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“Demons, all of a sudden?”

Silvas, the captain of the royal knights of Conrad Kingdom, emerged, donning his gear. Behind him, the knights lined up, ready to defend the royal palace.

“The numbers haven’t been ascertained yet. Their identities remain ambiguous…”

“Ambiguous? What do you mean?”

“We haven’t confirmed any definite shapes or numbers.”

“Are you kidding me?”

Demons had appeared in the heart of the capital, near the royal palace, yet they couldn’t even determine their numbers or shapes. It was maddeningly frustrating.

“I apologize!”

“First, find out their objective. Gather detailed intelligence on their forces! And…”

Silvas clenched his hand, hesitating before he continued.

“Where is Lady Viola?”

At Silvas’s question, the vice-captain, Bron, had an incredulous expression.

“Are you suggesting that Lady Viola—”

“I know what you’re thinking.”

Silvas interrupted, shaking his head.

“But if demons have really appeared in the kingdom, then the legend might be true as well. It has to be.”

“…Yes.”

Bron nodded and quickly issued orders to the knights.

“You heard him! From now on, each squad splits up based on their roles! The central knights will request cooperation from the temple and prepare for demon hunting!”

“Understood!”

“Stop talking and start moving!”

The knights’ steps quickened. Silvas watched the knights leave and found himself alone.

“Demons…”

He knew such beings existed. God and demons definitely existed and might even be nearby. But no demons had appeared in the history of Conrad Kingdom for the past few hundred years.

Their existence was merely passed down through pictures and stories. And now.

‘Why now, of all times?’

Was it the end of the kingdom?

Or, unlike the legends, was it just a passing storm?

Silvas didn’t have the answer. For hundreds of years. One knight, rooted in this kingdom like a legend, had safeguarded the kingdom.

“…Lady Viola.”

Perhaps he had the answers.

Creak-.

Just then, a door on the floor suddenly opened.

“Are you looking for me?”

“What?”

Silvas widened his eyes in surprise. A woman with such beautiful blonde hair that one could never forget once seen. The very person they had been searching for stood before him.

“Sir, Lady Viola?”

“Yes, sir Silvas.”

“How are you here… No, more importantly, what about this passage…”

Silvas’s gaze then shifted to Suhyuk and Vigo, who had followed behind Viola. He recognized Vigo, having seen him a few times. He knew Vigo was a close associate of Viola and a highly skilled knight.

But.

“Who is this man?”

A man in strange attire whose identity he did not know. Viola’s sudden appearance raised many questions.

How she had appeared here, what that passage was, and who this mysterious man was. But there was no time to explain everything.

“The demons are already inside the castle.”

“What?”

“Gather the knights. We must reclaim the throne.”

Silvas thought back to the recent situation.

“The knights are currently moving out to deal with the demons outside.”

“The demons’ goal is the vacant throne of the kingdom.”

“Why would they be after the throne?”

“Because it came from Asgard.”

Silvas’s eyes changed at that answer.

“As expected, Lady Viola, you are…”

“I apologize for the deception.”

Fwoosh-.

A pure white aura emitted from Viola’s entire body. As the Valkyrie’s power was revealed, silvas’s eyes widened, and he knelt.

“I bow to the messenger of the gods.”

A legend existed in Conrad Kingdom. Since the founding of the kingdom, a single knight had always protected it.

That knight was said to be a messenger from the heavens, and the true king of Conrad Kingdom was believed to be that knight.

“There’s no need for that, silvas. Now is not the time for formalities.”

As if marking today as the final day of her mission, Viola revealed everything she had been hiding. Following her words, silvas stood up from his kneeling position.

Respect for the Valkyrie was up to this point. Now was the time to deal with the demons that had appeared in the kingdom.

“As the Valkyrie commands, I will recall the knights back to the castle. The objective is…”

“To guard the throne.”

“Yes, absolutely.”

Silvas no longer regarded Suhyuk with curiosity. It seemed he had decided to trust anyone who was with Viola.

One less thing to worry about. Suhyuk glanced at Silvas, who was rushing ahead, and then lifted his head.

‘This is strange.’

The reaction made it seem as if it was the first time demons had appeared in the castle. Despite Viola having fled outside the kingdom because of the demons.

Suhyuk, Viola, and Vigo followed Silvas to the surface. As soon as they emerged from the underground training grounds.

Blaze-.

A fiery scene greeted their eyes, with flames blazing red.

“What…”

A bewildered Silvas saw the fallen knights scattered along the corridor floor.

The castle was already in chaos. Flames erupted from the walls, and the bodies of knights, servants, and others lay strewn about.

And through the window.

Thud-.

Demons from Muspelheim peered into the castle from beyond the windows.

“D-demons…”

Silvas staggered backward. Suhyuk’s gaze moved to the demons outside the window. Demons over 5 meters tall. Being originally giants, Muspelheim’s demons reached heights equivalent to several stories.

Seeing the giants engulfed in flames, Suhyuk narrowed his eyes.

‘I have a rough idea.’

Boom-!

A giant’s fist smashed the castle wall, causing flames to blaze up. As Silvas hurriedly unsheathed his sword, something flashed in front of him.

Crunch-!

The giant’s fist was split in two. The flames that had been burning fiercely were extinguished in an instant, brightening the surroundings.

“Go up! Quickly!”

With a single stroke, Viola severed the demon’s hand. The demons’ attention was drawn to the sword she wielded.

“Th-this way, please!”

Taking the opportunity Viola created by holding off the demons, silvas guided Suhyuk and Vigo. While uncertain of the situation, he decided it was imperative to help Viola and her companions.

But then.

“What are you doing? Not coming?”

“We don’t have time to leisurely take the stairs.”

Instead of following Silvas, Suhyuk closed his eyes quietly. Using the stairs was inefficient. Though he felt slightly guilty, the only way to reduce their journey was to use his power.

‘The direction is straight up.’

Reopening his eyes, he looked upward. He gathered lightning into his hand. Recalling the feeling of creating the lightning spear, he prepared a powerful strike.

The target wasn’t the demons surrounding Viola. It was the ceiling that separated the floors.

Flash-!

Boom-!

The bolt of lightning shot through the ceiling, soaring high into the sky. No matter how sturdy the marble ceiling might be, it wasn’t as thick as the castle walls.

The lightning pierced through the royal castle’s ceiling, reaching up to the clouds.

“A path is clear…”

Vigo shouted at the gaping hole above them.

“Quickly, up!”

Tap-.

Suhyuk moved even faster than Vigo’s shout. Though he didn’t jump directly upwards immediately.

Boom-!

Lightning exploded on the head of a demon rushing towards Viola. Viola, who was about to swing her sword at the staggering demon, paused momentarily.

And in that moment.

“This way.”

Grip-.

Suhyuk grabbed Viola’s wrist and pulled her upwards through the ceiling opening.

“You go first!”

“No need to waste your strength.”

“Waste? How—”

“It’s a waste, indeed.”

Up on the ceiling that pierced through to the sky. Running towards the top where the throne was located, Suhyuk spoke with certainty.

“You’ll see soon enough.”

Leaping over several ceilings, Viola and Suhyuk arrived at the temple where the throne was located.

Thud-.

But arriving didn’t mean it was over.

“…Of course.”

Viola looked despondent, as if she had expected this.

Flame-.

The gigantic temple, spanning thousands of square meters, was ablaze. The high throne was surrounded by flames hotter than lava, and within the blazing inferno, the silhouettes of dozens of demons glowed menacingly.

“Just a Valkyrie and a human, is it?”

“The human is slightly interesting. He possesses the power of lightning.”

“Why a human?”

“We’ll soon find out. First, let’s tear them limb from limb and ask questions later.”

The giants’ vicious conversation made Viola grimace in disgust. The demons below were nothing. The fearsome sight of the demons surrounding the temple made it hard for her to breathe.

Though she had held onto even a sliver of hope, there was no such thing in this battle from the start.

“Viola.”

Clink-.

Vigo pointed his spear forward. His spear trembled.

“It’s been an honor fighting alongside you.”

Forcing a smile, Vigo continued.

“I had hoped to have a more valiant farewell, but…”

“Vigo.”

“I’m sorry for what happened with Belveim. I showed such a pathetic side.”

The fearful aura of a warrior prepared to die flowed from him. With the determination to take at least one demon with him, Vigo braced himself to perform the impossible.

But.

Just as he was about to move.

“Don’t act so foolish.”

Grab-.

Thud-.

Suddenly, his collar was grabbed, and Vigo fell backward awkwardly.

“Ugh-.”

“Stay put.”

“What are you doing?”

“I need to check something.”

Suhyuk’s gaze turned to the throne engulfed in flames.

“…There’s something I need to do there.”

The flames around the throne were so intense that the throne itself was barely visible. Approaching it seemed nearly impossible.

Step-.

However, Suhyuk leisurely began to walk toward the throne.

“If you go alone, it’s dan—”

“Do not follow.”

Without looking back, Suhyuk repeated to Viola and Vigo.

“I need to check something.”

It was the same statement again. His calm voice was somehow reassuring. Viola and Vigo watched in a daze as he walked into the flames and the demons. His figure walking into the inferno seemed anything but suicidal.

It was an unreal sight.

Maybe.

Perhaps he had found a way.

Flame-.

Suhyuk’s form disappeared into the flames. Demon silhouettes, wielding swords and hammers, could be seen aiming at him.

“Suhyuk!”

But despite Viola’s shout, the flames roared even fiercer, completely consuming Suhyuk.

Whoosh-!

“Ah…”

A sigh escaped Viola’s lips. It felt like waking from a hopeful dream back into harsh reality. The small glimmer of hope vanished. The flames had completely devoured Suhyuk, and he was gone without a trace.

All that was left was to wait for the flames to consume them as well. But then.

“Viola!”

An astonished Vigo pointed somewhere with his finger.

“L-look, the throne!”

“The throne?”

Viola’s gaze followed Vigo’s finger. Within the fierce flames. A faint, wavering silhouette could be seen. At the highest point of the temple, on Asgard’s cherished treasure that no one had ever been able to sit on.

Amidst the raging red flames, someone was sitting on the Thunder Throne.

TL’s Corner:

Hell yeah, the king has returned. Or maybe arrived?