[Translator - Kiteretsu]

    [Proofreader - Kyros]

    Chapter 116

    [H-how did you know the location of my Main Body...?!]

    What Kaylen held in his hand was a massive black centipede.

    A grotesque creature the size of his upper body, with a hundred writhing legs flailing in frustration.

    The sight alone was nightmarish, but Kaylen remained utterly unfazed. Without hesitation, he began plucking off its legs one by one.

    [Aaaaaaaagh!]

    "I heard creatures like you grow one leg every five years. That means you must be around five hundred years old, huh?"

    [H-how do you even know that?!]

    "You think that’s all I know?"

    Ssshhhhhh!

    Kaylen infused the severed limbs with light mana.

    At that moment, the centipede’s eyes widened in pure terror.

    [...!!!]

    A pain so intense that it left it unable to even scream surged through its entire body.

    "Now that I’ve taken all your legs and filled you with light mana, there’s no chance of you escaping."

    [J-just kill me instead...!]

    "And why would I do that?"

    Kaylen retrieved a miniature painting from his coat and grinned.

    "This is a rare opportunity to extract some valuable information. Wait inside for a bit. I’ll be bringing your comrades along soon."

    [Ghh... khhh...!]

    Armor finally realized what this inhuman monster was thinking.

    ''He''s... planning to torture me...''

    The idea of being tortured by a mere human was unthinkable.

    Just an hour ago, he would have never imagined such a situation—but this was reality.

    ''I''d rather die than go through that!''

    This human knew his true form, something even other demons rarely understood.

    If someone like that was going to torture him... he couldn’t even begin to fathom the kind of suffering that awaited.

    Even if he survived, he would be better off dead.

    ''I have to channel my last reserves of dark mana...!''

    Even though his armor was burning and his legs were gone, he still had a final burst of dark energy left.

    If he detonated it, at least he could escape eternal suffering...

    Boom!

    [W-what?!]

    But the explosion didn’t go as he expected.

    The dark mana detonation had activated—

    Yet its power was drastically weakened.

    And to make matters worse, the light mana Kaylen had infused into him was actively healing him.

    "Where do you think you’re dying?"

    [This... this is impossible. W-who are you?! How much do you see?!]

    "You’ll find out later. For now—just get inside."

    Without hesitation, Kaylen tossed the centipede into the painting.

    Then, he turned his gaze toward the fortress wall.

    Bending his knees slightly, he leapt effortlessly, soaring high above, and landed atop the towering battlements.

    The moment he appeared, the soldiers instinctively stepped back.

    ''That demon... was cut down in a single strike.''

    ''Is he even human?''

    No matter how strong a person was, there were limits.

    But the power Kaylen had just displayed... surpassed human comprehension.

    That one giant demon had been enough to completely overwhelm the fortress.

    Having burned such a formidable demon to ashes with a single strike...

    A chilling silence settled over the fortress walls.

    Before this absolute being, no one knew how to act.

    With eyes filled with both reverence and fear, they gazed at Kaylen.

    "Kaylen."

    Breaking the silence—

    A man stepped forward.

    It was Lioness, the third son of the Duke of Oblaine.

    As soon as he approached Kaylen, he bowed deeply.

    "You saved us. As a member of the ducal house, I offer you my thanks."

    "I’ll accept your gratitude, Lioness."

    Kaylen nodded casually, as if it were only natural.

    A stark contrast to his once-polite demeanor.

    Yet, rather than being offended, Lioness chuckled.

    "So this is your true nature...?"

    "Yes."

    "And yet I had the audacity to suggest that a dragon should serve under a dog. I made a fool of myself."

    "A dog... Are you referring to Prince Bellos?"

    "Yes. That prince who groveled before the demons, whimpering like a coward... honestly, even calling him a dog would be too generous."

    Lioness sneered in contempt before adding—

    "Not that it matters now. He’s dead."

    "...He’s dead?"

    "The giant demon was holding him midair, but when you cut it down in a single strike, he fell from that height and died on impact."

    "And the people around him? What were they doing?"

    Kaylen narrowed his eyes in disbelief.

    There had been so many knights and mages nearby—

    And yet not a single one had been able to catch a falling man?

    Hearing the question, Lioness sighed.

    "Just resisting the demons was already more than we could handle..."

    "With anti-magic formations inscribed on them, these two should be more than enough."

    Humans, who could barely wield low-tier magic, had no means of countering anti-magic formations.

    The Holy Legion of Sanctuary might pose a problem—

    But if they showed up, well, he’d deal with it then.

    With that thought, Cain began making preparations to leave the Middle Realm.

    "Ugh, my body’s too big now... seriously, traveling is such a pain~."

    Believing there was no longer any threat left in the Middle Realm,

    his preparations were leisurely—

    As if he were going on a pleasant outing, rather than leaving a battlefield.

    Completely unworried, Cain casually opened a portal to the Demon Realm.

    And because of that—

    He didn’t see the rain of swords descending from the sky.

    Six-Sword Path

    Triple Blades—Sword Rain.

    "...Oink?"

    Pshhhh—!

    The two giant pigs at the front were instantly impaled by the downpour of swords.

    Each droplet of rain—

    Was a blade formed from the combined forces of water and light.

    Boom! Boom!

    The pig monsters were pierced through—

    Then, like popping balloons, they exploded into chunks.

    It didn’t matter if they bore anti-magic sigils or if they were born from demonic flesh—

    Before the sword rain, they were utterly powerless.

    "...?"

    What the hell?

    Cain tilted his head in confusion.

    But when the same sword rain began hurtling toward him,

    his face immediately vanished—

    Sinking back into his mass of flesh.

    "What the hell, what the hell, what the hell?! What is this?!"

    Even while hiding, Cain kept ranting.

    At first, he still sounded carefree—

    But then—

    Pshhk. Pshhk.

    The sword rain pierced through his flesh, slicing dangerously close to his face.

    Only then—did panic creep into his expression.

    "KYAAAAAH!"

    His flesh was supposed to be exceptionally tough—

    Not something that should be pierced so easily.

    And yet, against this sword rain, he was completely defenseless.

    What the hell is this?!

    As Cain flailed in confusion,

    "...A slime-type demon?"

    Kaylen landed right behind him.

    Unlike the demon commander Armor,

    this one was far too underwhelming.

    "Figures. Weak."

    "I am NOT weak!"

    Slash!

    Kaylen’s blade carved through the area surrounding Cain’s face.

    Chunks of flesh were severed, leaving only his face and the gelatinous slime connecting it to his body.

    "AAACK! That hurts! You’re so violent!"

    Despite screaming in pain,

    Cain’s voice trembled with excitement.

    Kaylen frowned.

    Slime-type demons.

    Among all demons, they were the most insane.

    Even during the Demon King subjugation,

    Kaylen had made a habit of eliminating them outright, never bothering with interrogation.

    ''These bastards are too much of a headache to deal with.''

    This time would be no different—

    He’d eliminate it before it became a nuisance.

    Kaylen raised his blade, infused with golden aura, preparing to strike—

    But just then—

    The severed head rolled across the ground,

    and its eyes locked onto him.

    "Ah...? Oh? You’re... handsome."

    The slime-type demon grinned playfully.

    But Kaylen—

    Froze.

    "...You."

    "What''s wrong, human oppa~?"

    That face—Kaylen knew it all too well.

    Because—

    "...Baldrix?"

    This demon—

    Had the face of Ernstine’s second son.

    [Translator - Kiteretsu]

    [Proofreader - Kyros]