The summary of negotiations between the Guild Master, the senior knight, the wraith, and party leader Rex regarding the liberation of the city occupied by the 4th-tier demon was as follows:
– Liberate the city occupied by the 4th-tier demon.
– The liberation standard includes the expulsion of the demon and the rescue of the captured citizens.
Surprisingly, the citizen rescue clause was added by Rex himself.
‘There’s no reason not to use the power one possesses, right?’
Rex does not consider himself a hero. However, he isn’t the type to ignore people in distress when he has power and leisure. If the expulsion of the demon occupying the city can conveniently lead to a rescue, then there’s no reason not to do it.
For this reason, Rex decided to reduce his own reward.
“Could I reduce my reward and instead have other adventurers participate in this together? I believe it will increase the success rate of the rescue.”
While Ari alone might be enough to deal with the demon, for a rescue mission, the more people involved, the higher the success rate could soar.
The senior knight was deeply impressed by Rex’s proposal.
‘What a noble individual.’
Typically, high-level adventurers that the knight knows wouldn’t concern themselves with rescuing citizens, as it might endanger themselves or simply out of laziness despite having the resources.
But Rex was different. He prioritized the rescue over his own reward, even for people he didn’t know.
‘You’re an individual like Lady Sneeria.’
The senior knight smiled gently, recalling the lord he served. ‘Now I understand why Sir Erwick served her.’
Impressed by Rex, the senior knight accepted his proposal. “Understood. I’ll arrange for the reward to be distributed among the other adventurers.”
As the senior knight signed the contract with a pleased smile, if Hana had been present, she would have screamed “No!!!”
She would have insisted on keeping the adventurers’ rewards separate from Duke – no, Rex’s party’s reward. However, Wise was the proxy for Yohana, and his authority only extended to redistributing the reward, not adding to it.
Consequently, Hana’s planned “Natural 10-Year Plan with Duke” collapsed.
“The reward originally due to you, Rex, will be converted into monetary compensation and distributed among the adventurers as understood.”
The senior knight finalized the contract with satisfaction. Had Hana been present, she surely would have attempted a roundhouse kick to prevent this. However, she wasn’t, and thus, only part of her plan succeeded in establishing the 4th-tier demon extermination and citizen rescue mission.
The recruitment for adventurers for the citizen rescue mission progressed swiftly. Numerous adventurers signed up under the name of the now-famous guild figure, Rex.
Of course, they didn’t join for noble purposes.
‘Occupied by a 4th-tier demon and its army, right?’
‘An opportunity to kill without burdening karma!’
This was also a fortunate turn for the adventurers.
The opportunity they sought isn’t only about medicinal herbs, ancient magic books, or secret manuals. Such a demon with an appropriately high rank but no Karma accumulation upon killing is also an opportunity.
Of course, they might die in the process, but for those chasing higher realms, this is undeniably advantageous.
“Hey, boss! Are we allowed to dispose of our designated demons?”
Rex nodded calmly at the unruly adventurer’s question. Though his muscles were stiff from fear, it appeared as a cool nod to an outsider.
While gathering adventurers, unexpected knights stormed the guild.
The knights kicked open the guild doors.
“Kwajik!”
“Oh no! The payments aren’t ended yet!!”
Ignoring the guild master’s cry, the knights unfurled scrolls and loudly declared,
“By the Lord’s order. All large-scale quests currently being recruited in this guild will be suspended immediately!”
Everyone in the guild, including Rex’s party, was left questioning the reason.
‘What are they thinking?’
Rex and Ari were unaware of any conspiracy by Lord Kargonar and thus had no clue why the knights suddenly appeared.
‘Wasn’t this scene not supposed to happen?’
Duke was equally perplexed. The scene was not in the original narrative.
Originally, the story in the original narrative was not supposed to start as a guild official task this way.
Rex accidentally stumbled upon the situation and happened to have Ari slay a demon, leaving the lord unprepared.
However, since this world proceeded as a large-scale guild quest, the lord took notice and tried to intervene.
Yet, there was one fact the lord failed to foresee.
‘Has that baldy lost his mind?’
There’s a majestic (?) knight in this place who doesn’t listen to anyone weaker than him.
‘It seems I’ve skewed something from the original. Time to normalize it.’
Though unsure, if there was any discrepancy from the original, it was bound to be Rex’s doing.
With Rex’s permission, Duke approached the knights.
Creak, Thud.
As the guild’s old wooden floor vibrated, Duke approached the knights.
“Kid, back off!”
The knights were still threatening the adventurers with their swords at the notice board.
Duke pushed through the adventurers towards the quest board.
He could have remotely caressed necks or hearts with his telekinesis, but considering the crowd,
‘They wouldn’t know it was me.’
Thus, contrary to his usual behavior, he decided to move his body this time.
As Duke appeared among the adventurer crowd, all the knights’ attention turned towards him.
“Huh? Aren’t you…”
The knight couldn’t finish his sentence.
He was taken aback by Duke’s rank among the adventurers.
‘Why is someone like this among adventurers?’
The knights were astonished to see a 5th-tier individual among the bottom-ranking adventurers.
Before they could react to Duke’s unexpected appearance, he grabbed the nape of the seemingly highest-ranking knight.
“?”
Before the knight could comprehend, he flew through the air and…
BOOM!
He landed heavily on the guild floor.
“Whooosh!”
“Woo-hoo!”
“Hey, you’re pretty brutal.”
Unlike the adventurers, who might have fled at the sight of Duke’s rank, they cheered amidst their exhilaration, temporarily forgetting their fear.
“What treachery…!”
When their superior was attacked, the subordinate knights instinctively drew their swords but didn’t dare to swing them upon realizing Duke’s rank.
As the knights stood there in shock, Duke slowly revealed his right hand from under his cloak.
“I believe any knight knows the gravity of drawing their sword.”
As Duke began tightening his hand, the knights’ helmets creaked and started to buckle.
“Ugh…”
The pain inflicted by the squeezing helmet made the knights drop their weapons and clutch their heads, trying to discard their helmets in vain.
“Aaah!”
Even the cheering adventurers turned pale as they realized the knights were slowly dying right before their eyes, none stupid enough to celebrate such a massacre.
When the knights were on the verge of death and the adventurers were wary,
“Cole… forgive my disrespect, my lord!”
The senior knight, who was thrown to the floor earlier, bowed his head.
Gasping with aching lungs, the senior knight begged Duke for mercy.
“To my lord… I’ll explain properly to the lord. Please, have mercy! Cough… Please show mercy!”
Duke’s metallic gaze fell upon the senior knight’s skull. As soon as he retracted his hand, the oppressive noise of the helmets ceased.
Clank.
The knights hastily discarded their helmets.
Duke redirected his attention from them to the senior knight.
“I trust you’ll do what’s right.”
“Apologies… my lord.”
Barely holding back his indignation, the senior knight obediently retreated.
As the knights withdrew, there were no cheers from the adventurers.
Once the pathetic knights left the guild, Duke turned back towards Rex.
Rex questioned Duke upon his return.
[Did you do that on purpose?]
“Adventurers are a rough bunch. Without suppressing their arrogance in large-scale operations, they often screw up due to personal actions.”
Rex empathized with Duke’s actions.
Rex was an ordinary citizen but remained a cold realist. He might have been an awkward socialite but was far from a naive fool.
In that regard, Rex issued a new command to Duke.
[Good job. You can stay at the 5th-tier level now.]
Initially, Rex wanted Duke to conceal his abilities at the 1st-tier to avoid drawing attention, but since things escalated to involving the lord’s knights, that plan was moot.
If the secret’s out, it would be better to raise Duke to a level so formidable that even the lord would hesitate to interfere.
“Understood.”
Duke remained at the 5th-tier level, picking up a seat without further concealing his power.
‘Hmm… Is this old man going to play his tricks here?’
Duke observed the estate with a solemn eye from beneath his helmet.
‘There are more things to keep an eye on in this mission.’
The senior knight, humiliated by Duke at the guild, promptly returned to the lord.
Lord Kargonar, an elderly man chasing a limited lifespan, his head glistened under the lighting.
The knight, knowing the ruthless nature of this old man well, prioritized another matter over the mission failure.
“My lord, a 5th-tier individual appeared at the guild.”
“· What did you say? Say it again!”
Though initially doubting the knight’s words, the lord believed him after repeated affirmations.
“Father, I’ve also seen it. That knight, without a doubt.”
Even Lord Kargonar’s son, Cybell, who happened to be in the office, confirmed the knight’s account.
With his son’s affirmation, the lord’s lips curled upward.
“5th-tier…!”
The lord, who had been gambling on cultivating power through demons, disregarded his demon farming ambitions in his excitement.
Erupting with joy as he rose from his seat, the old man was soon halted by a pang of pain in his lower back.
“Ugh… By any chance, did you confirm the knight’s age?”
Fortuitously, Cybell had seen the knight’s face before the helmet was donned.
“Judging by his appearance, he looked like a young adult.”
“Hmm…”
The disconcerted lord reflected.
When it came to rank, physical age held no significant relevance, but within the same tier, physical age was crucial. It was clear which side held the advantage between the lord trapped at 59 levels due to aging and an unnamed knight unaffected by such constraints.
‘How could this happen…’
The lord sincerely lamented at the realization that catching a demon shortly after turning 50 would have been far easier.
At that moment, the previously silent son spoke up.
“Father, why don’t you do this instead?”
After hearing Cybell’s plan, the lord cheered, declaring it a brilliant strategy.
“That will do.”
Both father and son exchanged triumphant smiles.
The next day, an alliance of adventurer parties led by Rex and Ari was formed.
The plan was straightforward.
“Are you familiar with the term ‘feint’? ”
Ari, acting as Rex’s speaker, explained the plan to the gathered adventurers.
In this world of medieval society where illiteracy reached 90 percent, and adventurers predominantly lacked the intelligence for magic, no one understood the idiom.
“…It’s a feint maneuver.”
“Ah, I see.”
Ari sighed amid the crowd of poorly educated adventurers.
Rex, suppressing a wry smile, sent her dialogue in text format.
The plan was simplistic enough for the uneducated adventurers to comprehend.
“The operation will comprise of three teams.”
The Breakthrough Team, Rescue Team, and Assassination Team.
When the Breakthrough Team strikes from the front,
the Rescue Team will rescue the citizens,
and the Assassination Team will eliminate the leader.
It was an exceedingly simple and lucid plan.
Though Rex had better tactics in mind, it seemed unlikely that temporary recruits like these adventurers could execute them properly.
“The teams are divided as follows.”
First, the female-exclusive party led by Ari and a few close adventurers formed one team.
Next, Duke and his two support parties constituted another team.
And finally, the remaining adventurers formed the last team.
Upon completing the team formation, those categorized as ‘the rest’ naturally assumed they’d be the Breakthrough Team.
So…
“Can we just attack quickly and retreat?”
From among the ‘rest’ group, an adventurer raised his hand to speak.
In the standard feint strategy, the aggro-attracting team – typically the Frontline Team – is handled by the larger group.
However, assigning the largest group to the rescue mission deviated from common sense.
Confused by this unconventional strategy, the adventurer cautiously asked Ari,
“Then, which team is Miss Arabella in?”
“I’m in the Assassination Team.”
The adventurer’s gaze immediately shifted to Duke.
Instead of verbally replying, Duke quietly cast his shadow over his helmet and planted his massive sword on the ground with a resounding thud.
Thud!
The local adventurers instantly recognized that sword.
It was the same sword used in the strength demonstration during the festival’s contest, now wielded with ease by Duke.
Combined with the silent power exhibited yesterday when he dismissed the senior knight, even the crudest adventurers could pick up social cues for survival.
“We’ll ensure the citizens are well rescued.”
None dared complain about their combat allocation, as those foolish enough to lack such awareness had naturally disappeared in this harsh world.
Duke, mindful of the adventurers, added one additional fact,
“Any demons I overlook or any that obstruct your rescues are yours to eliminate. Actually, it’d probably be safer for you to do so.”
The demon army occupying the city posed significant threats even to adventurers.
Duke was confident that the demons he’d leave behind or those the adventurers would encounter while rescuing would be sufficient.
Convincing adventurers with authority and firmness, they readily agreed.
“Alright. Got it, guy.”
Besides, those adventurers had witnessed the fate of the arrogant knights and couldn’t help but believe Duke’s words.
At that moment, Duke offered a gentle reminder.
“However, there are two things to keep in mind.”
“Hm?”
“One: Prioritize the rescue of the citizens. Avoid unnecessary battles that could endanger them.
Two: While I won’t preach about chivalry, I trust you’ll at least observe basic humanity towards the citizens.”
Duke’s rules were ambiguously phrased, full of loopholes and potential for interpretation.
However, Duke knew the method to awaken the long-forgotten integrity of these savage adventurers in this world.
Creak-
Silently manipulating the fork with telekinesis, the adventurers realized it symbolized their spines, nodding rapidly at a 100Hz frequency.
Duke, satisfied, nodded gently.
“I express my gratitude in advance for your dedication.”
The quiet town where citizens’ heads were displayed on the streets.
Demon soldiers, with weapons stained with blood and rust, patrolled the city as usual.
The mayor, who once governed this city, hung in the square, and his mansion was now claimed by a troll-ogre hybrid giant, proudly displaying his massive fangs.
“Hmm…”
The giant carefully examined his fangs in the cracked hand mirror, truly believing these teeth were his charm.
‘No wonder the ladies are all over me.’
While the giant was tending to his tusks with a tooth pick, a cyclops entered the office and spoke.
“Chief. I’m a wee bit hungry. Could I snack on one of the women?”
The giant lowered his mirror, casting his gaze at the cyclops’ single eye.
The giant then delivered a slightly irritating, yet flippant rebuke,
“Eek-??! Didn’t I already share the knights with you?”
“But I’m still hungry.”
“For someone of your level, it’s meaningless now, isn’t it!?”
“Hmm… but I want to eat a woman…”
“I’m confused, are you referring to a sexual or dietary desire?”
“Food.”
“Control yourself, pig. We don’t even have enough captives. Don’t ask that again.”
“And soon, when the boy reaches 1st-tier in time for next year, we’ll move on to another human city.”
“Until then, am I to endure this?”
“Or else what?”
The chief giant, known to raise his army in the woods, was inexplicably late in returning.
“I wonder what’s taking the orc chief so long to come back.”
When it’s time for him to return from training his army in the forest, they will move to the next city.
Why is he returning so late, the tribe chief wondered.
Overhearing the chief’s mutterings, the cyclops asked again,
“Should I go check on him?”
“Is it your warrior’s instinct again?”
“Yep. It’s like glory is calling me from there.”
“Glory my a–. If you go out there and die, it’s just death.”
“Haha. Doesn’t that count as a form of glory?”
The two demons conversed with mutual understanding.
However, their peaceful daily routine ended unexpectedly.
“Huh…? What’s that thing over there?”
At the commotion from the guards on duty, the two demons joined them at the windows of the mayor’s mansion.
Their gazes, like the other demons, fell towards the belly.
It was a ship floating higher than the city walls surrounding them.
“Huh? A ship?”
Before the chief giant could articulate his confusion, the ship’s bow turned towards the city gate.
Neither the two demons nor anyone else had seen a sheep-adorned prow so menacing.
Captivated by the sheep’s head, the chief grabbed the communication crystal orb as the ship seemed to back up slightly.
“Fall back everyone—!”
Unfortunately, the ship’s progress was faster than the message could reach them.
BOOM!
The sheep-headed ship crashed into and completely shattered the city gate in a single collision.
Ouch…
Ugh…
Mommy…
Although it was one swift collision, the demons nearby were nearly decimated.
Some demons had their upper and lower bodies separated; others had their bellies pierced by debris. A few lost eyes from the broken stones.
-Burrrr…. I’m hungry…
-It’s cold…
-Cough cough!
Among the dust clouds, the surviving demons actively asserted their survival by coughing. But…
-Puff.
-Aaaaah!
-To…plea…se…cuh…
One by one, the cries of agony were replaced by silence.
After a brief silence, sounds began to emerge from within the dust cloud.
Creeeeak, Creak.
Someone approached by stepping on the broken city walls and ship planks.
There was no need for anyone to explain that this individual was the cause of all the chaos.
As the demons awaited the figure’s appearance in the haze, the fearful ones dropped their weapons and began to flee.
Most of them were goblins driven by instinct.
However, before they could take a few steps, they started rolling on the ground clutching their necks.
Keeh….Cough…
The fleeing goblins soon lay still as quiet corpses.
When the dust cloud finally dispersed, a knight in a helmet adorned with the demon’s blood and corpses appeared, creating a red carpet of death under his every step.
“Go…”
The demon commander, who should have been shouting orders, could barely muster a shaky voice from the rear.
“Go-”
Before the demon could finish, his body split into two.
Slit.
Before the demon’s words ended, his body cleaved in half.
Between the severed pieces, a cold glint from the knight’s greatsword.
Even demons couldn’t help but shiver upon hearing the unmistakable sound of flesh being torn apart. They turned around to witness the unmistakable silhouette of Duke’s helmet from the main entrance.
In his right hand clutched a sword; in his left, magic-empowered hands, coldly staring at the surviving demons.
“Least of which, you will at least die with the honor of wielding a sword.”
Stood amidst the corpses of deserters and commanders, the knight concluded his speech,
“Draw your swords, my warriors.”
<Demon's Perspective of Duke>
