Chapter 71: Fierce Battle

In an instant, the atmosphere changed.

The soldiers gripped their spears and swords, each searching for the source of the sound.

Suddenly, as the flames flickered, a massive shadow emerged.

Instinctively, I rose to my feet.

Thump.

Thump.

My heart pounded.

But this wasn’t excitement, nor was it simple tension.

Fear.

It was pure terror.

Beyond the entrance of the camp, darkness loomed.

No, rather than mere darkness, it was something that seemed as if it sought to swallow all the light of the world.

This was no ordinary night.

It was a black aura so dense it could devour even the sky.

And within that suffocating darkness, someone was walking forward.

“No way….”

“…No, that’s impossible….”

One by one, the soldiers collapsed.

Some sank to the ground in fear, others dropped their weapons entirely.

“I finally found you.”

At the sound of that chilling, eerie voice, every person in the camp held their breath.

A sharp, crushing pressure bore down, as if squeezing their very hearts.

This was not the presence of a mere monster or demon.

It was.

“M-Ma… Maou…”

A trembling voice broke the silence.

And the moment that name echoed across the battlefield, nearly all the soldiers instinctively bowed.

Some dropped to their knees, others pressed their heads to the ground entirely.

Like devout followers kneeling before their god.

I struggled to move my frozen body.

Because right before my eyes stood that being.

But no matter how much I willed it, my body refused to obey.

The Demon King.

A figure cloaked in black.

Eyes burning red, like a beast surveying its prey.

With each step forward, the air grew heavier, pressing down on everything in its path.

An overwhelming presence…

Sua murmured in a barely audible voice.

Her hands were trembling.

Even for a Hero, this was likely her first time facing the Demon King directly.

The overwhelming pressure he exuded kept everyone on the edge, barely maintaining their grip on reality, as if walking a razor’s edge.

And then.

For some reason, the Demon King’s crimson eyes turned toward me.

At the same time, he halted his steps.

That red gaze wasn’t just filled with hostility.

Rather.

It burned with curiosity and fascination, like a child discovering their favorite toy at a store.

His lips parted slightly.

A look of disbelief crossed his face.

His intense gaze pierced through me.

His eyes were locked onto me.

Instinctively, I swallowed hard.

He stared at me without blinking, slowly closing the distance.

The surrounding soldiers recoiled in fear, collapsing to their knees.

But the Demon King’s focus remained entirely on me.

“Miss Eve! Be careful! The Demon King is—!”

“Eve, is it…?”

He quietly repeated my name.

His eyes carried the expression of someone who had finally found what they had been searching for all this time.

“You…

What exactly are you?”

His voice trembled.

It wasn’t simple anger or curiosity.

It was the raw, unfiltered desire of someone being drawn in against their own will.

Thump.

Thump.

My heart pounded.

Was it fear?

Or was it something else?

As I hesitated to respond, he took another step closer.

His black cloak billowed in the wind.

Those crimson eyes bore even deeper into me.

“I want you.”

The moment those words fell, the entire battlefield froze.

“…?”

I stared at him in disbelief.

The surrounding soldiers let out horrified cries.

“T-The Demon King… is targeting Miss Eve?!”

“This can’t be…!”

At that moment, Sua’s eyes widened as she stepped in front of me.

The sword in her hand shone brightly, radiating power.

“Don’t be ridiculous! Who do you think you are to—!”

Boom!!!

It happened in an instant.

Before Sua could even swing her sword, the Demon King merely flicked his hand.

With just that simple motion, she was sent flying.

“Ugh…!”

Sua tumbled across the ground.

She desperately tried to get up, but her body barely responded—whether from the impact or sheer force, it was unclear.

“Sua!”

Liel dashed forward, urgently supporting her.

But the Demon King paid them no attention.

His gaze remained fixed solely on me.

“What… What exactly do you want…?”

I barely managed to force out the words.

I thought I had spoken firmly and calmly, but my voice trembled against my will.

He didn’t answer my question.

He simply took another step.

And another.

“Damn it, I don’t know what that damned Demon King is after, but we have to stop him.”

Alex grit his teeth.

At some point, he had drawn his massive greatsword, raising it high before swinging it down at the Demon King with all his might.

But.

Swish.

It was the same as before.

With just a slight movement of his hand, the Demon King deflected the attack, twisting the sword’s trajectory and sending it slicing through empty air.

“…!”

“Alex…!”

Harp quickly prepared a healing spell, but before she could even cast it—

Flick.

The Demon King simply flicked his fingers.

And at that moment.

BOOOOM!!!

A massive shockwave erupted.

Harp and Liel, who had rushed in to support Alex, were thrown back, crashing hard against the wall.

“Ugh…!”

“We… can’t even… touch him…”

At that, I widened my eyes and glared at him.

“Why.”

He didn’t answer.

He only narrowed his eyes as he looked down at me.

“Why…?”

And then.

Whoosh.

He reached out.

I instinctively tried to dodge, but before I could react, his arm had already wrapped around my waist.

“Uh…!?”

In an instant, my body was lifted into the air.

“W-What…?!”

I panicked, struggling desperately.

But his grip was firm—unyielding, like iron chains wrapped around me.

“W-What are you doing?! Put me down!”

I thrashed, but he effortlessly held me in his arms, reaching out ever so slowly.

His fingertips brushed against my cheek, stroking it gently.

“Ugh…!”

I inhaled sharply, startled.

His touch wasn’t cold, nor was it warm—it was something indescribably strange.

I tried to turn away, but my body was frozen in place, refusing to move.

“This sensation…”

His fingers traced my skin lightly.

At that moment, I flinched involuntarily.

Why…?

Every time he touched me, a strange sensation washed over me.

I looked up at him, my expression a mix of confusion and disbelief.

His crimson eyes had darkened, sinking into something deeper.

In that gaze.

There was no mere possessiveness. No hostility.

It was.

Pure longing.

I gasped softly.

He showed no intention of letting me go.

On the contrary, he pulled me even closer into his arms, whispering,

“I’ve finally found you.”

His voice was low and deep.

His voice carried the weight of a long-buried secret, tangled with emotion.

I looked up at him.

Why was he making that expression?

Why was he looking at me with those eyes?

I had no answers.

But one thing was certain.

Right now—I couldn’t escape his grasp.

And—he had no intention of letting me go.

Those two terrifying truths were all that mattered.

“…What exactly are you trying to do?”

I asked, forcing my voice to stay as calm as possible.

But my heart pounded wildly, betraying me.

The Demon King looked down at me and smiled quietly.

“I’m taking you with me.”

With those words, he raised his hand, and a massive surge of magic erupted.

Boom!

“What—?!”

The sheer impact shook the entire camp.

The soldiers had long been thrown back, and even the Hero’s party—Sua, Harp, Liel, and Alex—staggered under the immense pressure of his magic.

“Miss Eve!”

Sua gripped her sword once more.

But—

“…!”

She clenched her teeth and fell to her knees.

The crushing force was pressing down on her, holding her in place.

“W-What… is this power…?!”

Alex, too, let out a heavy breath and sank to the ground.

With just a single movement of his hand, the Demon King had subdued everyone.

I struggled desperately, trying to move.

But his grip on my waist was unyielding—he held me effortlessly, without even lifting a finger beyond that.

I kicked and thrashed.

“Put me down…!”

“I refuse.”

“Why are you doing this to me?!”

At my words, the Demon King silently gazed down at me.

His crimson eyes deepened.

Slowly, he reached out again.

His fingertips traced down my cheek, moving gently.

“Because you are unbearably precious to me.”

I froze, my breath catching in my throat.

“…What?”

He stroked my cheek, his voice a soft whisper.

“I have finally found my fated one. There’s no way I’d ever let you go.”

His eyes burned with unwavering certainty.

The Demon King.

He pulled me even closer into his embrace.

Then, he smiled leisurely.

“Now, let’s go.”

And with those words.

The space around us distorted.

“Miss Eve——!!!”

Sua, Liel, and Harp called out my name one last time.

Was I really going to be taken away just like this?

No—I couldn’t just let this happen.

Liel, Harp, Alex…

The Demon King’s power was overwhelming.

Sua and the others had already collapsed, unable to lift a single finger.

If that was the case.

I had to do it myself.

With trembling hands, I slowly raised my arm.

And then.

Flash!

Just before the space completely distorted,

I gathered every last ounce of strength I had.

And slapped the Demon King across the face with all my might.

SMACK—!!!

A sharp, resounding crack echoed through the air.

And then.

“GRAAAAAH!!”

The Demon King let out a scream.