Chapter 269: Siege and Reinforcements

War drums echoed, and siege towers lumbered forward.

Siege towers were mostly wood, making them vulnerable to fire. Sareen, who had ordered fire arrows the moment they were spotted, watched in frustration as the flames flickered and died without catching. She quickly changed her command.

“Fire arrows are useless! Stones! Use the catapults!”

They even prepared water! Up close, I see they’ve covered them in fire-resistant leather too. Pointlessly thorough…!

Did they really think we’d be twiddling our thumbs while they set up siege towers?

‘But we came prepared with catapults.’

On command, stones were loaded into the catapults, and the signal to fire was given.

Massive stones soared into the sky. The sight of boulders raining down, filling the blue expanse, was quite a spectacle—made even more so by the sight of the advancing enemies falling one by one.

The primary targets were, of course, the siege towers.

As the catapults launched, boulder-sized stones hurtled towards the siege towers. And then…

Boom!!

A deafening roar erupted.

“…Insane.”

“What in the world…!”

“He shattered boulders with thrown spears!”

Dust billowed, and the sound of small stone fragments raining down filled the air.

Someone shouted, and Sareen, spotting Deon with a spear at the front of the siege tower, gritted her teeth in fury.

No need to analyze the situation. He immediately aimed his spear at another incoming boulder, targeting a different siege tower, and hurled it.

Whoosh! The sound of air tearing apart echoed across the battlefield. The spear, faster than any arrow, precisely shattered the boulder. Stone fragments, evenly pulverized without a single large chunk, rained down once more.

As another spear materialized in Deon’s hand, he spoke, his voice low.

“Keep pushing forward.”

Though his voice wasn’t loud, every soldier heard him.

“U, Uwaaaaaah!!”

“Sir Deon fights with us!”

“Push forward!”

Instantly, demon morale surged. Ignoring the rain of arrows and falling stones, they charged forward like madmen.

Sareen sensed their own lines faltering. Spotting the demoralized soldiers, she finally cursed under her breath.

“Monster bastard…”

Is that even human?

***

Shattering boulders with thrown spears demanded far more focus than he’d anticipated.

Even a slight miss from the ‘sweet spot’ meant the boulder wouldn’t shatter cleanly—it would break into large and small chunks. And with the spear’s impact potentially changing the trajectory of the falling debris, harming unintended targets, he couldn’t afford to be careless.

In his focus, he hadn’t even registered the communication stone in his pocket.

Thunk.

Ah.

During what must have been his countless spear throws, the communication stone, unable to withstand the violent movements, bounced out of his pouch. If that were all, he could have just picked it up. But of course, it had to land right where he was about to step.

Crunch. The communication stone under his foot shattered.

“…Damn it.”

One look told him it was beyond repair. Of all times, why now, in the middle of a war…? A hint of dismay clouded his eyes as he stared down at the pulverized communication stone.

And what’s worse, he’d seen it light up just before it broke… like it was trying to connect.

‘It’ll be fine… right?’

A knot of unease tightened in his gut, but the battle was raging, and there was no turning back now. Deon pushed down the feeling, refusing to let such a trivial matter distract him in the middle of war, and aimed his spear at another falling boulder.

Boom!! Thump!

Another boulder exploded into fragments and rained down. The siege tower, advancing with terrifying speed, slammed into the city walls. The moment its ramp dropped with a thud, Milan’s shout, taking temporary command, rang out.

“Alright, let’s move out!”

“Waaaaaaaah!!”

The Killer Knights inside surged out.

“Blind!”

“Wh-what…!”

Predictably, there was no semblance of a normal battle.

While some faltered at the absurd tactic of going straight for the eyes with fingers, Deon calmly descended the city walls.

“Now then… where’s the mechanism to open the city gate…”

“Guhk!”

“Where could it be?”

He grabbed the nearest soldier by the neck and demanded.

A Sanguo soldier, staring into Deon’s crimson eyes inches from his face, trembled and thrashed with all his might. But realizing the futility of escape, he abruptly went limp.

Despite his surrender, his eyes still blazed at Deon Hart with defiance.

“Just kill me then.”

“…Is that so?”

……

“Well… plenty more where you came from, and the gate mechanisms are usually in similar spots anyway, so no skin off my nose…”

That look in his eyes is starting to get on my nerves.

It wasn’t just blind loyalty in his eyes; there was something else, a disturbingly familiar undercurrent that grated on him.

As his displeasure flickered across his face, as if sensing his impending doom, the soldier’s voice turned venomous, desperate. His raised voice stabbed at Deon’s eardrums.

“You think you’ll find anyone here to tell you anything? We are soldiers of Sanguo, loyal to our King!”

……

“We’d rather die than betray His Majesty!”

Ah, now I remember where I’ve seen that look before.

Fanatics. That’s exactly the look fanatics have. They say Sanguo is a nation of fanatics, worshipping their king like a god—never thought I’d see it firsthand.

A hollow laugh escaped his lips. But the feeling, like insects crawling all over his skin, was too much. Deon hurled the soldier away as if in revulsion. The sound of a body crashing echoed, but he didn’t even glance back, just strode on.

‘Yeah, definitely better to move alone.’

Another look like that and he’d probably lose his temper.

Besides, the mad dogs were doing fine, keeping pace and tearing through the enemy lines without falling behind.

“Screech.”

…And even the carnivorous plants were doing their part. Nothing to worry about, right?

He gave the carnivorous plant, diligently intercepting stray attacks, a pat as if praising a good dog, then launched himself forward.

Sanguo soldiers desperately brandished their weapons, trying to halt the storm barreling towards its target. But there was no human present who could slow him down.

The city gates swung open.

The waiting Demon King’s army surged through, and the Killer Knights, navigating the chaos, miraculously found Deon Hart and his group, rejoining their ranks.

By then, nothing could stop them.

Despite their desperate resistance, Sanguo forces were being pushed back relentlessly, finally scrambling as if cornered rats. Though their last-ditch efforts were slowing their advance more than anticipated, Deon remained unfazed.

‘Time’s on our side anyway.’

He stepped back to observe the unfolding situation, when a sudden chill snaked up his spine, piercing his mind.

Instinctively, Deon frowned and gripped his weapon. His eyes darted around, scanning their surroundings.

‘What is it? What’s wrong?’

Everything had been going so smoothly, though.

…Wait, now that he thought about it, there was a commotion from the rear…

‘Ah, no… could it be?’

He belatedly registered the commotion and turned, just as a booming voice echoed.

“For the glorious Imperial Army!”

…Huh.

Unmistakable uniforms and that familiar battle cry.

When figures completely outside his calculations entered his vision, Deon reflexively hissed a breath.

Oblivious to the unspoken question and bewildered look in Deon’s eyes—*Why are you bastards here?*—the Imperial general stood tall and bellowed.

“Show these demons the price of invading the Human Realm! Make them understand it thoroughly!”

“For the glory of the Empire!!”

The air vibrated and the ground trembled with the resounding roar.

Though past their prime, the Imperial army still radiated a palpable aura of former glory, advancing with a force that couldn’t be ignored.

***

Just before the Imperial reinforcements arrived.

Cornered, the Sanguo soldiers turned to their king.

“What do we do now? Give us guidance, Your Majesty. Please, a miracle to turn this around…”

Your Majesty, Your Majesty, Your Majesty…

“…Just hold on a little longer.”

Fanaticism always came with a price.

The King of Sanguo, now acutely aware of fanaticism’s cost, felt the weight of her subjects’ blind faith—eyes that looked to her alone for salvation—yet she remained outwardly composed, uttering calmly,

“The tide will turn soon.”

Rweche might not come, but the Empire would, definitely. They’d arrive before Sanguo fell.

She vividly recalled the conversation with Elpidius, the current Emperor of the Empire, after their last encounter with Deon Hart.

Deon Hart’s words had lingered in her mind. Even after concluding their urgent business, instead of immediately ending the communication, she’d cautiously inquired. It was an impulsive question, born of a softened heart in the fragile dawn.

“[If Deon Hart had some hidden reason… what would you do?]”

Elpidius’s reply was immediate and firm.

“[Everyone has their reasons.]”

[…….]

“[Of course, he had his reasons, no doubt. But he’s not the only one with reasons, is he?]”

There was an edge of anger in his voice.

“[His actions gave *me* reasons. Whatever his reasons, from where I stand, he’s the enemy who destroyed my world, murdered what little family I had left. Are you really asking me to consider *his* reasons? To show compassion? To a victim who lost everything?]”

“[That… wasn’t my intention. If it came across that way, then I apologize.]”

“[…If I’ve overstepped, then I apologize. But before that, allow me to say this. It’s always a needle in your own hand that hurts more than a sword in someone else’s gut. And does what I’ve suffered look like just a needle to you?]”

[…….]

She didn’t know the specifics, but she knew the Imperial family had been close-knit back then.

Perhaps for them, former Emperor Eudoard was more than just family, more than a protector—he was their anchor, their world, as he’d said. And then, in a single day, that ‘world’ was ripped away, casting them into a strange and hostile reality.

“[It was a question I shouldn’t have asked to begin with.]”

My apologies.

Yeonhwa readily conceded her mistake.

Her clean apology seemed to defuse some of his anger; his voice softened slightly.

“[…Our enemy is the Hero, a mad dog intent on tearing apart the Human Realm. Don’t waste your time wondering about the sob story of a monster whose crimes are far worse than any common criminal. Sympathy for him will only bring you pain.]”

Either way, he has to die.

Even though it was just a voice, the cold, resolute hatred beneath it was palpable. He radiated a determination to kill Deon Hart at any cost, national interest be damned. There was no way such a man wouldn’t send reinforcements.

And sure enough.

“For the glorious Imperial Army!”

The reinforcements had arrived.

At the same time, a contingent of soldiers appeared as if from a pre-arranged passage, materializing out of nowhere and offering a curt salute. Yeonhwa smiled faintly.

***

The Imperial army had arrived.

And it wasn’t just the Imperial army; mercenaries from Esperance had tagged along as well, as if it were the most natural thing in the world.

A figure who appeared to be their commander drew his sword and brandished it high.

“We got paid, time to earn it!”

“Money comes with! Responsibilities!”

“Let’s give them their money’s worth!”

Deon couldn’t help but scoff. He let out a string of hollow laughs.

Their slogans were ridiculous, sure, but that wasn’t even the point. What truly defied belief was that no one had bothered to inform them of such a massive troop movement.

“Those bastards…”

A growled curse escaped his lips.

Did they think he’d deployed his precious troops to the Empire just for show? It wasn’t just to keep them in check, but also to act as watchdogs, ready to signal any Imperial treachery.

Fuming, he reached for his communication stone… then froze.

‘Ah, right, the communication stone was broken.’

Deon’s face fell. He remembered the communication stone, how it had flickered to life just before he’d crushed it underfoot.

‘So that call back then was…’

The support must have been dispatched then.

So the message *did* get through. He just hadn’t received it.

“…Damn it all. Well, isn’t this just perfect?”

Shrugging off any regrets about the missed message, he lifted his head to assess the unfolding battle.

He’d presented her with a choice, yet the King of Sanguo had found a third option, carving out her own path. *That’s* a king. It wasn’t amusing, not in the slightest, but a smile tugged at his lips nonetheless.

“Reinforcements! Reinforcements have arrived!”

“Our King was right all along!”

“For Your Majesty!”

Sanguo morale had already reached fever pitch, and their point of entry—their only escape route—was now blocked by the Imperial army.

Sanguo in front, Empire behind. A perfect setup to get squashed like a bug in a sandwich.

Deon glanced at the mad dogs, still fighting fiercely without any stragglers or serious injuries, then called over a nearby demon general.

“Hey, you.”