I Must Kill Him
The hero expedition, aimed at slaying the Demon King and collapsing his tower, was a matter of continental concern.
Thus, their failure rippled back as a massive wave.
After wrapping up his meeting with Reina, Berge was pondering how to pass off the bomb more smoothly when this ill news arrived.
Gloomy content. Hillun Kargil's face, delivering the report, held not a spark of life.
Berge tapped the desk lightly.
He had hoped for the heroes' victory. Even if not, he wanted them to deal Drakson a heavy blow.
Of course, he knew it wouldn't be easy.
Drakson was strong. A Demon King Academy graduate like him, having descended to Alein decades ago, his Dimensional Interference could be considered fully mitigated.
But if that meant Drakson was guaranteed victory, then in the past, Berge wouldn't have failed.
He wouldn't have been toyed with by heroes, had his head lopped off, regressed, spat on the Demon King's Canon, and branded a fool.
Back then, Berge had surpassed the current Drakson.
"I even told them your weakness."
"...That's why we survived."
"Tell me exactly what happened. Don't miss a single detail."
A heavy sigh echoed through the communication orb.
"...We pushed back the territory monsters and reached the tower's entrance."
The hero expedition hadn't been smooth from the start.
The original hero party was a duo-led force.
Grand Magus, Rozel Charnt.
Great Knight, Balaf Disrod.
Two of the top heroes united, joined by elite mage and knight squads following them.
The Hero Guild sent top heroes with resolve, plus Ormus Kingdom's 2,000 troops as backup.
A truly overwhelming force.
No one thought the expedition would fail. Unlike the freak who built a tower in the Erjest Mountains, the Beast Tower had stood for ages, fully scouted.
But Balaf Disrod doused that fiery zeal.
"I withdraw from the hero expedition."
His sudden departure took his knight squad and heroes with him.
Nearly half the force gone, morale plummeted. Hillun Kargil joined late...
"Comparing you to Balaf Disrod was asking too much, huh?"
"He's one of the strongest heroes, purely in terms of raw power—near the pinnacle."
Hillun wasn't weak. The benchmark was just too high.
Drakson was no pushover, so voices called to postpone. Rozel Charnt and Ormus's king overruled them.
"Rozel Charnt makes sense. Once she decides, she charges straight. She hated the situation but brimmed with confidence, thinking she could handle it."
"But I didn't expect Ormus's dying old king to push so hard."
"And you?"
"You gave us the weakness. Not going would've made me an idiot."
Rozel Charnt and Hillun Kargil—the core heroes—and the client king demanded to proceed, so the expedition launched.
It started smoothly.
From 1st floor goblins and hell hounds to 6th floor lycanthropes, 10th floor saber tigers. The steady escalation per the canon felt all too familiar.
"Unlike with someone."
"Think you're safe at a distance from me?"
Berge manipulated Armani's Orb. Hillun Kargil swallowed hard at the stabbing pain in his mind. Moments later, his tone softened.
"...Up to the 10th floor was fine. Rozel Charnt earned her reputation."
The monsters weren't weak, but her flames incinerated everything. The jungle-like Beast Tower interior offered plenty of mounts—perfect.
"Drakson must've loved that."
Disintegrated tower sections and monsters required magic points to restore—but she'd turned it all to ash?
Imagining Drakson's twisted face felt refreshing.
"The issue was the 11th floor. We should've realized no demons appeared, just saber tigers on 10."
All Demon Kings except Berge followed the canon. Even in Alein.
They just twisted it within bounds.
Canon says greet heroes at the summit with kidnapped royalty.
Not all of them, though.
Reina Sordain placed ice statues of princes/princesses on some floors to satisfy heroes adequately.
"Demons suddenly swarmed out."
Drakson induced complacency.
Canon: difficulty ramps up per floor. Fine. How weak floor 1 is, how strong above—Demon King's discretion.
Drakson gathered all tower forces at the summit. Minor sacrifices? Ignored.
Complacent heroes reached the top—to face the Demon King and his demon-beast legion.
"Everyone, stay calm! We have to face them to kill the Demon King anyway!"
Rozel Charnt chanted. Magic circles floated, erecting a wall of fire that bought time against the oncoming beasts.
In that brief moment, the heroes formed ranks.
"Who dares play with fire before me?!"
But the formation shattered with a roar.
Wolf claws rent flames, baring fangs. As if waiting, Rozel thrust her staff.
"I've read your moves long ago!"
A searing beam of magma lanced straight. Melting air, it hammered the Demon King.
A massive explosion rocked the tower. Shockwaves drew groans from all.
"You know what?"
The Demon King growled amid sizzling heat.
"Your petty magic won't touch me. Pathetic hero."
The flame-wreathed wolf charged.
Hillun Kargil intercepted between mage and king.
Boom—
"He lacked the pretense Demon Kings usually have. No throne-waiting—he surged like a wave the moment we hit 11."
"Magic wasn't useless. But except Rozel Charnt's, most fizzled."
"Obviously."
Beastkin lack magic aptitude but boast top-tier physical prowess among demons—including high magic resistance.
"And he knew it."
Someone needed to pin the king for Rozel to strike.
Balaf Disrod's role—taken by Hillun after his exit.
"So you lost because of you."
"......"
He said it, but couldn't blame Hillun alone.
Proper dispersal might've held with other heroes.
But amid demon-beast hordes, Hillun solo-tanked Drakson targeting Rozel.
Just short.
He sensed defeat at first clash.
"Everyone's wrong. Even Balaf Disrod couldn't beat the Beast Demon King! Not even the Lust Demon King was this bad!"
Not a loser's whimper.
"Think a Demon King brewing power here nearly a century would be weak? Drakson outclasses Tyrus."
Not all Demon Kings equal. Different caliber, tenure.
Humans equated Tyrus/Drakson—complacency's fruit.
But didn't define human limits. Plenty heroes left; they don't let failed expeditions lie unless exceptional.
"Enough excuses. Current situation."
"Talk of a second expedition. Rozel wants to rush; Hero Guild says gather full force leisurely."
"No disagreement on a second go."
"Two failures tarnished honor. Hero Guild uselessness murmurs rising—they'll charge aggressively. Timing only."
Hillun explained the Guild sharpening knives.
Then.
Knock knock—
"Come in."
Gordon.
"What is it?"
"Contact from the Beast Tower."
"...?"
"Requests emergency summit of Demon Kings."
Gates to other Demon Kings' towers always land at 1st floor entrance.
Thus, Berge saw the scorched vista.
"What a mess."
Where dense jungle stood: black ash. Scorched bloodstains, corpse piles screamed the carnage.
Door open. No welcoming monsters.
"Welcome."
A lone bear beastkin greeted him.
Familiar face.
High demon from Ormus prince's death field.
"My lord awaits above."
"Other kings?"
"All arrived."
Finding unscathed floors from 1-10 harder than summit.
"Rough, huh."
"No issues."
Silent ascent to 11th—summit. Mostly intact.
Demon Kings at central table.
"Late again? Habit?"
"So?"
Drakson glared silently, then looked away.
"All here—no circling. Straight to it."
Drakson set tone.
"Days ago: hero expedition targeted me and my tower. You know why."
"You killed Ormus's second prince."
"I never killed him."
"Human saying: no smoke without fire."
Drakson snorted at Berge.
"Massive magic detected in my territory then. That demon? None under me."
"So that's it?"
Jason frowned.
"Suspecting other kings? Shifting blame?"
"Facts."
"You've already pegged me."
"Most likely."
"I did nothing. What gain sending a demon to your turf?"
"You'd know best."
Gazes clashed.
"Last chance. Confess."
"Deeply unpleasant."
Jason adjusted monocle.
"Responsible for those words?"
"I only say what I stand by."
"I suspect your theater. Kill prince, redirect human wrath. At least own your deeds as a king. Don't get ugly."
"If you push—I've plans too."
Drakson huffed declaration.
"I'll report to Archduke, demand full tower record audit."
"...!"
"...!"
Kings stirred at bombshell.
"Bad move."
Reina cautioned.
"Huge magic drain. You're damaged; humans plot second run. Restore tower first?"
"Reina Sordain—tower my priority? Or scared your deed's exposed? Jason prime suspect, but you're on list."
"Insult. Think I'd stoop so low?"
"Who knows."
"Wanna test?!"
"Why not?!"
Temper flared. Killing intent warped space.
No clash. Fury peaked, yet they upheld canon: Demon Kings don't fight.
Drakson exhaled, spoke.
"Jason Cockmondo. I suspect you—not only you. But one here did it."
Only kings wield high demons.
Drakson eyed four kings slowly.
"Dunno motive. Why."
"But I'm a Demon King. Decades in Alein."
"I'll find you. By any means."
"Make you pay."
He spat like devouring.
"On my honor, Drakson Dolph."
No question, no poll.
Pure vow.
Corner himself to cliff's edge—but hunt and kill the bastard who screwed him.
"What'd the Beast Demon King say?"
Returning, Berge brushed past Gordon.
"My lord?"
Gordon paused questioning.
That expression...
Chill. Short time, but as adjutant, never seen it.
...What happened?
Gordon gulped. Berge shut office door.
Slumped in chair, drummed desk.
...If report goes up.
Drakson vowed all-in culprit hunt.
Audit records, trace magic. Massive points spent, Archduke tribute overflow—but he'd do it.
No guarantee he'll find.
Nor he won't.
Tower records no panacea. Just territory traces.
Proves demon appeared—not if Berge's. Faded magic nature after time? Doubtful.
Skeptical.
But if. Truly if.
Me exposed?
Magic shows demon rank. Records won't pinpoint, but Berge couldn't claim full grasp of first Mahwang's system.
......
If Berge culprit revealed—invading turf, trapping Drakson.
Other kings won't sit.
Simple role reversal. Reina's reaction previewed it.
Lived foolish first life. Chance for revenge on mocking heroes.
Didn't want this golden shot squandered.
If Drakson goes all-out...
Berge would too—to stay hidden.
Thus.
Must collapse Beast Tower.
Before Archduke intervenes—erase all records with tower.
So.
...Kill Drakson.
Crack—
Fingers gouged desk. Thick killing intent startled waiting Gordon outside.