“Awooooooo~~!”

Within the sea of flames—

Under the scorching heat of the extreme temperatures, the giant white wolf couldn't help but let out a pained howl.

?!!

“Big Sister!!”

Inside Garos Fortress, watching the earth-shattering explosion in the distance and hearing her elder sister's agonized cries, Liyu—who had always shared one heart with Limo—was immediately overwhelmed with worry.

Although she hadn't been struck directly by the crimson energy, it felt as if her own heart was being burned by searing flames, causing unbearable pain.

The crimson energy was so dense that she couldn't sense Limo's condition at all.

As a result, the gray-haired girl became increasingly uneasy, clenching her fists tightly.

After manipulating her power to create a wind wall around Garos Fortress to block the incoming heat wave, Liyu anxiously turned toward the black-haired girl behind her.

“Mother!! B-Big Sister, she...”

Her voice had already become choked with sobs, and a layer of tears covered her emerald eyes.

However—

Liyu's plea received no response from Yumo.

Because—

The moment she saw Limo swallowed by the crimson energy, Yumo had fallen into an eerie silence.

Her ruby-red eyes simply stared silently at the center of the explosion.

Truthfully—

Yumo's feelings were complicated.

Back in the beginning, her reason for raising Demon King-class beings had been simple.

She intended to use them as high-level experience packs for the protagonist group. 𝒻𝑟𝘦𝘦𝘸ℯ𝒷𝑛𝘰𝓋ℯ𝘭.𝘤𝘰𝘮

Six Demon King-class beings would be equivalent to six dungeon bosses.

After defeating those six bosses and gaining enough experience, the protagonist group would be qualified to challenge her, the final boss.

However—

As she raised them, Yumo gradually realized something.

Demon King-class Abyss Demons possessed emotions.

Unlike ordinary Abyss Demons, they weren't mindless bloodthirsty monsters.

And over time, Yumo's feelings toward these little ones grew deeper and deeper.

Being called “Mother” every day, watching them grow up little by little—

Without realizing it, she had begun treating these Demon King-class beings as her children.

No mother wished to see her children injured.

Much less killed.

Therefore—

Yumo had always been conflicted.

Should she really allow these children to confront the “protagonist group” in the future?

The trial assigned to her by that mysterious woman had troubled her greatly all this time.

But now—

Watching the giant white wolf she had personally raised being devoured by the flames, hearing her child cry out in pain—

The answer to the question that had tormented her finally emerged.

'I don't want that!'

She really didn't want to see her children hurt!

Only I can hit them and discipline them!

Nobody else can!

Let somebody else be the dungeon bosses!

She absolutely refused to let her children become experience packs!!!!!

Taking a deep breath to calm the turbulent emotions inside her, Yumo looked at the anxious gray-haired girl before her.

Unable to resist, she gently wiped away the tears from Liyu's eyes and rubbed her little head.

“It's alright. Your sister is fine. She just suffered some burns.”

“R-Really?!”

Hearing her mother's words, the anxiety in Liyu's emerald eyes diminished somewhat.

“Yes.”

Yumo nodded.

She had long ago placed protective Shadow of Silence Power inside Limo's body.

Unless some existence beyond the norm attacked her, that girl wouldn't die.

At most, she'd get injured...

“Go disperse the flames and bring your sister back. Use this to heal her while you're at it.”

As she spoke, Yumo took out an exquisite crystal bottle from her spatial ring.

Inside it was none other than the Tears of Nature.

“Mhm! Got it!”

Taking the crystal bottle from her mother's hand, the frantic Liyu immediately spread the wings behind her and transformed into a streak of emerald light, rushing toward her sister's location.

Watching Liyu leave—

The gentleness on Yumo's face, used to comfort her daughter, gradually faded.

In its place emerged a bone-chilling coldness.

Then—

The black-haired girl slowly raised her head and looked into the sky.

And at this moment—

Another steel meteor wrapped in purple light was speeding toward them from afar at an astonishing velocity.

Staring at the approaching steel meteor, Yumo narrowed her ruby-red eyes slightly.

Not only did they bomb my daughter—

Now they want to kill the heroine too?

'Since you're so eager to die, then fine...'

At that moment—

A gloomy smile slowly appeared on Miss Yumo's face.

And within those ruby-red eyes—

Rare murderous intent surged forth.

—

Meanwhile—

On the Anqi Mountain Range south of Garos Fortress—

Watching the world-shaking explosion in the distance, the crimson flames that pierced the heavens, and feeling the scorching air rushing toward them—

The tens of thousands of troops from Wind Facing City and the surrounding fortresses all felt chills running down their spines.

They stared fearfully at the crimson light that reached beyond the sky.

Even Marquis Xiumu-Duke, a Sword Saint-level powerhouse, was no exception.

He stood frozen in shock.

Although he had expected the weapon to be powerful—

He never imagined it would be this terrifying!

At this moment, he finally understood why the royal family had recently dared to act so aggressively toward both the Red Leaf Empire and Asumos Church.

So they had developed this thing?!

But how exactly had His Highness the Crown Prince created such a terrifying weapon?

Recalling the blond-haired man he had once met within the royal palace—

Even now, Xiumu-Duke couldn't help but feel lingering fear.

“No, forget that for now. What happened to that Demon King-class monster?”

Hearing the Marquis' question, the commander of the knights, Sikta, helplessly shook his head.

“The shockwave is too powerful. Even the griffon scouts can't fly through it. We can't confirm Snow Devourer's current condition. The only thing we know for certain is that the Mana Fission Bomb struck the giant wolf directly.”

“Mm, is that so?”

“Yes, Marquis. Do you think... that weapon can kill Snow Devourer?”

Faced with that question, Xiumu-Duke hesitated slightly.

“I-I don't know. I don't even know how powerful Demon King-class beings truly are.”

“But after taking something like that head-on, even a Demon King-class existence should suffer severe injuries, right?”

“Probably.”

The old Marquis gazed thoughtfully into the distance.

Although he was deeply puzzled by the royal family's decision to attack both Snow Devourer and White Yama at the same time—

After this explosion, the Abyss Demon horde would probably retreat.

Realizing that the crisis in the north might finally be over—

Xiumu-Duke couldn't help but breathe a sigh of relief.

However—

At that moment, one of the nearby knights suddenly cried out in panic.

“M-Marquis! T-There?!”

The knight's scream caused Xiumu-Duke's brows to knit together.

A bad premonition arose within him, and he hurriedly turned to follow the knight's gaze.

Everyone nearby did the same.

And—

In the next instant—

Everyone's expressions changed dramatically!

Panic exploded within their hearts and spread through the army like a plague.

Because—

High above in the sky—

The familiar scene was unfolding once more.

Another steel meteor wrapped in purple light entered everyone's vision.

And its destination—

Was Garos Fortress itself.

Recalling the previous explosion, Xiumu-Duke's pupils contracted violently, his lips clenching tightly.

If this Mana Fission Bomb fell upon Garos Fortress—

Every single one of them would be within the blast radius!

Whether the weapon could kill a Demon King-class being, Xiumu-Duke truly didn't know.

But if they were caught in the explosion without any preparation—

He was certain that the overwhelming majority of the soldiers behind him would perish!

With a grave expression, the old Marquis suddenly turned around and roared at the top of his lungs.

“Retreat! Retreat immediately!! Activate the magic barriers! Hurry!!”

The shout, infused with powerful battle aura, instantly snapped everyone back to reality.

The knights hurriedly began retreating while trying to activate defensive magic.

Unfortunately—

Compared to the speed of the descending steel meteor—

Their movements were no different from a turtle's crawl.

Facing the sudden purple light falling from the sky—

They had no time to retreat.

Nor any time to establish defenses.

All they could do was stare helplessly and fearfully as the steel meteor rapidly approached the ground.

“It's... over...”

Xiumu-Duke unwillingly tightened his grip on his sword.

And right then—

The nearly despairing old Marquis suddenly widened his eyes.

Disbelief filled them.

Because—

Just as the Mana Fission Bomb was about to embrace Garos Fortress and unleash its world-destroying wrath—

An eerie crimson light suddenly flashed from within the fortress.

And with the appearance of that red glow—

Countless blood-red butterflies burst forth from inside the fortress like a tidal wave.

?!!

'W-What is that?! Butterflies?!'