It was like watching two moths fly into a storm of fire.
Lajos Redwood's body already lay on the ground, lifeless, half‑charred.
Janos, meanwhile, was held in the air by his right arm, gripped effortlessly by the massive Demon General.
The Wolf Knight's arm was broken, his bones cracking under the pressure —
yet even then, he did not release his sword.
He clutched the hilt as if it were the last remaining piece of his life.
Wildfire leaned closer, his flaming face twisting into a grotesque grin.
"Go on, enjoy yourself, Wildfire…" Janos forced out through clenched teeth.
"My daughter will come for you.
The Wolf knightly bloodline will be your doom."
The demon's eyes flared.
"So you're Andrea Wolf's father?" he asked mockingly.
"You should've told me sooner.
I would've kept your head intact —
to show it to your daughter."
Wildfire's voice was a deep, distorted rumble,
as if the abyss itself were speaking.
"These Wolf Knights are so irritating.
I burned him alive, and he didn't even scream.
I was just wondering which hero I should kill first."
He paused, savoring the moment.
"I think I'll burn Andrea Wolf alive first.
Or should I save her for last?
Hmm… who cares?"
His laughter shook the air.
"I'll burn everything anyway!
Hahaha!"
In the next moment, Wildfire tossed Janos Wolf's body aside as if it were a rag doll.
The Wolf Knight's corpse hit the ground, half‑burned —
but the sword was still in his hand.
He had not let go even in death.
Wildfire continued deeper into the forest.
Wherever he walked, burning trees, glowing ash,
and unrecognizable remains of knights marked his path.
The Demon General marched relentlessly toward the castle.
And every step promised another death.
Annerose and Apollonia vs. Ta Uris
The forest burned more violently with every passing moment,
the smoke rising so thick it swallowed the sky.
The number of survivors dwindled rapidly.
But there were still a few unlucky souls whom the teleportation wave had thrown together.
Among them were Annerose Redwood, the spoiled noble daughter of House Redwood,
and Apollonia Velvett, Lieutenant of the Royal Knights.
"I can't believe this!" Annerose snapped.
"That pink pheasant should already be locked in its cage, and instead we get attacked by demons!"
"What pheasant?" Apollonia asked.
"Weren't you hunting the Golden Stag?"
"Does it matter anymore?!" Annerose hurled the pheasant cage to the ground.
The cage shattered loudly against the stones.
"I don't mean to offend you, Lady Redwood," Apollonia sighed,
"but if you keep yelling like that, the demons will find us instantly."
"Where is that idiot Botond?!" Annerose stomped her foot.
"No idea," Apollonia shrugged.
"Probably fighting those idiot demons."
A deep, earth‑shaking boom echoed through the forest.
"What was that noise?!" Annerose's voice trembled.
"The demons have arrived," Apollonia replied, already shifting into a defensive stance.
From between the trees, a Fire Demon descended before them.
Its body glowed with heat, its eyes burned red,
and flames burst from the ground with every step it took.
"I am Uris, Clan Leader of the Ta Clan!" it roared.
"I am searching for the Heroes… and some Mage. Are you them?"
"Of course I'd be the one to draw a clan leader…" Apollonia muttered.
"Do I look like a Hero? Maybe in my dreams."
"So you're not them," the demon concluded.
Apollonia glanced back at Annerose.
"No offense, Lady Redwood, but this is the part where you pick yourself up and run for your life."
"I… I can't…" Annerose whispered.
"I can't move my legs…"
The noble girl collapsed, curling up on the ground, trembling uncontrollably.
Fear had completely paralyzed her.
"Great…" Apollonia sighed.
"Listen, mighty and magnificent Uris! Why waste your strength on us?
If you want to fight the Hero — because you're such a brave and powerful demon —
wouldn't it be better to face him at full strength?"
The demon paused, thinking.
"Hmmm… you have a point.
Perhaps I shouldn't waste my time on you.
One of my warriors can kill you."
"Exactly!" Apollonia nodded eagerly.
"You're so smart. It's obvious you're the leader!"
"Of course!" Ta Uris grinned.
"I am the Clan Leader of the Ta Clan, and weaklings like you couldn't hurt me at all."
I will kill you myself!"
"Of course…" Apollonia sighed.
"Why would we ever get off easy?"
The female knight raised her sword and took her defensive stance.
The demon watched her with delight, savoring the vast difference in their strength.
And then he began to play with his prey.
Botond vs. Ta Uris
" What I wouldn't give to use Savage Mode right now…" Apollonia growled as the demon's next strike slammed her into the ground.
The Fire Demon had already beaten the female knight nearly senseless.
If he had wanted to, he could have killed her long ago.
But he enjoyed the game.
He enjoyed the fear.
He enjoyed watching his prey slowly break.
And that arrogance —
that overconfidence —
was what saved the two women.
From between the trees, a massive figure burst forth, arms bleeding, armor cracked, gasping for breath —
but still standing.
Botond the Giant, Captain of the Red Wildrose Knights.
"Lady Annerose!" he roared.
"I'm here to save you!"
"Botond!" Annerose cried, tears streaming down her face.
"What took you so long? And why are you so injured?!"
"I had to fight through two Fire Demons to get here," Botond replied.
"And neither of them gave up their life easily."
Ta Uris laughed, his flames rising higher.
"You killed two of my warriors?
Then you'll be far more entertaining than this human woman."
"Careful, Botond!" Apollonia shouted.
"He's a Clan Leader!"
"Take Lady Annerose and run," Botond said.
"That won't work…" Apollonia hissed.
"This bastard broke my leg."
Botond nodded.
His gaze darkened as he looked at the demon.
"Then here and now…
I must defeat you."
The Knight‑Captain, wounded and bleeding, but still upright, faced the Clan Leader.
In his hand, the legendary sword Rose‑Thorn gleamed —
as if the blade itself understood how desperate the moment was.
At first, the battle was evenly matched.
Even injured, Botond's strength was terrifying.
Every strike carried the pride of House Redwood and the weight of his knightly oath.
But Ta Uris…
Ta Uris was a Clan Leader —
a rank just below a Demon General.
His body burned hotter, his movements grew faster,
his blows heavier.
The fight lasted fifteen minutes.
For fifteen minutes, Botond held his ground with every ounce of strength he had,
buying time for the girls.
Then his earlier wounds finally took their toll.
Botond fell to one knee.
The tip of Rose‑Thorn dug into the earth as the Knight‑Captain leaned on it, gasping.
Ta Uris towered over him,
his flames painting the clearing blood‑red.
The end had begun to take shape.
The Ice Awakens
"I must… protect Lady Annerose…" Botond gasped, bracing himself on one knee.
Ta Uris's flames rose higher as he loomed over him.
"This was truly an enjoyable fight," the Clan Leader grinned.
"You lasted longer than that Fire‑Stone Bear I killed on Demon Island.
Maybe because you humans can grow as big as us Fire Demons?"
He chuckled, flames crackling across his body.
"But compared to Salamander or Wildfire, even you are small."
The demon raised his arm to strike.
"And now I'll kill you all…
and then I'll hunt down the Heroes.
This hunt is so much fun!"
Then a voice spoke behind him.
"Is that so?
Because hunting you bastards is fun as hell for me too."
Ta Uris didn't even turn.
A blade of ice pierced through his chest from behind —
so fast and so precise that the demon didn't even comprehend what had happened.
The tip of the blade passed beside his heart…
and froze it instantly.
The Clan Leader's flames died in a single heartbeat.
Ta Uris collapsed before he could even look back.