Of course, it could not possibly be a real human child.
A human child here?
In the sky, no less?
Moreover, the aura his perception detected from the child was overwhelmingly powerful—so powerful that he could not even properly gauge it.
In other words, it had to be some other being taking the form of a child.
This is clearly mana…!
The problem was that the energy the child possessed was not ‘demonic energy’ but ‘mana.’
Because of that, Opin was actually able to deduce the child’s identity quite easily.
How did a dragon get all the way here……
A dragon.
The true identity of the human child was undoubtedly a dragon.
Opin looked at the dragon drawing closer and thought.
Why did it come all the way here?
He could not understand why a dragon would come to this place.
Even a dragon would find this burdensome.
The demonic energy density in the Dion Kingdom was not light.
It was thick enough to be a significant burden even for a dragon.
Could it be recruitment?
The first thing that came to mind was ‘recruitment.’
Yes, if they’re looking ahead to after the war ends…….
The human forces were currently pushing back the demon world’s camp.
At this rate, they would probably think the war would end soon.
And after the war, restoration and reconstruction projects would begin everywhere.
Although they had fallen behind Kerhen’s workshop, the technological prowess of the Dion Kingdom was by no means negligible.
Perhaps the dragon had come to recruit them with that future in mind.
Do they not know that Demon Kings have descended?
The problem was that Demon Kings had descended.
Not one, but two.
From the situation, it seemed the dragon did not know about the Demon Kings’ descent.
Well, if they didn’t know, that would explain why they came to recruit in such a dangerous place.
If they had known about the Demon Kings’ descent?
They would not have come to recruit.
Why would they take the risk in a situation where recruitment was clearly impossible?
However, he could not tell the dragon the truth either.
Because doing so would clearly lead to battle.
No matter how much the dragon’s full power was suppressed by demonic energy, a dragon was still a dragon.
Even if they went all out, they could kill it, but it would come at a great cost.
Considering the future, it would be best to get through this situation without fighting.
“Hmm, hmm.”
Opin cleared his throat to steady his voice.
Then he greeted the dragon, which had already come so close it was practically right in front of him.
“I am Opin Dion, King of the Dion Kingdom.”
Extremely politely.
“It is an honor to meet a great being.”
In response to Opin’s greeting, the dragon opened its mouth.
“‘Great being’—are you referring to dragons?”
“……?”
Opin could not help but feel puzzled at the dragon’s words.
Something felt off.
Why would a dragon say something like that?
“Do I look like a dragon to you?”
“……??”
Opin’s puzzlement grew even greater at the next words.
Do I look like a dragon?
That meant it was saying it was not a dragon.
What?
Human child appearance, immense mana.
Anyone would think it was a dragon in polymorphed form.
But it was saying it was not a dragon?
Is it joking?
The first thing that came to mind was a ‘joke.’
A dragon joking? In a situation like this?
But it did not feel like a joke.
They had no close relationship, and the situation was not favorable either.
Yet it was joking?
…It really isn’t a dragon?
Opin swallowed hard.
If it really was not a dragon?
Then what was its identity?
This is no time for that.
He should not be thinking about its identity right now.
The distance between him and this unidentified being was only about thirty meters.
It was far too close.
And from the atmosphere, it did not seem like it had come for recruitment.
If not recruitment, then what?
Opin raised his demonic energy and increased the distance.
At the same time, he awakened his personal golem legion.
The personal golems awakened instantly and began emitting menacing auras.
That was not all.
The dwarves inside, who had already sensed something strange, came out onto the terrace as if they had been waiting for Opin’s action.
They stood beside Opin and raised their demonic energy in unison.
Then the golems beyond the central courtyard also awakened.
Having finished all preparations, Opin looked at the unidentified being with a slightly more relaxed expression.
He asked carefully.
“If you are not a dragon, then who are you?”
He knew it was not a dragon.
He knew it had not come for recruitment.
Even so, Opin continued to speak politely.
It was not difficult to use honorifics, and there was no need to provoke the other party by speaking casually.
The unidentified being smiled faintly and answered.
“Kring.”
The unidentified being was none other than Kring, who had come to clean up the Dion Kingdom on Gaon’s orders.
“……?”
At Kring’s answer, Opin looked puzzled.
However, Kring did not resolve Opin’s puzzlement.
Instead, he looked at the dwarves standing with Opin and thought.
There are fewer of them than I expected.
Opin and the dwarves were the ‘high-ranking members.’
He had expected there would not be many high-ranking members.
The dwarves who had turned to the demon world had mercilessly killed their own kind during the racial purge, which had drastically reduced their absolute numbers.
But there were even fewer than he had anticipated.
No matter how he looked at it, these could not be all of them.
Are the rest in other cities?
The Dion Kingdom was not a city-state.
Besides the capital ‘Dionia,’ there were several other cities.
It seemed the high-ranking members were spread across multiple cities.
Well, I was planning to visit the other cities sequentially anyway.
It was not a big problem that they were not all in one place.
Kring had intended to visit every city one by one anyway.
The capital ‘Dionia’ was simply the first destination.
Swipe.
Kring glanced at Opin and the group of dwarves, who were watching him warily, then looked at the golem legion.
What should I do with the golems?
The Dion Kingdom did not only have dwarves.
There were also a great number of golems created by the dwarves.
Killing Opin and the dwarves was already a foregone conclusion.
But what about the golems?
Should he destroy them all?
They seem like they could be very useful.
The golems were currently contaminated with demonic energy.
However, demonic energy could be purified.
Once purified, the golems would return to normal.
Besides, once these guys are gone, they’ll quiet down anyway…….
The reason the golems were currently emitting demonic energy and menacing auras was because of Opin and the dwarves.
If the dwarves disappeared?
The menacing auras would vanish as if they had never been there.
And after the war ended later, they could be put to very good use.
Yes. I’ll just seal the golems for now.
Having made his decision, Kring stopped paying attention to the golems and looked at Opin and the group of dwarves.
There’s no one here worth sparing.
He had thought there might be some who were forced to stay in the Dion Kingdom as slaves.
But after coming and checking, there were no such people.
Even menial labor was being handled by golems.
In other words, he did not need to worry about anything.
Besides Opin and the dwarves here, he could comfortably kill all the dwarves in Dionia without any burden.
Kring smiled brightly.
At Kring’s sudden smile, Opin and the dwarves flinched.
Shaaaa……
Then the wind blew.
“……?”
Opin could not help but feel puzzled at the sudden wind.
But that lasted only a moment.
His puzzlement quickly turned to shock at what happened next.
Craaaack!
Cold energy rode the wind.
And it began to freeze everything.
There were no exceptions.
Literally everything.
Opin maximized his demonic energy to resist the cold.
What kind of cold is this!
However, the cold was powerful, and resistance was impossible.
He had only bought himself a little time.
I have to kill that being!
Opin, who had thought he could sufficiently block the cold, urgently ordered the golems with a flustered face.
To attack Kring.
The personal golems in the central courtyard that received Opin’s command began to move.
However, the golems’ movement did not last long.
Craaaack!
Craaaack!
The moment the golems moved, the cold energy in the wind affected them as well.
And the golems froze solid in an instant, stopping all movement.
That was not all.
The connection was severed?
For some reason, the mental connection with the golems had been cut.
Did the cold erase the formations?
Why had the mental connection been severed?
The formations engraved on the golems’ cores must have disappeared.
And the reason for that was likely the cold.
No, only the cold.
Nothing else came to mind.
Damn it…….
Opin looked at Kring with a face full of despair.
Kring’s expression was extremely calm.
As if he had not used any power at all.
It probably was not an act.
The difference in power was so overwhelming that there was no need to pretend.
Could this be why the Demon Kings aren’t moving……?
Suddenly, the two Demon Kings who had descended in Tarun came to mind.
All information of the demon world’s camp gathered in Tarun.
Among it, there would definitely be information about Kring, and the two Demon Kings must have recognized his existence.
If the reason they were not coming out of Tarun was because of Kring?
Those damned things.
Opin gritted his teeth as he thought of the demons of the demon world.
If there was a being like this, they should have at least shared the information…!
Cursing the demons, Opin completely froze solid.
With that, Opin met his death.
Swipe.
Kring waved his hand.
Crack! Craaaack! Crack!
The frozen Opin and dwarves shattered into pieces.
Then Kring looked at the golem legion.
I can’t take all of them with me right now…….
There were far too many golems.
It was impossible to store them all in his subspace.
I can’t just leave them either…….
But he felt uneasy about simply going to the next city.
Someone might tamper with the golems after he left.
While pondering what to do, Kring’s eyes suddenly flashed.
Yes. I’ll just freeze them all and leave.
The ice that had frozen some of the golems was no ordinary ice.
It was ice imbued with perfection.
Even a demon marquis would not be able to easily melt it.
In other words, if he froze all the golems?
He could leave with peace of mind.
Having made his decision, Kring waved his hand toward the unfrozen golems.
Thousands of unfrozen golems froze solid in an instant.
Kring looked at the frozen golems with a satisfied expression before moving to the next location.
Gaon, who had been cultivating with the last elixir, thought of Kring.
I wonder if he’s doing well.
Considering Kring’s movement speed, he should have arrived at the Dion Kingdom by now.
Yes, if it’s Kring.
Currently, the only beings capable of stopping Kring, who had obtained the rank of the soul, were Demon Kings.
And even then, not a single one.
Unless the two joined forces, they would not be a threat to Kring.
And the possibility of the two Demon Kings being in the Dion Kingdom was close to zero.
In other words, Kring should be doing well.
Done.
Soon, the massive energy of the elixir was completely converted into Pacheonki.
Having finished his cultivation, Gaon observed the inside of his body.
It’s a shame.
His goal this time had been to break the eleventh wall of the Pacheon Mind Method.
Of course, not to break it directly.
The goal was for it to collapse on its own.
Unfortunately, the eleventh wall did not collapse by itself.
It seems like just a little more cultivation would do it…….
Gaon stood up from his seat.
Still, there are things I need to do.
If there were nothing to do, it would be different, but there were things to do.
Tarun.
It was time to go meet the Demon Kings.