The Demon King's tower
A structure once feared had long since ceased to be an object of terror.
For the past several decades, the Demon Kings had remained comparatively quiet. Aside from occasionally kidnapping royals, no major conflicts had occurred.
And since those princes and princesses could be rescued relatively easily whenever humans assembled a proper hero party or assault squad, society as a whole had grown comfortable with Demon Kings.
Recently, a series of incidents had heightened caution again—but as always, greed devoured everything.
Thus formed the crowd of heroes and humans hunting monsters around the Adamantine Tower.
Monsters drawn to demonic energy gathered near the tower, and heroes flocked to harvest the spoils.
To think humans could ever look down on Demon Kings this much…
Even with the incidents involving Draxon and Vivian, they still behaved this way. It showed exactly how little regard humans held for Demon Kings.
Berze gnashed his teeth as he surveyed the surroundings. Swallowing his irritation, he asked Roselle:
"What kind of place is the Adamantine Tower?"
"You came to attack a tower and you didn't even do basic research? Are you stupid?"
"What I know and what Rozel Charnt knows must be different."
"So you finally recognize my value."
He was merely curious how the tower looked from the heroes' perspective.
"Speaking as someone who's climbed up to the fifth floor—it's annoying."
"Annoying?"
"It's a matter of match-ups."
"I see."
Ugar Velvek was a titan—one of the giant races of the Demon Realm. Naturally, the demonkin who served him were the same, and his monsters were large, massive creatures.
And generally, large monsters had heavily skewed physical attributes, including tremendous durability.
The kind of enemies mages hated most.
"I don't like attacking the Adamantine Tower, but you have to dig the well when you're the thirsty one."
"What's the inside of the tower like?"
"Exactly what it looks like."
A rugged floor of uneven stone, jagged rock walls, and monsters bursting out from between them with scattered killing intent.
"It's Rozel Charnt."
"And Hillen Cargill."
"Is that the Crimson Flame Assault Squad?"
Heroes dealing with the monsters murmured as they recognized Rozel and Hillen.
"But I'm curious about something."
"What is it?"
"Who's the leader of this assault squad—Hillen Cargill, or you, Fail?"
Roselle's single eye glimmered.
"Obviously Hillen Cargill."
"Right? Normally that would make sense…"
A star among the Ten Stars—barely, but still one—Hillen Cargill, and Fail, who possessed strangely pure mana despite not being a hero.
The answer should have been simple.
"Then why does it feel like it's you?"
"Please don't say strange things, Miss Roselle."
Hillen joined the conversation.
"I am the captain of the Red Falcon assault squad."
"Funny. For a captain, you seem awfully humble."
"Sir Fail is not a member of the assault squad. Merely an acquaintance I have known for a long time."
"Known for a long time? And how did you meet?"
"I see no reason to tell you that."
"Playing hard to get, are you?"
"Continuing this line of conversation is rude."
"In life, you can be rude a few times. Besides, a few questions are nothing compared to the trouble you caused in the Beast Tower, right?"
"That wasn't entirely my fault."
"I know. But I still lost an eye."
"…The me from then is not the me now."
"You did devour two Demon Kings. You'd better have changed."
Otherwise, I'll die of indignation.
"Otherwise my missing eye would've died for nothing, don't you think?"
"…I apologize once again for that incident."
"It's fine. Even I didn't expect Draxon to be that strong. And even without that, I can't blame someone who did their best but simply lacked the ability."
"How amusing."
Berze clapped softly.
"You cause chaos and then say no one can blame you? Shamelessness must be a talent. I still lack that."
"You're mocking me, aren't you?"
"I'm being sincere."
"So sincerely mocking me. Taking his side because birds of a feather flock together?"
"I'm on everyone's side—for now. Since we're all here to attack the Adamantine Tower."
"Fair point. After we clear the tower, I'll roll out a red carpet for you. For the next, more important task."
Rozel pulled on her reins. Her mount surged forward, and the Crimson Flame Assault Squad followed.
"Clear a path straight to the Adamantine Tower!"
"We obey!"
A carpet was laid out to the tower's entrance—made of monster blood, corpses, and flames.
***
"The Crimson Flame Assault Squad ascends the Adamantine Tower."
Anyone could open the tower's gate.
But not everyone climbed it.
No matter how experienced heroes became with demonkin and monsters, the pressure of a Demon King and a Demon King's tower was something else entirely.
No proper assault squad—no ascent.
No hero expedition—no ascent.
This was an unspoken rule among heroes.
Not to avoid provoking Demon Kings, but for their own survival.
Humans yearn for what they cannot do. And so the Crimson Flame Squad's entry into the tower became a spectacle.
"Good."
Hillen smiled.
"I enjoy this kind of attention."
"Attention turns to malice in an instant. Like when you failed to kill the Beast Demon King in one go."
"All of it is a hero's fate to endure."
Rozel ignored Hillen completely.
"So we just walk in now? What floor's the goal?"
"The third."
"Huh. You aimed higher than expected, considering the quality of your squad."
Her eyes skimmed over the Red Falcon mercenaries. Bark flinched but didn't refute her.
Though they both bore the adjective "Red," the Red Falcon Mercenaries and the Crimson Flame Assault Squad were worlds apart.
Berze signaled Hillen, who strode to the massive gate.
"I will open it. Prepare for monsters."
"What's on the first floor?"
"Why do you keep asking? Am I your guide?"
"You volunteered to be."
"Not a guide—a debt collector. Mile Trolls."
Mile Trolls were similar to Krutu—the type of monster that regained part of its original form after a Demon King infused it with demonic energy.
But the amount of demonic energy was small; compared to Krutu, they were infinitely inferior.
Still far beyond ordinary trolls, though.
Kiiiiik—
Hillen raised his aura and pushed open the giant door.
With a harsh grinding sound, the interior was revealed.
The first thing that greeted them was—
"…So this is what Mile Trolls look like nowadays?"
"…Who is that?"
A woman lay atop a large stone boulder.
Her complexion pale, her eyes closed as if dead.
***
It was laughable.
The first floor. Behind the door was not a Mile Troll, nor the countless monsters that should have guarded the tower.
It was a towering rock—and atop it, a princess with closed eyes.
"…Elena."
She was the target Berze needed to rescue.
Ernan's voice trembled. Her shaking hand reached forward.
Berze forcibly lowered her hand and whispered:
"Don't get excited."
"…Sorry."
"Is that Elena?"
"Yes. Why is she here…?"
As expected of Ugar.
Berze had told him: If you won't keep her on the third floor, then think through the consequences yourself.
So he left her at the entrance instead.
Always beyond imagination.
"What is this? Why is the tower structured like this?"
Rozel shouted.
"She's the princess."
"Princess?"
Having already heard from Berze about the agreement between Demon Kings, Hillen spoke:
"The 13th Princess of Hilderan. Princess Elena Hilderan."
"That's Elena? This is hilarious. Is the Adamantine Demon King trying to copy the Frost Demon King now?"
"We must rescue her."
At Berze's signal, Hillen Cargill sprinted forward. Quick-witted Granada led the Red Falcons after him.
"Right. You rescue the princess. We'll take care of the other part."
Behind the rock where the princess lay—
The princess had captivated everyone's attention so thoroughly that none of them noticed the thousand Mile Trolls behind the rock, baring their fangs and growling.
"Kill them all!"
The Crimson Flame Assault Squad charged the Mile Trolls.
Berze and Ernan arrived at the stone wall a step later.
"What's her condition?"
"Her breathing is faint, but relatively stable."
"Granada. Go assist Roselle."
"Yes, sir."
Granada rushed into the brawl with the Red Falcons.
On the rocky ridge overlooking the entire first floor, only four remained.
"Hillen Cargill. Did you know the princess was like this?"
"Yes. I've met her once. She wasn't this bad back then…"
"She was hiding it with artifacts as much as possible. Even a hero wouldn't have noticed easily."
"I see."
'Do you know the spell called the Child of the World Tree?'
Ernan's whisper drifted through his mind.
Elena Hilderan's complexion was pale.
Her life force was so thin that it wouldn't be strange if she died at any moment.
"You're right."
"…Yes."
But—
Within her—
A massive coil of mana was wrapped around itself. An overwhelming, terrifying amount.
"The Child of the World Tree."
Humans always desire more. And when they have more, they crave even more.
The spell known as the Child of the World Tree was created in that pursuit.
Just as the fruit of the World Tree becomes a noble elixir, the spell was created to make a newborn human more "complete."
A spell that artificially strengthens a fetus from the womb.
More enhancement than magic—that was the Child of the World Tree.
At first glance, it seemed like a grand magic. But a spell invented by imperfect humans could never be perfect.
The royal family of Hilderan was proof of that. Elena Hilderan was its living testament.
"Hillen, you take her. The one who rescues the princess must be you."
"Yes."
"Please be careful. She's a fragile child."
"Of course."
Hillen carefully lifted Elena. She still did not wake.
An orange glow drew Berze's attention. Flames flickered in every direction—or rather, wherever he looked, the entire floor was ablaze.
"Kyaahahahahaha!"
In the distance, Rozel Charnt's wild laughter echoed.
"The fire's spreading this far!"
"Shit—move!"
Within the flames, the Crimson Flame Assault Squad danced across the battlefield, while the Red Falcons scattered wildly to avoid the fire.
"…She really is insane."
He knew it from the first moment he saw her, but this was on another level. To burn an entire floor—
"Ugar's going to feel this one."
Berze started calculating how many demonic energy points Ugar would need to repair the first floor and replace the dead Mile Trolls, then promptly gave up.
He didn't need to bother. The damage wasn't his problem.
***
"...What?"
Ugar received the report that heroes had entered the tower.
But that was all.
Rozel Charntand Hillen Cargill moving together was unexpected, but as promised, he had placed the 13th Princess of Hilderan on the first floor.
In the perfect spot—visible the moment the door opened. All they had to do was grab her and leave.
Yet—
"They burned the entire first floor!"
Over a thousand Mile Trolls were annihilated.
The environment designed to maximize the Trolls' combat potential was gone, scorched to ash.
"Berze, that bastard…!"
Even though Mile Trolls were easy to replenish thanks to their fertility and rapid growth, a thousand was still a thousand.
The thought of rebuilding the first floor made rage surge through him.
"Good thing I didn't put her on the third floor."
A chill ran down his spine at the hypothetical disaster. He marveled at his own foresight.
And then—
"But wait…"
Something felt wrong.
"Rozel Charntand Hillen Cargill came?"
They were the ones who killed Draxon.
Could this really be coincidence?
"…It's coincidence."
He snorted at his own thought.
"Draxon died because he killed the Second Prince of Ormus."
Rozel Charnt became commander because Valaf Dislord refused the position, and she had been competing with Hillen Cargill in the Frost Tower until recently.
"They could have formed a connection there."
Hillen Cargill was a hero born in Hilderan. It was not strange for him to come rescue the 13th Princess.
"…But."
Ugar muttered nervously. The doubts he tried to dismiss resurfaced.
"Draxon said it wasn't his fault. That someone sent a high-rank demon."
He had protested his innocence desperately, even digging through tower records.
If that was true—if everything had been orchestrated by someone—
And if that someone was a Demon King—
"…Jayson Cocmoondo."
It wasn't him. Reina Sordein wasn't the type. And Berze Deias had no high-rank demons.
Well, not quite…
But tower lieutenants do not leave the tower.
"And Berze Deias is barely a year old. There's no way he's connected to the Star Heroes. Someone must have helped him."
And there was only one Demon King who could help another Demon King make contact with heroes—
The Demon King of Lies, Jayson Cocmoondo.
My god…
Ugar covered his mouth.
Jayson . Jayson hired the heroes to kill Draxon.
But why?
That night, Ugar could not sleep.
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