Deep within the Dark Nest, Miyamoto Ken was quickly solidifying his position.
Usually, this would have taken some time.
No matter how significant his recent accomplishments were, he had been somewhat sidelined until now.
However, the current situation of the Dark Nest allowed for this to happen, disregarding all interests.
“They’ve pushed back to Otorell’s territory? Wait, if that’s the case…”
[This is problematic. That area is a crucial point for external advancement among the central gates. We can’t let it fall.]
“Idiots! How incompetent can you be to let them breach us so easily?”
A group of high-ranking demons gathered in the central command, including two earls, chattered while looking at the 3D map hovering in the middle.
“The engagement cost is the worst. We’ll definitely lose if we confront them head-on.”
“What about the monsters of the Abyss? Even with those creatures, we’re still being pushed back?”
“The monsters make for excellent resources, but they aren’t omnipotent. The essence of war lies in strategy. And we are completely lacking in that.”
Our attacks were impeded by defenses that seemed pre-prepared, while their attacks exploited every vulnerable gap, with even our carefully laid traps being turned against us.
Such situations were unfolding across the entire battlefield, so it was no wonder we were being pushed back helplessly.
One of the earls, observing the situation quietly, slowly spoke up.
[Internal information is leaking.]
“Yes, not to mention the big issue of not being able to stop the forces led by the head of Helheim directly. Even Tovares, who recently took the elite troops to buy time…”
[…switched sides just a few days ago.]
“…”
The betrayal of one of the four earls from the Dark Nest didn’t merely signify a reduction in allied force; it implied something much greater.
A heavy silence hung in the air.
It was nothing short of a complete crisis.
The overwhelming size of the forces held by the Dark Nest was not much help in the current situation.
Rather, as time passed, those who knew about our strategies were just increasing and turning to the enemy.
[Well, at least we can take a breather now. The Duke of Dragons will step in soon.]
“But just blocking that side isn’t everything. We definitely need to revise our strategy.”
The two earls facing each other breathed deeply.
If internal information continued to leak, a catastrophe beyond our current situation would surely come.
In the end, they had no choice but to take extreme measures, sacrificing the efficiency of their war efforts.
They began to control the information reaching all allied forces in the outskirts likely to contact the ‘enemy’, including those directly engaged in the battlefield.
Strategy planning would now be the sole responsibility of the central command, and those from regions suspected of harboring spies would be given no authority beyond tactics.
Not even high-ranking demons based on the periphery were exempt from this.
“They may be dissatisfied for now, but it can’t be helped. We just have to ask for understanding until we can sort out Helheim.”
[For a while, we will be short of hands.]
In that situation, it made perfect sense that high-ranking demons with drastically low chances of outside contact received heavier duties.
So, for example…
Miyamoto Ken, who had only just returned from a recent mission, had remained only in the heart of the Dark Nest.
‘As expected of Hela! She must have predicted this in advance.’
With his mind clouded, he burst into admiration.
Who could possibly foresee this!
He had already switched sides before returning to the Demon Realm after exclusively presenting rare finds from the surface.
No, the fact that he provided a crucial opportunity to draw the head of Helheim, ‘Hela,’ into the Demon Realm was something he had not anticipated!
He moved cautiously, gathering information to avoid suspicion.
Having had little interest in the workings of the Demon Realm until now, his prior knowledge was rather lacking, but driven purely by a fanatical loyalty, he took action.
One day.
A golden opportunity finally presented itself.
‘The Duke of Dragons is leaving his post…’
Since the start of the war, the Duke of Dragons had rarely left his base unless absolutely necessary, but finally, he could no longer ignore the army of Helheim marching forward with great momentum.
As soon as Ken heard that news, he devised a plan.
‘I must check that inner chamber.’
He intended to investigate the underground ritual chamber he had visited a few times following his initial mission.
Specifically, his objective was to check the door behind where Duke Tumah was being detained.
‘If they’re keeping it hidden away like that, it must contain weaknesses or secrets of the Duke of Dragons.’
But even though the Duke was absent, problems still loomed.
The high-ranking demon, Sodiane, who resided there and seemed to be permanently stationed, was not someone he could easily defeat, even if they were of equal rank. She was a much higher-ranked demon.
‘Going head-to-head will not work. I need to find another way…’
Who knows when such a chance might come again.
Now was the time to prove his worth.
As Ken pondered over this, an unexpected figure approached him.
“Hmm? Long time no see, Frances. Is this your first visit since the mission?”
[“What is it, Frances? Didn’t we agree to avoid contact unless it was something really important?”]
With a calm expression, Ken casually inquired as he sent a psychic signal to the elderly gentleman in a pure white suit.
This viscount demon, who had been dispatched to the surface, had been the bridge connecting him to the outside world during his contacts while avoiding interaction.
Since it was merely a matter of transmitting information, they’d communicated in the world of consciousness using Frances’s psychic abilities, but suddenly, he had come to visit in person.
Did this mean that if Frances were detected, Ken would be implicated too?
Naturally, he couldn’t help but react sensitively.
“Heh— It’s been quite a while, Ken. I’ve brought you a precious gift as a thank you for the help I received last time.”
[“Well, one time should be alright. After all, we worked together on the mission.”]
[“That’s not enough reason. This place is literally a minefield. The fact we are meeting now has probably already been reported to the higher-ups. To meet so carelessly like this…”]
[“It’s Hela’s orders.”]
The dialogue between them, initially casual, abruptly ceased when that name was mentioned.
Once Hela was involved, Ken could no longer criticize the other’s carelessness.
Nodding slowly, he spoke.
“Hmm, a gift, you say? Let’s take a look then.”
“I think you’ll like it. It was hard to obtain.”
“Enough with the delay, just show it to me.”
At that moment, a box appeared beside Frances, shimmering into existence at waist height.
Upon closer inspection, it wasn’t an ordinary box; it was an animal cage with the entrance barred by metal grates.
“…What is this?”
Ken’s expression revealed his genuine astonishment.
He was given a cage used to transport beasts as a gift?
He couldn’t understand how this related to Hela’s orders.
As he pondered in confusion, a creature slowly revealed itself from within the cage, poking its head out.
His eyes widened as he recognized its distinct features.
“This is?!”
“Ha ha ha, I knew you’d recognize it!”
How could he not recognize it with such glaring characteristics!
It was hardly surprising since—
“A baby Cerberus?”
“You’ve got it right. This was quite difficult to obtain.”
The being, the size of a large dog, had three heads.
Ken stared in shock at it.
Cerberus was a native magical beast of the Demon Realm, but it wasn’t something you could encounter easily.
Once an adult, it possessed intelligence surpassing many sentient beings and physical capabilities exceeding even dragons—truly a monster among monsters.
The evidence of this was the now-deceased Duke of Beasts Sipar, who displayed such grandeur.
Even if it never grew to a duke’s size, the possibility of it becoming a high-ranking demon was not small. If raised well from a young age and instilled with loyalty, it would be like a treasure.
[“Why give this to me?”]
Therefore, he was all the more perplexed.
Was this something that needed to be delivered with the risk of exposure in the current situation?
It wouldn’t be that useful if it were given out of genuine goodwill, especially considering their own uncertain futures.
[“I was told this would assist in your plans.”]
[“This little thing?”]
[“I’m just following orders, so I don’t know anything beyond that.”]
[“…That so.”]
Squatting in front of the cage, Ken scrutinized the creature inside with a nuanced gaze.
Since he had been organizing and transmitting information from this side, it was likely that Hela was aware of his situation.
Thus, something significant must have motivated her to send it.
“Thank you for bringing such a valuable item.”
“I’ve settled my debts with this. Now I must take my leave.”
The two demons naturally exchanged farewells and parted ways.
There was no particular sense of detection around, yet they did not let their guards down for a moment.
In this stronghold of the Dark Nest, numerous methods existed for those who could deceive their senses.
“Crrk!”
“Grr—!”
The baby Cerberus in the cage howled a bizarre sound.
A cry that seemed like both laughter and mockery.
As the sound penetrated his ears, Ken’s heartbeat began to quicken slightly, accompanied by an uncomfortable feeling.
‘…Something feels off. Is the baby Cerberus always like this?’
Of course, Ken had no way of knowing since this was his first encounter.
Feeling oddly uneasy, he scowled as he carried the cage toward his dwelling, rationalizing that he was merely tense from this sudden meeting.
Meanwhile, the three pairs of curious eyes leisurely surveyed their surroundings within the cage, as if exploring a new territory.
*
The appearance of that entity was incredibly dramatic.
Rumbling—! Crash—!
Suddenly, a dark cloud covered the violet sky and the scars in the center.
With thick lightning streaking through, a colossal being descended from the sky, breaking through the darkness.
Whoosh— Whoosh—
With immense wings flapping, it was an overwhelming figure that must have surpassed one hundred meters in length.
The black scales of its entire body seemed to absorb the surrounding light, unmistakably revealing its ominous presence.
“Wow~ what an impactful entrance!”
“Y-Yes, Hela! It has appeared! That’s…!”
The battlefield fell still in the wake of this sudden turn of events.
Indifferent to the shock, Siana dashed over to Hela, flustered.
At that moment, the long neck of the being hovering in the sky turned towards them.
With its large and small horns and numerous spines resembling a mane, along with three pairs of eyes that radiated violet light.
“…Duke of Dragons Crushair…!”
A gigantic dragon roared, even larger than the statue of an ancient dragon Ken had seen in Horus’s Golden Report.
Kuoooon——!
That roar, infused with immense power, resonated across the entire battlefield, disrupting Hela’s energy, which had been imposing over all.
Even the high-ranking demons could do nothing and ultimately succumbed to its dominance, but with a single roar, they were rendered powerless.
“Ugh, the disparity is quite significant. Can it really be said to be on par with that beast?”
“…The Duke of Dragons has been a strong candidate for Demon King for thousands of years. Yet, he’s merely been unlucky… always faltering at critical moments, which has kept him in the position of deputy until now.”
“Wow… Talk about seriously bad luck.”
Startled, Hela covered her mouth and shook her head.
Was it perhaps some sort of fate’s oppression at that level?
Maybe the Demon King had not wished for him to become king.
‘If that’s true, I could understand why he’d fall to darkness. No, it wouldn’t even be surprising if he blamed fate for everything in the end.’
At that moment, the two gazes—one from Hela, who was licking her lips lightly in anticipation, and the other from the Duke of Dragons floating above—met directly.
Zzz—!
The “Eye of Domination” habitually activated, bouncing back off something and sending sparks into the air.
Her brows furrowed slightly.
This was an eye powered by skills like “Stunning Beauty” and “Hypnotic Sovereign,” and to feel this level of recoil…
But thanks to it, she concluded one thing.
‘Could it be that all six of those eyes are powers?’
The Eye of Domination was a force of will that could impose a specific mystique just by gazing at it, without needing intricate constructs.
Through that light initial clash, Hela roughly gauged the Duke of Dragons’ capabilities, and a thrill surged through her.
Of course, she was not the only one assessing the strength of her opponent.
[The power of domination… I had a feeling, but you’ve inherited the strength of Leleire, haven’t you? What’s your true identity?]
The powerful words from Dragon Speech resonated across the entire battlefield.
The fight had long approached a state of quiet.
All eyes from both factions turned toward them.
“Well, I doubt you’ll understand even if I tell you.”
Hela shrugged as her wings spread wide.
With a light flap, she soared into the air, rising to a similar height as her foe.
They exchanged glances again.
[That’s for me to determine. You just need to answer my question, hybrid.]
Immediately after, a spark flew again, and the blood within her began to boil with excitement, prepared for the impending battle.
‘To think I’ll have to face such a formidable foe one-on-one!’
It was undeniably a tough opponent.
It could very well be the strongest entity in the current Demon Realm.
Yet, even in front of such a powerful adversary, only a smile seemed to grace her lips.
An inexplicable thrill spread from deep within her chest.
‘Isn’t this my first time?’
When confronting Duke Sipar, she had to rely on Harley… no, Davidson’s power just to finish quickly.
Otherwise, fully dealing with the abnormality might have proven difficult, and it could have led to Dark Nest or Demoniacs intervening and completely ruining her plans.
‘The same goes for leading my army until now. This was the most efficient way to utilize my abilities while hastily ending the war.’
While the earls somewhat quenched her thirst to a degree, there had always been a lingering feeling of inadequacy.
As time passed and her influence as a Demon King continued to expand, the power she wielded had grown tremendously, far surpassing what it was at her inception.
‘But finally!’
Regardless of the circumstances, the blood of a warlike demon race flowed within her veins.
Now that she was face-to-face with an opponent she had to treat as a serious threat, her uncontainable fighting spirit erupted.
“Enough talk. Let’s skip to the main event.”
Once more, a crimson aura erupted from her gaze.
Zing—
However, her target wasn’t the massive being before her.
“Let’s have a battle first, lizard.”
With a savage grin forming on her face.
And together with the overwhelming wave of chilling magical power,
The “Eye of Domination” snatched up the space around them.
