Chapter 239: Unwilling to Retreat

I couldn’t even guess what kind of expression I was wearing.

Blood dripped from my clenched fist. Trying desperately not to crush the comm stone in my hand, Nine forced his stiff lips to open.

[Forgive me, but I must retract my statement. We don’t require reinforcements.]

[Huh? What’s the meaning of this…?]

[Just now, the survivor count has been updated. Survivors: zero. Report complete annihilation.]

[What nonsense are you spouting? The adjutant is still alive!]

Thud. The severed comm stone fell to the floor, and a military boot stomped it into pieces.

The comm stone was unrecoverable now. He had to ensure it didn’t fall into enemy hands at least. Nine ground it to dust under his heel, confirming its destruction before finally looking up.

His gaze locked with a pair of brown eyes that held no trace of warmth.

‘…’

He opened his mouth. Too far to hear him, but Nine could clearly read his lip movements.

[So, you didn’t run away, huh.]

“…”

Instead of replying, he took a step forward. Marching straight towards that damn Hero, Nine let out a broken, humorless laugh. His eyes burned, wide open, refusing to yield.

‘…I know fleeing is the right choice.’

His mind knew he should escape. As the legion commander’s adjutant, he also served as the deputy commander and was a potential candidate for legion commander. Even if not as valuable as a legion commander, he was still a significant asset.

His superior had bought him enough time to escape, so he should have fled. That was the right thing to do.

‘But.’

Even so, running away and abandoning his superior wasn’t an option he’d ever considered. The best course of action he could think of was to distance himself to avoid hindering the fight and request backup.

But now his superior was dead.

His mind, blank with shock, mechanically replayed their last conversation. What were his last words again?

[It looks like it will take a while, so go on ahead.]

He sounded so calm.

[Thank you for always taking care of someone like me, who must have been a bother.]

Shadows were always trampled underfoot. Hel was a shadow.

He’d questioned whether someone like him deserved to stand above others, to stand shoulder to shoulder with them. He’d even admitted it felt awkward.

Such low self-esteem and naivety—any other adjutant with ambition would have jumped at the chance to climb over him. If the Demon King hadn’t ordered him to help Hel fully utilize his abilities when he first became adjutant, Nine might have tried to devour him too.

Regardless of the initial intentions or underlying motives, he had nurtured Hel, coaxing and encouraging him, determined to forge a proper legion commander out of that low self-esteem.

…My legion commander, whom I raised.

“Why did you come back? I would have let you escape if you’d just run away.”

“…Get your foot off him.”

“Oh, my mistake.”

He took a step back.

Nine’s eyes wavered as Hel’s body was fully revealed. Even having seen it from afar, witnessing the death of the one he’d practically raised up close was a fresh, devastating blow.

Regret crushed his heart.

‘…I should have stayed, even if I had to force my way through.’

The opponent was a monster.

Even considering that magic use was suppressed due to a nearby city, he was still incredible.

He used his unique ability to hide in shadows, yet the Hero sensed his location and injured him by driving his sword into the ground. Even when he moved from shadow to shadow, the Hero reacted instantly as soon as he appeared. Even a surprise attack from behind was useless.

Combat-specialized, with senses as sharp as a beast’s.

This was a battle he was highly likely to lose. Evading him would have been the right choice.

Hel himself should have known that better than anyone. Then why?

[…Ah.]

A thought flashed through his mind, and Nine stopped breathing.

We are the problem.

Hel, who could have easily escaped alone if it was just a matter of combat ability, was staying here and facing the Hero because of them. The realization hit him hard, and he shouted at the soldiers,

[Everyone, retreat! It doesn’t matter if you scatter! Regroup at the previous city…!]

[I almost forgot to mention this.]

A nonchalant voice cut him off.

The ‘Hero’ who had accurately stabbed his sword into the shadow Hel had hidden in smiled smoothly. When he pulled out the sword, blood stained the blade.

[You won’t be able to escape.]

[…What nonsense…]

[I hired mercenaries, you see. To encircle this area. Carefully selected, quite capable ones at that. Unless you are a skilled commander or a direct subordinate, ordinary demon soldiers who can’t even use magic should be easy enough to kill.]

[….]

[Well, if I die, the client who pays them will disappear, so they might just back off then.]

He could sense his superior steeling himself. A precarious situation where a single misstep could mean their deaths. Nine clenched his fist.

What was the best outcome in this situation? What could he do?

His mind raced. Realizing that he couldn’t save everyone, his brain chose to discard the less important to protect the vital.

[Hel-nim, I will stay behind.]

Abandon the ordinary soldiers and the adjutant, and save the legion commander.

He offered to stay and fight, telling Hel to escape. Objectively, it was the right decision, as a legion commander was more important than an adjutant.

[No.]

Yet, he couldn’t do that because his superior was stubbornly refusing.

[Sir Deon believes in me.]

[….]

[I have to send at least the subordinates back alive.]

Ah. Hearing those words, he understood.

The side effects had finally kicked in. The drug was working too well.

Praising subordinates as great might be less effective, but being recognized by someone capable and respected was definitely more effective…

‘Sir Deon…’

Forcing down the sigh that threatened to escape, he returned to reality and glared at the ‘Hero’ before him.

The opponent tilted his head, as if unable to understand. Green hair slid down his face with the movement.

“I’m sure your superior wanted to save at least you…”

“…”

“Are you going to make his death meaningless?”

“Shut up.”

All the ordinary soldiers were dead.

Orders to not scatter but gather and break through in one direction were useless. The mercenaries gathered faster than they could break through the encirclement.

Unfortunately, they were organized in teams and had signal flares.

“At least you don’t have the right to say that.”

“…Such loyalty.”

I feel like I’m the villain here. Even though you guys are the invaders. Stigma muttered quietly.

“Well, if you’re so determined to die, I can’t stop you.”

“It’s not that I want to die.”

“A resolute answer. But facing an opponent you can’t defeat alone, if that’s not wanting to die, then what is it?”

“…I just…”

Nine trailed off, unable to finish, and finally fell silent, unable to find the right words.

He didn’t know how to describe the emotion driving this irrational action.

After racking his brains, going beyond the common sense of the Demon Realm and even into that of the Human Realm, he finally found a plausible analogy and spoke.

“…What parent would back down with the bastard who killed their own kid right in front of them?”

“…I see.”

Understood. Stigma sighed.

The goal of killing the 8th Legion Commander was already achieved, so there was no need for more bloodshed, but this was unavoidable.

“In that case, I have no choice but to oblige.”

Signal flares had been used, so he should finish this quickly.

There might be forces coming in response to the flares. Like Sanguo, or the Revolutionary Army. If he wasted any more time, he might get entangled with troublesome factions, so he lightly flicked his sword to shake off the blood and aimed it with his usual elegant and unhesitating stance.

***

His body crumbled. His vision blurred, and his breath hitched at his throat.

Defeat was sealed in an instant. In fact, it was a predetermined future from the start.

‘I’m going to die soon.’

Nine smiled faintly.

The inevitable pain of the current situation was bearable, so it was fine. He had already braced himself for death, so he didn’t care anymore. However….

‘……’

He stared blankly at Hel’s body sprawled nearby before opening his mouth.

“Do you know… the most powerful magic… demons can use?”

“…Hmm?”

“Magic… that uses… the magic power… that makes up… our bodies.”

Demon bodies are made of the Demon King’s magic power. Whether it’s made of pure magic power or fused with something else, the fact that magic power is involved is absolute.

In other words, magic utilizing this would be the most powerful magic even demons who have exhausted all their magic power could use.

He had no intention of wasting it, so he hurriedly opened his mouth before his breath completely gave out.

“Because it’s also… magic power… directly… related to the soul… it’s not… often used… but…”

His breath was too short, and his words came out in broken fragments.

Was it the composure of a powerful being, or was it mercy to listen to his last words?

He smiled faintly at the opponent who silently listened to his gradually fading voice, without beheading him.

“[To achieve what you truly desire.]”

“…Huh?”

“[You will have to give up your life.]”

The 5th Corps Commander had said that humans valued desires and lives the most.

Desires were the goals and milestones of life, he said. Without them, people couldn’t find a reason to live and even threw away their precious lives.

He had no intention of simply dying without avenging Hel-nim. Therefore, he had cast a curse that forced him to choose between his desire and his life. Which would he give up?

His body began to crumble. His vision, already fragmented, grew dizzy, and Nine closed his eyes.

Finally, faintly, he heard a voice.

“…He left me with a choice that requires no contemplation.”

So naive.

***

The communication ended.

Deon stared silently at the now even darker pool of blood before looking up. His eyes met the Demon King’s.

Pretending to be calm, he rummaged through his pockets, took out a new cigarette, and said,

“I apologize.”

“…Whatever.”

The Demon King, who had been silently gazing into his red eyes, shrugged lightly.

“It’s not your fault. Who would have thought the Empire’s second Hero would pop up out of nowhere?”

“…”

“Rather… about the cigarette.”

No, should I call it a drug?

He even went as far as to take it away himself to tell him to stop. Yet, he was brazenly taking it out again right here, truly…

“Your dependence on the drug seems to be increasing…”

“…Heroes don’t get addicted to drugs.”

“Maybe not physically, but what about mentally?”

“…”

“What should I do with you?”

With a light sigh, the Demon King snatched the cigarette from Deon’s hand.

Not stopping there, the Demon King searched his pockets and inner coat, confiscating everything, then grinned and waved what he held in his hand.

“So many. And you say you’re not addicted?”

“…”

“I’ve warned you repeatedly, but you’ve ignored me. Until now, the ‘restraint’ baseline was ambiguous, so I let it slide, but not this time.”

Crunch.

The cigarette case crumpled in his grasp.

“From now on, I’m issuing a cigarette ban for you. I should probably issue a drug ban as well, just in case. You might try to argue it’s not a ‘cigarette’ if you take it in a non-cigarette form. You know my intentions behind these orders, don’t you?”

“What…!”

“Deon.”

His low voice cut off Deon’s words.

“How long has it been since I signaled to you to stop smoking?”

“…”

“Not even a day, not even an hour, no, not even 30 minutes. And it’s not like you moved from that spot. Standing right there, you took out another cigarette.”

The Demon King curved his eyes into a light smile. The pupils visible between his eyelids gleamed coldly.

“You openly disregarded my wishes, so I think it’s fair to impose this much punishment, don’t you? You shouldn’t have anything to say to me.”

“…But.”

“Commander of the 0th Legion.”

The smile vanished from the Demon King’s eyes.

“You should listen to the Demon King, shouldn’t you?”

“…”

Not ‘Hero’ or ‘Deon,’ but ‘Commander of the 0th Legion.’

Deon, understanding the implication, muttered under his breath. Damn it.

“…Understood.”

“Good.”

As if nothing had happened, his eyes curved again, filled with laughter.

The sight of it was so fake and annoying that Deon cursed inwardly and said,

“Ptooey.”

“?”

Ah, that’s not right.

“Then, I will return to my room to revise the plan.”

“…Did you just say… ptooey?”

“Huh? Me?”

“…”

Well… he did have his drugs taken away, so it’s understandable that he’d be on edge.

The Demon King, who had been momentarily stunned, chuckled softly and waved his hand, gesturing for him to leave.