A crack like a crimson abyss split open in the ink-black sky, as if it led to another world.
Countless blood-red iron shards poured out from it, swirling around the giant crocodile and forming a crimson storm that twisted the clouds.
Feeling the violent waves of air around him, the First Prince raised his head and followed the flying iron shards with his eyes until they stopped at the center of the storm.
His eyes widened in disbelief, his blood-red pupils filled with endless shock.
It was as if an invisible, violent force had locked onto him, leaving him unable to move.
Even though that demon had no interest in him at all.
Cocotte, who caught the scent of blood, also sat up straight on her cloud. She looked up with her mouth open, staring at the crimson demon in surprise.
Unlike the First Prince, her eyes shone with excitement, as if she had found some amazing treasure.
"Wow, we have one too?"
She had never expected Viktor to be able to summon a demon like this.
As always, elves had no connection with demons, so they didn't naturally hate them.
Besides, compared to that disgusting-looking toad from before, this crimson crocodile was much easier on the eyes.
Though it did seem a bit hot-tempered. It looked like the type that fought first and thought later.
At that moment, watching the crimson demon descend from the sky, Liya folded her arms and fell into thought.
She had been wondering what method Viktor would use.
Instead, he simply summoned a demon.
When the crimson demon landed heavily and lowered its head to Viktor, Liya was stunned.
'Wait...'
'Could our family really have ties to demons too?'
'So the Lesser family was actually us?'
Confusion filled her heart, and her eyes were full of uncertainty.
No wonder so many demon hunters had come to their house before.
It really hadn't been a misunderstanding.
Looking around and seeing the other nobles just as shocked, standing there like wooden dolls, Liya staggered backward until she hid behind Gwen.
Once today was over, the other consequences didn't really matter.
The Clavenna family probably wouldn't be able to clear themselves of suspicion of working with demons.
When Gwen saw the crimson crocodile suddenly appear, she slowly lowered her weapon and narrowed her eyes in thought.
She remembered seeing this demon before.
Back in the Far North.
It had helped the Pale Mage Corps almost wipe out two barbarian tribes.
And now it had appeared again, standing quietly behind Viktor like a loyal guard.
Everything that had happened gradually became clear in Gwen's mind.
It was as if all the pieces finally fit together.
Looking at the violent crimson crocodile, the Second Prince's eyes turned cold.
"Count Viktor. My guess was correct."
"The Demon of Wrath really is by your side."
He remembered all the theories he had come up with while investigating the demon in the north.
Viktor's connection to the demon had always seemed obvious.
Why was it that every time Viktor appeared in the north, the demon appeared as well?
And as soon as Viktor left, the demon disappeared without a trace?
It was too much of a coincidence.
Even during the Royal Magic Academy's holiday, when he had happened to meet Viktor's teaching assistant...
The moment they met, he had felt it.
That young assistant clearly carried a strong aura of Wrath.
So he had always believed that the Demon of Wrath was connected to Viktor.
He had simply lacked solid proof.
Now, with the demon standing before him, every doubt had finally been answered.
The Second Prince looked up. Pleasure flashed through his eyes as a smile appeared on his lips.
"I still have to thank you very much, Count Viktor."
"You helped me find the demon."
As soon as he finished speaking, a bright red tongue suddenly tore through space.
It twisted like a snake and shot toward the crimson crocodile behind Viktor.
The scarlet tongue tightly wrapped around the crocodile's crimson arm. Black liquid seeped from it, carrying powerful corrosive power.
The crocodile tried to break free, but the tongue stuck tightly to its body. Wherever the black liquid touched, harsh sizzling sounds rang out.
A wave of pain shot through the crimson crocodile, as if countless needles had pierced its heart.
It opened its huge mouth and watched as the seemingly endless tongue continued crawling across its body, tightly wrapping around all four of its limbs.
Sharp pain spread through every part of its body.
It let out a series of deafening roars that seemed ready to tear apart the air itself.
As it struggled wildly, the tongue tightened even further.
Everyone looked up at the crimson crocodile being completely suppressed, their faces heavy.
Something didn't seem right.
They were both demons, and the crocodile clearly looked stronger than the toad.
So why did it look like it was getting beaten without any chance to fight back?
The Second Prince looked up at the suppressed crimson crocodile without the slightest surprise.
Everything seemed to be exactly as he expected.
He lowered his head slightly and looked at the expressionless Viktor.
"Count."
"Let me tell you a truth."
"There are differences even among demons."
The giant toad twisted its huge body and sank into the black whirlpool.
A stream of black liquid like thick ink spread from its body and rushed toward the crimson crocodile.
The tongue wrapped around the crocodile began oozing even more corrosive black liquid.
In the blink of an eye, the huge, ugly body appeared before the crocodile, carrying an unbearable stench.
The giant toad revealed more of its body.
A short, massive hand shot out and slapped the crocodile hard across the face.
Smack!
The crocodile was struck so hard its head spun.
It let out a furious roar.
"The Original Demons are the embodiment of chaos. Only the chaos born from stirring up the desires of others can truly satisfy their hunger."
As the Second Prince spoke, madness filled his eyes.
His scarlet eyes glowed faintly.
Almost having abandoned all reason, he held his stomach and continued mockingly, "Do you know what happened the moment those greedy fools opened the monster rift?"
"The moment the monster tide appeared and swallowed them all!"
Every word he spoke seemed to drag him deeper into madness.
His body slowly twisted.
His face became increasingly hideous.
His scarlet eyes filled with tiny blood vessels.
At this moment, the prince, Owiser, had completely lost every trace of royal elegance.
"Their despair! Their screams!"
"And the chaos that their own desires brought upon the entire south!"
The Second Prince crossed his arms and stared dreamily at the sky, as if he could already see himself standing above everyone else.
"Those..."
"...are a demon's perfect food."
The enormous toad grabbed the crocodile's body, lifted it high into the air, and slammed it into the ground.
BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!
Shockwaves crashed into the ground again and again, spreading in every direction.
The endless impacts made the once magnificent banquet hall shake violently, as though it could collapse at any moment.
The earth trembled nonstop.
Even the blood-red storm in the sky slowed, and the flying iron shards were no longer as threatening.
Watching the two giant beasts fighting, Cocotte instinctively moved in front of the elves to protect them.
Even the elves felt the danger.
The Empire's nobles naturally sensed it as well.
But they had nowhere to run.
They could only stare in horror at the crimson crocodile pinned to the ground, white smoke constantly rising from its body.
Wait...
Since when could a toad beat a crocodile?
They stood frozen like statues, their eyes filled with despair.
The completely one-sided battle excited the Second Prince beyond measure.
His eyes burned with madness as he arrogantly mocked Viktor.
"Your demon can't even create chaos."
"How could it possibly defeat ours?"
But just as he finished speaking, Leighton opened its huge mouth.
Its sharp, shining teeth bit down on the scarlet tongue, piercing several holes that were spraying black liquid.
It yanked hard on the toad's tongue, lunged forward, slammed one claw onto Yerm's head, and smashed it into the ground.
BOOM!
With a deafening explosion, the terrifying impact shattered the ground into countless pieces. Cracks spread across the entire floor.
As the dust slowly settled, half of the giant black toad's body lay flat on the ground.
It didn't move at all, as if it had passed out.
'Huh?'
'What?'
The noisy courtyard instantly fell into complete silence.
'Wait...'
'Wasn't the crocodile losing just now?'
'How did one hit suddenly knock the giant toad down?'
'Was someone throwing the fight?'
The crocodile tore the tongue off its body and spat on the ground.
The storm of iron shards around it began spinning once more.
Lowering its head, it fixed its fierce eyes on the Second Prince, who had been explaining everything from the sidelines, and roared angrily, "F*ck your mother. If you're so capable, get up here yourself."
"I'll beat the hell out of you too."
The moment Leighton's foul-mouthed shouting echoed out, everyone fell silent.
No one could say a single word.
Even the Second Prince, who had been shouting so confidently just moments ago, went quiet.
He slowly looked up, the corners of his eyes twitching as he stared at the crocodile standing once more.
"Good... very good..."
His voice became increasingly distorted, like countless bells ringing together across the land.
"Then I'll grant your wish!!!"
The moment he finished speaking, the Second Prince's body rapidly swelled.
His muscles tightened into huge rock-like masses that bulged across his body.
His luxurious clothes were torn apart by his expanding limbs and torso.
His long silver hair transformed into mysterious markings that appeared faintly across his back.
Thick blood vessels swelled at a speed visible to the naked eye.
Like tangled tree roots beneath his skin, they formed raised lines over his body.
An invisible force twisted and deformed his head.
Black veins spread across his forehead, while the sound of breaking bones echoed like thunder.
In the blink of an eye, the Second Prince had completely lost his human form.
His face stretched longer.
His nose swelled like a bull's, constantly breathing out hot air.
His scarlet eyes became even redder, like two blood-red moons, with all reason gone.
Two deep openings tore open above his forehead.
From them grew two hard black horns.
His legs became unnaturally long.
His human feet hardened into hooves.
Countless black thorns spread around his body, wrapping tightly around him.
The twisting thorns scraped across his flesh, leaving deep bloody cuts all over him.
A heavy smoke filled with endless envy spread outward.
Even the ground it passed over seemed to grow restless.
As the black smoke spread in every direction, the terrifying aura made every noble present tremble.
Their legs gave out, and they collapsed helplessly onto the ground.
Their vision blurred.
They couldn't tell whether it was the smoke or their fear.
No wonder the Second Prince had joined forces with a demon.
Now they finally understood.
The Second Prince himself... was a demon.
At that moment, Owiser's voice rang out once again, like countless giant bells sounding together.
He looked at the crimson crocodile and said madly, "Now it's two against one!"
"The advantage is mine!"
Hearing that, several nobles fell into even deeper despair.
Some fainted on the spot.
Even those who remained conscious looked completely hopeless, their lips trembling.
One demon was already terrifying enough.
Now there were two.
What could they possibly do?
As the nobles groaned in despair, Viktor showed a mocking smile.
"Two against one? You're right."
The moment he finished speaking, Vega's black eye slowly lifted.
A black light like a falling meteor shone within its deep, evil gaze.
In an instant, the ground began to shake.
The enormous black toad seemed to receive some kind of signal.
It slowly struggled back to its feet.
Its scarlet tongue quickly withdrew into its mouth.
The holes were filled by black ink-like liquid.
It had originally been standing beside the Second Prince.
But now, under the Second Prince's confused gaze, the toad swaggered over, belly sticking out, walking step by step until it reached the crocodile.
It flicked out its tongue and licked up every trace of black ink around it.
Then Yerm turned around and respectfully bowed to Viktor.
Looking at the Demon of Greed now standing on his side, Viktor calmly glanced at the mad Second Prince.
Standing amid the howling snowstorm and flying iron shards, he slowly spoke to the giant bull-headed monster.
"But now..."
"...it seems you're the one."
"Standing alone."