099. Hillun Kargil Rescue Operation
Hillon Kargil had always been confident in himself.
From the moment he first awakened as a hero, he knew he was special.
There were thousands of heroes, handpicked from the countless beings across the continent.
And Hillon Kargil possessed one of the rare compound talents.
Affinity for mana.
Understanding of magic.
And mastery of aura, physical prowess, and senses to boot.
He learned lightning magic and aura simultaneously, becoming one of the few magic swordsmen.
Though his blessed talents didn't propel him to instant fame, he quickly solidified his position as a hero.
After slaying the Lust Demon King and becoming one of the few survivors, his name, once confined to the Hildean Kingdom, spread across the continent.
From then on, it was a smooth ascent.
He suffered a humiliating defeat against the Flame Demon King that he preferred not to recall, but it ultimately turned into a blessing in disguise.
He racked up achievements, killed the Beast Demon King, became an Argan of the Hero Guild, and even rescued a princess right before she could be kidnapped—the first ever to do so.
He wasn't just walking the path anymore; it was time to sprout wings and soar.
The events in the snowfields should have made that happen.
'Me, I...'
Hillon Kargil exhaled ragged breaths.
His feet sank deep into the snow with every step. The fierce blizzard battered his vision.
He shook his head, but it was white again in moments.
He crouched low at the sight of a hazy shape in the distance, crawling forward slowly. The stench of a monster pierced the storm.
'Yeti.'
One of the most common monsters in the snowfields. It didn't travel in packs, so there wouldn't be more.
But killing it would draw others with the scent of blood—and most would be the Frost Demon King's minions hunting him.
'Gotta avoid it.'
He had to steer clear of fights.
Fortunately, the yeti didn't spot him. Hillon suppressed his presence completely, circling around it on his belly.
'Am I even heading the right way?'
It had been a week since the monsters started chasing him.
To escape, he needed to head south. But the relentless pursuers—demons, demonic beasts, and monsters—left no room to think about direction.
His subspatial storage held plenty of food, and he had mana and stamina to spare, but the tension and cold wore him down day by day.
'How did it come to this?'
Everything had been perfect right up until he reached the tower.
Then the unopened door swung wide on its own, and hell broke loose.
Two high demons lunged at Hillon Kargil.
He handled them easily, only for three more to join. He endured, and then four attacked.
By the time he barely broke free, the battle was over. The White Eagles were scattered, their fates uncertain. Gillian Aint had lost an arm. The White Heron supported the wounded man as they punched through the encirclement.
Cursing, Hillon fled with Granada, who had stuck by his side.
Thanks to the White Heron's fierce resistance, the siege was loose enough for escape.
But the massive monster horde forced them apart.
'I should've just followed that elf.'
The Demon King might rage, but he'd value Hillon over an elf anyway.
Yet the opposite happened.
Monsters and beasts pursued Hillon, not Granada, in numbers that begged the question why.
After that, he barely remembered how he'd gotten here.
Just run, fight, run again.
No respite as they swarmed, painting the pristine snow red with monster blood and his own.
Whether misfortune or fortune, the blizzard wasn't thick enough to blind them completely—otherwise, he'd have no breathing room at all.
'What now?'
He shouldn't have ignored Gillian Aint's warning.
No, he should have listened when the Demon King tried to stop him.
'Did the Frost Demon King really command this many minions? Is most of the snowfield her domain?'
As a fellow Demon King, he'd know. That's why he warned him.
'Damn it...!'
Maybe the Demon King knew he'd fail and was laughing inside.
'I'll survive and return.'
His ambition wouldn't let him abandon everything now. He hadn't become the greatest hero yet.
Then it came.
Rumble—
The snowflakes trembled. Hillon froze, holding his breath as he scanned slowly.
The blizzard obscured his view, but peering through, he spotted shadows in the distance.
Grrr—
Ice drakes and ice trolls.
Mortal enemies spreading out wide, advancing slowly.
This impossible sight meant they were the Demon King's minions.
Hillon predicted their path. It intersected his. Could he slip by undetected?
No chance. Standing to run would expose him; crawling was too slow.
Fight, then?
He was confident. Even exhausted, he could slaughter dozens of these monsters and escape.
The issue was the delay—and the howls and blood summoning more.
'Shit...!'
Hillon burrowed into the snow. The snowfields had plenty, still piling up.
He dug down quietly but swiftly. His tracks vanished under fresh powder.
How deep? Thumping vibrations hit. Monsters passing right overhead.
He held stiller.
The tremors faded quickly. Only when they vanished entirely did he sigh in relief.
"...Made it?"
"You think so?"
"...!"
A chilling voice pierced his ear. Hillon's eyes widened. He surged mana, spewing lightning.
But nothing was there.
"Come up."
Presence above.
Overwhelming demonic energy. Immense.
'High demon.'
How had he missed its approach?
Excuses abounded: focused on monsters, suppressed presence blocked detection.
Pointless.
Hillon surfaced. The demon waited.
"I'm Arman, of the Frost Demons."
Frost demons looked nearly human—pale white skin aside. But this mana was no human's.
"You're Hillon Kargil, right?"
Arman stroked his beard.
'Can I win?'
Unlike the high demons at the tower.
Small stature, but the pressure dwarfed them.
Strong.
Stronger than any demon he'd faced, save a Demon King.
Hillon drew his sword slowly, priming mana for lightning.
"Ready?"
"Quite the leisure. Lots end up regretting that."
"Maybe I will."
Then, countless presences hit his unmasked senses.
"But not today."
Arman grinned. Ice spears formed with a crackle in his hand.
"I'm not alone."
"No mercy, then?"
"Polite, they said—even to me."
"No answer yet."
"Would you let someone who came to kill you go?"
"Never meant to kill."
"That's what makes it worse, isn't it? A mere human."
"You hunted me on purpose?"
"Her Majesty is merciful. Even to a human invading her domain without knowing his place."
"Spare me?"
"Many humans will escape the snowfields unscathed. Everyone but you."
"...Why me?"
'No way...'
Did Berge abandon him?
'Impossible.'
He shook his head. Hillon Kargil was an Argan, slayer of two Demon Kings.
Ditching him meant abandoning continental conquest.
'Not that Demon King.'
He trusted himself—and the Demon King.
"Lost in thought?"
"Why me?"
"You killed two Demon Kings."
"Nip me in the bud?"
"Take it as honor. Her Majesty commanded me to crush your bud personally."
"Bullshit."
"They say true nature shows when cornered. You're no different."
"Should I thank you for this 'mercy' with a bow, then?"
Even cursing, his mind raced.
Monsters closing in. This high demon stalling to tighten the net.
No openings.
Still, he had to move.
'I won't die.'
To enjoy his gains, to soar higher.
He gripped his sword two-handed.
"Bow. A hero groveling before Her Majesty for mercy? Not bad. Shall we?"
"Bullshit."
Light flashed. Blue lightning slashed the air, aiming for Arman's throat.
Ice blocked it from nowhere.
Craaaack—
Shards flew like shrapnel.
The shock rippled, flinging snow skyward.
Hillon rode the recoil, launching into the air and expelling mana for thrust.
Massive mana wave. Blue lightning sparked fiercely at the frost demon.
He ignored the rest.
Steadying breath and mana, he turned and bolted opposite.
Monster horde ahead.
Yeti, trolls, drakes—and demonic beasts.
Familiar and new. Weak-looking and formidable.
Didn't matter if he could or not.
To live.
He had to.
Crackle—
Aura overlaid with magic.
The Demon King's power amplified his intimidation.
Sword swung. Slashing gale cut the blizzard, spilling blood.
Rawr—
Ice drake breathed frost crystals.
Unknown demonic beast smashed a massive fist.
Block, slice, sever.
Roars and screams rang in his ears. Blood stench numbed his nose.
In a trance, he swung. No monster or beast blocked his path.
Monsters and beasts, that is.
"Ha... ."
Breaking the encirclement, Hillon laughed hollowly.
"Didn't I say?"
Arman's voice from behind.
"I'm not alone."
"Brought every demon from the tower?"
"Not all. But enough for you."
"Overestimating me."
"Better than underestimating."
Damn it.
Hillon bit his lip.
Dozens of demons ahead, an unkillable high demon behind.
Either way meant the other striking his back.
'Can't die.'
Absolutely not.
Not like this.
He'd survived Demon King capture before.
The orb in his head wasn't for this pathetic end.
He chanted.
Engravings and Mana Heart.
Aura and Aura Core.
All activated.
Aura and mana raced through veins. Blood boiled.
Exhaling raggedly, he stepped forward.
Rumble—
Lightning-charged sword summoned thunder.
Vision whited. Azure bolts vaporized the blizzard.
Demons unleashed demonic energy. Black-red auras roared.
Boom—
The world shook.
Demons flew back. Hillon retreated a step, then advanced two.
White ice spear targeted his back.
Crackle—
Lightning cloaking him weakened the chill. Just before the tip pierced, a slash resisted.
Clang—
The repelled spear snaked back like a serpent.
Relentless, it burrowed in.
Charge halted; demons joined.
"Anywhere else, you might've beaten me."
But this was the snowfields, amid a brutal blizzard.
Cold gnawed Hillon but empowered the frost demon.
Slash—
Ice grazed his shoulder. Red droplets scattered.
Mingled with demon and monster blood.
He hurled a severed demon head.
Demon and monster corpses piled around him.
"Just a scratch now? Think that'll kill me?"
"Slaying two Demon Kings was no fluke."
But still.
"Forcing out power with that calm face won't fool me."
Arman manipulated energy. Frozen shards split into hundreds, blending into the blizzard.
Blades shredded Hillon. He resisted, but wounds multiplied.
Demons and monsters charged again.
Blood sprayed.
"Cough...!"
He spat blood. He'd tried fleeing at first. But Arman clung tenaciously, demon ambushes disrupting stamina.
Now.
No strength to break through.
He could still fight.
But just that.
Despair. Not even a finger to twitch.
'End like this...?'
Then. Something writhed in his mind.
"...!"
Not pleasant. Filthy, even. But it reignited his fading spark.
'No way.'
They charged again.
Hillon squeezed every ounce. Lightning fried monsters, sword beheaded beasts. He yielded his side to a demon's stab, bit its nape.
Bam—
Massive impact tumbled him through snow. He spat demon flesh, shook off snow.
"Disgusting."
"I won't die here."
"Not your call."
"Nor yours."
"What...?!"
Arman's head snapped. All demons, beasts, monsters trembled. Hillon's lips curled.
The world brightened.
Heat bloomed.
Flames.
Crimson inferno.
Pure, hot enough to defy the blizzard storm.
"...When?"
Arman recoiled.
Not the flames' power—but how an opposing force fooled his senses to reach here.
This was Reina Sordain's domain. He, her minion, should've detected an intruder, especially fire.
Chill down his spine.
Overwhelming dread. Arman bellowed.
"Everyone...!"
That instant.
Whoosh—
Flames traced a long arc.
Melting the untouchable snowfall.
Vaporizing it.
Dyeing rising steam scarlet.
And crashing down.
Boom—
Like a meteor.
Cosmic calamity.
Arman fancied seeing wings above the disaster.
No time to scream escape—the explosion devoured all.
Annihilating white earth, upheaving frozen soil.
Demons' hasty energy ignited.
Beasts screamed.
Monsters rolled in snow to douse flames.
And then.
Amid crackling embers.
"He's right."
Crimson eyes gleamed.
"Your life or death is mine to decide."
Hoo—
Berge exhaled raggedly.
End of < 099. Hillun Kargil Rescue Operation >