The NTR Hero Knelt Before the Demon King – Chapter 95

In the heart of the Imperial Capital stands the Magic Workshop.

This place, where potions and various magical items are sold, could essentially be described as a massive powder keg due to the assortment of toxic substances and offensive scrolls it harbors.

Of course, the managers here were well aware of such circumstances.

Thus, the Magic Workshop maintained a strict atmosphere with constant thorough inspections.

And at this very moment,

Many people were waiting at the entrance of the workshop as always, undergoing preliminary checks for entry permits.

This checkpoint was responsible for determining if anyone was attempting to bring in dangerous items, and if necessary, confiscating them.

At that moment,

A person clad in a thick robe stood at the checkpoint for inspection.

“Well then, the next person may step forward and show us their belongings.”

At the personnel’s call, the person stepped up casually.

Without a second thought, they placed their luggage down in front of them, prompting the staff to start unwrapping the package to examine its contents.

“Hmmm… nothing particularly special in here…”

Inside were food supplies, a tome, and a token indicating they were a witch.

Seeing this, the staff casually concluded that it must be a witch.

It wasn’t unusual for a witch from the Magic Kingdom to come and go in the Falcon Empire.

After finishing the inspection of the last item, he looked at the ‘witch’ before him and calmly said,

“There’s nothing wrong with your belongings, my lady. All that remains is to kindly ask you to take off that robe for identity verification.”

“…”

Considering the major inspection had passed with no issue, it seemed there should be no problem with this person.

While thinking this, the checkpoint staff watched as the robe was removed right in front of them.

But then…

“! What the hell…!”

In the next moment, a curse flew out of their mouth like a dying gasp.

However, just as he began to alert those present to the situation unfolding before their eyes—

-Whooosh!

“Gahck!”

A massive gauntlet soared towards him.

In that fleeting moment, the staff and soldiers had no time to think of how to counteract it and were swept away by an overwhelming force.

-Smack!

“Ugh!”

“Cough!”

With a short, dull noise, the staff and soldiers were slammed to the ground.

The visitors standing behind them screamed in panic, desperately trying to escape from the unfolding chaos, while the wizards and soldiers stationed right in front of the checkpoint drew their weapons and shouted fiercely.

“Hey! What the hell are you doing?!”

“How dare you cause a commotion here!”

An unidentified individual had triggered an inexplicable situation.

However, no matter what it was, they were acutely aware that if problems arose in this powder keg-like setting, it could lead to irrevocable disasters.

In such a dangerous place, creating a ruckus would justify immediate execution, even if it were the witch from the Magic Kingdom.

Thus, the soldiers swiftly prepared to take action against the reckless intruder.

But then…

-Whooosh!

“!”

Just as they were about to approach the ‘witch’—

She appeared before them in an instant as if time had stopped.

And then…

-Kaboom!!!

A tremendous shockwave erupted as she swung her fist towards them.

Just like their preceding comrades, the soldiers were sent flying to the ground, utterly without hope.

The soldiers that had been guarding the entrance fell unconscious in an instant.

With no change in expression, the witch slipped her ●△● hidden face into the workshop.

About 20 minutes later—

-Kaboom!!!

The Magic Workshop, which boasted quite the scale within the Empire, suddenly erupted into a cataclysmic explosion due to an unforeseen fire.

A massive mushroom cloud formed as various magical potions and combat spells stored inside underwent consecutive detonations.

Following this, buildings in the vicinity of the Magic Workshop simultaneously erupted in flames.

As if someone had deliberately set a fire with perfect timing.

*

“Damn it! Put the fire out! If we don’t hurry, everything will burn down!”

“Ugh… It’s hopeless! The fire demon is too strong; we can’t extinguish it!”

Facing the intense flames, the residents and soldiers strained desperately to control the blaze.

However, their efforts only seemed futile as the red flames continued engulfing everything around them at a rapid pace.

Perhaps influenced by the magic of the Workshop, the fire wouldn’t extinguish even when water was poured on it, spreading at a rate several times faster than ordinary flames.

Finally, it was only after consuming an entire section of the city that the fire finally went out.

Just a few hours earlier, this place had represented the grandeur of the Empire, now it had been reduced to nothing but ashes, while the citizens stared blankly, helplessly wishing for the end of this catastrophe.

“The damage is severe…”

“It seems so, General Achilles.”

Achilles had quickly arrived to investigate this incident, following the Emperor’s orders.

He was usually quite indifferent to the loss of lives, but even he couldn’t help but frown at the horrific sight before him.

A section of the Capital, equivalent to 5% of its size, had been completely obliterated, resulting in immense losses.

The scale of property loss was beyond estimation, especially considering the major facilities, including the Magic Workshop, were located there, significantly compounding the technological damages as well.

‘Of all the places, why this one… Is this a mere accident, or was it orchestrated by someone…?’

At this point, there was no way to ascertain the situation accurately.

However, Achilles’s intuition told him something.

This was certainly not an accident but rather a deliberate act.

“How many casualties are estimated?”

“That is… Fortunately, as of now, no one is known to have died in the explosion. However, the number of injured is immense, and there is a possibility of fatalities later…”

“…I see…”

Another unexpected statement from his subordinate.

Hearing this, Achilles began to feel assured that this incident was not merely a mishap but a calculated scheme by someone.

And just after forming that conviction,

Achilles turned around abruptly and started to leave.

“I have something to attend to. I’ll leave the rest to you.”

“Wha? W-Where are you going all of a sudden?”

His subordinate was taken aback by the sudden declaration of departure from the officer responsible for the scene.

In response, Achilles coldly replied,

“I’m going to catch the culprit. If anyone asks, tell them that.”

“W-What do you mean? J-Just a moment, General!”

Ignoring his subordinate’s bewildered exclamations, Achilles leaped onto the rooftop and vanished from sight.

Immediately after, he too began to utilize his ability, sensing the magic power that he shared with Vice Minister Eileen, to locate the ‘strong individuals’ in the area.

‘Given more time and gathering the testimonies of witnesses, I’ll find the answers. But by then, the perpetrators may have already slipped away. Before that… I’ll catch them myself.’

Summoned against his will to investigate the fire scene by the Emperor’s orders, Achilles found that if this was not simply an accident but a premeditated act by someone, the stakes had changed.

It presented an opportunity to confront individuals powerful enough to cause such a disturbance.

With a smile filled with anticipation, Achilles began to move towards the presence of the ‘strong’ that had entered his detection range.

‘They seem to be hiding their power, yet there’s clearly a remarkable strength in two of them. This could be fun. I’ll finally have a chance to stretch my legs.’

*

“Are there any pursuers?”

“Doesn’t seem so. At least, there’s no one visible to the naked eye.”

“Still, keep observing. We can’t afford to relax just yet.”

“Yes, Samuel!”

After completing their mission, the demon races hurriedly made their escape.

However, they had been slightly delayed due to Hector’s request to ensure no casualties occurred during the process, leaving them on edge as they rushed to flee the Imperial Capital.

While they had already left the city, several buildings and farmlands remained visible around them.

If they were tracked down in such a landscape, there was a real risk of capture, so they pushed through the forest in a desperate flight.

Meanwhile…

Amidst all this, Hector earnestly spoke to Samuel, who was moving almost in tandem with him.

“Thank you… for accommodating my unreasonable request.”

“I’m well aware. It was indeed a ridiculously unreasonable request. I shall repay this debt double in the future.”

Samuel responded to Hector’s words with her usually dry tone.

Yet, at this moment, seeing her demeanor made a small smile surface on Hector’s face.

No matter how much he sided with the demon race, he couldn’t bring himself to slaughter innocents, as he had asserted.

While Samuel prioritized fulfilling her mission, she ultimately accepted his plea.

In her perspective, having more witnesses would only serve to facilitate manipulation of public opinion, thus reluctantly agreeing to accompany him.

However, Hector believed she was showing genuine consideration for him.

‘Though she rarely shows it, she has an unexpectedly warm side to her.’

Thinking this, Hector couldn’t take his eyes off her attractive face, hidden behind the helmet.

At that moment…

“!”

“Oh no…”

-Kaboom!!!

The next moment, an ear-piercing explosion rang out.

Hector and the demons ahead were suddenly gripped by intense tension as they witnessed a noise echoing before them.

“Who is that…?”

“…Achilles.”