Martina stood over the corpses as her eyes swept over the battlefield.

The corpses of demons lay scattered across the ground, twisted and broken. The stench of blood filled the air.

The soldiers moved around slowly among the remains.Thier faces had gone pale from the horror of what they had just endured.

Five thousand troops had stood inside the camp, yet only a thousand demons had attacked. It should not have been so costly. But Martina knew if she had not stepped into the fight herself, the losses would have been far worse.

She turned sharply with a firm voice,"Clean the place."

The order spread quickly. Soldiers began dragging bodies aside, stacking shields, and tending to the wounded.

Moments later…

Martina walked a few steps, her boots crunching against the dirt stained black. She glanced back at the officer beside her. "Sir Riley, do you have the assessment?"

Riley lowered his head, and spoke with a heavy voice"Around two hundred dead and five hundred injured. And that is with you here. If you had not been here, it might have been far worse."

Martina's face grew solemn. Her lips pressed into a thin line as she listened.

"It is not your fault," Riley added quietly. "We were trapped inside the camp walls. You could not go all out here like you could on an open battlefield."

Martina shook her head slowly. "That is not an excuse."

Her eyes wandered to the ground where bodies still lay. The air was thick with grief, screams of the dying still faintly echoing in her memory. She clenched her fists.

Riley hesitated before speaking again. "Do you have any further plans?"

Martina straightened, her voice firm, her eyes sharp. "Yes."

Her resolve was like steel. She looked at the soldiers moving around them.

Their faces reeled of tiredness yet their eyes were still burning.

"I want to strike back. Half of our soldiers did not engage. We will use them."

Riley's expression turned uneasy. He wanted to speak, but she raised her hand.

"Do not worry. I will wait for the full report of the Demon camp before moving." Her voice softened slightly, but the fire in her eyes did not fade.

.....

A soft thud echoed.

Kael landed on the ground, rolling lightly before standing. Snow clung to his armor as he straightened. His gaze swept across the scene. But his eyes soon narrowed at a darker sight near the storage area.

Bodies.

Not demons and beasts rather Humans.

Their skin had been torn away. Some were cut into pieces, piled together like butchered animals. The air in the storage tank reeked a rotten pungent smell.

Kael froze for a moment. He closed his eyes, breathing in deeply to steady himself.

"I expected this," he muttered.

A sickening habit. Kael's jaw tightened as he forced himself to look.

It was disgusting. He could not deny it. Yet part of him knew humans were no different. They too slaughtered and consumed life to survive. But this was something else. Something worse.

His stomach twisted, though he stood still.

He opened his eyes again, staring at the pale corpses. He remembered what he had learned during his time here.

The demons' obsession with eating humans was not ancient. It was new. No one knew where it began. Rumors spread like wildfire that eating the flesh of young humans could make a demon stronger, even more beautiful.

The higher demons looked beautiful with human appearance because they assimilated humans after eating them while others remained ugly.

Kael's thoughts grew darker.

The demons were divided into two kinds.

Low-class demons were monstrous, their faces twisted and ugly. High-class demons, however, carried beauty that could rival the gods. He thought of Lyria, who had a flawless face, and a divine presence.

Whispers claimed that demons who consumed humans could become like the high-class. The obsession grew and the very hunger turned into madness. Now, demons hunted humans not only for war but for vanity.

Kael shook his head slowly. His voice was a low murmur. "There is nothing more to see."

The heaviness in his chest lingered, but he did not stay. He turned away from the grotesque sight, and jumped back.

He climbed back up the wall, pulling himself through the hole he had carved before. The rough stone scratched against his hands as he dragged himself up. He slipped through, crouching low, then leapt down the other side.

His body rolled softly against the ground, breaking the fall. He rose with snow clinging to him, his breath calm but heavy.

Marks were left behind from where he moved, faint traces of his path. He knew it might be noticed later, but he did not care anymore as they would be leaving after.

Without a word, Kael began to run, his figure blending with the shadows.The battlefield behind him was filled with the silence of death.

Sol, Freya, and Verion had been hiding in the shadows when a figure stepped into view.

"Sir Kael, you are back," Freya whispered, her voice trembling with relief.

Verion ignored her. His face was pale, his voice sharp. "How are my people?"

Kael's eyes met his. The gaze was cold, heavy with pity. He let out a slow sigh. "Alas… they are dead."

Verion's face twisted. "Wha—Krughhh!"

Kael's hand shot out, gripping Verion's neck and forcing it shut.

His eyes narrowed, and he spoke coldly "Are you trying to alert everyone? We don't have time for your cries now. Grieve later. And stop acting like that. They aren't dead for real."

He released Verion's face, then turned to the others. "Let's move. We have what we came for. Send a message to Her Highness. Tell her the camp is clear except for one high-ranking demon. The rest are nothing."

Freya and Sol exchanged a glance, then grabbed hold of Verion and followed Kael's lead.

With Kael's sharp senses guiding them, they slipped through the shadows unharmed. The only struggle came from Verion. His rank was too low, and with his hands bound, every step drained him.

He stumbled often, slowing them down.

Thankfully they managed to come out from camp without alerting anyone.

Moments later, a faint glow shimmered in the air. Linda's image appeared, blurred and wavering.

"You are back," she said, her voice urgent. "Did you find anything?"

"Yes," Kael replied calmly. "We mapped the layout. I explained it to them already. Now we only need to inform His Highness." His eyes swept the area, watchful as ever.

Linda's gaze tightened. "So we are leaving now, right?"

Kael's voice was steady. "Yes. You all leave."

The words startled them. Sol's hand shot out, grabbing Kael's shoulder before he remembered who he was. His fingers trembled as he quickly let go, panic flashing across his face.

"What do you mean by that?" Sol asked in a low voice.

Kael turned to him and clasped his hand gently, a faint smile curving his lips. "It's fine. Don't be so tense…My status is the same as yours."

Then his smile faded. He turned his back to them, his voice cold again. "I will stay. If the demons discover what happened, someone needs to delay them. If we all try to stay and fight together, you will only slow me down."

"Alone…I am more dangerous…"

Before anyone could argue, a scream tore through the night.

"The human is missing!"

The horns of the camp blared. A war cry followed, rolling across the dark fields like thunder.

The group turned as one, their eyes falling on Kael.

Kael blinked his lips,"I will beat the shit out of anyone who says that I have black tongue."

"..."

"..."

"..."

"Go," he said firmly. "I will be fine. I can escape on my own. If you stay, you will drag me down."

Freya opened her mouth, but her words died. She bit her lip and looked away.

Sol gave a heavy nod. "Let's move."

Kael's eyes cut toward Verion, sharp and cold. "And keep this one in check. Do not let him cause trouble."

Verion flinched under his gaze, shrinking back like a cornered animal.

Without another word, the group turned and ran, disappearing into the shadows of the forest. Kael stood alone, watching until their figures vanished from sight.

His solemn face twisted. The pity, the calm, the restraint—all of it melted away. A dark grin spread across his lips, sharp and cruel.

His voice was a whisper, heavy with madness. "It's time to have some fun."

...…..

Kyaaa!"

A demon yawned with sleepy eyes. His lips opened wide as he stretched and rubbed his thick forehead.

"Haaa… I want to sleep. It feels like ages," he muttered. He paused, scratching at his head. "By the way, why do I feel like I'm forgetting something?"

He squinted, trying to force his mind to work. His thick fingers tapped against his skull as if that would help. Despite his effort, nothing came.

His gaze turned toward the camp. His eyes reflected the sight of tents standing in rows, fires burning in pits, and shadows of demons walking about. The air was heavy with smoke, blood, and the stench of rot. Corpses of beasts were piled near the edges. Broken weapons and dried blood littered the dirt.

The demon folded his arms, pretending to take a serious stance. He muttered, "Damn. What the fuck am I forgetting? Why do I feel like it is something very important?"

He tried again to recall, but his mind gave in.

With a heavy sigh, he shook his head."Arghh… too much for my dumb brain. Which bastard gave me such an arduous job?" His shoulders drooped, and he dragged his feet toward a tent.

Inside, the place was empty. His dull eyes scanned the space, and suddenly, something clicked.

"Now I remember. It was the human prince."

The demon slapped his forehead. A day ago, a strange man had arrived out of nowhere. He called himself a prince and declared he had been chosen by history.

And they should grovel and lick his feet if they want to survive.

The demon scoffed. "Prince, my ass." His face twisted in confusion. "Wait… where is he now?"