Chapter 395: Chapter 395

Two faction leaders, their power and influence comparable, met in a private room.

A symbolic encounter, a meeting that could potentially reshape the entire Demon World’s political landscape.

But the atmosphere in the room was… strange, a stark contrast between the two figures.

“Hello! It’s a pleasure to finally meet you. I’m Hella. Please take care of me.”

A beautiful woman, her presence radiating a warm, inviting light, smiled brightly.

Her long, sharp horns and her unusual crimson eyes only added to her charm, her aura strangely captivating.

She casually waved her hand and entered the room.

The other figure, already seated, was… much less… enthusiastic.

A black robe, its long, flowing hem pooling on the floor, and a goat skull, its horns curving downwards, covering its head.

Its appearance was sinister, more ominous than even the Immortal King.

Hella felt a strange surge of… competitiveness.

‘…He looks… interesting. And that’s not a mask, is it? That’s his actual head!’

There were humanoid demons, beast-type demons… so why not undead-type demons?

Undead, with their inherently negative energy, were quite compatible with demons.

‘…But he doesn’t seem like an ordinary undead.’

She was an expert in this field, arguably the best in the world, so she couldn't be mistaken.

Pieta, the Dark Duke, was a… unique being. Only parts of his body, including his head, were undead, while the rest seemed to be functioning normally.

‘…Fascinating. An undead body and living tissues coexisting within a single entity.’

It was probably only possible for demons, not ordinary lifeforms.

Her eyes gleamed with intellectual curiosity as she examined him.

Even she, who had been in the Demon World for a while, had never seen anything before.

But her gaze, her undisguised curiosity, was… unsettling for the recipient.

The Dark Duke, unable to tolerate her rudeness any longer, finally spoke.

“Oh, sorry! You’re just so… interesting. I couldn’t help myself.”

“I understand. Demi-corpses are quite rare in the Demon World.”

“Thank you for understanding. And that head… it’s really cool! I love it.”

“I’m not just being polite. I actually…”

She paused, trailing off.

She had almost said that she wanted to… rip off his head and hang it on her wall as a decoration!

Even she knew that would be inappropriate in this situation.

‘No, no. I’m not here to fight.’

It wasn’t the right time yet.

She forced a smile and quickly changed the subject.

“…Oh, right! I almost forgot. This is Davidson. Isn’t he cute?”

The three-headed beast grinned, revealing its sharp fangs, as if agreeing with her.

A faint, red glow, like embers, still flickered in its throats.

Pieta, seemingly unfazed by her sudden change of topic, turned his gaze towards Davidson.

“That’s Hellfire. A variant of Cerberus? No, it seems closer to a chimera…”

To him, a magic user, an unknown creature was a source of both fascination and knowledge.

And that creature… it was clearly a powerful monster.

If it weren’t for this situation, he would have tried to capture it for his experiments.

‘…Though I’m more interested in her.’

His gaze shifted from Davidson to Hella, who was petting the beast’s back.

‘…There’s no doubt. That’s a Demon King’s aura. And her resemblance to the 14th…’

He felt a pressure, a subtle but undeniable force, pressing down on his very being, the unique aura of a Demon King, a ruler destined to stand above all others.

It was just a minor inconvenience for him, a Duke-level demon… but combined with her… charm… it would be a devastating mental attack for any demon below Marquis level.

They wouldn't even be able to fight properly, their minds overwhelmed by her presence, their loyalty shifting unconsciously.

No, it was even more dangerous if they were charmed but didn't show it.

It was practically a cheat ability, a passive skill that prevented her subordinates from betraying her.

‘…And it strengthens her own followers. It’s so unfair. We barely managed to defeat the 14th, and now her successor has appeared?’

His thoughts raced, a chaotic mess of confusion and resentment, but he suppressed them.

That wasn’t important right now.

“So, let’s get to the point. You want Helheim to inherit the alliance between Demoniac and Abnormal?”

He had to deal with the immediate problem first.

The gap between the Dark Nest and the other two factions was so vast that a direct confrontation was impossible.

They would have been devoured long ago if they hadn’t cooperated.

So, re-establishing their relationship with the faction whose leader had just been replaced was their top priority.

“It’s necessary, isn’t it? It’ll be too difficult to oppose them otherwise. I didn’t come this far to be defeated so easily.”

And it was the same for Helheim, which was rapidly gaining power and influence.

They couldn't just absorb Demoniac like they had done with Abnormal.

Without the element of surprise, the Dark Duke wouldn’t be so easily subdued, and the Dark Nest, waiting for an opportunity, wouldn’t miss a chance to exploit the resulting chaos.

‘…I brought Davidson just in case, but it doesn’t seem like there’ll be a chance.’

Pieta, the Dark Duke, having learned his lesson from the Strange Duke’s demise, had meticulously planned this meeting, ensuring his own safety.

Attacking him now would only benefit the Dark Nest.

‘…It can’t be helped. I’ll have to wait for a better opportunity.’

They had already achieved their primary objective, absorbing Abnormal, so the current situation wasn’t bad.

And this… precarious balance wouldn’t last forever.

“…As you know, the Dark Nest’s constant reinforcements, those white… things, are taking a toll on our forces. If this continues, we might collapse from exhaustion before we can even counterattack.”

And that was why cooperation between the second and third largest factions was so important.

Hella was a newcomer, a disruptive force that had shattered the existing power structure, unlike the two Dukes, who had a long and complicated history of rivalry.

So, the discussion about their alliance proceeded smoothly.

It was a simple agreement, a promise to avoid conflict until the Dark Nest was defeated.

“…I’ll overlook the fact that you poached some of Demoniac’s subordinates. The situation has changed. But that’s it. If you try anything else…”

“Ahem! Don’t worry. I’m a man of my word.”

There had been some… awkward moments, but as long as it wasn’t exposed, it wasn’t a problem.

Hella made a mental note to remind her… newly acquired subordinates to behave themselves, then shook Pieta’s hand.

‘…If the opportunity arises…’

Of course, it was just a formality.

Neither of them had any intention of honoring their agreement.

‘He’s a bigger threat than the Dark Nest in the long run. I’ll have to deal with him before he becomes too powerful.’

‘I know what you’re thinking, even if I can’t see your expression.’

Pieta and Hella, each with their own hidden agendas.

And a time bomb, ticking away.

Their temporary alliance had begun.

Tarak, a large city in the northern part of the Tulc Kingdom.

A holy light erupted from a gate in the basement of the Tarak Temple, its usage increasing with the city’s growth.

Three figures emerged from the portal.

They exchanged greetings with the temple staff and then stepped outside, into the bustling city.

“It’s changed so much since my last visit.”

Isea Pristine, the small and unassuming Archmage, muttered in awe as she looked around.

It was her first time back in Tarak since the White Giant incident, when she had helped defeat the massive creature that had attacked the city.

Back then, the city had been in chaos, its streets filled with debris and the wounded… but now, it was a vibrant and bustling metropolis, its previous scars completely healed.

“Indeed, it’s quite impressive. I thought it was a large city back then, but it’s grown even more in just a year. I wish Saintess-nim could have come as well.”

Lydia Granwood, the High Elf, echoed her sentiment, her voice filled with a hint of regret.

The three women, having faced countless trials and tribulations together as members of the hero party, had become close friends, and Lydia was slightly disappointed that the Saintess couldn't join them on this trip, as she was busy with other duties.

“Saintess-nim has a lot on her plate. Well, this is also… related to her duties, isn’t it?”

…a man in a hooded robe, his voice gentle and soothing, stepped forward.

A glimpse of shining silver hair and brilliant golden eyes beneath the hood.

Heinrich Saint Landguard, the Saint of the Main God Church.

“We haven’t been able to identify the unknown threat Saintess-nim sensed. So, let’s stay alert and continue our investigation.”

“Understood, Saint-nim.”

“Ah, please don’t call me ‘Saint-nim’ for now. It’s better to conceal our identities. Not many people would immediately associate the name ‘Heinrich’ with the Saint, so please just call me by my name.”

The arrival of Saint Heinrich and the hero party, already famous figures, would inevitably attract attention.

It was better for them to remain inconspicuous during their investigation.

“If you’re trying to hide your identity, you should… cover your face properly. The hood doesn’t really work, Heinrich-nim.”

“That’s true. And your eyes… they’re too… intense.”

“Ahaha… I can’t really… control it.”

Heinrich chuckled awkwardly at their comments.

He was like a human lighthouse, his presence radiating a brilliant light even in the darkness. The hood couldn’t hide it.

And naturally, his divinely blessed hair and eyes couldn’t be concealed with dye or contact lenses.

“…Hmm, perhaps I should… acquire a full suit of armor.”

Heinrich sighed softly at Lydia’s innocent suggestion.

He wasn’t comfortable wearing ordinary armor, not compared to his ‘Guardian of Glory’, a custom-made masterpiece crafted by the Main God Church.

But in Tarak, a city close to the Northern Mountains, it wasn't uncommon to see people wearing full suits of armor, so it was probably the best way to conceal his identity.

‘It’s better than wrapping my face in cloth.’

He nodded, then smacked his lips slightly.

He suddenly felt a bit… ridiculous.

He had told the others to stay alert, but he himself wasn’t nervous at all.

He already knew what the ‘unknown threat’ Saintess Liesta had sensed was.

‘She must have sensed Hella’s presence in Auterica. I thought I had concealed it well… She’s impressive.’

And that meant there was nothing left for him to investigate here. Hella had already returned to the Demon World.

And the public order in Tarak had improved significantly, thanks to the hybrid vampires hired by Hubert’s Trading Company, who were now patrolling the city.

‘…Well, I suppose this is a… vacation.’

He had been busy lately, participating in every skirmish against the Immortal Army.

It wouldn’t be bad to relax for a few days.

And he could also… inspect Hubert’s progress in Tarak, since he was always cooped up in his office.

“By the way, what’s Harley up to these days? I haven’t heard from him.”

“He’s the Mercenary King now, so he’s probably on a secret mission.”

And so, the hero party entered the city.

Tarak, one of Hubert’s Trading Company’s main bases of operation, and the place where an unknown threat, sensed by the Saintess, lurked.