The Demon King Overrun by Heroes Novel - Chapter 127

Chapter 127
Chapter: 127

Chapter Title: Our Eyes Met

—

An investigation cohort, led by a prince and a crown prince, moved into the restricted territory known as Erjest.

Martin gave the responsibility of leading the front line to Belrof, who possessed a deeper understanding of these mountain ranges.

Belrof directed three scout detachments, the White Ermine among them, to spread out in every direction.

“We will use the scouts to meticulously sweep the terrain as we advance. Regardless, this is a race against the clock.”

Locating the spire was an absolute necessity, so the only variable was the duration of the search.

It was deemed wiser to invest more time and move forward with systematic precision.

“Acknowledged.”

A week passed in this fashion. By the end of that period, the investigators couldn’t shake the feeling that something was amiss.

Beasts such as yetis, ice wolves, and trolls were encountered, but their numbers were significantly lower than what Erjest’s terrifying fame suggested.

“Is the population usually this sparse?”

“Negative. Even at the base, Erjest is typically crawling with creatures from the very start.”

Belrof Corzen tightened his expression. As the leader of the White Ermine, he had ascended Erjest on multiple occasions. Although he had never ventured far past the perimeter, he distinctly recalled the swarms of beasts that had always barred their path.

“Should we increase the scouting perimeter and focus on finding where the monsters have gone?”

“Let’s proceed with that plan.”

The expedition established a camp on a favorable ridge for a reprieve while various units scrambled to find the underlying cause.

“This feels like…”

“Indeed, I am thinking the same thing.”

Distinct from the others, Hillun Kagil and Granada were aware of the precise reason for this anomaly.

It was a tactic designed to gather the mountain’s predators and release them in a single, overwhelming tide.

the current silence was nothing less than the stillness before a tempest.

“Lord Hillun, did a phenomenon like this occur during Lady Hillun’s legendary journey as well?”

At that moment, Daphne walked over. Granada immediately went silent.

“No. At that time, beasts were abundant from the very entrance. Since this is my first time on Erjest, I cannot be certain, but it at least aligned with the accounts I received from Hortonwalk.”

“It was no different when I made the climb to seek the spire. This suggests this is the first time such an event has taken place…”

Daphne rubbed his jaw thoughtfully.

“This is undoubtedly the handiwork of the Demon King. After all, the behavior of monsters is fundamentally tied to the Demon King.”

There was now an additional factor to consider. Dominating the monsters indicated that the Demon King’s power had intensified significantly.

“Sequestering the creatures implies they are being restrained for a solitary, massive strike.”

“I concur.”

“Then the only questions are where, when, in what manner, and in what quantity they will strike.”

The Demon King usually waited for champions at the spire’s peak but would often deploy monsters against them or embed dark sorcerers and fiends within human lands to sabotage their progress.

Just then, a soldier approached and requested the presence of Hillun and Daphne. The prince and crown prince were seeking their counsel.

“What are your thoughts on this?”

Upon entering the command pavilion, they were immediately interrogated by Martin.

“It is a deception of the Demon King.”

“Precisely what we suspected. How should we react?”

“This did not happen during the previous climbs Lord Hillun and I made. That suggests the Demon King’s grip here isn’t absolute yet.”

“Then it is probable that this is restricted to the lower-level beasts that have been displaced in the hierarchy.”

“Yes. The situation will shift once we reach the mid-mountain. That is likely where the offensive will begin.”

“So, very soon.”

“We should prepare ourselves fully and…”

In that instant, a disturbance broke out.

Knights from both the kingdom and the empire burst into the pavilion in a state of alarm.

“Your Highness, you must step outside immediately.”

“What is the matter?”

“Have the beasts arrived?”

“No. Demons have shown themselves.”

“Demons?”

They sprinted outside. On a snow-dusted ridge a short distance from the camp, dark silhouettes were visible.

A woman stood there, draped in a cloak and wearing a mask to obscure her features. Behind her, others stood in rigid formation.

“Are they humans?”

“I detect demonic essence. They cannot be human.”

“Dark elves in the rear. That woman must also be a demon.”

The crowd erupted in low whispers.

“A plot by the Demon King?”

“Give the command, and we will seize them at once.”

Some were confused, while others were filled with aggressive intent.

However, a sense of inexplicable dread washed over everyone.

A masked woman appearing in the middle of the monster-choked Erjest Mountains—it was an entirely unnatural sight.

“They claimed it was the Flame Demon King. We haven’t accidentally wandered toward the spire of lust, have we?”

If she were a servant of the lustful Demon King, such as a succubus, it might be logical. But the woman standing there was clearly nothing like a succubus.

“Lord Daphne.”

“…Information regarding the Flame Demon King is non-existent. Nothing they do would be out of character.”

Yet, in all the champion quests he had participated in, an event like this had never occurred.

Then.

“Greetings.”

The woman performed a graceful, elegant bow. It was sophisticated and controlled.

Her voice was soft, yet it resonated clearly in the ears of every person present.

The noise died away, and every gaze was fixed upon her.

The woman wore a satisfied expression.

“It is a pleasure to meet you, mortals. I am one of the Four Heavenly Kings who serve His Majesty the Demon King—the Dark Spirit Sorceress.”

“…Four Heavenly Kings?”

“Four Heavenly Kings? What on earth is that?”

“A demon who practices spirit sorcery?”

Her short introduction was riddled with impossibilities. Not only was the title “Four Heavenly Kings” unheard of, but the concept of a spirit sorceress was absurd.

Spirits represented the core essence of their world. It was illogical for demons—invaders from a different plane—to be able to command them.

‘…This is madness. Ernyan Hildran?’

Hillun and Granada fought to keep their expressions neutral through sheer force of will.

They recognized her better than anyone else. They had interacted with and fought her personally.

‘What is she playing at?’

‘If she is recognized…!’

Despite her disguise and mask, she couldn’t entirely suppress her natural presence.

Luckily, the gap between them was significant, she was masked, she projected demonic energy, and no one would ever imagine a princess pretending to be a demonic subordinate—but the risk remained.

As their anxiety mounted, the Dark Spirit Sorceress spoke once more.

“I have arrived to convey a message from His Majesty the Demon King. Who holds the highest authority among you?”

Martin and Belrof both recoiled slightly. They swapped a look, but eventually, Martin stepped forward.

“I do.”

“The Third Imperial Prince of the Empire, Martin Jespain.”

“You recognize me?”

“Naturally. How could we be ignorant of the great Empire’s prince? A prince of the empire is fit to receive the Demon King’s proclamation.”

Clearing her throat, she forced her voice into a deeper, more dramatic tone.

“Vacate this mountain immediately. Do so, and your lives will be spared. This is the final act of clemency offered to you.”

Hillun and Granada were screaming internally at the theatrical performance, but the others, swept up in the tension, didn’t find it strange.

“Absurd.”

Martin dismissed the notion with a shake of his head.

“You stationed a dark mage in Haspstrail Gorge to destabilize the Empire. The Empire will not overlook such an insult, and the Demon King will come to regret it.”

“Such arrogance will only serve to further inflame His Majesty’s anger.”

“I will provide a warning of my own. Admit your transgressions now and set the captured princesses free. If you do not, the consequences will be dire.”

“It seems words are ineffective. You appear to be in need of a lesson.”

“A lesson?”

“In the name of His Majesty, I, the Dark Spirit Sorceress, shall teach you your place.”

In a heartbeat, magical energy flared. The demonic aura from the mask merged with it, cloaking her true identity.

“Witness how displeased His Majesty has become.”

“And see the power of one who serves him.”

The ground began to vibrate.

The mountain groaned.

“…Good heavens.”

The humans watched in paralyzed shock.

It was an avalanche. A massive wall of cascading snow.

“Accept this.”

A tidal wave of snow that bordered on a natural disaster. Knights ignited their inner power. Sorcerers scrambled to cast protective shields.

“A mere wretched demon…!”

The Empire’s esteemed Platinum Shield Mage Corps began a collective incantation. A colossal wall of ice rose to obstruct the path.

“Your Highness!”

Martin moved behind the barrier, shielded by his knights.

However.

“Excellent.”

The Dark Spirit Sorceress let out a laugh. By raising the ice wall, the humans had cut off their own field of vision.

As if on cue, hundreds of magical cannons hidden behind her position revealed their barrels.

Concealed by the avalanche and the ice barrier, their firing sounds were lost in the thunderous roar of the snow. Then, they unleashed their payload.

The air was filled with a series of thunderous blasts. The ice wall trembled violently.

“Ugh…!”

“Something is striking the barrier!”

“Is it dark sorcery?”

“Maintain the wall! If it breaks, we are lost!”

The sorcerers began to cough up blood as they channeled more energy. The wall cracked and mended repeatedly, but in the end, the cannons were too much.

Hundreds of artillery pieces built by master dwarven craftsmen far surpassed the endurance of a few human mages.

The barrier shattered. The mages collapsed, coughing blood. Through the opening, the snow tsunami that had been momentarily held back surged forward and consumed everything.

Wails and shouts were instantly smothered.

“Farewell, my friend.”

The Dark Spirit Sorceress whispered under her breath.

—

On a separate ridge from Ernyan’s position, Berge stood with arms folded, watching the chaos below.

“We really can’t let Ernyan handle the antagonist’s dialogue.”

He had been stressed that her awkward performance would give her away. Regardless, the objective had been achieved.

“There are many who survived.”

The massive snow slide had buried everything, but they weren’t the finest soldiers of two nations for nothing.

Mages had bolstered their shields, knights had used their internal energy to endure, and scouts had allowed the snow to carry them to avoid trauma.

Their formation was completely shattered, but the number of survivors was quite high. This was exactly what Berge had intended.

“…I hope Lord Hillun and Granada are alright. And the Red Hawks as well.”

Ernyan, having finished her part and joined Berge, spoke with a concerned tone.

“After such a dramatic parting?”

“Granada and I made eye contact, and I… I just got carried away.”

She had become too involved in her persona as the Dark Spirit Sorceress. It wasn’t necessarily bad; the more convincing she was, the better it served Berge’s goals.

“There is no cause for concern. Those people are as resilient as cockroaches.”

“That is a relief.”

“However, we cannot allow them to consolidate their forces so easily.”

Berge gave a subtle nod. A Frost Orc sounded a horn.

The Frost Orcs, who had been corralling beasts around the perimeter, moved into action simultaneously.

Dozens—no, hundreds of them.

The vicious monsters conditioned for the frozen summits were a secondary catastrophe for the disoriented allied forces struggling with the avalanche.

Fighting broke out, and the air was filled with blood and battle cries.

Amidst the carnage, two figures stood out most prominently.

Hillun Kagil and Daphne Philia.

With every surge of electrical energy, Hillun’s blade claimed a monster’s life. Daphne’s projectiles found their marks with lethal accuracy the moment they left the bow.

“Direct more beasts toward them to lead them away.”

Following Berge’s order, the Frost Orc blew the horn again. As the conflict grew more intense, the distance between the two champions and the Third Prince widened.

“Trigger more snow over there.”

“As you wish.”

Ernyan and the elves called upon the spirits once more.

In that very moment—

A beam of light, warped by dimensional interference, sliced through the air.

The sound of shattering glass echoed as Berge’s defensive shield broke apart. A projectile, stopped by the barrier, disintegrated under the pressure. Ernyan gasped as it had come to a halt just inches from her.

Berge scowled at the aggressive power of the interference.

“…Did you almost just die?”

“You are remarkably composed for someone who was nearly struck down.”

“I was startled. Truly.”

Even so.

“I assumed the Demon King would shield me. And he did.”

Berge gave a short laugh and looked toward the source. He locked eyes with Daphne Philia, who was already preparing another shot in their direction.

Another projectile was launched. That was only the start. A single shot multiplied into a volley in the blink of an eye.

He threw out waves of black fire. The dark flames consumed the incoming light.

“Krutu.”

“Ready.”

“Go handle him.”

Krutu charged forward on the back of a frost wolf. The remaining Frost Orcs followed close behind.

The sounds of battle grew louder.

Soon, none of the champions were in a position to guard the prince.

Only then.

The watching Demon King began his move.

To seize the prince.

“Are you ready? You’ll need a silver tongue to talk sense into your brother. I practiced my own speech before I brought you around.”

“I see…”

Kaede swallowed hard, looking nervous.

It was a detail she hadn’t particularly needed to hear.