Chapter 60 : The Enlightened Ugar
Chapter 60: The Enlightened Ugar
The Demon King’s Tower.
The tower that had once been an object of terror was no longer something to be feared.
For the past several decades, the Demon Kings had lived relatively quietly, and aside from occasionally abducting members of the royal family, no major conflicts had occurred.
Even those princes and princesses were usually rescued without much difficulty whenever humans decided to form a hero’s march or an assault unit, so the general atmosphere across society was one that viewed the Demon Kings rather lightly.
Although a series of recent incidents had made people wary again, greed always devoured everything, as it always had.
And so, crowds of heroes and humans formed around the Gold-Steel Tower to hunt.
Monsters drawn in by demonic energy gathered around the Demon King’s Tower, and heroes who wanted those by-products flocked to the area.
‘Just how lightly did they think of the Demon King…’
The fact that this was still happening despite the incidents with Draxon and Vivian clearly showed how people regarded the Demon King’s position.
Berje checked the surrounding scenery and ground his teeth. He swallowed his anger and asked Rozel:
“What kind of place is the Gold-Steel Tower?”
“You’re not saying something stupid like you came to conquer the tower without doing any prior research, are you?”
“What I know and what Rozel Charnte knows must be different.”
“So you finally realize my value.”
He had simply been curious what the Demon King’s Tower was like from the heroes’ perspective.
“Speaking as someone who has gone up to the 5th floor of the Gold-Steel Tower, it was quite annoying.”
“Annoying?”
“It’s a matter of attributes.”
“I understand.”
Ugar Velbek was a Titan, a giant race of the Demon Realm. Naturally, the demons who followed him were similar, and they also preferred large, massive monsters.
And generally, large monsters had their abilities skewed toward physical prowess, which included exceptional resistance.
The type mages hated the most.
“I don’t particularly like the Gold-Steel Tower, but sometimes the lacking side has to dig the well.”
“What is the interior of the tower like?”
“Exactly as you see.”
A rugged floor and rough rocky walls, with monsters bursting out between them, scattering killing intent.
“It’s Rozel Charnte.”
“Hillan Cargill is here too.”
“Red Flame Assault Unit?”
Heroes fighting those monsters recognized Rozel and Hillan and whispered among themselves.
“But there’s something I’m curious about too.”
“What is it?”
“Is the captain of this assault unit Hillan Cargill, or is it you, Pale?”
Rozel’s one remaining eye gleamed.
“Of course it’s Hillan Cargill.”
“Right? Normally, that would be the case…”
Hillan Cargill, one of the ten Stars (even if only the lowest-ranked), and Pale, who possessed strangely pure mana despite not being a hero.
The answer was simple.
“But why does it feel like it’s you?”
“Please don’t say anything strange, Rozel.”
Hillan cut into the conversation.
“I am the captain of the Red Hawk Assault Unit.”
“For a captain, you’re acting far too humble.”
“That is because Lord Pale is not a member of the assault unit. He is simply someone I have known for a long time.”
“Known for a long time? And how did you meet?”
“I have no reason to tell you that.”
“Playing hard to get, are we?”
“Continuing like this is discourteous.”
“In life, a person can be discourteous more than a few times. And compared to the trouble you caused in the Beast’s Tower, a few questions are nothing, don’t you think?”
“I cannot say that was entirely my fault.”
“I know. But I lost an eye.”
“…The me from then and the me now are different.”
“You swallowed two Demon Kings. You’d better be different.”
Otherwise, I might die from frustration.
“Otherwise, wouldn’t my missing eye have died for nothing? Don’t you think?”
“…I apologise once again for that matter.”
“It’s fine. I didn’t expect Draxon to be that strong either. And even without that, you tried your best. A person lacking ability can’t be blamed too harshly, right?”
“How amusing.”
Berje clapped.
“After all the mess you caused, saying you can’t be blamed… shamelessness is a talent too. I still feel lacking in that area.”
“You’re mocking me, aren’t you?”
“I’m serious.”
“So you’re seriously mocking me. Birds of a feather flock together, is that it?”
“I’m on everyone’s side. For now, we’re jointly conquering the Gold-Steel Tower.”
“That’s true. After conquering the tower, I’ll lay out a red carpet for the more important work ahead.”
Rozel seized the reins. When the horse shot forward, the Red Flame Assault Unit followed behind.
“Clear a straight path to the Gold-Steel Tower.”
“We obey!”
A carpet was laid all the way to the entrance of the Gold-Steel Tower—made of monster blood, corpses, and flames.
* * *
“The Red Flame Assault Unit is ascending the Gold-Steel Tower.”
The door of the tower could be opened by anyone.
But not everyone climbed.
Even for heroes accustomed to demons and monsters, the pressure given off by the Demon King and the tower was on a completely different level.
No one climbed the tower unless they were a proper assault unit.
No one climbed unless it was a hero’s march.
It was an unspoken rule among heroes.
Not to avoid provoking the Demon King, but to avoid dying.
Humans yearned for what they could not do. Thus, the Red Flame Assault Unit entering the tower naturally became a spectacle.
“Good.”
Hillan smiled.
“This kind of attention.”
“Attention can turn into malice in an instant. Like when you failed to capture the Beast Demon King in one go.”
“I believe all of that is a fate a hero must endure.”
Rozel ignored Hillan.
“So do we just go in now? What floor is the objective?”
“The 3rd floor.”
“You set the bar higher than I expected. For a group of this level.”
Rozel’s gaze swept over the Red Hawk mercenaries. Bark flinched but couldn’t refute.
Though both the Red Hawk Mercenary Company and the Red Flame Assault Unit shared the word red, the gap between them was as vast as heaven and earth.
Berje signaled Hillan with his eyes. Hillan strode forward and stood before the door.
“I will open it. Everyone, prepare for monsters.”
“What’s on the 1st floor of the tower?”
“Why do you keep asking? Think I’m your guide?”
“You’re the one who offered to guide us.”
“Guide? More like a debt collector. It’s Mile Trolls.”
Mile Trolls were similar to Krutu. Monsters who regained part of their original form after receiving a portion of demonic energy from a Demon King who wished to use them.
But the amount of demonic energy they received was small, making them far inferior to Krutu.
Even so, they were incomparable to regular trolls.
Krrrr—
Hillan raised his aura and pushed open the massive door.
With a harsh grinding noise, the interior revealed itself.
And the first thing that greeted them was—
“…So Mile Trolls look like this nowadays?”
“…And who is that supposed to be?”
A woman lay atop a towering rock.
Pale complexion, eyes closed as if dead.
* * *
It was laughable.
The 1st floor. Behind the door was not the Mile Troll Rozel Charnte had described, nor the countless monsters meant to guard the tower.
But a tall rock—and on top of it, a princess with her eyes closed.
“…Ellena.”
The very target Berje had come to save.
Ernan’s voice quivered. Her trembling hand reached forward.
Berje forcibly lowered her hand and whispered:
“Do not lose your composure.”
“…I’m sorry.”
“That is Ellena?”
“Yes. Why is she here…?”
As expected of Ugar.
He had said: If you don’t leave Ellena on the 3rd floor, think about what comes after.
So he placed her at the entrance.
He always exceeded expectations.
“Who is that woman? And why is the tower structure like this?”
Rozel Charnte shouted.
“A princess.”
“A princess?”
Hillan, who had already heard from Berje about the agreement between the Demon Kings, explained:
“She is the 13th Princess of Hilderan. Lady Ellena Hilderan.”
“That’s Ellena? This is hilarious. Is the Gold-Steel Demon King suddenly trying to imitate the Frost Demon King?”
“We must rescue her.”
At Berje’s glance, Hillan Cargill dashed forward. The quick-witted Granada led the Red Hawk mercenaries and followed.
“Fine, you rescue the princess. We’ll handle the rest.”
Behind the rock where the princess lay.
So focused on the princess, they had failed to notice the thousand-plus Mile Trolls behind her, baring their teeth and growling.
“Kill them all!”
The Red Flame Assault Unit charged toward the Mile Trolls.
Berje and Ernan arrived at the rock face a step later.
“What’s her condition?”
“Her breathing is faint, but relatively stable.”
“Granada. Go assist Rozel.”
“Yes.”
Granada led the Red Hawk mercenaries and hurled himself into the melee.
On the rock where the entire first floor could be seen, only four remained.
“Hillan Cargill. Did you know the princess was like this?”
“Yes. I met her once. She wasn’t this bad back then…”
“She was using an artifact to hide it as much as possible. Even heroes would have had trouble noticing.”
“I see.”
‘Do you know the magic called Child of the World Tree?’
Ernan’s whisper drifted through Berje’s mind.
Ellena Hilderan’s complexion was pale.
Her life force was so thin she could have died at any moment.
“You were right.”
“…Yes.”
But—
Inside her.
A colossal amount of mana was coiled. So much that it was chilling.
“Child of the World Tree.”
Humans always wanted more. And when they possessed much, they desired even more.
Thus was the magic Child of the World Tree created.
Just as the fruit that grew from the World Tree was a noble elixir, this magic sought to make a human more complete.
Artificial reinforcement starting from the fetus.
A technique more akin to augmentation than magic.
That was Child of the World Tree.
At first glance, it seemed an extraordinary magic, but something created by imperfect humans could never be perfect.
The royal family of Hilderan was proof. Ellena Hilderan was the evidence.
“Hillan, you take her. The credit for rescuing the princess must remain yours.”
“Yes.”
“Please be careful. She is a fragile child.”
“I will.”
Hillan carefully lifted Ellena. Even then, she did not open her eyes.
A warm orange glow made Berje turn his head. Everywhere his gaze landed, flames churned violently. No—everywhere he looked was a sea of fire.
“Kya-ha-ha-ha-ha!”
In the distance, Rozel Charnte’s mad laughter echoed.
“The flames are spreading this way!”
“Damn it, move!”
Within the blaze, the Red Flame Assault Unit rampaged fearlessly, while the Red Hawk mercenaries scattered in all directions to avoid the fire.
“…She really is a crazy woman.”
He had known from the first time he saw her, but the difference in scale was staggering. To think she set fire to the entire floor.
“Ugar’s going to feel this one.”
Berje considered calculating the Demonic Points Ugar would have to spend repairing the facilities on the burned first floor and restoring all the dead Mile Trolls—then gave up.
There was no need for him to do so. The damage was not Berje’s to bear.
* * *
“…What?”
Ugar received the report that heroes had entered the tower.
But that was all.
It was unexpected that Rozel Charnte and Hillan Cargill were moving together, but as promised, the 13th Princess of Hilderan had been placed on the 1st floor.
In the perfect position—visible the moment the door opened. All they had to do was rescue her and leave.
However—
“Burn the entire 1st floor!”
Over a thousand Mile Trolls had been annihilated.
The environment he had painstakingly arranged so the trolls could fight well was burned to ash.
“Berje, you son of a—!”
Although Mile Trolls were relatively easy to replenish thanks to their exceptional reproduction and growth rate among monsters, a thousand of them were still a thousand.
The thought of restoring the entire 1st floor made fury surge up inside him.
“If I’d left her on the 3rd floor, this would’ve been disastrous.”
A chill ran down his spine at the thought of the catastrophe that never happened. He marveled at his own foresight.
Then suddenly—
“But…”
He felt something wrong.
“Rozel Charnte and Hillan Cargill came?”
It was Rozel Charnte and Hillan Cargill who killed Draxon.
Was this… a coincidence?
“…It’s a coincidence.”
Even thinking it, he let out a bitter laugh.
“Draxon died because he killed Ormus’s Second Prince.”
Rozel Charnte taking command was because Balraf Dislode withdrew, and because Hillan Cargill had been competing in the Frost Tower until just before that.
“It’s possible the two formed a connection from that.”
Hillan Cargill was a hero from Hilderan. It wasn’t strange for him to come rescue the 13th Princess.
“…But.”
Ugar muttered uneasily. The doubts he had tried to dismiss resurfaced.
“Draxon insisted it wasn’t his fault. He said someone sent a high-ranking demon.”
He had gone so far as to dig through the tower’s records to plead his innocence.
If what he said were true—if everything had been planned by someone?
And if that someone was a Demon King?
“…Jason Kokemundo.”
He himself hadn’t done it. Reina Sordein wasn’t that kind of demon. And Berje Deias didn’t possess a high-ranking demon.
‘Well… not exactly, but…’
A tower adjutant never left the tower.
“And Berje Deias has only been a Demon King for a year. There’s no way he has connections to the Star-ranked heroes. Someone must have helped him.”
And there was only one person who would help a Demon King and connect them to heroes.
The False Demon King, Jason Kokemundo.
‘Oh no…’
Ugar covered his mouth.
‘It’s Jason. Jason hired the heroes to kill Draxon.’
But why?
That night, Ugar could not sleep.