Back in the Armstrong Duchy, things had calmed down. The remaining demon soldiers had been imprisoned, and the captured humans were freed.
The Vermilion soldiers assisted with the cleanup. For now, no words had been exchanged between the two sides—each focused on bringing order back to the town.
Finally, a decision was made. The best place to go right now was the Cromwell Barony, as it was the safest location in the kingdom.
"Can the Cromwell Barony contain all our soldiers?" Prince Adrian asked.
Nyx nodded. "All the survivors are already there, but we can still accommodate more."
Wendy spoke up. "The only problem will be the residential area, but I’m sure the ants can quickly set something up."
"The ants?" Adrian raised an eyebrow. Did he hear that right? Did she just say ants... would set up a residential area for his soldiers?
"Don’t worry, you’ll see what I mean when we get there." Wendy smiled mischievously, making Adrian extremely curious.
At that moment, Nyx glanced at Jack and Akira, her brows furrowed. "Where is Nox?"
"Right, I almost forgot—he’s the one I’d really like to meet," Adrian added, turning to Jack and Akira for answers as well.
"After rescuing you, we split up to cover more areas," Akira said. "But for him not to show up even with all that fighting... it’s either he’s busy or no longer in the duchy."
"If you don’t mind, we can go find him," Jack suggested.
"I’ll follow," Serena’s small voice echoed from behind.
And so, Akira, Serena, and Jack went to search for Nox.
As they left, Nyx suddenly felt someone staring at her intensely. She had sensed the gaze since arriving but hadn’t paid much attention with so many things to handle.
Finally, she turned toward it—only to find Ria, the beautiful silver haired Vermilion Princess, staring at her.
At the same time, Ria calmly approached, her blue eyes glinting with recognition. "I knew I’ve seen you somewhere before."
Nyx narrowed her eyes. "Maybe you remember me from the fight with Ainsworth."
"Not even that," Princess Ria shook her head. "A few years ago, you passed over the eastern region riding a wyvern belonging to the Mad Dog."
Nyx’s eyes glinted at the memory. She had indeed locked eyes with a girl who had been worshipping a god.
"Such a small world, isn’t it?" Ria smiled.
(For reference, see Chapter 167: The Capital [1])
Meanwhile back in the demon realm...
The smile slowly returned to Emerald’s face, and she said, "It’s rather simple. I want to strike a deal."
Nox didn’t flinch. "A deal?"
She nodded. "You’re not a fool, human. You’ve seen what the demons are capable of... but you’ve also seen that not all of us are aligned with the Emperor’s agenda. Me? I just want to survive. And maybe, just maybe, burn the system that tried to cage me."
"I’m listening," Nox said, though his tone remained guarded.
"I know how to close the portals," Emerald said confidently. "Not temporarily. Not delay but sestroy at the root. I’ve studied the Emperor’s rune formations for years. I know how they work, how they spread through the different floors, and how they link to the core of the demon realm."
"And what?" Nox’s eyes narrowed. "You’re just going to hand that knowledge over to me?"
"Not for free," she said, her voice turning sharp. "I want something in return."
Nox raised a brow. "Which is?"
"I want you to swear an oath," Emerald said. "One that binds your soul. You can use whatever system magic or divine law governs you—just make it binding."
Nox frowned. "An oath to do what?"
"To return here when it’s all over," she said, stepping closer. "Once you’ve wiped out the portals and secured your realm, you come back. And we kill the Demon Emperor—together."
The room went dead silent.
Even Blazy, who had been rattling the bars of his cage, paused and looked over in stunned silence.
Nox stared at her, his expression unreadable. "Why not do it yourself?"
"I can’t," she snapped, her voice cracking just slightly for the first time. "I tried once... and barely survived. The Emperor has a thousand demon soldiers. He’s ancient—older than most of us can remember. You think he’s just sitting in his palace twiddling his thumbs? No. He’s feeding off the chaos, growing stronger with every floor you conquer."
"...If he’s that strong, how do you expect me to defeat him?" Nox asked.
To be honest, Nox knew his path and the Demon Emperor’s would cross later on. But he also knew that with his current strength, there was no way he could win.
Emerald sighed. "I’m not asking you to fight him immediately. You can return when the time is right."
Nox looked down, thoughtful.
It made sense. Too much sense.
A part of him screamed don’t trust her—she was still a demon, after all. A manipulative, seductive, cunning kind.
Her story, her bitterness, her anger toward the Emperor... it all felt too raw to be fake.
"Make the oath," she said, holding out her hand, palm glowing with a faint red circle. "Swear to come back. To help me finish what I started."
Nox didn’t speak for a long moment. The room seemed to tighten around him.
Finally, he asked, "What’s stopping you from turning on me the moment I make the oath?"
Emerald gave a cold chuckle. "If I could defeat you, I would’ve done it already. But you saw through Grenth. You’ve been slaying floor after floor without rest. I need you alive. And maybe... you need someone who knows the Emperor’s weaknesses."
[Master... I don’t ,] Blazy said. [She’s got too many secrets.]
’I know,’ Nox replied mentally. ’But this might be our only real shot.’
He took a step forward.
Just before his hand could reach hers—
The ceiling shook, dust rained down like ash, and an explosion echoed through the upper halls.
Emerald’s eyes widened. "No... no no no... not now..."
"What is it?" Nox snapped, looking around cautiously.
Emerald’s expression turned pale. "Someone that shouldn’t be here has arrived..."
A massive surge of miasma flared through the castle, and a presence—dark, ancient, and monstrous—descended over the entire floor like a suffocating blanket.
The floor trembled, with all its netizens staring up at the winged shadow descending, accompanied by a roar that split the sky.