…They’re coming?
At Astaroth’s words, I suddenly looked up. The moment my eyes met the scene ahead, it felt as if my heart stopped. Because beneath the distant light, thousands upon thousands were truly approaching. Hearing that they were coming was one thing—but seeing it with my own eyes was a world apart.
They weren’t running or charging. The four thousand users from the Northern Continent who had finally appeared were simply walking at a normal marching pace. Yet, the murmurs in the hall only grew louder. Some of the enemies at the front even seemed to hesitate and step back.
When they had closed in to about four or five hundred meters from the dais, the march finally halted. The cautious retreating enemies had now formed a crescent-shaped formation, encircling the Northern Continent’s forces. Moments later, someone from the Northern side stepped forward. It was my brother.
He calmly scanned the surroundings, then suddenly tilted his chin upward to look directly at where I stood. Just knowing he had arrived made my heart race faster.
At that moment, Erwin leisurely moved to the edge of the dais.
(Thank you for coming all this way.)
He gently spread his arms and bowed politely, like a refined lady.
(We welcome the Northern Continent.)
(…Welcome?)
My brother returned the amplified greeting, but I couldn’t shake the feeling that he was holding something back.
He stared at me silently for a while, then reached into his chest and pulled something out. I couldn’t see it clearly, but I knew it was the Zero Code—especially since the Great Demons let out small gasps.
(As expected…)
Erwin smiled with a satisfaction I had never seen before.
(I knew you’d make a wise choice, Sovereign.)
(…….)
(We sincerely thank you for trusting us and coming here in person…)
(Just be honest.)
Erwin seemed to be trying to ease the tense atmosphere and open a dialogue. But my brother cut him off sharply and slowly clenched his right hand.
(Send Suhyun.)
There was no need for long explanations or negotiations—his tone was firm and direct. Erwin hesitated for a moment, then shrugged nonchalantly.
(He’s alive. And ready to return, as you can see.)
(Then send him.)
(Of course we will… but don’t we have something to receive first?)
(You receive it after, not before. Sending him is the priority.)
My brother’s tone left no room for compromise. Erwin fell silent. As the two representatives’ conversation paused, the already tense atmosphere thickened.
But not long after, Erwin shrugged again.
(Alright. I suppose that’s fair. Candidates always feel better securing the first move. So I understand your unease.)
He muttered with a hint of sarcasm, folding his arms quietly.
(I don’t mean to be arrogant… but have you considered our conditions?)
My brother nodded calmly.
(Those conditions were the maximum concessions we could offer. Especially the fifth item.)
(The last condition is both a concession and a precaution for situations like this.)
(So speak plainly. How can we reach a mutually satisfactory agreement here?)
(If it sounds reasonable, we will follow your lead, Sovereign.)
When Erwin finished his long speech, my brother fell silent.
But the second silence didn’t last long.
(Indeed… they were good terms.)
Acknowledging Erwin’s words, my brother stepped forward.
(When I first heard them, I could hardly believe it. Ending a pointless war… I’d be lying if I said it didn’t tempt me.)
(Heh. That’s right. You can think of it as a kind of courtesy.)
Erwin nodded happily, as if pleased that a dialogue had finally opened.
(So, about that last condition…)
Then—
(What should I do? I haven’t really thought it through.)
Suddenly, my brother said.
(The truth is, no matter how much I think about it, I just can’t trust you.)
(…What?)
(So I feel that negotiations are meaningless from the start.)
(……!)
He curled his lips into a smirk and slipped the Zero Code back into his chest.
Erwin’s face was a sight to behold. Shocked by my brother’s words, he froze with an expression as cold and blank as ice.
I felt the same. If I hadn’t misheard, that was an unmistakable declaration of war.
(So if you want it, come and take it. We’ll do the same.)
That single sentence sent the already volatile atmosphere soaring through the roof. Soon, the sounds of weapons being drawn and bows being strung filled the air in an instant.
“Hah. I knew this would happen.”
At that moment, Astaroth sighed and strode over to me.
“Astaroth. Stay still.”
Erwin muttered with a pale face, but Astaroth dragged me toward the edge and forced me to kneel.
“Ugh!”
Suddenly, I felt a sharp grip on my hair.
(Hey, Sovereign.)
Astaroth’s angry voice echoed all around.
(Seriously… why are you resisting so much? What do you think you’re trusting?)
The grip on my hair tightened by the second. It felt like my head was about to be torn off.
(Just hand over the Zero Code quietly. Accept the prisoners quietly. Then quietly leave.)
(So you never intended to accept any other conditions?)
My brother answered with a knowing smirk. Astaroth scoffed.
(Ugh… that’s why bugs like you don’t work. Give you a little kindness, and you act like gods.)
He chuckled, then suddenly grew serious.
(Enough. Last chance. We won’t say more. Are you exchanging or not? We might even agree to simultaneous exchange.)
And just as his harsh voice brushed my ear—
“!”
Suddenly, a flash of memory struck me like lightning. At the same time, the déjà vu I’d felt earlier grew intense.
(Just so you know, the game was over the moment you brought the Zero Code here. Why? Because all we have to do is kill you and take it.)
(How about you drop that hand right now?)
Meanwhile, their conversation continued relentlessly.
(I warn you, it’s best to only answer what you’re asked. Unless you want to see your beloved brother’s head explode~.)
But at this moment, I couldn’t hear the pain from my hair being pulled, nor my brother’s voice.
(Oh? Then here’s my warning. Astaroth? You’d better let go right now if you don’t want to die.)
Because, because…
(What? A warning?)
…Yes. It was clear.
(If you don’t want to die?)
It just came back to me. I had definitely been in a similar situation before.
Not in this cycle, but the first.
Why had I forgotten until now?
Things change, but some things don’t.
(This is really…!)
Then, as if trying to crush my head, the grip suddenly tightened without me realizing.
Thud!
In that instant, breaking the terrifying silence, something struck the dais. At the same time, a wet splash hit my cheek, and a red streak spread like paint in water across my vision. The moment I realized it was blood, my eyes sharpened.
“What… what is that?”
Even Astaroth seemed momentarily stunned, his grip loosening. He looked around but found nothing unusual.
Only a demon’s corpse lay sprawled nearby, the one they had sent out to scout earlier.
“Isn’t that one of the scouts we sent out earlier?”
Lilith murmured in a daze.
Wait a minute.
One of the scouts?
No way…
Then—
Whoooosh, whoooosh…
A sudden cool breeze blew down from above, soothing the heat at the back of my neck.
Caw, caw…!
As if knowing what was about to happen, the ominous cries of crows echoed faintly.
At that moment, the surroundings darkened abruptly. More precisely, it felt like a storm cloud had rolled in.
I snapped my eyes upward, staring straight ahead. Blood blurred my vision, but shaking my head hard cleared my sight.
My brother looked up at the sky with a calm face, more composed than anyone else. No divine presence, no trace of magic flowed. Slowly, I tilted my head back and followed his gaze.
Flap, flap!
Then came the sound of massive wings beating.
Flap, flap, flap, flap!
Flap, flap, flap, flap!
The countless wingbeats and the faint breeze began to brush gently against my body.
“Ah…?”
Only then did Astaroth and all the Great Demons suddenly raise their heads in surprise.
As we all looked up, our mouths fell open in stunned silence.
What on earth is happening now?
How is this going to end?
A whirlwind of chaotic thoughts swirled through my mind as I looked up at the sky in utter disbelief.
Then, in less than a second—
“Sky! In the sky…!”
Something massive emerged, tearing through the clouds.
Kiiirurururururuk!
A monstrous roar echoed across the heavens, a sound no human voice could produce—like a beast’s anguished howl.
“Mo-monster birds! A flock of monster birds has appeared!”
A scream rang out, jolting me back to reality.
That’s right. I remembered now. Monster birds. That’s what they were.
Dozens? Hundreds? I couldn’t say for sure.
The only thing certain was that nearly a thousand of these eerie, pale-colored monster birds had suddenly filled the sky, blotting it out completely. And an enormous shadow was rapidly engulfing the platform below.
Krrrrrrrrrrrrr…!
Then, without any warning or sign, a searing cry tore through the air. At the same moment, a single, unusually large monster bird with a faint blue glow appeared, its beak snapping wide open. And then—
Krawrawrawrawrawr!
A fierce roar, wild and unrelenting, shattered the silence, shaking the entire hall with terrifying force.
The lead monster bird swooped down in a smooth, graceful arc, landing effortlessly on the ground. The others followed suit, spreading their wings and descending simultaneously, matching the blue-glowing bird’s pace. They didn’t speed up, nor did they slow down—every single one plunged toward the earth without hesitation.
How could I even describe that sight?
Nearly a thousand monster birds gliding through the air in unison, landing as if sliding across the void—it was nothing short of breathtaking.
Then, in the next instant—
KWA-KWA-KWANG!
The moment they hit the ground, an immense shockwave rippled through the hall, shaking everything violently before anyone could react.
“Grrrrrgh!”
“Ugh, aaaaaah!”
The suddenness of it all left people screaming in shock. The earth seemed to rise beneath us, and a storm-like gale swept through every direction. The shockwave was so powerful that even the sturdy platform trembled as if caught in an earthquake.
I wanted to close my eyes immediately, but instead, I squinted fiercely and stared straight ahead.
And there, I saw it clearly.
Enemies collapsing in heaps, swept away by the storm of debris.
Massive clouds of dust rising like mushroom clouds, as if hundreds of landmines had detonated all at once.
And then—
“…!”
Amid the thick dust, a single large flag stood tall, fluttering proudly. It gleamed with dazzling gold, emblazoned with the image of a lion.
“Even the horses…”
If my eyes weren’t deceiving me—
“No….”
There was no doubt about it.
That was the flag symbolizing the Golden Lion.
---------------------------= Author’s Note =---------------------------
Actually, a reader recently pointed out in a comment that I always take Mondays off.
After quietly counting my breaks, I realized they were right.
And tomorrow is August 3rd, a Monday.
Yes, Monday. Haha.
So, I won’t be taking a break tomorrow, August 3rd (Monday).
I kindly ask for your understanding. (__)