The Demon King Overrun by Heroes Novel - Chapter 106

Chapter 106
Chapter: 106

Chapter Title: Horrific Hybrid

—

I was completely in the dark regarding the specifics of their private discussions.

What followed was a sudden bulletin—a strictly one-sided proclamation issued by the Imperial authorities.

* A new mineral deposit had been located within the Phillerium Mountains.
* The Southern Alliance had moved to occupy Imperial soil unlawfully, but the Empire had successfully seized the deposit back.
* However, because the environment of Phillerium was so brutal and the logistics were poor, the Empire had chosen to pause any development for the time being.

Strangely, the Southern Alliance offered no pushback at all.

They simply pulled their battalions back and retreated to their designated territories. Official reports made no mention of the Crimson Dragon Knights being bested in combat.

In fact, the narrative implied they hadn’t even been deployed.

“This is hard to swallow.”

I genuinely didn’t anticipate such a quiet conclusion.

“Do those Imperial idiots have no sense of honor? The Crimson Dragon Knights were thrashed. Their commander was severely wounded. And they’re just letting the matter drop?”

“It is precisely because their leader was wounded.”

“What?”

“If it were merely a rank-and-file knight who took a hit, they could move past it. Their foe was Pablo Barkat, after all. Even the Empire’s greatest champions aren’t bulletproof. But having their captain teetering on the edge of the grave? That changes the calculus.”

A standard soldier and a commander didn’t carry the same weight. Just as a common knightly order couldn’t be compared to the Empire’s elite heroes.

That was the power of a symbol.

“Furthermore, Your Majesty, from their perspective, an outside force meddled in the affair. That likely carried the most weight in their decision.”

“Did I push things too far…?”

Had I realized this would happen, I would have reined it in at the climax.

My excessive fervor had actually backfired.

Ever since my return, I assumed I could bend the world to my will, but things kept sliding out of alignment.

This mess, Hillun—none of it was going as planned.

“Retrieve the relay tower and pull back.”

The Demon King made his way back to the stronghold.

◇◇◇◆◇◇◇
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙
[1,513,514pt]
These were the magi points accumulated from the friction between the Empire and the Southern Alliance.

For a minor conflict involving only a few hundred combatants, the total was staggering. It was likely a result of the sheer density of their mutual hatred, bloodlust, and fury, which burned hotter than typical skirmishes.

When added to the reserves already stored within the tower, along with the constant stream of dark energy flowing from Hilderan and Jespain…

⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙
[5,135,110pt]
I had finally reached the threshold required to manifest a single balrog.

It had taken just over a year. A remarkably rapid progression.

‘No, “rapid” is an understatement.’

If I included the magi I had traded to Jason Kokmun in exchange for his financial resources, the growth was even more lopsided.

It had been some time since I had reviewed the tower’s metrics.

⚔ TOWER STATUS ⚔
👑 Tower Lord: Berge Dayas 🗡️ Sub-Tower Lord: Gordon Dirik 📊 Floors: 5
Affiliates

👹 Demons:
Dark Elf, Gordon Dirik
🐺 Beasts:
Frost Orcs, Kurutu
📈 Monsters:
None
Floors

1st Floor: Dwarf Hero, Roger 2nd Floor: None 3rd Floor: Hilderan Kingdom’s Princess, Elena Hilderan 4th Floor: Hilderan Kingdom’s Princess, Ernyan Hilderan

* Jespain Empire’s Imperial Princess, Kaede Jespain
* Maple Tribe Elf, Charlotte
* Old Tree Tribe Elf, Nania
* Old Tree Tribe Elf…

5th Floor: Demon King’s Floor
Kaede Jespain and Elena Hilderan, who had absorbed Armani’s essence, as well as the elves who had pledged themselves to the World Tree, were now all part of the tower’s ecosystem.

The tower, which had once been a ghost town containing only Berge and Gordon, now buzzed with enough activity to feel inhabited.

It was somewhat paradoxical that the population consisted mostly of humans and elves rather than demons.

‘I wouldn’t have predicted this in my previous life.’

In those days, I never would have permitted surface-world trash into my domain—I would have slaughtered them instantly to harvest magi points.

“Whoa, is that the tower’s status screen?”

Because I had pulled up the interface the moment I stepped inside without thinking, Ernyan, who was trailing behind, spotted it and beamed with curiosity.

‘Whatever, it doesn’t matter.’

The information wasn’t a state secret, and even with the knowledge, she lacked the permissions to do anything with it.

“Yeah.”

“The floor assignments are all wrong.”

“What are you talking about?”

“The Four Heavenly Kings are supposed to be ranked from weakest to strongest starting from the bottom floors…”

“Not a chance.”

The Four Heavenly Kings? She was actually taking that seriously just because I’d humored her earlier.

‘Is she the delusional one, or am I?’

Looking at Kaede’s expression of pure dread, it was clearly the former.

“Ah, you’ve returned?”

As we navigated the twisting hallways, we reached the workshop area. Roger, who was currently idle—likely taking a breather—offered a greeting.

“Greetings, Demon King.”

“……”

The princess, lacking any sense of social boundaries, waved cheerfully, while the abducted golem specialist shrank back and gave a stiff nod.

“How is the work coming along?”

“It’s not finished yet, but I’m certain I can produce the results you’re looking for within a few months. Princess Ravina has been an incredible asset.”

“All thanks to me.”

Ravina cleared her throat proudly and gave a little shrug. Then, she held out both hands expectantly.

“Beast.”

“Did I leave it with you?”

“Core.”

“A tail is more than enough compensation. Do you have any idea what that represents? It belongs to the Demon King. You’d have to labor here for a century to earn something of that value.”

“……”

Ravina puffed out her cheeks in a silent pout.

Was this a deliberate attempt to get me to poke them?

Berge’s expression twisted in annoyance.

“Chimera.”

“You have an interest in crafting a chimera?”

“Yeah.”

“Finish the golem project first.”

“If I build it. For Demon King.”

“You’ll create it and hand it over to me?”

“Yeah.”

“Princess!”

Ravina gave a firm nod. The golem mage looked absolutely horrified.

“No! What on earth are you thinking?!”

He shouted at her, momentarily forgetting that the Demon King was standing right in front of him.

“Building things. It’s fun.”

“No, even if you find the process enjoyable…”

Berge shoved the golem mage aside with a grunt.

“So you just enjoy the act of creation itself.”

“Yeah.”

“But once the work is done, you don’t feel a connection to it?”

“No. Here. Is good.”

“You think chimeras would prefer it here?”

“Yeah.”

That made sense. Chimeras were essentially demons, beasts, or monsters reshaped to suit human whims. Their core nature remained unchanged, so they would naturally gravitate toward a tower saturated with magi.

“Cher.”

“Cher mentioned that, did he?”

Cher was the name of that massive titan chimera.

‘Have her convert beasts into chimeras for me?’

Looking at Cher, her technical proficiency was undeniable. Converting wild beasts into chimeras to fortify the tower’s defenses seemed… practical.

‘Highly practical, actually.’

It was an appealing prospect. But I wasn’t going to rush into a decision.

“I’ll take it under advisement. By the way, did you finish attaching the tail to Cher?”

“Yeah!”

Ravina’s mood shifted instantly, her face lighting up.

“Cher is slim.”

“Slimmer?”

“Yeah!”

“A terrifying monstrosity.”

She had actually grafted a succubus tail onto a titan.

A titan stripped of its bulk. How was that any different from putting short dwarf legs on a tall elf?

It was a warped concept that only Ravina Akan could have come up with.

“I want to see the result.”

“Cher is brooding. He won’t speak.”

“That’s hardly a surprise.”

“But he’s handsome.”

“Handsome?”

“Yeah.”

“I hate to break it to you, but a titan’s concept of beauty is the exact opposite of a human’s.”

They valued mass and ruggedness over delicate features. From Cher’s perspective, having a strange tail sprout from him overnight made him a freak.

“Ah…?”

Ravina looked completely lost, her expression blank. Berge let out a short laugh and walked to the upper level.

There, tucked away in a corner, he found Cher sitting with his back to the room.

“You.”

Kruk?

The creature turned its head slightly, instinctively cowering in the presence of the Demon King.

Berge recoiled slightly in shock.

“Good heavens, is that really the titan?”

Ernyan let out a gasp.

Because it was the tail of a Demon King, what had originally been human-sized had expanded to match the 5-meter frame of the titan. The massive tail twitching behind him was unsettling, but Berge was more interested in the other physical shifts.

‘This is actually quite impressive…’

Succubi and incubi were creatures that seduced through aesthetics to drain life force.

Naturally, to be effective at seduction, they had to be physically appealing. Evolution had dictated that.

Vivian, one of the highest-ranking succubi, held the title of “Queen.” She was among the most exquisite of her kind—which meant her tail exerted a heavy influence on the host’s appearance.

Cher’s silhouette had shifted significantly due to the tail. He hadn’t lost his muscle entirely, but the bloated, ogre-like mass had vanished.

‘He doesn’t look like an incubus, but more like a broad-shouldered vampire.’

He was well-proportioned and reasonably attractive. Vampires were quite striking, even if they weren’t on the level of incubi. Of course, this meant nothing to a titan.

Berge reached out and patted Cher on the back.

“Try to hang in there.”

Kruk—

Cher’s eyes, welling with tears, met his. A humorous thought struck Berge.

‘I would love to show this to Ugar.’

What would Ugar—one of the titans’ most elite warriors—make of this?

Would he view it as a total humiliation for his species and try to end him?

Or would he simply refuse to believe his eyes?

‘Regardless.’

Berge rubbed his chin thoughtfully.

‘Ernyan was right; the girl has real talent.’

Even for a specialist in chimeras, being able to perfectly integrate a Demon King’s tail into a titan was a feat of genius.

He couldn’t help but feel a spark of admiration for the human—no, for Ravina Akan’s—capability.

‘It’s worth considering.’

This wasn’t just a passing thought; populating the tower with customized chimeras might actually be a brilliant move.

◇◇◇◆◇◇◇
Hillun crunched his boots into the fresh snow. More white flakes drifted from the sky, slowly erasing his path.

It was a sight he had grown accustomed to.

‘It’s already been two weeks.’

His ambitious plan to transform the Demon King’s frozen spire into a personal training ground had ended in disaster.

Gillian had been deprived of an arm, five northern clans had been decimated, and Hillun Kagil had barely escaped with his life.

It was a bitter pill to swallow, proving he still had a long road ahead of him.

“Welcome back, sir. Please, come inside.”

The servant, now a familiar face, held the door for him.

A banquet of high-end dishes was laid out. At the head of the table sat the Margrave, flanked by his subordinates and advisors.

“Come, join us.”

“I appreciate the invitation to the table.”

“You’re far too formal. Isn’t it about time you let your guard down?”

“This is as relaxed as I get.”

“Ha, you’re a difficult one.”

Take a seat, the Margrave gestured. As always, the chair was positioned immediately after the direct blood heirs, at the primary table.

It was a clear indicator of the high regard the Margrave had for him.

“It’s good to see you.”

The Margrave’s firstborn son greeted him. Hillun returned the smile, noting the look of respect in the young man’s eyes.

“The whole group is here. Let’s eat.”

The meal commenced as the Margrave reached for his utensils. Hillun ate his salad in quiet contemplation.

‘I never expected things to go this way.’

Berge had slipped through their fingers, but the Margrave hadn’t exploded in anger. He had simply asked for the details, accepted the reality of the situation, and continued to support Hillun without reservation.

Just like Hillun, the Margrave was looking for a partnership that benefited both sides.

‘It’s a good arrangement.’

Granted, it was a cold contract based on mutual gain, but that required a baseline of trust.

In that regard, his two weeks in the northern territories had been incredibly productive.

“Oh, Father, there’s some intriguing news from the southern regions.”

The eldest son of the Margrave spoke up. The Margrave nodded, giving him the floor.

“What have you heard?”

“You’re aware of the skirmish between our homeland and the Southern Alliance.”

“Regarding the mana stone deposit found in the Phillerium Mountains.”

“Correct. Our Empire took control initially, but the Alliance staged a surprise attack, leading to a violent confrontation. In the end, the Empire held the ground but decided the area was too monster-infested and the terrain too difficult to bother mining for now.”

“I’m already familiar with those details.”

“Doesn’t it strike you as odd? The conflict ended with the Alliance retreating over a mana stone vein—something they usually fight to the death for. The Empire has plenty of mines, but the Alliance is starved for them. They fought like animals, then just gave up after a single setback.”

“That is a valid point.”

“The rumors suggest the Alliance was actually the one to request a truce first.”

“After they were beaten?”

“No, before they even lost control of the vein again.”

“Before? That sounds fishy.”

Holding a position in the brutal Phillerium was a major strategic win. Why would they give it up of their own accord?

Especially when it involved mana stones.

“The creature population in Phillerium must be more dangerous than we estimated.”

The Margrave suggested. It was the most logical guess.

“No, there is another theory.”

“Another?”

“Yes. I received word from the successor of the Tyts family…”

The Tyts were a southern noble house that had grown wealthy through mining and trade routes, maintaining close ties with Margrave Chernian.

“Supposedly, a third party—not affiliated with either side—stepped onto the field of battle.”

“Demons, obviously.”

War always brought bloodshed. And demons were drawn to blood like moths to a flame.

It was standard procedure for demons to fan the flames of human conflict.

“I suspected as much, but that’s not it.”

“No?”

“My young lord, stop keeping us in suspense. Tell us. My curiosity is getting the better of me.”

Encouraged by a veteran advisor, the son continued.

“One of the interlopers shouted a prayer to their god.”

“……!”

“……!”

“…Those parasites are still breathing?!”

“I can’t confirm it for certain. But with a deity’s name being invoked, the powers that be couldn’t just ignore it.”

The faces of the assembled nobles turned grim.

Hmm.

“There are three possibilities.”

The Margrave mused, taking a slow bite of steak before speaking.

“An illusion spell designed to create a rift between the Empire and the Alliance.”

“Or those pests are actually still alive and trying to cause trouble.”

“Or perhaps the Demon King is utilizing cultists.”

Regardless of the cause.

“We cannot allow anyone who mocks the Empire to walk free. They must be eliminated entirely. The southern command made the correct decision.”

A sudden, icy killing intent permeated the room.