The Demon King Overrun by Heroes Novel - Chapter 44

Chapter 44
## Chapter 44: There Won’t Be a Second Time

In a formal sense, it is forbidden for one Demon King to slay another. This was not merely a suggestion or a common ethical guideline; it was a fundamental decree written into the very foundation of the Demon Realm’s statutes.

However, no law is truly unbreakable.

The capital of Ormus, Ortan, was currently drowning in an atmosphere of heavy mourning. The pervasive grief and terror radiating from every alleyway provided Berge with a sense of comfort so sharp it felt like he had returned to the Demon Realm.

‘If my own stronghold were situated near here, the sheer amount of demonic energy I could have harvested would be staggering.’

That was his singular regret as he looked upon the suffering city.

“…I didn’t expect you to show up in person.”

Granada spoke from within the quarters provided by the Ormus branch of the Hero Guild, where she was currently staying under her title as a member of a hero’s retinue.

“How did things conclude on your end?” Berge inquired.

“The Red Hawk Mercenary Corps returned without a scratch.”

“…They suffered no losses at all?”

“None. Every member is accounted for.”

“…It seems they possess more competence than I gave them credit for.”

“…Whether it was true mastery or something else… they aren’t lacking, but… the nature of that power is…”

“I don’t follow your rambling. They survived? That is all that matters.”

He had anticipated the mercenary unit would be decimated, yet they had emerged completely intact.

“And what of Hillun?”

“He was called to the Hero Guild headquarters. They are dissecting the failure of the previous expedition and drafting plans for the subsequent assault…”

—

“I’m telling you, we should be marching to incinerate that wretch Drakson this very second!”

The room was filled with the sounds of a heated argument. Hillun remained quiet, observing the woman whose neck veins were bulging with fury.

Rozel Charnt stood before them, a dark leather patch concealing the hollow socket where her eye had been torn out during the recent conflict. The injury only served to sharpen her fierce, predatory beauty—a look far removed from the typical image of a scholar-mage.

“The failure is on me, and I will bear that burden. Didn’t you hear a word I said? Organize the follow-up expedition immediately!”

“Please, Lady Rozel, maintain your composure. We understand your frustration, but such a thing is logistically impossible right now.”

“There is no need for delay. The tactics of Demon Kings are transparent. They mass their forces and bet everything on a single, massive confrontation.”

That reality alone put the heroes at a distinct disadvantage. There is a monumental difference between a slow, methodical conquest of territory and a direct, suicidal clash against a concentrated demonic horde.

However, Rozel’s logic was simple: if the enemy gathers their strength, the heroes must simply bring more.

“We just need to hit them harder. We don’t need endless numbers. Even though we had to retreat without his head, I personally wiped out the majority of his vanguard!”

“Your assessment is far too reckless. One disaster often leads to another. We must proceed with extreme care.”

“The only reason we failed was because of this incompetent fool!”

Rozel Charnt’s hand whipped out, pointing an accusing finger directly at Hillun.

“If this pathetic, boastful coward had managed to hold his ground for even a minute longer, it would be Drakson’s eye on the floor, not mine!”

“Lady Rozel! Control yourself. Lord Hillun is an esteemed member of this guild as well.”

Hillun let out a weary breath, listening to the crude vitriol.

“I admit that I was unable to properly contain Drakson. However, I will not sit here and accept this level of disrespect.”

“You won’t? I’ll give you plenty of reasons to accept it.”

“I recognize your rage, Lady Rozel,” the branch chief tried to mediate. “But missions of this scale do not always result in victory.”

“Will you shut your mouth, or do I need to fuse your lips together so you can stop making excuses?”

“…Continue with these threats, and I will be forced to respond,” Hillun warned.

“That sounds like a promise to me.”

Rozel Charnt stood up, her chair scraping harshly against the floor.

“Unsheathe your blade. The moment you draw steel, I’ll make sure this date becomes your yearly memorial.”

Hillun’s hand tightened around the grip of his sword. Rozel began to whisper the syllables of a lethal spell.

“Enough! Both of you, stand down! This is the Hero Guild, and you are supposed to be heroes. I will not tolerate this behavior any longer.”

Reluctantly, following the chief’s stern command, Hillun sat back down. Rozel’s anger merely shifted targets to the chief.

“Fine. But what exactly is the Guild doing? If that coward Balraf hadn’t abandoned the front lines without a word, we wouldn’t be standing in the wreckage of a failed mission.”

“Lord Balraf’s desertion was a shock to us as well.”

“Excuses again? Isn’t it your sole purpose to manage and direct these heroes? Do you think ‘we didn’t know’ is an acceptable answer?”

“…We have nothing to offer but our sincerest apologies. On behalf of the entire organization, we are sorry.”

“Sorry to who?”

Rozel Charnt crossed her arms, leaning back with a scoff.

“Who is the one sabotaging us from the inside while you stand by and say nothing?”

“…There was no such conspiracy.”

“So a man travels all this way for a war council and then just vanishes into thin air for no reason? Do you take us for idiots?”

“…The central headquarters is treating this as a high-priority matter. New directives will be issued shortly.”

“Avoiding the question? Fine. Pointing fingers at the guilty is pointless once the mission has already collapsed.”

To Rozel Charnt, the blame mattered less than the result. She needed to mend her broken pride and take revenge for the soldiers who didn’t come home.

“You had better have that second expedition ready as fast as humanly possible. Don’t test the limits of my patience.”

If they didn’t act, she would simply take matters into her own hands.

She stood up abruptly, casting a venomous look at Hillun.

“And make sure that parasite isn’t invited next time.”

She stormed out of the room. A heavy, oppressive silence remained in her wake, like the static in the air after a lightning strike.

“The meeting is over. Everyone, clear the room!”

The remaining heroes, intimidated by Rozel’s sheer intensity, exited one by one.

“I am sorry, Hillun.”

“No apologies are necessary. The fault lies with my own lack of strength. If I had neutralized the Demon King more effectively, we wouldn’t be in this position.”

“You aren’t lacking in power. We were all too arrogant. We failed to respect the strength of a Demon King.”

They had overlooked the fundamental truth: as heroes grow in power, their demonic counterparts do the same. Perhaps it was the century of peace, or the fact that a hero expedition hadn’t failed in generations. Regardless, it was a collective failure of judgment.

“What is the status of the next mission?”

“Central is in a state of panic. They cannot afford a second defeat. And… I regret to inform you…”

“There is no room for me on the roster.”

“Lady Rozel’s political weight is simply too great to ignore.”

Rozel Charnt and Hillun Kagil held similar levels of public renown, but their actual standing was worlds apart. It wasn’t just a matter of combat ability. The leadership of the guild was well aware that Rozel was backed by the power of the Akan Kingdom.

It was an open secret. Her demands were viewed as the demands of the crown itself.

And Hillun Kagil? While he had gained fame rapidly after defeating the Lust Demon King, his perceived arrogance had alienated his former supporters. After the disaster of the Erjest expedition, his reputation had cratered.

His fame was gone, and his backers had vanished. From the Guild’s perspective, siding with Rozel over Hillun was the only logical choice.

“…It’s understandable.”

Hillun Kagil maintained his composed expression through an act of sheer will.

“…I’ll take my leave.”

“Don’t lose hope. You are a gifted hero; other chances will present themselves.”

“Indeed.”

Other chances?

The world was full of heroes. Hillun wasn’t a unique asset; what mattered was the perception of reliability. After two high-profile failures and the public’s exposure to Rozel Charnt’s insults, his image was ruined. He would be remembered as the man who couldn’t handle a single Demon King—a man whose fame was unearned. People would start to wonder how he had ever managed to kill the Lust Demon King in the first place.

‘I can’t let it end like this…’

He had to find a way to stop the bleeding.

‘How hard did I work to reach this summit?’

He was self-aware enough to know he wasn’t the absolute strongest. He was capable, but he lacked the raw genius of the elite. He had made up for it through networking and tireless political maneuvering. Now, the same people he had courted were turning their backs on him.

‘I can find a way back up.’

But who would pay him back for all the years of struggle?

‘There has to be a way…’

Steeling his resolve, Hillun slowly walked out of the Hero Guild.

“Come and join my ranks.”

It was then that he saw a familiar figure engaged in a dispute with a voice he recognized all too well.

—

‘The hero’s quarter.’

While heroes are the ones who actually lead the expeditions, the Hero Guild is the entity that manages them. Since all heroes are registered with the organization, it wasn’t an exaggeration to say the Guild controlled the entire process.

For Berge, who desperately needed the second expedition to move forward, lingering near the Guild headquarters was a logical move.

*Crash—*

Suddenly, the front doors were thrown open. A woman wearing a black eyepatch over her left eye marched out, radiating fury.

Berge felt an immediate, instinctive repulsion. She was a bearer of interference—a hero.

And she was remarkably powerful. Berge quickly compared her strength to his own.

‘If we fought right now? I would lose.’

He hadn’t fully mastered the power of the Phoenix yet. It was contained within his second heart, slowly merging with his being, but it wasn’t pure demonic energy—it was still in a raw, transitional state.

‘Even with the full amplification of my tower…’

A victory still wasn’t a certainty. He would likely lose nine times out of ten. It was a consequence of his choice to trade his interference reduction points for actual currency.

“Who the hell do you think you’re looking at?”

Their paths crossed. Her remaining eye, a piercing scarlet, narrowed with hostility. Then, she stopped. She walked closer, looking Berge up and down.

“This is unexpected…”

Rozel Charnt was a mage of the seventh seal—a grand magus. Even without her hero status, she was one of the most powerful humans alive, at least in the realm of fire magic. Because of this, she could sense the pure, intense heat that Berge was unintentionally radiating.

“Haa…”

She let out a breath that sounded almost like a sigh of excitement.

Berge simply stared back.

‘…Is she insane?’

He had a good idea of who she was. Even in a major branch, there were very few heroes of this caliber. Only one person fit the description of a one-eyed woman with such overwhelming heat.

Rozel Charnt. The Grand Magus of Flames.

‘Are all of these heroes missing a few mental gears?’

After taking a deep, lingering breath with her eyes closed, Rozel leaned in until her face was inches from Berge’s.

“Who are you? I’ve never encountered heat this refined. How did you cultivate an aura like that?”

“Am I obligated to tell you?”

“Of course you are. I’m the one asking.”

Her total lack of irony left Berge momentarily stunned.

“This is ridiculous.”

“Are you unaware of who I am?”

“No. But I’ve already come up with a name for you.”

“And what is that?”

“A creep.”

“A creep?”

Her features twisted in confusion.

“If you don’t like the title, maybe stop sniffing random people on the street.”

“If you were anyone else, you’d be a pile of ash by now for that comment.”

However, she couldn’t bring herself to destroy someone with such a rare, pure affinity for heat.

“You should be grateful for my restraint.”

She gave a small, self-satisfied nod.

Berge realized exactly what kind of person Rozel Charnt was: completely self-absorbed and incredibly taxing to deal with. It was best to avoid her. If he were currently at full strength, he would have just killed her and been done with it.

‘I’ve certainly become more patient.’

Dealing with one hero’s nonsense had apparently improved his emotional regulation.

‘I’ll avoid her for now and find Hillun to plan the next mission…’

Berge tried to step around her in silence.

“……”

“……”

She immediately stepped into his path again.

“…Move out of my way.”

“I never gave you permission to leave.”

“Do you own this sidewalk?”

“I’m not going to hurt you.”

“…I’m still waiting for a reason to stay.”

“You’re fascinating. I’ve never felt mana this untainted, or fire this intense.”

“Your point?”

“Join my team.”

Berge scowled. He couldn’t follow her train of thought.

“You’re aware our attempt to kill the Demon King failed. My Crimson Flame Assault Team took heavy casualties. I need to fill the gaps.”

“So you’re trying to recruit me?”

“The Crimson Flame Assault Team is one of the top ten units on the continent. I, Rozel Charnt, lead it. You won’t find better pay or prestige anywhere else.”

“And you’re offering this based on what?”

“The quality of your mana. And the sheer potential of it.”

Rozel was sensing the Phoenix’s presence with startling accuracy, even if she couldn’t identify it.

“You’re currently weak, but I can see the future you have. I need people like you by my side.”

“Why?”

“To put an end to the Beast Demon King.”

Rozel’s eyes flared with a murderous intent. That, at least, caught Berge’s attention.

“The second expedition will be happening soon. I’m going back into that tower to settle the score.”

“…!”

Berge had expected to push for a second mission through Hillun, but he hadn’t expected to be recruited by the other primary leader of the force. He took a moment to think. Then, he shook his head. He didn’t need to overcomplicate things.

“Fine.”

“A wise decision!”

“I have two conditions.”

“Let’s hear them.”

“First: the expedition must start immediately.”

“That’s exactly what I want. We damaged that tower before we left. We need to strike before he can fix it. If the Guild drags their feet, I’ll fund the mission myself.”

That was exactly what Berge wanted to hear.

“Second: that man over there.”

Rozel turned to look where Berge was pointing. Her face soured instantly.

“If he is included in the assault on the Beast Tower, I will join you.”

Hillun Kagil was standing just a few yards away.

—

“How did you know?”

“Know what?”

“That I was being barred from the expedition because of Rozel Charnt’s influence.”

“It wasn’t hard to guess. Did you think I graduated at the top of my class by being oblivious?”

His academic success hadn’t been a fluke. He had dealt with people like Rozel his entire life. They were blunt, narcissistic, and convinced of their own righteousness. By the same token, once they decided someone was a failure, that opinion was set in stone.

“I heard how she treated you. She thinks you’re the reason the mission failed. There was no way she was going to let you back on the team.”

But Berge’s priorities were different. Hillun Kagil was a vital tool. He needed the man to reclaim his status and stand at the forefront once again.

“I need this next mission to happen quickly. It would be a waste to leave a capable fighter like you on the sidelines.”

“Are you coming with us this time?”

“I am.”

Hillun wondered why. Why would a Demon King, who seemed so unlike his kind, be so intent on the death of another?

‘Perhaps it’s just nature.’

Humans spent their lives in conflict, betraying and killing one another. Why should demons be any different? People only assumed they were unified because there was no evidence to the contrary. They had studied Demon King behavior for hundreds of years and turned it into a rigid “standard,” and the Guild followed that guide like it was holy scripture.

“…I am in your debt.”

Regardless of the reason, Hillun Kagil saw a path forward.

“There won’t be a second chance after this. Drakson must die in this encounter.”

“He will.”

The Demon King and the hero began their desperate collaboration to ensure their own survival.