Naturally, that familiar aura belonged to none other than Hendrix himself.
Without wasting another second, Nox leapt off the rooftop, crashing down into a cluster of demons that hadn’t even realized he was above them.
The impact sent a shockwave that blew them apart like rag dolls.
He didn’t even glance back—his eyes were locked on the castle.
Every demon between him and the gates became nothing more than moving obstacles.
With a quick snap of his fingers, hundreds of ice spears materialized, launching toward the demons.
"Pull back! Pull back!" a demon captain bellowed—only to be silenced a moment later by Nox’s sword.
Glancing behind, he noticed Prince Adrian’s soldiers spreading out, forming wedges that cut through the side streets. Dragons circled overhead, raining arrows and fire into the chaos below.
’We’re still gaining the upper hand. It’s only a matter of time before the capital is ours,’ he thought.
Of course, there was still the rest of the eastern region beyond the capital. But it was the capital that held the most concentrated forces—hence the reason Nox had targeted it first.
If they could take it, the rest of the region would fall in time.
By the time he reached the gates, the entrance was already half destroyed.
Two massive demon guards stepped forward, each over four meters tall and carrying vicious polearms.
"You’re not welcome here, human," one growled.
Nox’s lips curled into the faintest smirk. "Lucky for me, I’m not here for a welcome."
The first demon swung down in a brutal overhead arc, aiming to cleave him in half.
Before the weapon landed, jagged ice erupted from the ground, stabbing through his legs and chest in one clean burst. The demon screamed, the sound cut short as the spikes ripped through his back.
The second charged forward, glaive spinning at incredible speed.
But Nox didn’t waste time with flashy skills—he used brute strength to overwhelm and kill him.
Moments later, the giant collapsed in a heap, blood pouring into the already flooded streets.
Calmly, Nox stepped past the bodies and through the ruined gate into what appeared to be a hallway. The walls were cracked, shattered pillars and statues lining the way.
The air was thick with miasma.
He knew that even if they drove the demons away, it would take months to cleanse the corruption. Fortunately, that wasn’t his concern. That was Adrian’s burden—Nox was no longer technically a citizen of the Vermilion Kingdom.
The walk down the hall was unnaturally quiet. For some strange reason, he didn’t encounter a single demon on his way. This was his first time in the palace, yet he walked with purpose, guided by the familiar aura that only grew stronger the deeper he went.
At last, he stopped in front of a massive door.
Inside, sitting casually on the throne, was Hendrix—white hair falling lazily into his temple, almost covering his eyes.
Nox’s eyes narrowed. He glanced down at his shadow instinctively. It was still there.
This time, it wasn’t a clone. This was the real Hendrix.
"You finally got tired of hiding." Nox smirked.
"Hiding?" Hendrix chuckled darkly. "I wasn’t hiding, Nox... I was waiting. Waiting for this day."
"Looks like you’ve finally grown a spine, unlike the coward who fled west after his defeat." Nox nodded, as if proud.
Hendrix’s smile slowly disappeared. "Point of correction—I didn’t flee." He rose from his seat, eyes burning. "I left to seek power."
Their gazes locked. Neither spoke, letting the tension thicken in the air.
Suddenly, Nox’s lips curled again, a dark gleam in his eyes. Lately, he had found strange pleasure in reeling up his enemies before the clash.
There was something just so intoxicating about provoking and breaking them.
"Seek power?" He raised an eyebrow. "Funny. I thought you were just running with your tail tucked between your legs. Looks like I gave you too much credit."
Hendrix’s lips twitched, but the smile never reached his eyes. "Keep talking. It won’t change the fact this castle will be your grave!" He declared, miasma spilling out of his body.
Nox stepped forward calmly, boots echoing in the silence. "You always did talk big. But I notice one thing hasn’t changed—"
"What?" Hendrix asked, tilting his head.
"You’re still standing in my way."
A grin spread across both their faces and—
The floor between them shattered as both unleashed their killing intent at once. Dust and shards exploded outward, shaking the broken pillars.
Without hesitation, the two enemies, rivals since childhood, dashed at each other with the intent to kill.
One thing was certain—only one of them would leave alive.
Meanwhile, at the Silver Mansion...
Number Two stood frozen in disbelief.
From the balcony, his eyes were locked onto the battlefield—and there she was.
But something was wrong.
She tore through demons with a greatsword still wrapped in cloth. Each of her strikes was merciless. To anyone watching, it would seem as though demons had slaughtered her family and she was taking vengeance.
Yet her eyes... they were empty. Lifeless. The fiery confidence that once defined her was gone.
It was as if she wasn’t herself anymore, but a puppet on strings.
Number Two’s fists clenched so tightly his claws pierced his own palms. "Kira... what have they done to you?"
The sight shook him more than the enemy’s numbers, more than Eve’s betrayal, more than Cromwell’s sudden rise. Nothing compared to this—his own blood fighting for the humans, and not by choice.
A subordinate rushed in, breathless. "Sir! Orders—what should we do? Should we request aid from the neighboring demon lords?"
But Number Two barely registered the words.
He was still lost in thought. ’No spark in her eyes... hollow, controlled. Who?! Cromwell? That cursed Beast Tamer?’
"Sir?!" the subordinate pressed desperately.
Number Two finally turned around. "No need. I’m heading out myself."
The soldier froze—before a slow smirk spread across his face. "Yes sir, I’ll lead the way!"
Thanks for supporting! Currently in exam mode in Uni but I’ll try to upload this book once a day for the time being