Chapter 28 : You messed with it, didn’t you?

After the demon king’s meeting concluded, Rupia and I once again crossed the massive iron gate.

Even when leaving, there was a strict order based on rank.

The highest-ranking demon kings and noble monsters had left first, while the lower-ranking ones crowded the exit, causing chaos.

Amidst the commotion, three succubi kept clinging to me, pestering and annoying me.

I felt like I’d seen them before, and then it hit me—they were the succubi Drak had brought along as his “escorts.”

“Are you General Kan? We’ve heard so much about your fame. We truly admire you as fellow monsters.”

“How did you manage to captivate Lord Damon? The social circles are already buzzing with rumors!”

“Could you spare some of that attention for us? We promise it’ll be fun. Tee-hee.”

When I glanced sideways, Damon’s expression was contorted like that of a furious lion.

Even without that, I had already decided to put an end to it.

I let go of Rupia’s hand briefly and rested my hand on my sword, emitting a threatening aura.

“I’m on escort duty. Get lost.”

“…!”

Startled, the succubi flinched and backed away.

On either side of me, Rain and Damon nodded in satisfaction.

I grabbed Rupia’s hand firmly again and walked through the crowd, ensuring I wouldn’t lose her.

However, Rupia didn’t head straight to the airship.

“Where are you going, my lord?”

Without answering, Rupia tightly held my hand and began walking toward a secluded area of a temple-like building.

The noise of the crowd gradually faded as we distanced ourselves.

Rain and Damon followed silently on either side.

“…?”

In the endless silence, I began to sense something ominously strange.

‘No way.’

Since magic couldn’t be used on the floating island, it hadn’t crossed my mind.

I immediately let go of Rupia’s hand and turned around.

In that instant, the Rupia beside me suddenly appeared right in front of me.

No, it wasn’t Rupia.

“Surprising, isn’t it? To think someone can use even 10% of their magic power on this floating island. That would only be me.”

The magical mask imitating Rupia slowly faded, revealing the face of a stoic young girl.

The number one in the demon hierarchy. The Great Demon King, Beal.

At the same time, Rain and Damon’s forms blurred, replaced by knights armed with spears and greatswords.

Without hesitation, I drew my sword. Beal tilted her head indifferently and asked.

“Well, knight, don’t you think I’m rather extraordinary? Even more so than the lord you serve.”

Using an illusion spell to switch forms while I briefly let go of Rupia’s hand to deal with the succubi—

And on a floating island where magic was supposed to be unusable, no less.

I could gauge Beal’s capabilities.

“What is your purpose?”

“I heard Drak has business with your lord. I couldn’t refuse a request from someone I treasure.”

“…!”

There was no longer any reason to hesitate.

I adjusted my stance, ready to strike, and said,

“If you don’t step aside, I will cut you down.”

“…You mean against me?”

Beal tilted her head curiously, seemingly intrigued.

“Even you can’t fully use your magic on this floating island, Beal. I’m a swordsman.”

“I understand what you’re implying, but I also have knights who wield weapons.”

The two Death Knights holding spears and greatswords responded to Beal’s words by raising their weapons.

I didn’t even glance at them and instead focused solely on Beal.

“Could the Great Demon King, with just 10% of her magic, defeat a dragon in direct combat?”

Caught off guard by the unexpected question, Beal blinked.

Still, she replied,

“Well, I can’t guarantee it.”

I nodded.

Unlike Kyleen, she knew what a dragon was capable of.

At the same time, I was certain of my chances of victory.

“This is your final warning. Step aside, or I will cut you down.”

“…!”

The warning turned into a threat in an instant.

Within the blink of an eye, my demeanor shifted completely, and ripples of color spread through Beal’s pupils.

Beal didn’t smile. However, I could clearly sense the mockery she held.

She instructed her knights,

“That’s enough. Stand down.”

Before the order could even be carried out, I shoved past the two knights and sprinted toward the airship.

Behind me, I faintly heard Beal muttering to the Death Knights.

“…And why are you two trembling so much?”

It was then that Damon stepped in front of Rain, blocking her path.

His face was filled with firm determination, but an undeniable tension lingered as well.

Facing Drak’s enormous form without magic would be a daunting task for anyone.

“Ah, now that I think about it, there was one more. Right.”

Drak spoke with a pleased expression.

“It’s been quite a while since you and I had some quality time alone, hasn’t it, Damon?”

As Drak licked his lips seductively, Damon suppressed his trembling voice and spoke.

“…Anyone listening might get the wrong idea. There was a deal, but I’ve never given myself to you. And I never will.”

“You’re the one saying things that can be misunderstood. Are you implying there’s someone else you’d offer yourself to, other than me?”

Damon remained silent.

His once proud and noble eyes, which Drak had longed to possess, now wavered precariously.

Drak took his silence as an affirmation, and the veins in his neck bulged.

“This is unbearable. I’m too jealous to stand it. Who is it? It’s not that little brat of a Demon King, is it? Or that skeleton standing next to him?”

“Well, I guess it doesn’t matter. I’ll just take you now, and that’ll be the end of it.”

Drak’s massive body surged forward like a tidal wave, threatening to engulf Damon entirely.

“Bow down, Damon. Abandon that little brat now and come under me.”

“I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again—I have no intention of serving under you.”

Damon replied without a moment’s hesitation.

Drak cracked his knuckles and asked.

“Why not? Damon, you’ve always said you like people stronger than you. Are you saying I’m weaker than that brat or that skeleton?”

Damon swallowed hard as he stared at Drak’s hand, which might as well have been a war hammer.

Finally, with a resolved smile that almost looked mocking, he said:

“Because I know the weak nature hidden behind that massive body of yours.”

At that moment, a sickening sound echoed through the air.

Shraaak.

The sound was so awful that it felt like someone’s face had been torn apart.

Aishi frowned at the noise.

“Seriously, what are you doing hitting him? He’s basically just a face and chest now. Oh, wait, he’s not even a Demon King anymore.”

“…Aishi.”

“Yes?”

Drak’s face turned crimson with rage as he spoke in a low voice.

“What he just mentioned… That’s sealed away, isn’t it? With your power.”

Aishi adjusted her glasses and shrugged.

“As if you need to ask. You don’t feel fear, do you?”

Drak silently nodded and glanced once at the fallen Damon before turning his attention back to Rupia.

It was time to make someone pay for making him angry.

It was then that the trembling figure of Rain reappeared, her legs barely holding her up.

She had lost her weapon, and all she had left were her pitiful claws and fangs.

Drak let out an exasperated sigh.

“Get out of my way before I tear you apart alive.”

“…Khh!”

Rain flinched but didn’t move. Behind her stood the lord she had sworn to protect.

Even if it cost her life, Rain could not step aside. It was her conviction.

At the same time, an undeniable fear crept in.

Her primal instincts screamed at her legs to move, to run.

‘I have to protect Lady Rupia, I have to…’

Rain hypnotized herself, baring her claws and glaring at Drak.

Drak smirked as if mocking her bravery and raised his fist.

“Whoever picked you did a spectacular job. That’s what I expect from my subordinates.”

A Death Knight brushed past Drak’s side.

Because of their reliance on magic, neither Drak nor Aishi had sensed Kan approaching.

Kan stood with his back to Drak and spoke softly to the trembling Rain.

“You’ve done well. Rest now.”

“L-Lord Kan…”

Behind him, Drak let out a dry laugh.

“You’re finally here? I was just about to fix your brat lord’s manners. The Great Demon King’s illusion spell really is something, huh?”

Kan ignored him and walked toward Rupia. He knelt on one knee and bowed his head.

“I apologize for realizing it too late. This is my failure.”

Rupia, just regaining her senses, weakly shook her injured head and spoke in a faint voice.

“I-I’m fine, General… Don’t fight Drak. Now that you’re here, everything will be fine…”

“Who said so?”

Thud.

Drak took a step forward, his shadow looming over Kan and Rupia like a storm cloud.

“When a Demon King makes a mistake, even a monster should bow their head. Don’t you agree?”

Drak raised his massive fist like a hammer, ready to crush Kan.

“If you, a skeleton, kneel down and beg in front of Damon and that brat, I’ll let you off with just a couple of broken bones.”

Kan turned to face Drak and spoke in a low voice.

“I’ll return the words you said on the airship. This is the Floating Island.”

“…What?”

A strange island where magic couldn’t be used.

Here, Kan was nothing but a swordsman.

“I have never lost a fight while holding a sword. Not in my entire life. Even the dragon had to negotiate with me.”

This wasn’t just a story from some game anymore.

He was Kan now.

The undefeated history lived in his mind, and his skeletal body remembered every sensation from that day—perfectly.

“Do you think a mere ape who can’t even use magic could stand against me?”

Drak had touched Rupia.

That was enough of a reason.

Kan’s wrath became his blade, and with a speed Drak couldn’t even see, it surged straight toward him.