Gonna Be a Demon King!-Chapter 55: The Mission’s End

The moment they cleared the library's perimeter fence, Xaren and Ilya broke into a sprint, pushing their speed to the limit as they raced through the quiet city streets.

The goal was simple—get out of the city ASAP.

The streets were mostly empty, but they didn't take any chances. Xaren referenced the map, navigating through deserted alleyways and back corners, ensuring they avoided main roads where patrols might be stationed.

Maintaining a speed of over 50 m/s while carrying someone would take its toll eventually, so they took brief pauses to rest before pushing forward again.

They couldn't afford to burn out too quickly—they still had a long distance to cover once they left the city.

Within minutes, they reached the city's outer districts, and just when they'd started closing in on their planned exit point, shouts rang out.

"CATCH THEM! CATCH THEM!"

The loud voices, definitely those of city guards, echoed through the night, growing louder by the second. Torchlights flickered erratically in the distance, converging from multiple directions.

Xaren and Ilya exchanged glances.

"Wait... we got caught?" Ilya muttered, incredulous.

They had been so careful. Had someone seen them?

Even as they questioned it, they reached into their magic pouches, pulling out the last of their perception-blocking artifacts.

Just as they were about to clip the bracelets on, they rounded a sharp corner—only to skid to a stop.

Another group had just turned at the opposite corner at the exact same moment.

Three figures, dressed entirely in black.

One of them had an unconscious person slung over their shoulder.

So did Xaren and Ilya.

For a second, no one moved.

The alley was utterly silent, save for the distant shouts of the approaching guards. In that instant, it became clear—the guards weren't after Xaren and Ilya. They were after the three standing before them.

As the presences closed in, Xaren raised a hand, breaking the silence.

"Let's avoid unnecessary conflict. You guys go that way," he pointed behind them, "and we'll go this way." He gestured behind himself. "Okay?"

The other group remained silent, their hands hovering near their weapons. But after a brief hesitation, they understood.

No one could afford a fight right now.

Lowering their guard, the three figures turned and sprinted in the direction Xaren had pointed.

Xaren and Ilya did the same, activating their perception-blocking artifacts as they ran. Moving right past the oblivious guards, they retraced the same path they had taken into the city.

And just like before, they pushed aside the trash can, crawled under the gap in the wall, cut open a section of the barrier, and dashed out.

Like that, Xaren and Ilya successfully exited Zlego Magic City.

It would be less than 12 hours before they returned—in completely different capacities.

◇　◇　◇

Less than a minute after leaving the city, Xaren and Ilya were already crossing the ravine. They flew up the cliffside and dashed into the forest the moment they reached the top.

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Continuing their journey without stopping, they headed straight for their designated rendezvous point.

The terrain shifted beneath them, from leaf-covered ground to untamed wilderness, the dense forest canopy swallowing them whole. They moved quickly, dodging low-hanging branches and leaping over fallen logs, their speed unbroken.

Minutes passed, then an hour, the rhythmic pounding of their boots the only sound accompanying them. The weight of their unconscious cargo slowed them slightly, but they didn't let it hinder their pace.

At last, they reached a clearing in the middle of the forest, where moonlight poured over the open space like liquid silver. Taking the moment to catch their breath, they gradually slowed to a stop.

And then—

"Oh? You guys already made it this far?"

"?!"

"!!"

The unexpected voice sent a jolt through them.

Xaren's newly acquired Danger Sense screamed alarms in his mind, while Ilya's Instinct skill made her hair stand on end. Both snapped into battle readiness, weapons drawn in an instant as they whirled toward the source of the voice.

What they saw made them freeze.

Standing at the edge of the clearing was the familiar figure of a mid-rank demon with an amused grin tugging his lips.

The insignia on his uniform was one they recognized instantly—that of a Lieutenant Colonel. He was the same one who had sent them on the mission they had just completed.

Seeing the recognition in their eyes, he chuckled, shaking his head.

"I'll allow it this time since I popped up out of nowhere," he said, waving a dismissive hand. "Now, put those weapons down."

Xaren and Ilya immediately lowered their weapons and saluted. The officer barely acknowledged it, striding past them toward Ilya.

With ease, he plucked the unconscious spirit from her arms, lifting her as if she weighed nothing. Holding her up, he tilted his head, studying her with a bored expression.

"Hm. So this is the spirit, huh? Weaker than I expected."

With a shrug, he slung her over his shoulder like a sack of grain before turning his gaze to them.

Even without words, he knew what Xaren and Ilya were thinking. The question of how he had found them was written all over their faces.

The Lieutenant Colonel laughed at this.

"The Core Bomb I gave you sends out a signal the moment it's planted. That's how I knew you were already en route."

He left it at that, then glanced at the perception blockers on their wrists and continued.

"Those things don't work on anyone above Level 500."

Having satisfied their curiosity, his gaze shifted to the magic pouch strapped to Xaren's waist and asked.

"Now, all the other artifacts you were given. Hand them over."

Without delay, Xaren unstrapped the pouch he was given for this mission and retrieved the items inside. He also removed the earrings he had on, returning his skin to its default grey hue, before placing them back in their box and setting it on the ground.

He carefully placed the items in front of the Lieutenant Colonel, ensuring nothing was left behind.

But as Xaren emptied the pouch, his hand brushed against something—something he had completely forgotten.

A certain ruffian's corpse.

"Ah..."

The moment the lifeless body tumbled onto the grass, the Lieutenant Colonel's brow arched.

"...why the hell do you have a dead body in there?"

Xaren and Ilya quickly explained how it had ended up in their possession, and hearing their story, the mid-rank demon sighed.

Without another word, he snapped his fingers, and flames erupted, swallowing the corpse in an instant. Within moments, there was nothing left but ashes being carried away by the wind.

"Alright," he ordered. "Put everything back in the pouch."

The Lieutenant Colonel ordered as he held out his hand. A staff materialized in his grip—a sign that he was a mage.

After Xaren and Ilya returned all the items in the pouch, the man took it from them and then tapped his staff against the ground twice.

A magic circle manifested beneath their feet, its five rings spinning brightly as its light enveloped them.

◇　◇　◇

When the light in Xaren's eyes faded, he and Ilya found themselves standing in the heart of a demon encampment.

The inside of a command tent stretched around them, its heavy fabric walls illuminated by bright lighting.

A large table dominated the centre of the space, and seated around it were various demons—each one wearing the insignia of a Captain.

The moment the Lieutenant Colonel appeared, every officer in the room rose to salute him.

Then their eyes moved to the two low-rank demons at his side and to the unconscious spirit he carried.

All of them were confused, wondering why Xaren and Ilya were with the Lieutenant Colonel. All except their Company Captain since he'd been there when they were given the mission.

The Lieutenant Colonel casually dropped the spirit onto an empty chair before turning to the assembled officers.

"These two kids have completed their mission," he announced. "The core of the barrier in that magic city has been removed."

A ripple of realization passed through the room.

"I received the Core Bomb activation signal an hour ago, so we've got 7 hours before that place becomes smithereens.

The moment that happens, we hit the city."

The Captains nodded in understanding, and the Lieutenant Colonel, taking a seat, motioned to Xaren and Ilya.

"About these two. Since they did such a fine job, I'm considering putting them up for rank promotion."

Xaren and Ilya's eyes widened in surprise, traces of unconcealed joy creeping in. A rank promotion after their first mission? Who wouldn't be happy?

They quickly straightened and bowed.

""Thank you, sir!""

"Alright, alright, that's enough," the demon waved them off. "Now, skedaddle."

He turned to their Company Captain and told him to have someone guide Xaren and Ilya to where the rest of their company was.