Demon King of the Royal Class-Chapter 657

It was the day of the advance.

The Allied Forces had spent the previous day and night defending their camp. It was morning, and the time to advance had come.

Morning arrived in Rajak too. And just like in the previous battle, I was now disguised as one of the soldiers in the Allied Forces. I would charge into the battlefield as just another soldier and participate in the final fight.

Just like last time, Harriet, Olivia and Riana were with me. However, this time, even the Vampire Lords were ready as well, as well as all the mages from each family.

The holy knights and priests of the Holy Order, which could be considered our full force, had already been secretly assigned to the Order of the Holy Knights.

Just as the full might of the Allied Forces was being deployed, we were also deploying our full force.

“I can go alone,” I had said.

“If that’s your logic, then why is it that you need to go?”

“Hmm...”

In truth, it was likely that our strength wouldn’t be necessary, which was why I’d initially decided to go alone. But since I couldn’t explain why it had to be that way, everyone insisted on coming along.

Olivia Lanche was fully dressed in the armor of a holy knight.

“It’s been a while since I’ve fought instead of commanded,” she said.

Illeion Volten, too, chose to join the Diane campaign. No one had asked him to, but he’d volunteered on his own. Though he was a retired commander of the Order of the Holy Knights, he assured us that no one would recognize him with his face covered. He was disguising himself as just another regular holy knight, like Olivia.

Charlotte also offered to fight, but she backed down when I gave her a stern look. Although Charlotte possessed combat abilities, she lacked actual combat knowledge to fight effectively. As a result, she could only watch us leave with a worried expression.

Airi, the Succubus Queen, also had immense power. However, her horns made it impossible for her to disguise herself, so I had advised her to stay behind.

Our force wasn’t as large as the Allied Forces. But since we had already aligned ourselves to their cause, most of the capable fighters in Rajak were heading to the battlefield.

It wasn’t a significant number. I couldn’t help but wonder if this was truly the extent of the Demon King’s full force. Yet, with just these few individuals, I had managed to swallow up almost the entire continent.

Since I was their king, I knew I had to speak to them before we departed. Though not everyone would be heading to the battlefield, they had all gathered here.

Harriet. Olivia Lanche. Riana de Granz. Illeion Volten. Eleris. Lucinil. Galarsh. Lruien. Antirianus. The vampires of Thursday, Friday, and Saturday. Charlotte de Gradias. Airi. Sarkegar.

“I’m not one for grand speeches,” I admitted.

To those who had been my strength, I could only say one thing:

“We’ve done all this to survive, haven’t we?”

We had indeed done all this to survive.

“So, let’s survive.”

In that moment, survival was the only dream, the only hope.

Not just for the people beside me, but for all who had become my allies.

And even for those who hadn’t, I prayed for life and survival on the other side of this chaos.

***

The final battle had essentially begun long before we reached Diane.

Monsters streamed toward it relentlessly, swarming far beyond the city’s borders.

The final battle, the battle of Diane, had truly started two days earlier, while the army was still a day away from Diane.

The Allied Forces surged through the waves of monsters.

As always, Ellen Artorius led the charge.

With the Void Sword in hand, she cut down the beasts, advancing without fear. The Sun God’s Cloak enveloped her, incinerating any attacker that dared approach.

Waaaah!

Kwoooor!

The cries of the enraged soldiers and the roars of the monsters reverberated across the plains, threatening to tear the world apart.

This was the final battlefield.

The number of giant monsters was unlike anything they had faced before. The Allied Forces had to break through the monsters swarming in front of them while defending themselves against the relentless onslaught from all sides.

With their backs against the wall, it was a desperate struggle to see whether the Allied Forces would be wiped out first, or if they could destroy all the warp gates in Diane.

To be brutally honest, even if the Allied Forces were wiped out, it would be enough as long as they succeeded in destroying all the warp gates, since the remaining monsters in the world could be slowly hunted down.

Things would be fine as long as no more new monsters appeared.

Magic and flames, swords and claws clashed violently. From the skies, flying monsters unleashed venom, flames, and lightning, scorching the earth below. From the ground, magic cannons and lightning shot up at the airborne beasts, burning them and causing them to explode

Every moment, something was dying, both people and monsters.

The whole of existence was moving toward the end of this terror.

—Where’s the Titan? Is the Titan not ready yet?

—The Titan will be summoned when the attack on Diane begins!

The final battlefield was a scene of unimaginable carnage, far more gruesome than anything that had come before. Blood and rent flesh filled the air.

Heinrich took a deep breath. With a roar, flames erupted in front of his eyes, engulfing the wave of monsters in a sea of crimson fire.

In an instant, thousands of creatures were reduced to ash. Yet those that survived the inferno pushed through, mercilessly slaughtering the soldiers in front of him.

Some monsters were immune to flames. Heinrich knew this all too well. But no matter how many times he witnessed it, he could never grow accustomed to the sight of those creatures breaking through and killing people when his powers failed to stop them.

Flash!

Boom!

A monster that had emerged from the flames was suddenly hit by a jagged bolt of lightning from the sky, exploding into pieces.

Heinrich’s eyes widened in disbelief.

Lightning...

It was certainly possible that it was of magical origin. But...

Rumble...

The sky darkened for a moment, and as dark clouds swirled above, lightning began to crackle and dance.

And then...

Flash!

Heinrich had no choice but to squeeze his eyes shut against the blinding flash.

In an instant, dozens—no, hundreds of streaks.

No...

Rumbleeeee!

Thousands of lightning bolts tore across the battlefield, obliterating monsters and leaving Heinrich staring in stunned silence.

And it wasn’t just a single occurrence.

Flash!

Every second, a thousand more bolts of lightning rained down, sweeping across the battlefield.

Even the most powerful spell, Thunderstorm, couldn’t match this spectacle.

The entire field was engulfed in a brilliant white light, as if an eraser were cleaning away the monsters from existence in a relentless storm of lightning.

From where he was on the battlefield, Heinrich’s senses tingled with recognition. He knew at once who was there.

“Riana...?”

***

Above, the sky was cloaked in dark clouds, unleashing a storm of lightning. Each bolt struck with precision, cutting through the hordes of monsters.

“Are you okay?” Harriet asked, concern etched on her face.

Riana, her eyes shadowed with exhaustion, covered her mouth as she gagged. “I feel so depressed I could die,” she admitted.

In a corner of the battlefield, only a few knew that the storm of lightning tearing through the chaos originated from Riana, who stood there, gagging.

Despite trembling from the oppressive weight of despair, Riana remained focused on using her power.

More lightning. More thunder.

With each strike, she obliterated more monsters, carving a path through the chaos.

“But now that the effects are wearing off, I think I might feel better—and that’s the problem,” Riana quipped, her voice tinged with irony.

Harriet responded with a hesitant smile.

Though surrounded, the Allied Forces were stronger than ever. And while their numbers were few, the additional forces provided by the Demon King couldn’t be ignored.

Just Riana on her own could accomplish more than several divisions of an army, and the same was true for each Vampire Lord and their kin.

It felt too soon to be hopeful, but the situation seemed promising. Could this really be the end?

Harriet found herself wondering if the Gate Incident might truly be concluded in this manner, even as she worried about what might come next.

Suddenly...

Flash!

“What...?”

Bright flashes of light began to appear across the battlefield.

They weren’t the lights of destruction. Wherever the flashes appeared, things weren’t being destroyed—they were disappearing.

From their vantage point, Riana and Harriet could see the battlefield laid out beneath them. They couldn’t help but notice the flashes of light.

“Teleportation...?” Harriet whispered, her voice tinged with disbelief.

The flashes of light were unmistakably those of multiple teleportation spells.

However, no one was arriving within those lights. Instead, people were vanishing.

And the soldiers that were disappearing were not random. They were all soldiers wearing full-face visors.

Riana stared in shock, struggling to comprehend the scene before her eyes.

“The Immortals...” she murmured, her voice barely audible. “The Immortals are disappearing... right?”

Harriet’s eyes were wide with disbelief as she took in the scene.

“No way... No way. This can’t be happening. No way...”

She stood there paralyzed, caught in a web of terrifying thoughts. Yet, the reality unfolding before her was undeniable.

The Immortals were leaving the battlefield of their own accord.

***

“Huff!”

Ludwig, who had been fiercely battling monsters, suddenly felt a jolt as a white light enveloped him, whisking him away from the chaos.

“What... what’s going on...?” he muttered, bewildered.

Just moments before, he had been in the thick of combat, having felled a giant monster with a single, powerful strike.

He had been poised to spring toward his next foe when, without warning, a recall spell snatched him away.

As he blinked his eyes open, Ludwig realized he was in a place he knew all too well: the underground research facility beneath the magic department of the Temple’s university.

This was the designated spot that Immortals would return to when they sustained damage.

While dimensional travel was restricted within the Temple, an exception had been made for the underground lab, where limited teleportation was allowed. Any damaged Immortals would be brought back to this place for repairs.

Ludwig stared blankly at the vast chamber, taking in the rows of restoration pods. It was a sight that never failed to unsettle him.

Even if an Immortal wasn’t destroyed, they could be recalled at any moment.

Suddenly, a bright flash filled the room.

It wasn’t just Ludwig who was affected. All around him, mages and warriors of the Immortals were being recalled at an astonishing speed, each appearing in a burst of light.

As he watched the mages around him casting recall spells, Ludwig began to piece together what was happening.

The Immortals were being taken off the battlefield, and he had been forcibly summoned back by one of those spells.

But who could have orchestrated this?

“Cristina...?” he whispered, his voice barely audible.

His heart skipped a beat as he spotted her standing quietly among the mages. Her presence was both a relief and a mystery.

Nearby, Anna and Louis Ankton lay asleep, slumped against the wall of a restoration pod. It was obvious they had been put to sleep against their will, whether by magic or some other force. They would never have agreed to such a thing.

“Don’t be too surprised, Ludwig. It’s all part of the plan,” Cristina said, her expression resolute as she looked at the bewildered Ludwig.

“Cristina? What... what did you... No, what are you trying to do?” Ludwig stammered, struggling to comprehend the situation.

It was the final battle. They were just one step away from victory. Yet, at this critical moment, the Immortals, the most vital force, had retreated from the battlefield. It was madness, pure and simple. Something like that should never have happened, no matter the reasoning or justification.

Ludwig’s face said it all.

Cristina seemed to understand his thoughts, and offered him a faint smile. “You might not know this, but most of the Allied Forces have pledged their allegiance to the Demon King. If the Gate Incident concludes without a hitch, the entirety of the Allied Forces will fall under his control.”

Ludwig took a moment to process this revelation. “So... So... what are you going to do about it?”

“If the Allied Forces fall under the Demon King’s control, it means humanity will as well.”

Ludwig had asked the question, but deep down, he already knew the answer. He couldn’t ignore what Cristina was planning or the consequences that would follow.

“We can’t let that happen, can we?” Cristina concluded.

“No, Cristina... No. This... This can’t be allowed! This is madness!”

Even if those who betrayed humanity by siding with the Demon King were contemptible, was it truly right to resort to such measures? The powerless, who had no part in this treachery, would be the first to perish.

Yet Cristina spoke with a chilling calmness, clearly willing to sacrifice them.

“I’m not suggesting we annihilate the Allied Forces,” she clarified. “Just that we reduce their numbers enough for the Immortals to handle the rest.”

If an army was destined to fall under the Demon King’s control, they might as well already belong to him. The plan was to weaken them—just enough for the Immortals to finish the job.

“If those we need to kill die fighting the monsters, wouldn’t that be ideal?”

Ludwig’s eyes widened and he stood up abruptly. He couldn’t just stand by and let this happen. He just couldn’t.

Thud!

Grabbing Cristina by the collar, he pleaded, “Don’t go through with this madness. Send the Immortals back to Diane.”

Ludwig had crossed lines before, but never in the way Cristina was doing. He never imagined she would go this far.

This wasn’t about revenge; it was pure madness.

It was something Ludwig couldn’t comprehend or accept. It was just madness.

As Ludwig grew cold, Cristina smiled, even though he was gripping her collar.

“Really? Okay, let’s say the Immortals are deployed and the Gate Incident is resolved,” Cristina said.

“Yes! We can figure everything out once it’s all over! No one else will benefit from this!” Ludwig replied.

“Then how do you plan to get your revenge?”

“What?”

“The Allied Forces are mostly under the Demon King’s control, and the Emperor is abandoning the Empire. So, if you want revenge, you’ll need to take down the Demon King, the Emperor, Ellen, and everyone else involved. Do you really think it’s possible to pick out only those responsible within this vast network of the Allied Forces?”

Ludwig hesitated. “What are you talking about?”

“The ones we need to eliminate will fall. The only question is whether they will fall to the gate monsters, or if the Immortals will be the ones to do it.”

This wasn’t about individuals; it was about entire groups. If the war came to an end without significant losses, it would only serve to strengthen the Demon King’s army. They needed to weaken them first.

Sooner or later, the Immortals would have to face the grim reality of taking countless human lives.

“Ludwig, by acting now, we can prevent a war between the Immortals and the Allied Forces in the future. If they clash, even more lives will be lost.”

“That’s just sophistry, Cristina. You’re spouting nonsense!”

If the Gate Incident concluded with the Allied Forces still standing, the Immortals would turn their swords against the Demon King’s Allied Forces, and the ensuing battle would be even more devastating.

“If we diminish their numbers now, the Allied Forces will be forced to surrender to the Immortals. They’ll realize they can’t win. Think about it, Ludwig. This is how we save lives.”

By accepting some losses now, they could prevent greater casualties later.

If the second battle between the Demon King’s Allied Forces and the Immortals ended with the complete destruction of the Allied Forces, it would indeed result in more deaths than if the Allied Forces, after suffering significant losses in the final battle, chose to surrender to the Immortals, regardless of their allegiance to the Demon King. In the latter case, fewer lives would be lost.

If events unfolded as Cristina predicted, she would be proven right.

“And we won’t have to just stand by and let everyone die. The Immortals won’t stay off the battlefield for long.”

Again, Ludwig was confused. “What do you mean?”

“Right now, those that we need to eliminate are either hiding somewhere or disguised as something else. But they will surely reveal themselves if they believe the Allied Forces are doomed.”

“You’re waiting for that moment?”

“Absolutely.”

Someone has to step in to fill the void left by the absence of the Immortals. If they were observing the battle, the Demon King’s forces would eventually show themselves—whether as individuals or in groups, and in whatever form.

“When they do, we’ll redeploy the Immortals. They’ll eliminate them along with the monsters.”

“...”

“Don’t worry. If the Demon King reveals himself quickly, the Immortals will return to the battlefield just as swiftly.”

If the Demon King stepped in to support the Allied Forces, the Immortals will be there to confront him. It was all about exploiting the Demon King’s desire for humanity’s survival.

Ludwig believed the Demon King needed to be held accountable for this incident. But was this really the right thing to do?

“This isn’t... this isn’t revenge, Cristina. This isn’t right! People are dying because of us, not the Demon King. If anyone deserves blame, it’s not the Demon King or the Emperor—it’s us! Why should people die? Why should they be sacrificed for your wish? This isn’t why we did all this! This isn’t why we created the Immortals!” Ludwig shouted, his voice echoing with fury.

The thought of summoning the Demon King by spilling innocent blood filled him with rage.

“What are you talking about, Ludwig?” Cristina asked, her head tilted in confusion as his grip on her collar tightened. “I never said I was doing this for humanity... not even once,” she replied calmly.

“Wh-what?” Ludwig stammered, taken aback.

“You said the same thing, didn’t you? That you’re not doing this for anyone, but to make those who need to pay, pay?” Cristina reminded him.

Ludwig had indeed said that.

“I just want revenge. That’s all,” she said.

Cristina had never claimed to be doing any of this for the victims. She had never pretended to champion their grievances. For her, this was purely about getting back at the world. It was nothing more than an outlet for her anger.

She had never said she was doing this for anyone else. She had never promised a grand, happy ending. She had created the Immortals to put an end to the Gate Incident, and would wield that power for her own vengeance. It was solely to make those responsible pay.

She had not created the Immortals for the weak or to stand up for them.

“Weren’t you the one who was mistaken all along?”

Ludwig remained silent.

“Ludwig, this plan of yours—to kill the Demon King and make people pay—didn’t you say it wasn’t about justice or anything noble?” Cristina asked, her voice steady but probing. “Deep down, were you really thinking about justice all along?”

He had started down this path convinced it wasn’t about right or wrong. So why now was he talking about justice and the idea that the weak should not be sacrificed? Cristina was challenging him with her words.

“If you thought this was some righteous or just cause, Ludwig... you’re still... still...” Her voice trailed off, lingering in the air.

With a chilling smile, Cristina looked at him, her eyes filled with a mix of pity and understanding. “You’re still a damn fool.”

The whole thing had been about revenge from the very beginning. The whole plan was fueled by the desire to strike back. And now, to hear him tell her not to go too far, to keep it within limits—it was almost comical.

Ludwig’s eyes widened as her words struck him. He looked into her dark eyes, which were as deep and unfathomable as an abyss.

“Yeah, maybe you’re right... but... if this is what revenge demands, if this is what it takes... if making them pay means we end up paying the price ourselves...”

Ludwig tightened his grip on Cristina’s collar. “Then I won’t seek revenge.”

He couldn’t comprehend or accept the monster Cristina had become. She had turned into something that had no place in the world.

But he couldn’t bring himself to kill her.

“Send me back.” Ludwig said calmly. “At least let me go.”

Cristina’s eyes widened. “Are you being serious?”

Deep down, Cristina had expected it from Ludwig.

“Yeah.”

“...”

“No matter what I say, you won’t listen. I can’t stop you. So there’s nothing I can do.”

Ludwig realized he couldn’t change Cristina’s mind. They had both lost themselves in their own madness, so any attempt at persuasion was futile from the beginning.

He understood that harming Cristina would only lead to more chaos. Thus, he made the difficult decision to part ways with her.

He knew he had to do it quickly. He had to get back to the fight as quickly as possible, to fight for those who would perish because of Cristina’s decision.

Cristina had chosen to let others die. But Ludwig hadn’t reached that point yet.

“Send me back.”

Without the Immortals, the odds of surviving on the battlefield were slim. Yet Ludwig was still asking to be sent back alone, as if such concerns were irrelevant.

Cristina watched him silently. Just as Ludwig couldn’t sway Cristina, she couldn’t change his resolve either. She couldn’t deter him from returning to the battlefield, even if he was no longer opposing her actions.

“Alright.”

At Cristina’s command, the mages began their incantations.

“Don’t die until the Immortals return.”

For some reason, Ludwig found Cristina’s words amusing. Did she still find something precious? Even in this state? Even while doing such things? Could she really still speak as if she didn’t want anyone to die?

It was madness, perhaps. The true nature of a deeply selfish human.

“Cristina,” Ludwig said, just before the teleportation spell finished, “in the end, we chose the wrong answer. The most terrible wrong answer.”

They had not been able to find the right answer. Each of them had believed their choice to be correct, only to realize it was just their own version of a mistake.

Standing at the crossroads of their collective decisions and confronted with the consequences, Ludwig had to admit that he, Cristina, and the entire world had erred. Everyone had chosen the wrong path.

Those who had made the wrong choice were now resisting, insisting that their mistake was closer to the truth. That was the reality they were facing.

Ludwig’s words were laced with self-deprecation and contempt.

“Even though it’s wrong, this answer feels satisfying to me,” Cristina admitted.

She was not trying to insist that she was correct; she simply wanted to find a resolution that she could be satisfied with.

Flash!

In an instant, Ludwig vanished in a flash of light.

He was alone on the battlefield now, without the Immortals by his side.

But Ludwig wasn’t easy to kill. He had been given an arm that ensured his survival.

All he needed to do was wait. Wait for those who needed to be eliminated to show themselves on the battlefield. Then, the Immortals would return and begin their hunt.

Hunting monsters, along with the Demon King and the Hero, was a grim task. If it was regrettable that people were dying, they should reveal themselves quickly.

Cristina waited in silence, hoping for the situation she desired.

With Ludwig now gone, the underground lab, filled with Immortals, was quiet.

Anna and Louis were asleep.

Soon, she heard the sound of faint footsteps echoing from somewhere within the lab.

Boom!

Bang!

A sudden crash announced the destruction of the lab’s sealed barriers.

Cristina’s expression grew tense. The research lab was supposed to be secure. Once the development of the Immortals had been completed, the facility had been completely sealed off. The imperial mages had been banished, and Immortals stood guard at every corner of the magic department, ensuring no one could enter.

The sound echoing through the halls signaled that those Immortals were being overpowered.

“...”

Cristina stood silently, her eyes fixed on the entrance to the underground research facility.

Someone was approaching.

Someone powerful enough to destroy the barriers and tear apart the Immortals guarding them.

Crash!

With a thunderous crash, the sealed entrance to the underground research facility was obliterated, and a figure emerged from the swirling dust.

Cristina watched intently as the person stepped into view.

It was a familiar face, one that should have belonged on the battlefield.

“Sabioleen Tana...”

Cristina whispered the name softly as she gazed at the lone woman who had entered.

Despite being hailed as the world’s strongest swordsman, Tana had been prevented from taking part in the Great War. And this time, even with that prestigious title, she had not been allowed to step onto humanity’s final battlefield.

A thought crossed Cristina’s mind. Perhaps this was fate, or maybe a curse that had been cast upon Tana. She was destined to be absent from the battles that would live in the annals of history, unable to stand in the place of greatest glory.

Perhaps that was the fate of Sabioleen Tana, the continent’s greatest swordsman.

Even in the grandest moments of the Great War, even in the decisive battle that concluded the Gate Incident.

There was no place for her.

The Emperor had dispatched his finest blade to this place.

A cursed genius, destined never to fight where the greatest glory could be found.

Sabioleen Tana quietly closed her eyes.

“So, this is it...”

A place the world would forget.

A dark underground, devoid of glory and honor.

“This is my final battlefield,” she remarked, steeling herself for the challenge ahead.

It would be the toughest battle she would ever have to face.