Those dense black mists lingered motionless at the rear edge of the Demon King’s Castle, as if blocked by some unseen force, unable to advance even an inch. Only a slight trace of the black mist seeped into the castle itself—colorless and tasteless—constantly altering the environment within.
Little by little, the conditions worsened, becoming increasingly hostile and unfit for life.
If left unchecked, the black mist here would eventually be fully assimilated. Yet this situation had persisted for over a thousand years. The black mist was held back here, unable to move forward even slightly—a state painstakingly maintained by more than a dozen successive Demon Kings.
However, this balance was completely shattered by the human allied forces. Thanks to Demon King Hakimi’s timely return, the situation stabilized; otherwise, without his intervention, in just a few hundred years the black mist would have spread with unstoppable momentum, devouring the continent. Humanity would be utterly destroyed, beyond salvation even by the gods, forced to survive underground.
Perhaps even he hadn’t anticipated this.
Within sight, the plants and animals near the edge of the black mist appeared particularly bizarre and twisted, as if they didn’t belong to this world, yet they existed vividly before their eyes. It was hard to imagine what conditions lay within the mist—maybe some knew, but they had likely already become part of it.
Naturally, Emilia was somewhat curious and fearful.
She had only ever read about the black mist in books before—brief descriptions stating that it was born from the demons, and if the Demon King was defeated and the demons wiped out, it would all vanish.
She wanted to believe that.
But now, it clearly hadn’t disappeared at all. What was written in the books wasn’t entirely true.
She pondered deeply, lowering her gaze slightly.
Out of the corner of her eye, she noticed Sig showing no surprise or curiosity whatsoever—he seemed completely accustomed to it, as if returning home.
He often ventured into this area before, hunting demons or insect tribes, destroying their nests to prevent them from overbreeding and encroaching on the demons’ living space.
Why hadn’t he wiped them out once and for all?
There were many reasons, most likely he simply couldn’t…
As for the very depths, even Sig had never been inside.
At this moment, the Demon King Castle exploration team was about to enter the black mist. They readied themselves, forming ranks in solemn preparation to explore the outermost edge of the black mist territory, searching for food and solving water supply issues.
Meanwhile, those noble knights would die with some dignity. As the vanguard, they fought to the death since they would rather die than surrender. Not even the castle’s propaganda could sway them. For this, kind-hearted Sig could only indulge them—was he supposed to keep feeding them and waste supplies?
Please, he wasn’t some good Samaritan.
Giving them a dignified death and letting their souls return to the sky was already enough for the next life to be better.
For now, they were kept in prison carts, their movement restrained to prevent unnecessary incidents.
Those inexperienced militias, led by Emilia, had still completed basic training and received equipment bestowed by Hakimi. They were among the highest-grade within the empire—not bought with money, all scavenged with auto-pickup enabled.
As expected, scavenged gear was never too precious to give away or use.
Thanks to this, the once lazy but now disciplined militias had gained some self-protection capabilities, standing ready to enter. Their hearts were tense—no one knew what would happen next.
All they could do was pray for a safe return. After all, given such favorable treatment, no one would accept dying like this.
Sig, preparing to speak from the high platform, naturally followed them into the mist. His role was to accompany their growth and act as the final safeguard to prevent any unnecessary accidents.
More importantly, he couldn’t let Emilia, the team leader, get into trouble.
Looking up at the suspended sun overhead, he wanted to raise his hands.
Clearing his throat, he prepared to explain some circumstances to avoid fatal accidents and reduce casualties.
“Everyone, we’re about to enter the black mist—a brand new world. There’s no need to be shocked or confused. Just follow my orders. Don’t act on your own, and don’t try to be a hero. As long as you come back alive, I promise good things won’t be lacking. I want every one of you to return alive and collect your pay. That’s all. Nothing else.”
After speaking, he leaned toward the girl beside him and whispered in her ear.
“It’s about time to go, Emilia. We’ve dawdled long enough. You’re not still worried about something, are you?”
“No, but I am a little concerned. Is it really okay to bring Yev in with us?”
She voiced her unease softly, her blood-red eyes cautiously fixed on the green-haired girl. Although seemingly cute and agile, she was actually hiding a deadly intent—like an assassin lurking in a restroom, striking when the target was most vulnerable, leaving no chance to react.
“Do you think this sneaky cat would cause trouble, Sig? From how she’s acted… all that obedience has been fake from the start. Sending those noble knights as cannon fodder is a perfect opportunity for her. She won’t seize the chance to collude with outside forces… and stir up trouble, will she?”
“No need to worry, Emilia. I’m here.”
He soothed her concerns with a simple statement, then lifted his hand to gently stroke her silver hair.
“I know. I’m just a little worried about you.”
Soon, her worries vanished, replaced by peace of mind. She bit her lip lightly—there was really nothing she could do about this guy in front of her. But that was a fact.
As long as Sig was around, even if these people caused chaos, it was nothing more than a children’s game.
With those words, the girl gave a command. Under her orders, everyone set out, each holding a torch.
They left the protective barrier of the Demon King’s Castle and stepped into the deepest part of the mysterious black mist—also the continent’s most enigmatic and terrifying place.
Entering felt like stepping into a brand new world, visibility so low that even the team’s specially crafted flames could only illuminate a few steps ahead. The sky was gray and overcast, with eerie sounds resembling wind and unintelligible whispers echoing around them.
Twisted demons lurked in the shadows, gathering more and more, emitting low growls and calls. Their eyes held nothing but desire for slaughter and consumption.
They waited for the perfect opportunity to strike a fatal blow, but the special flames and the towering demon presence made them tremble with fear, afraid to act recklessly—as if facing a natural enemy.
But this was only temporary; their patience had limits.
This scene—heard but not fully seen, with terrifying twisted shadows occasionally flickering in the eyes of the team—caused many inexperienced militiamen to tremble uncontrollably, struggling to hold their torches, even halting their steps.
Even the well-trained knights shivered in their prison carts at the sight.
At this moment, Sig no longer hesitated and stepped to the front of the team, shielding everyone behind him with his hands in his pockets, as if he knew no fear.
He understood most of the conditions here and knew dealing with them would be easier. His eyes narrowed slightly, revealing a hint of disbelief. He remembered it hadn’t been this severe before.
Had it become rampant now that there was no demon restriction?
There was…
He immediately shouted loudly, not wanting any accidents.
“Alright, everyone, I should have explained the situation here. I trust you all have a clear understanding now. Stay close to me—I’ll lead the way.”
It was clear he didn’t want to waste such precious vanguard forces here—they had greater use ahead. No need to dwell on that now; focus on the present.
Watching the massive shadows within the black mist, he couldn’t help but grin.