeee—
A monster!
Block it!
Screams erupted from the other side. The foul stench unique to beasts filled the air.
“...Did you call it?”
“How the hell would I?”
“...But why is one here for real?”
Quail dispatched his gargoyles.
The floating gargoyles swiftly located the two enemy groups.
“The dwarves and Ormus forces have just made contact.”
“Distance?”
“About 5km southwest from here.”
“Approach slowly.”
The monsters advanced. They melted seamlessly into the jungle, as if it were home.
“Ormus humans have surrounded the dwarves.”
“Surrounded?”
“Shouting matches. We'll descend closer to eavesdrop.”
Quail received real-time updates. Ten gargoyles shuttled rapidly between the site and him.
“Ormus group includes their second prince.”
“One more dangerous bastard to watch for.”
“Seems the dwarves' princess heading for Merkon Mountain is being blocked by Ormus's second prince.”
“Oh?”
Quail brightened. He itched to slaughter these insolent fools invading his master's domain despite orders, but the Demon King's command came first.
So it was better if humans and dwarves tangled and took themselves out.
“...But the mood's turning sour.”
“Mood?”
“Princess and prince arguing. Ormus humans aiming weapons at dwarves.”
“Now that's interesting.”
And that was fine too.
Blades pointed at each other meant no threat to the Demon King.
“Pick up the pace. Can't miss the show.”
What Quail loved as much as battle was watching foolish humans. Their greed and desire driving them to ruin, the despair at the end—pure sweetness.
That instant—
Rumble—
Quail halted abruptly. The monsters howled.
“This is...”
Magic power.
“No way...”
Pure. Immense.
No mere demon. Certainly no beast.
“A high demon.”
But why?
The Demon King was at the tower.
“Did he order other demons besides me...?”
But it felt off. Didn't match any high demon he knew.
A thick unease spurred Quail onward.
And he witnessed it.
The princess splitting the prince's skull. Ormus warriors charging, heedless of life, for revenge.
No demon as he'd expected.
Doubt fleeting, Quail shook off the dwarves' screams. Drakson's charge echoed.
'No matter what, save the dwarf princess!'
Everything was weird, but that came after saving her.
Saving the vital living princess mattered more than a dead minor prince.
“Slaughter every Ormus dog! Save the dwarf princess at all costs!”
Grrraaaawr—
Battle erupted—humans, dwarves, and monsters entwined.
'They must've bitten hard.'
Using power meant certain detection. No choice.
'Couldn't face him without magic power.'
No being in distant Ormus could win hiding magic power against him.
Fighting straight-up? Defeat loomed.
Fleeing? A Demon King's pride forbade it.
Even on a new path, he was a Demon King—arrogant, exalted absolute.
Not cowardly enough to show his back.
Not merciful enough to forgive charging humans.
So, in a split second, he unleashed everything.
Didn't expect Luize to finish him, but it let him slip away easy.
Drakson might've sensed it, but...
'He won't peg it as me.'
Magic power gauged not just strength, but rank.
Berge's deliberate burst screamed no mere beast or low demon.
But no one would link to Demon King Berge Dayas.
No demon imagines a king sneaking into another's turf unannounced.
Dull prejudice. Stupid canon. A maddening combo.
That cursed madness grinned at him.
'Ironic.'
Berge smiled bitterly.
'That side's total chaos now.'
Never dreamed Luize would kill Ormus's prince herself. Now their dogs raged mad, dwarves scrambling to shield their princess.
Plus sudden monsters.
Berge slipped out unnoticed.
'Best opportunity ever.'
He'd sensed the monsters' presence. Their vibe screamed avoidance.
Drakson's intent—no hostility to Luize. But Berge shattered it.
Ormus prince dead by her hand, but magic power undeniable.
Now think.
Humans sense magic in a Demon King's turf—who's fault?
Obviously.
“Drakson.”
The watcher at the tower couldn't miss Berge's magic. Chaos now, maybe even coming personally.
Perfect distraction elsewhere.
Merkon Mountain.
“Empty, huh?”
Berge's lips curled up.
Berge suppressed his presence and perched on a tree. Monsters visible afar.
“Not lost.”
Monsters multiplying. Hiding presence harder, but right track.
'Entrance that way.'
Monsters patrolled the mountain like guards. Their paths and watchpoints overlapped.
Most fortified spot: a cave piercing Merkon Mountain.
Berge slipped in silently. Demon King Academy stealth, honed for abductions, beyond mere monsters' notice.
Cave dark. Single passage, dank and foul.
Deep. No encounters, but change brewing.
Growing warmer. Hotter.
Sticky dark brightened faintly. Red heat glowed.
“Move faster!”
End of passage: vast cavern, like mountain's guts exposed. Endless ceiling with dim light filtering.
Center: massive lake. Red lava lake. Scorching ripples.
Voice's owner on nearby rock.
Tiger beastkin. Over 3m, massive. Orange fur framing blue demon eyes.
'High demon.'
Berge clicked his tongue.
High demon boosted in home turf vs. distant Demon King, heavily restricted.
Big gap. Their home ground. Delay meant disadvantage.
Can't fight. Shouldn't.
Berge scanned elsewhere.
Red lake. Beyond "red"—eerie vibe.
Lava bubbled.
Mana overflowed.
Extraordinary at a glance. Despite tower domain, demons, beasts—mana dwarfed it.
'That's there...'
It.
Around lake: other paths? More ring-like. Artificial moat around lake, deepening.
'Grizzly Bears.'
Dozens of power-brimming beast monsters dug, hurling dirt.
High demon commanded.
Purpose obvious.
Not normal lava. Even Drakson couldn't enter without fire resistance.
So dig. Vast moat for all lava, drain it.
Emptied lake reveals hidden truth.
But.
'For Drakson.'
Unlike brute force beasts, Berge had fire resistance. No—divine authority.
Berge steadied breath. Held it, cloaked magic to reinforce body. Muscles swelled.
“Who goes there!”
Moment exceeded—high demon detected.
Boom—
Berge kicked ground.
Shards flew.
Before monsters/demons reacted, Berge dove into lava.
Whoosh—
Blazing heat assailed. Clothes melted. Pure mana clashed with his magic.
Near-antithetical forces raged.
Tough mana flow blocked all. No shouts, howls, presences.
Pain surged. First since becoming Demon King. Berge gritted teeth.
Endured skull-splitting agony, swam slowly.
Found it.
Blurred, same hue/energy—hard to spot without focus.
Nearly 5m.
Sleek wings, flame-feather.
A bird.
Corpse. Yet alive.
Found it.
Alein has fire birds.
Self-immolating in lava for rebirth, eternal life.
Men call it phoenix.
Its corpse.
No—body awaiting new era.
Dormant in lava.
“But...”
Sudden doubt.
Drakson claimed phoenix after long wait. Consumed, gained power.
“Beast meets fire, should be roast. Why strengthen?”
Pre-regression, now—unfathomable.
But not important now.
Berge reached out.
That instant—
Rooooar—
Intense beam with.
Lava erupted.
Volcano exploded.
Back a bit, to Berge vs. Max fight.
Berge's deliberate magic burst was overwhelming.
Waves spread beyond domain to Tartar outskirts.
“...!”
Dayran hunting monsters near Tartar looked up. Hackles rose.
'Demon.'
Hero senses screamed at predator power.
Distance far, yet chilling clarity.
Too much for him.
“What's wrong?”
Mercs with him eyed him odd.
“We're heading back.”
“Huh? Only twenty lizardmen. Need fifty minimum to profit...”
“Demon nearby. Strong one.”
“...Demon? No way...”
Drakson and Ormus respected territories. Ironically, Tartar overflowed monsters sans Demon King fear—prime hunting.
“We felt nothing.”
“Doubting a hero's magic sense? Think I'm lying? Monstrous bastard!”
Pale, roaring Dayran made mercs grasp gravity, shrinking back.
“Let's go.”
“Move! Pull out!”
Mercs ditched corpses, fled back.
Phenomenon across Tartar. Jungle usually hero/mercs teeming—now empty.
City Tartar flipped upside down.