THE HERO'S SON IS A MONSTER-Chapter 83: The demons are attacking!

Where Do Demons Come From?

Mystery, mystery!

What exactly are demons? The answer seemed simple on the surface. Humans never stopped to ponder it too much—after all, a demon was just a demon. Its nature was inherently evil, and its purpose was to harm humanity. On a certain level, this explanation was sufficient.

As for their origin, it was widely known that these beings came from a mysterious continent—a land most people had only heard of through rumors. A place devoid of humanity, terrifying in every way, dangerous and unexplored.

This enigmatic land fueled countless speculations. It certainly existed, yet most lacked any concrete information about it, giving rise to all sorts of wild rumors.

This ancient continent had always been there. In the past, people dismissed it as nothing more than a scary bedtime story for children. Yet, recovered accounts had long theorized its existence. Some called it "The Lost Paradise of Hero Milton," others "The Great Garden of Eden by J," and some simply "The Black Territory."

The common thread among these works was their mention of this place. Once its existence was confirmed, these writings surged in popularity, especially among nobles and scholars. However, no reliable information about this forbidden land was ever circulated.

Aside from fueling legends and being deemed the cradle of evil, the continent was, in reality, nothing more than a vast jungle of monsters.

Why the fearsome reputation? Most creatures attacking the known world seemed to originate from there. This conclusion was drawn from careful observations of demonic behavior and their travel patterns whenever they invaded the continent.

At least, that was what most people believed.

"So, that crazy XR2 actually fled there?"

The voice came from a man lounging on a deck chair, basking in the sun by a massive lake. Around him, several similar chairs were arranged, accompanied by small tables holding bottles. In his hand, he swirled a glass of wine before downing it in one gulp and letting out a loud burp.

"My bad..." he muttered before taking another sip.

"You have no manners whatsoever, Tamarak!" complained a woman lying on a nearby deck chair. Her large hat shielded her face from the sun.

"And you’re way too uptight, Elia! Just think of it as a natural phenomenon beyond control!" Tamarak protested. He found Elia’s complaint ridiculous, but unwilling to argue further, he left it at that.

"You’re giving me a headache! Talk about something that actually concerns us or shut up!" snapped a third voice.

The irritated remark came from a young man reclining on another deck chair beside Elia. He looked younger than Tamarak, yet something about him set him apart from others his age.

And it wasn’t just the fact that he belonged to a notorious criminal organization. No.

"You’re too young to be talking like that, Arl. Ever heard of respect for your elders?"

"You’d get respect if you acted like an elder."

"Bastard..." Tamarak grumbled, visibly annoyed. Arl turned his head slightly, flashing a mocking grin, making a vein pulse on Tamarak’s forehead.

Elia, on the other hand, burst into laughter.

Their playful banter almost made one forget they were a group of criminals wanted across all kingdoms of the continent. Who would have thought they’d be lounging by a lakeside near Malkoush, enjoying their time?

"Ah, but tell me, Tamarak," Elia interrupted. "You mentioned XR2. I thought she was dead after getting double-crossed by the Scissors. Are you saying she actually made it there?"

Tamarak cleared his throat before answering.

"Everything points to her reaching her destination. I can imagine their rage right now. She manipulated the Scissors for so long, and on top of that, she escaped. But calling it ’escape’ is a stretch. I think this was all part of her plan."

"What do the others think?"

"From what I’ve heard, the Scissors want to gather everyone. But I doubt it concerns us, so I won’t bother talking about it. If you’re interested, contact them yourself. As for XR2, I believe we’d benefit from tracking her down. What she possesses right now could be very useful to us. An alliance with her wouldn’t be a bad idea."

"Old fool... Do you really think that place is just around the corner?"

"It’s not like we have a permanent home anyway," Tamarak replied with a smirk.

"Tch."

For some unknown reason, Elia suddenly puffed out her chest with immense pride. Unlike the others, she actually had a secret hideout—a place she could genuinely call home.

But her pride was misplaced, as nothing prevented her companions from having one too. Realizing this, her enthusiasm quickly deflated, and she sank into gloom. Tamarak and Arl exchanged glances, puzzled by her sudden change in mood. Eventually, they just shrugged.

She’s always like this, they thought.

Tamarak smirked upon hearing Elia’s response.

"Good, good! That’s the spirit I like to hear."

With a casual gesture, he sat up on his lounge chair, stretched his arms lazily, then downed the rest of his wine in one gulp before placing the glass carelessly on the table. A gentle breeze swept across the lake, making the water ripple under the fading sunlight.

"If we want to carve out a place for ourselves in this era of chaos, we might as well aim high."

Arl, who had remained silent until now, let out a deep sigh. He ran a hand across his forehead before scanning the surroundings as if searching for some semblance of reason in this conversation.

"You’re being naive if you think this will be a walk in the park," he stated in a calm yet serious tone. "That place is not a playground where we go to relax... We’re talking about the very source of evil."

Elia raised an eyebrow, an amused smile playing on her lips.

"Oh? Are you saying you’re scared, Arl?"

The young man slowly turned his head toward her, his gaze cold and sharp like a blade.

"I’m just saying that even XR2, with all her madness and cunning, gambled her life to get there. If she took that risk, it means she has a plan." He paused, crossing his arms. "And if we go in blind, we’re just going to get torn apart."

Tamarak burst into laughter, his deep, rough voice echoing through the still evening air.

"Hahaha! Always so paranoid! But you do have a point..." He finally stood up, stretching lazily before turning his gaze toward the vast body of water in front of them, where the sun’s golden light shimmered on the gentle waves.

"If we’re going, we need to be prepared. Let’s gather all our forces."

His expression darkened slightly, a determined gleam in his eyes.

"We leave with all of the Leaf."

A heavy silence settled over the group. Only the soft lapping of the water against the shore and the rustling of leaves in the wind filled the void of their contemplation.

Unlike the Scissors, who pursued clear, methodical, and precise objectives, the Leaf was a group with more elusive ambitions. It wasn’t that they lacked aspirations, but rather that they had their own way of operating—drifting with the winds and tides of this chaotic era, adapting to the opportunities that arose.

And now, the three most influential figures of the Leaf had just decided the fate of thousands. For them, the gains always outweighed the risks.

Tamarak broke the silence, a predatory grin spreading across his lips.

"If this world is going to burn, then let’s make sure we’re the ones holding the torches."

Elia folded her arms, looking thoughtful, while Arl stared at the ground, his mind wavering between caution and excitement.

Finally, a smirk tugged at the corner of Elia’s lips.

"I like it... So, where do we start?"

Meanwhile, far from that place...

Deep within a palace of alabaster walls and towering columns, a king was lost in endless turmoil. Problems kept piling up, giving him no moment of respite.

On one side, there was that wild hero—an unruly man who had refused cooperation with Celestial, accepting only a mere bureaucrat at his side before vanishing without the slightest consideration. On the other, troubling reports kept flooding in about the disappearance of several villages.

And this time... it was worse. An entire unit of knights had vanished without a trace. A series of disturbing events that seemed to never cease.

Lying on his bed, he let out a deep sigh, draping an arm over his eyes as if to escape the dim glow of the chandeliers flickering above.

"Rah..."

Someone knocked insistently at the door. He recognized those nervous, hurried knocks. Another urgent matter.

"Your Majesty, please!"

The king briefly closed his eyes, trying to push away the weight of reality... but he knew he couldn’t ignore it forever.

"Enter." His voice, though commanding, carried a hint of weariness.

The door swung open almost instantly, revealing a visibly distressed maid. Her face was pale, and her hands, clenched tightly around her apron, betrayed her nervousness. Behind her, the Prime Minister followed, accompanied by a few other royal attendants.

The king studied them for a moment without moving, his gaze heavy upon them as if he could already sense the gravity of their message.

"What is it?" he asked in a weary tone. He already knew it wouldn’t be good news. Yet, he lacked the will to rise from his bed.

"The demons are attacking!"

A crushing silence followed those words.

Against all expectations, the king let a faint smile tug at his lips.

Curse it... he thought. That hero is a true curse. Whether he is here or not, catastrophe always finds a way to strike.

His gaze drifted into the void. Now, when they truly needed him, that so-called savior was rushing toward Sunkush, chasing his own ambitions. 𝓯𝙧𝓮𝓮𝒘𝓮𝙗𝙣𝒐𝒗𝒆𝓵.𝓬𝓸𝒎

The Celestial Kingdom was humanity’s last stronghold. If it fell, it would be like throwing open the gates to darkness, leaving the continent at the mercy of malevolent forces. They were supposed to understand that... so why this blind selfishness? Did they truly want to see the world burn?

His smile faded, replaced by a hardened expression. Slowly, he sat up in bed, his voice firm and unwavering.

"Seal off the dungeon."

There was no room for argument.

"Give me a detailed report on the current situation and the measures taken so far." He paused for a moment, then added with a faint touch of amusement:

"I was starting to grow bored of being locked in here..."

His cold gaze swept across the room.

"Leave. Now."

At once, they all bowed hastily before retreating from the chamber, leaving the king alone with his thoughts.