Chapter 463: Holy Shit, We Have One Too (3.5k)
BOOM—!
Dust erupted, wind and snow swirled.
Under the fractured sky, ice crystals still drifted down.
But beyond howling wind and grinding stone, absolute silence reigned.
The light had faded, leaving only scattered glimmers slowly dying in the air.
The star-filled heavens reappeared—those ink-black clouds completely dispersed.
A massive crimson hole gaped through the demon's body before the banquet hall.
Through that cavity, one could glimpse the ruined golden hall beyond.
"Cough... cough..."
Nobles slowly rose from the dust, brushing dirt from their clothes.
Looking down, they discovered themselves covered in mud and black footprints.
Rage exploded among them as accusations flew:
"Which bastard stomped on me?!"
"This outfit was custom-made by the capital's finest designer—can you even afford compensation?!"
"Damn it all! Show yourself, coward!"
But then they all looked down together—and spotted several scattered Geo coins glinting on the ground.
Whoosh!
Wait...
Cold sweat broke across their foreheads. Bodies went rigid.
They remembered everything.
Moments ago, for reasons unknown, they'd fought like animals over these few coins.
Those savage beasts... had been them?
Realizing they'd humiliated themselves before the entire gathering, every noble fell silent.
Not daring another word.
Nearby, the First Prince watched the demon shrouded in swirling debris, coughing softly.
Was it over?
The nobles seemed normal again. Everything appeared calm.
But then his eyes widened in horror.
Thick malevolence coiled around his body like serpents. Aubrey began trembling.
He could feel it clearly.
This wasn't over—
The nobles raised their heads one by one, gazing toward where smoke and dust cleared.
In their shocked, terrified stares, the greed demon's wrinkled, ink-black flesh gradually revealed itself.
Its pierced, broken body—within seconds, black oil rose from the whirlpool below.
Miraculously sealing every wound.
The Second Prince atop the demon's head burst into maniacal laughter.
In his supreme arrogance, he now regarded everyone present as insects.
"Count Viktor, your magic seems... less impressive than advertised."
The Second Prince lowered his head, eyes blazing with insane light, sneering down at Viktor:
"Did you actually believe this was the same demon you defeated before?"
Viktor stood expressionless, hands pocketed, simply waiting for the inevitable explanation.
He knew that at moments like this, opponents absolutely couldn't resist monologuing.
Sure enough.
Before everyone's eyes, Owiser leaped down from the greed demon's skull.
He circled Aubrey like a predator, hands clasped behind his back.
Bloodshot gaze casually examining his imperial brother.
"You know what, dear brother?"
"I should thank you for giving me the chance to deal with uncle."
The First Prince's eyes went wide.
"Those lovely insults you hurled at me—I remember every single word."
Owiser inhaled deeply, savoring this moment of universal attention.
He raised his head, arrogant gaze boring into Aubrey as his voice exploded:
"It was YOU, Aubrey!"
"You made me decide! Your attitude drove me to tear open the southern rift!"
Roar after roar left Aubrey reeling, countless nobles stunned into silence.
Finally, Owiser gradually composed himself, elegantly adjusting his collar, voice turning eerily calm:
"The southern monster tide wasn't anyone else's fault. Only yours."
"You couldn't balance southern adventurer incomes, so you forced military intervention in rift operations."
"All you accomplished was making those guilds richer while ordinary adventurers—despite real skill—couldn't afford a decent meal."
"How could they not feel jealous? How could they not harbor greed?"
Owiser's grin widened, watching his brother rendered speechless, laughing with pure delight:
"So I simply amplified their jealousy and greed—easily triggering that monster tide."
"I really must thank you, imperial brother."
The First Prince's body shook violently while nobles glanced between the royal siblings.
Their eyes filled with boundless despair and crushing disappointment.
If the Second Prince spoke truth, the First Prince couldn't even manage a single city properly.
Even his achievements were fabricated lies.
This proved him a complete failure as a prince.
But who among them had succeeded?
Compared to the Second Prince colluding with demons, the First Prince seemed almost decent.
So now, beyond despair and disappointment, they could do nothing.
But then...
"Are you finished?"
Viktor's voice cut through the tension like a blade.
Everyone present looked up involuntarily.
Even Owiser froze, turning toward Viktor with confusion.
Those unrestrained eyes casually appraising him.
"Count Viktor."
"Still refusing to face reality?"
Suddenly he burst into wild laughter, finger jabbing toward the massive demon behind him.
His arrogant cackles reached every heart present:
"See that? What is that? A demon!"
"Count Viktor, I admit you're strong! But the simple fact remains—"
His voice suddenly dropped to eerie calm, like Owiser's final madness abruptly cut short:
"You cannot defeat us."
The giant demon joined his laughter—sound stretching for miles, reeking of endless foul greed.
Nobles despaired. Even the elves panicked amid that horrific chorus.
Cocotte had to pat each elf soothingly:
"There, there, don't cry now."
"Keep crying and Lia won't pay your wages tomorrow."
Highly effective—the elves stopped immediately.
But this soul-deep despair hadn't ended.
In silence and soft sobbing, Gwen raised her head, armor beginning to glow faintly.
But Lia's hand stopped her motion.
"No need, Gwen."
Gwen turned back, meeting Lia's gaze.
Seeing Lia watching Viktor in the distance, she shook her head slightly.
"Trust Viktor."
When the demon's and Owiser's laughter finally ceased, Viktor raised his head—face utterly emotionless.
He opened his mouth, delivering those ice-cold words:
"I once promised His Majesty I would never kill you."
Owiser's expression flickered slightly.
He frowned, about to respond, but Viktor's voice continued relentlessly.
Viktor lifted his head, ruthless eyes burning with arctic killing intent.
Surrounded by raging wind and snow, chill piercing to the bone:
"What makes you think—"
"—you hold victory in your hands?"
The moment those words fell, crimson aura surged from every direction.
The sky drowned beneath thick blood-red clouds. Earth plunged into profound silence.
This blood-red sky wasn't greasy and oppressive like before—but blazed like manic flames, rapidly flickering and dancing.
Like countless creatures tearing open giant maws, furiously trying to rip apart the heavens beyond.
Soon crimson clouds shattered. Red snow began falling from impossible heights.
Nobles stood frozen, staring up at the gathering bloody blizzard.
Suddenly their faces erupted in searing, fire-like agony.
They instinctively touched their cheeks—fingertips came away stained deep red.
Eyes widening in disbelief, they studied the thickening crimson storm above.
Wait... that wasn't snow at all...
Those were... iron shavings...
Crimson gradually condensed from mid-air, completely replacing the pale winter scene.
Several nobles looked up, eyes wide with shock.
Ignoring facial wounds, they pointed skyward, shouting to everyone:
"Look at the sky!"
"What in God's name is happening?!"
Their alarm drew other nobles' attention.
They craned their necks upward, witnessing lightning-like crimson radiance flashing between distant clouds.
Eyes bulging, they strained against stinging winds and billowing robes, desperately peering into the distance.
The elves huddled together in terror around Cocotte's cloud.
More than humans, they could intuitively sense this power's horrifying nature.
The sky's disturbance spread across half the royal capital—bloody clouds extending westward, approaching residential districts.
Knights organized evacuation lines, guiding civilians away rapidly.
Those dispersing crowds looked skyward, ominous dread rising in their hearts.
As processions moved, one resident stepped forward, anxiously grabbing a knight's arm:
"Sir Knight, what's happening?"
Deep night, sudden knight deployment, everyone awakened—clearly something catastrophic had occurred.
The knight bent down, speaking with grave authority:
"I know you have questions, but don't ask now."
"Trust us. Don't look back."
These civilians knew nothing about the palace incident—they absolutely couldn't see the demon behind them.
Some residents, noting the knights' serious expressions, didn't dare turn around—only harboring resentment while muttering complaints.
Being awakened at night and forbidden to look back made one curious resident unable to resist.
But the instant he turned his head, he froze completely.
Dumbstruck. Terrified expression. Trembling lips. Powerless limbs. No sound possible.
Heart-deep fear had stolen his voice entirely.
What he witnessed would haunt anyone forever.
The oppressive sky seemed torn by bloody lightning, radiance slashing through darkness.
Countless crimson snow and wind peeled from cloud layers, drowning the dense heavens.
Half an enormously massive blood-red hand thrust from the fissure, tearing apart heavy storm clouds.
Then a colossal crocodile wrapped in infinite crimson emerged completely.
Vivid blood vessels networked across its hide while a fang-filled maw extended from the sky, gradually pressing earthward.
Iron shavings around this demonic creature became whirling storms, spinning at impossible speeds.
Gaze blood-red. Violent. Merciless.
Countless nobles beneath the rift stared upward at this new demon appearing after the greed demon.
The creature's massive form gradually descended, standing firmly behind Viktor.
Like a titan completely consumed by rage.
One breath stirred hurricane-force winds.
Those enormous air currents sent Viktor's black coat snapping and billowing wildly.
Viktor slowly raised his head, contempt blazing from his eyes, piercing straight into the Second Prince's heart:
"Challenge me?"
"Are you qualified?"
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
/BZDXG - Unlock a HUGE stash of advance chapters now!
Dive deeper into the story ahead of everyone else!