Commander Alexander stood before me, his gaze piercing through my soul. He said in his deep, calm voice, "You say your name is Andrei, and the sword that comes to you in your dreams told you that it chose you. Let me understand this... when you grabbed the Blood Spear with your left hand, it burned and reacted to you. The commanders here think you are a full demon, but I see something else. Let us try something."
Alexander signaled to a guard. The guard brought a Blood Spear and walked toward me. Alexander said, "Grab the spear with your right hand this time."
I hesitated for a moment, then reached out with my right hand and grasped the blade. Nothing happened. No heat, no burns, no pain.
Tatsuka's eyes widened in shock. "What? How is this possible?"
Alexander smiled calmly. "Since the seal is located on the left side of his neck, the demonic energy is concentrated only in his left half. Therefore, I will not call you a full demon... you are a half-demon. A rare and fascinating case. You are the first human we have seen to embody this fusion."
Achilles, commander of the Red Lions, looked astounded. "A human and a demon in one body? How can this be?"
I asked, feigning innocence and ignorance, "Commander Alexander, you say I resemble demons, but I don't even know what they look like. Do they walk among us?"
Alexander replied, placing his hands behind his back. "Do you truly want to know? Very well. Since the Great War that broke out in the Beginning, the races split. Demons look exactly like us, but the only difference is that they possess horns. They can hide the horns on their heads with magic, but they can never hide the horn tattoo on their necks, because that seal represents the pack or lineage they belong to."
I asked with genuine curiosity, "And are there different types of these lineages?"
Alexander nodded. "Yes. The first type is ordinary demons; they do not possess great magical power. Next are the two-horned demons, who are much stronger. After them come the Seven Great Lineages: Vampires, the Four Elemental Demons, the Hell Dragon Riders, and the Demon Sorcerers. Now that you know this... do you want to know which lineage your demonic half belongs to?"
I held my breath. Surely Nikerson, the First Devil, would be classified as a walking disaster.
Alexander looked at the seal on my neck. "Based on the shape of the seal... you belong to the ordinary demons. The weakest lineage."
I blinked in disbelief. Nikerson, the Lord of Destruction, classified as an ordinary demon? I almost laughed out loud at the cosmic irony, but I restrained myself.
Suddenly, Commander Mark and Achilles burst into booming laughter. Achilles pointed at Tatsuka, wiping tears of mirth from his eyes. "Hahaha! Oh my god! Tatsuka, congratulations! You summoned all your energy, created a wind barrier, and used the power of the dark crows... all to fight an ordinary-level half-demon!"
Mark shouted between laughs. "It is a historic achievement, Tatsuka! You are the first commander to fight a half-demon... and his power is subpar! Congratulations on this great victory! Hahaha!"
Tatsuka's face flushed with rage, and he growled, "Shut up, Mark and Achilles, or I will kill you both right here and now!"
Alexander's strict tone instantly silenced everyone. "Stop. You are in the presence of the Knight Commander. Respect this place." Achilles and Mark cleared their throats and stepped back, their faces red from suppressing their laughter.
Alexander turned back to me. "Despite the weak lineage, the sword chose you. You are not an imminent threat right now, but you must be monitored at all times. Therefore, we must choose a squad for you to travel with."
Alexander stroked his chin thoughtfully. "The choice is difficult... Where is the Lord of Ice? Did he not attend the trial?"
Shinji answered respectfully, "Sir, he did not come, as usual."
Alexander made his decision. "Then it is decided. You will go to the South, and you will join the unit of the Lord of Ice."
My eyes widened in shock. "Wait... did you say the South? You mean the Yellow Frost region? The coldest region on the entire continent?"
Alexander offered a faint smile. "Yes. It has been decided, and you will go there. Prepare for departure. As for now, it is best that you rest a little. Take him away."
Everyone left the grand hall, leaving only Alexander. Moments later, his aide, Marcus, entered with anxious steps. Marcus had been glaring at me with eyes full of hatred and contempt before I left. When they were alone, Marcus spoke agitatedly.
"Sir, are you sure about what you are doing? We can neutralize this boy's fuse right now! We must eliminate him before he causes a disaster."
Alexander sighed sorrowfully. "Are you that afraid, Marcus?"
Marcus answered, his voice trembling, "I am not afraid for myself, sir, but for the whole world! You know very well what misfortune this boy will bring! He carries the Crown the demons are looking for! If the demons manage to capture or defeat him and take his power, we will all be thrown into a grinding war like the First War of Beginnings!"
Alexander said, looking out the window toward the burned horizon. "I know. But what can I do? Should I kill an innocent soul simply because he was the chosen vessel? Who among us chooses their fate, Marcus? Fate has played its hand, and the clock has started to move. We are merely pawns completing this game."
Marcus said desperately, "If that is your decision, allow me to go."
Before Marcus could turn around, Alexander spoke in a cold, strict voice that left no room for argument. "Marcus. Before you go... do not ever attempt to do anything against that boy. Do you hear me?"
Marcus swallowed hard in fear and nodded. "Yes, sir."
We stayed that day in the White Capital. We ate and slept until morning. The next day, the knights took me to a caravan merchant named Marco, who traded in the areas near the Ice Knight's province. He was accompanied by his young daughter, Diana. I climbed into the carriage with them, heading toward the Yellow Frost region.
Marco was a talkative and cheerful man. I asked him, "How long have you been trading in the Yellow Frost region, Uncle Marco?"
He answered with a wide smile, "I've been trading here for a long time, my boy. Almost since I was fifteen years old."
I asked him again, "Do you know the Lord of Ice?"
Marco sighed with a warm smile. "Do you mean William? Yes, I have known him for a long time. When he was young, he had a very strong and bright smile... When I remember it, I hope he keeps smiling like that for his whole life."
"Why do you say that suddenly for no reason?" I asked in surprise. But he didn't answer; he just shouted to the horses, "Come on, we will be late!"
I looked around the carriage and found his daughter, Diana, staring at me in eerie silence.
I thought to myself, What is wrong with this girl? Why is she looking at me like that? Is she his cousin's daughter or what?
I said aloud to her, "Hello. My name is Andrei, and you are..."
The girl interrupted me with absolute coldness, "Don't ask, and stop asking my father so many questions; he doesn't need your annoyance."
I furrowed my brows in annoyance and thought internally, I am not annoying him! I am just talking to him. What an annoying girl. Fine, I will stop talking and sit in silence. What is really wrong with her? Are you saying something about me in your head?
Diana looked at me with her wide eyes and said with provocative coldness, "Are you speaking nonsense? I haven't uttered a single word."
I thought angrily, Of course you didn't speak, but you are reading my thoughts, you idiot... Wait. Is that your power?
Diana sighed and said in a confident, audible voice, "You are truly special to the point of pity; I don't need you to tell me that. Now get in and sit quietly."
I smiled sarcastically. The journey to the Yellow Frost was not going to be boring at all.
At the same time, miles away deep in the forest, a masked man was watching the departing carriage. It was Maurice. Beside him stood a shadowy creature trembling in terror... the runaway cave guardian who had abandoned the Lord of Death.
The runaway guardian said, shivering, "This boy is heading to the Yellow Frost region... I want to die, I will not follow him any further! I really do not want to die!"
Maurice turned, and suddenly, the suffocating stench of death blew through the area, carrying the aura of the Lord of Death himself.
The runaway guardian fell to his knees, whispering in pure terror, "I cannot believe your power has reached this region... Lord of Death. I inherited the task of guarding you from my ancestors, but I was sleeping and knew nothing about you until I woke up! I didn't mean to run away!"
Maurice smiled maliciously from beneath his mask as he looked at the collapsed guardian, and said, "It is written on this boy's face that he is terrifying, and you are also terrifying, Lord of Death. But after seeing your aura... I wonder, who should I be more afraid of?"
The phantom of the Lord of Death did not answer him, but merely watched the carriage.
Maurice said with a sly smile, "It seems I will enjoy myself a little."
The Lord of Death's voice echoed in his mind with a deadly coldness. "You are on an observation mission, Maurice. Do not do anything else, or it will seem as if I sent someone to interfere with his fate."
Maurice bowed with fake respect. "Do not worry, my lord, I will not do anything to him."
The Lord of Death's voice continued: "You are overstepping your bounds and defying my patience. Are you a fool? My power flows even here. Did you think I didn't know what you intend? In fact... I, too, am waiting for the results."
Maurice whispered to himself: "Prepare yourself, Andrei... for death approaches you step by step."