Chapter 414: Chapter 414

“Emergency! Emergency!”

[“Quickly, activate the barrier…! No, gather the troops first…! Damn it!”]

“Impossible! No one noticed them until they were right in front of us?!”

Helheim’s forces, appearing in the heart of the Dark Nest’s headquarters.

Their sudden arrival plunged the Dark Nest demons into chaos.

It was a natural reaction. The entire purpose of the ‘gates’ was to prevent this kind of situation.

And this was their headquarters, the heart of their operations, connected to all their territories.

The defenses here were supposed to be impenetrable… and yet, they had been bypassed so easily.

“Hmm~ This is… unexpected. They’re surprisingly organized, considering this is their first time facing a situation . As expected of the Dark Nest.”

Hella, the mastermind behind this surprise attack, casually observed the scene, ignoring the Marquis-level demon, Serentata, who was glaring at her, her eyes narrowed, her aura flickering.

She had meant it as a compliment, but Serentata seemed to have taken it as mockery.

She had expected them to panic and crumble… but they were holding their own, despite the chaos and confusion, their response surprisingly organized and efficient.

It was a far cry from the Strange Duke’s Abnormal, which she had easily dismantled.

“Well, it’s all meaningless resistance.”

A cold smile appeared on her lips.

The moment she arrived here… no, the moment Davidson set foot in this place… the outcome had already been decided.

Of course, it hadn't been easy to transport her troops from the forward base to the Dark Nest's headquarters, using her 「Heavenly Demon’s World」 as a conduit…

‘…But the forward base is located at a central gate, a key location for the Dark Nest. And I personally… prepared the headquarters. There’s no way this could fail!’

It hadn't been a simple task.

She had spent a considerable amount of time and effort planning and preparing for this operation.

She wouldn’t have been able to do it so quickly without the divine fragment she had acquired from Ken.

‘…No wonder the Dragon Marquis is so furious. Of course, that’s not all he lost.’

Hella chuckled softly.

She was also knowledgeable in dark magic, so she could easily deduce what he had been planning, just by looking at the equipment in the underground ritual chamber.

He had been trying to modify his body using the Demon King’s remains, and he had been planning to use the divine fragment as well.

‘…Considering how easily he was using the temple, he might have even been planning to become another apostle.’

But just as he was about to begin the ritual, a thief had appeared and stolen all his materials.

It was a project he had been working on for centuries.

No wonder he was so enraged.

That was why the Dark Nest and Demoniac were currently fighting each other like mortal enemies.

‘…Though it’s more like a one-sided assault from the Dark Nest, with Demoniac desperately trying to hold on.’

But did she feel any… sympathy for them?

She knew what the Dark Duke had been planning.

‘…He thought he had eliminated them all…’

Something everyone feared, but no one truly understood.

Her ‘charm’, her seductive power, amplified by her status as a Demon King, had swayed numerous high-ranking demons, turning them into her loyal followers.

Hella, a sinister smile playing on her lips, looked at Serentata, the Marquis-level demon, who was cautiously observing her, his body tense.

A massive serpentine body, a long, slender neck, a pair of powerful arms, and a long, sinuous tail…

Serentata, despite his monstrous appearance, his hands gripping a massive axe and a serrated sword, couldn’t attack.

‘…If I move, I’ll die.’

His instincts, honed through countless battles, screamed at him, his body refusing to obey his commands.

The air around him, the magic power filling the room, the very space itself… it was all pressing down on him, an overwhelming pressure, preventing him from acting recklessly.

As he hesitated, trapped and unable to move,

…Helheim’s forces, having marched through the desolate wasteland, began to… stomp their feet, their auras flaring, their battle cries echoing through the air.

They stood behind Hella, their weapons drawn, their formations impeccable, their killing intent palpable, as if they were ready to charge at any moment.

The Dark Nest’s defensive barrier, unable to withstand the pressure, began to flicker and crack.

It was because of 「Heavenly Demon’s World」, which had created holes in their defenses.

Serentata instinctively knew.

‘…Damn it, it’s over.’

This was a battle he couldn’t win.

They had other defenses, other traps, and they still outnumbered the enemy… but the momentum had shifted.

‘…But it’s too early to give up. I don’t have to win.’

He was one of the strongest in the Dark Nest.

If he surrendered, the entire headquarters, and perhaps even the entire Dark Nest territory, would fall.

His yellow, serpentine eyes darted around, searching for a solution.

‘…If I can just… buy some time… until the Dragon Marquis returns…!’

He reaffirmed his resolve, his determination hardening…

“…I can hear you thinking. But how long are you planning to just… stand there?”

…and then a casual voice, a relaxed and almost… playful tone, echoed in his ears, disrupting his thoughts.

Just those few words… and his mental defenses, already weakened, began to crumble even faster.

And he wasn’t the only one.

[“Ugh… I’ve heard the rumors, but… I didn’t expect it to be this bad…”]

“Oh, Dragon Marquis…”

Unrest spread among the Dark Nest warriors, who had gathered despite the chaos.

Even Serentata, a Marquis-level demon, was struggling… so it was no wonder the others were affected.

[“Impossible… How…? She wasn’t this strong before…!”]

Hella, her arms crossed, her expression cold and haughty, interrupted his panicked outburst.

To think he would dare to… judge her with his… insignificant perception.

It was thanks to the divine fragment she had recently acquired… but she didn’t care about such trivial details.

It was her power now, after all.

“It seems you need some… discipline. Now then…”

Her crimson eyes, imbued with the power of ‘Domination’, one of the 「Seven-Colored Eyes of Domination」, gleamed with a predatory light.

Her aura, resonating with her loyal followers behind her, those who blindly obeyed her every command, spread outwards,

…connecting to the Demon World itself.

A single word, a command.

And the reaction was… dramatic.

A deafening roar, like an earthquake, and then…

…most of the Dark Nest warriors, who had been standing defiantly before her, collapsed, their bodies hitting the ground with a heavy thud.

Giants, beasts, plants… demons of all shapes and sizes prostrated themselves before her, their heads bowed in submission.

Only a few high-ranking demons, their willpower strong, were able to resist the overwhelming pressure.

But even they were frozen in shock.

They were the elite forces of the Dark Nest, the strongest faction in the Demon World.

And yet, they had been subdued by a single word!

Her power, her influence as a Demon King, growing stronger with each passing moment, as she stood in the heart of her enemy’s territory, their followers bowing before her.

‘…Now I understand why the Demon King’s position is so absolute in the Demon World.’

In the Demon World, a Demon King’s followers were practically… worshippers.

She had raised several avatars with semi-divine status, so she instinctively knew how to utilize this power effectively.

And she also realized how… foolish the 15th Demon King, Tanuin, had been.

If he hadn’t been so greedy, if he had focused on consolidating his power instead of seeking more… he wouldn't have been so easily defeated by the Dragon Marquis, even with the Human God’s support.

‘…Greed is a powerful motivator, but it’s also a dangerous weakness.’

Hella took a step forward, her movements slow and deliberate, her posture relaxed and unguarded.

But the Dark Nest warriors, despite their desperate resolve, couldn't attack her.

They could only stare at her, their eyes wide with fear and awe.

Siana, who had been quietly following behind her, suddenly shouted, her voice sharp and commanding.

She was also an Earl-level demon, a high-ranking warrior.

And at her command, the remaining demons, those who had been struggling to resist, finally succumbed to the pressure, their knees buckling, their bodies hitting the ground.

Ken, his eyes narrowed, his gaze sweeping across the room, spoke, his voice cold and menacing.

His aura, now a Marquis-level demon, intensified the pressure, and those who had been trying to raise their heads were forced back down.

[“Bow before your new master—!”]

Tavares, the Marquis-level Balrog, who had quickly switched sides and was now leading the charge, roared, his voice filled with a triumphant glee as he saw his former comrades prostrating themselves before him.

““This is the Demon King’s court!””

Serentata, hearing those words, closed his eyes tightly.

The King. The Demon King. The ruler of the Demon World.

The one who stood above all demons, the one who ruled in the Demon God’s stead.

…He had to accept it.

Here, in the heart of the Dark Nest’s territory,

…a new Demon King, the 16th Demon King, had been crowned.

And it wasn’t the Dragon Marquis he had been supporting.

His axe and sword, which he had been gripping so tightly, slipped from his grasp and clattered on the floor.

And then, he slowly lowered his head, his body trembling, unable to resist the overwhelming pressure, his hands touching the ground.

[“We greet the new Demon King!”]

…as his head finally touched the floor,

《Your influence as a Demon King has increased. Your presence has become more distinct.》

…the Dark Nest, the largest and most powerful faction in the Demon World,

…fell under Hella’s control.

A sudden and unexpected takeover, a… home invasion, while the owner was away fighting.

The Dark Nest’s main encampment, on the front lines against Demoniac.

[“…What? What did you just say?”]

Krushaior, the Dragon Marquis, his six eyes wide with disbelief, asked again, his voice filled with a mixture of shock and confusion.

It was understandable.

Who wouldn’t react upon hearing such… unbelievable news?!

But his subordinate’s next words confirmed that he hadn't misheard.

It was impossible for him, whose hearing was so sharp that he could distinguish even the footsteps of ants, to mishear something… but it seemed like the impossible had just happened.

[“That’s impossible!”]

He immediately activated his teleportation ability, attempting to return to one of his forward bases.

His massive body remained on the front lines.

He tried again, targeting different locations, even his own headquarters… but it was no use.

The gates had been sealed.

And even he, who had unrestricted access to all of the Dark Nest’s territories, couldn’t bypass them!

He knew the reason. He had heard it from his subordinate.

His face twisted in a grimace of rage, his teeth grinding together.

While he had been away,

…his headquarters had been taken over in a surprise attack.

And all his other territories, connected to the headquarters, had also fallen.

To that… Helheim mongrel!

He roared in frustration, his voice a monstrous howl that shook the very air itself.

He had been betrayed, not once, but twice!

He had never been humiliated , not since acquiring the title of Dragon Marquis, not since losing the Demon King selection.

[“I’ll kill you! Both of you—!”]

Of course, he could still travel.

He just couldn’t use the gates.

But he was currently in the middle of what had once been the Dark Duke’s territory.

It had been a strategically advantageous location for his advance… but it also meant that it would take a long time to return to his headquarters without the gates.

And he couldn’t just abandon his troops and go alone.

If he faced that mongrel without any support… he might not survive.

He vented his frustration by devouring the nearby demons, their bodies crushed in his jaws, their blood splattering on the ground.

He continued his rampage for a while, his anger and frustration uncontrollable…

…and then, he suddenly stopped, as if interrupted by an unexpected… message.

[“…Pieta? Have you finally given up? Tired of running away?”]

As Helheim began its conquest,

…a conversation between two… victims of betrayal began.