Glory was the capital of the Arcane Civilization. Once, it had been the very symbol of the most radiant civilization in the world. But that brilliance was now long gone.
In memory, Glory had been filled with towering structures that pierced the heavens. Yet now, a gray barrier loomed over the city that had once shone like gold.
"This feels like an enormous dome," Libre, the Dark Magic Tower Master, murmured. "A force that completely seals off the inside from the outside. How should I put it... It defies the laws of nature."
"So, what's beyond it?" Caron asked.
Even though the expedition stood quite a distance away, they could advance no further. The barrier looked as though the gray sky itself had been molded into a wall—made from the same energy as the Veil of the Void that trapped them inside.
"Hmm..." Libre studied the barrier for quite some time before breaking into a wide grin. He said cheerfully, "I have no idea."
"How admirable," Caron replied sarcastically.
"Just because I'm a dark mage doesn't mean I know every kind of dark magic, you know? Then, Caron—do you know every form of swordsmanship?" Libre snapped.
"Of course I do. Want me to prove it using your body?" Caron asked.
While Caron was busy menacing Libre, the Guardian Dragon Gratia cautiously pressed her hand against the barrier. Her voice was low and calm as she said, "There's no mistake. I can sense the Lord's energy beyond this veil. However... This place feels similar to Desertus."
"Are you sure?" Caron asked.
"Not entirely. Barriers like this prevent anyone from peering inside from the outside. Wasn't Desertus the same?" Gratia said.
"If this place is under similar conditions as Desertus, then..." Caron trailed off.
"Then either time is twisted, space is twisted, or both. Beyond this veil lies a realm ruled by the order of Void—utterly unpredictable to anyone," Gratia explained.
There were no longer any traces of the Demon King of Havoc or his defeated followers. Without a doubt, he had stepped through this barrier.
Caron wondered what awaited them on the other side.
"As they say—you never know what's inside the box until you open it," he murmured, placing his hand on the veil.
At once, the power of Void dwelling within him resonated with the barrier.
Whoosh.
Unlike the previous barrier that had resisted all efforts to cut through, this one responded. The moment Caron infused it with Void energy, the barrier thinned.
"So... We can enter?" he wondered.
"Entering might be possible," Gratia replied, "but I can't say the same about coming back out."
"You're always so pessimistic, Lady Gratia," Caron said.
"Oath-bearer, I'm being rational," Gratia said.
"Rael Leston's mana, the Dragon Lord's mana, and now the energy of Void," Libre muttered.
It would be hard to reach a clear conclusion because none of those fit together. Still, assuming Desertus truly preserved traces of the past...
"Then beyond this barrier lies the past?" Caron asked.
"That wouldn't be an unreasonable theory," Gratia said. "In fact, it sounds rather plausible in this situation."
"I hate anything that reeks of digging up corpses," Libre grumbled.
"The power of Void always distorts reality," Gratia said solemnly. "And he has the power to make that distorted reality real. We must keep every possibility open."
Her expression was more cautious than ever as she continued, "Oath-bearer, the Lord is dead. I saw it with my own eyes. There's no way he could still be alive. Even if we find him beyond that veil, it would be nothing more than an illusion."
It sounded as if she was reminding herself rather than anyone else. Gratia exhaled slowly, repeating the words under her breath. Her trembling fingertips betrayed the anger she tried to suppress.
Over three centuries ago, the Dragon Lord had fallen in the northern seas, defending the world against demonkind. The memory of that day seemed to flicker vividly before her eyes.
While Caron continued to inspect the barrier, two figures approached from behind. They were Halo and Zerath, followed by Sabina and several of the family's elders.
"Caron," Halo called.
"You've arrived, Grandfather?" Caron asked.
With so many eyes watching, he had no choice but to use the proper title. He forced a polite smile as Halo raised his hand to acknowledge the greeting.
"A barrier to the front and another to the rear," Halo said. "Is the Demon King trying to crush us where we stand?"
"I was just about to explain. Please, have a seat," Caron replied.
He gestured toward a massive rock nearby, guiding Halo to it. Then, catching Sabina's gaze from behind, he smiled faintly before saying, "Lady Sabina. I heard you were stabbed in the shoulder during the last battle. Is your wound alright?"
Sabina swung her arm lightly and replied, "Don't fret. I've still got plenty of years left in me."
"That's a relief," Caron said with a grin.
After greeting Sabina, he bowed courteously to the other elders as well. Had they been in Azureocean Castle, he would have been even more attentive to the elders—but alas, this was a battlefield. It was no place for formalities.
Fortunately, the first through third elders, along with the rest, weren't the kind to fuss over etiquette. After all, the long-cherished wish of their family—the conquest of the Demon Realm—was finally underway.
They merely looked at Caron, the family's bright future, with fond eyes. Not one of them reproached his casual manner.
"All right then," Caron said, his tone easy but sure. "Let's get comfortable, everyone."
He glanced quietly toward Gratia. She let out a soft sigh, then flicked her hand to cast a soundproofing spell around them.
"If you wanted to talk privately," Halo said dryly, "you could've just dragged me off somewhere."
"Nah," Caron replied with a grin. "I wanted to have a proper talk. I can't just haul off the family head in front of all the elders, you know?"
"And what about me? Why don't I get treated like an elder?" Halo asked.
"Because you're my friend," Caron answered.
"Unbelieveable," Halo muttered.
"Hey, that's no way to talk to your founder. Anyway—" Caron clicked his tongue and waved his hand dismissively. "I'll explain quickly, so listen close. This is everything I've found so far."
Caron began briefing Halo on the current situation. His report lasted for about ten minutes, and when he finished, Halo let out a long breath.
"So," Halo said, summarizing neatly, "the time and space inside that barrier might be distorted. And the only way to confirm that... is to step inside."
"Exactly," Caron said with a smirk. "Guess running the family for so long really sharpened your brain. You're smarter than before."
"I was always smarter than you, idiot," Halo shot back, uncorking his canteen and taking a swig of water. He wiped his mouth lazily and looked at Caron. "In the end, someone has to go in first, huh?"
"I could take everyone in with me," Caron said.
"If that were really your plan, you wouldn't have pulled me aside for a private chat," Halo replied. "You'd have said it out loud."
"You know me too well. It's annoying," Caron muttered.
"I probably understand you better than Leo does," Halo said.
"What's Leo got to do with this?" Caron asked.
"Well, you've spent nearly half your life with him, haven't you? If I'm going to compare myself to someone, it's only fair that I compare myself to Leo," Halo replied.
There was no hiding anything from Halo.
Caron chuckled under his breath and nodded. Then he finally got to the point.
"I can feel Rael Leston's energy beyond the barrier," he said quietly. "You must have sensed it too."
"Are you sure it's him?" Halo asked. "For a second, I thought you got impatient and ran in first."
"There's no mistake. It's Rael's mana," Caron confirmed.
"Not that it feels much different from yours," Halo said. "I've never met the founder myself, after all."
Even with such a revelation, Halo's reaction was calm—almost indifferent. A faint smirk tugged at his lips as he continued, "You're supposed to be his reincarnation, right? To me, it all looks the same. I've had enough of the Demon King of Void's tricks."
With that, he slowly drew his sword, Gram, and planted it in the ground. He asked, "So, you're planning to go in by yourself?"
As expected, Halo went straight to the heart of things.
"What choice do I have?" Caron replied. "We need to minimize the risk."
"You could send a scouting team first. No harm in waiting for their report," Halo suggested.
"They might never return," Caron said. "And we don't have that kind of time."
If there hadn't been a time limit, he would have preferred to observe from a distance. But time was something they didn't have. Every moment counted.
"Here's what we'll do, Halo," Caron began.
He rose to his feet, resting a hand lightly on Gram's hilt. He looked straight into Halo's blue eyes as he continued, "I'll take the demons and the demonic monsters and go in first. If I don't come back within a week, then—and only then—should the expedition enter."
"Wouldn't we stand a better chance by pushing through all at once?" Halo asked.
"This stage was carefully prepared by the Demon King of Void himself," Caron continued, his voice low but firm. "Even a steady bridge must be tested before you cross it. I can't recklessly throw soldiers into something this uncertain."
Halo studied Caron's eyes and caught a flicker of something deep within them. He didn't know when it had begun, but it seemed that a heavy sense of duty had begun to cling to Caron.
He was just like that in his previous life too, Halo thought bitterly.
He remembered that day—when Cain had faced death without hesitation. Halo had urged him to flee, but Cain had chosen to stay, to die.
You were never the kind to run from responsibility, Halo thought.
Cain Latorre's death had changed everything. It had saved the Imperial Guards who survived that day—and preserved the royal family.
If Cain Latorre had surrendered himself to the Malevolent Emperor back then... The world would have taken a very different turn.
And now, once again, Caron was making the same choice—shouldering the weight, ensuring the least harm to others.
"You're always reckless," Halo said quietly.
"What can I say? I was born this way," Caron replied with a smirk.
"You only pretend to be selfish, but when it really matters, you never are," Halo said.
"What's with you all of a sudden?" Caron asked, puzzled.
"I'm giving you permission," Halo said simply. "Do as you please this time too. Anyone you want to bring along?"
Caron smirked and shook his head, saying, "Of course not. Even Seria is staying here."
"The Grand Saintess won't take that well," Halo replied.
"If I have to, I'll knock her out and go alone," Caron said without hesitation.
Halo exhaled slowly at that, his expression unreadable.
Not this time, you bastard, he thought grimly. I 'm not letting you fight alone again. Never.
Only an idiot would make the same mistake twice.
Whether Caron noticed Halo's resolve or not, he smiled faintly and continued speaking—utterly unaware that this time, Halo had no intention of letting him walk into that veil alone.
***
The operation plan for Caron and the Army of Liberation to infiltrate the city alone passed with unanimous approval.
The expedition quickly began setting up camp, while Caron and his forces prepared for the breakthrough.
"Warrior, have you gone mad?" Seria demanded.
"I'm not mad," Caron replied calmly. "In fact, I've never been saner."
"The truly insane never know they're insane," Seria shot back coldly.
"Seria, you're staying here," Caron said firmly.
He was honest with his companions, telling them that he would be the only one entering that city. This wasn't going to be like any other expedition into the Demon Realm, and he believed this was the only rational choice.
Of course, his companions protested. Especially Seria, whose duty as a Saintess required her to remain by the Warrior's side.
"Then kill me before you go!" Seria shouted. "Better that than defying the will of the Light!"
"I didn't want to resort to this," Caron murmured.
"What are you—" Seria began, but couldn't finish her sentence.
Thud!
Caron struck Seria lightly on the neck, and she collapsed helplessly to the ground.
"...You... insane... bastard..." Seria slurred. "A Warrior who hits the Grand Saintess..."
"Get some rest," Caron said, sighing. "Sleep tight."
Only after thrashing weakly a few more times did Seria finally go still.
The sudden scene left Leo stuttering as he pointed a trembling finger and said, "Y-You're insane!"
"Forgive me for having to go this far, Leo. Come here," Caron said gently.
"G-Get lost, you bastard! Go by yourself!" Leo shouted.
"You're not going to stop me?" Caron asked with a grin.
"Who could stop you? You said even Grandfather gave his permission," Leo said.
"I'm a bit hurt that our friendship's worth so little," Caron said with mock sorrow. "I was going to give you a farewell punch to the head, too... Tsk tsk."
Clicking his tongue, he turned his gaze toward the others—Hugo, Leon, Orion, Utula, and the rest. They looked at him with clear worry in their eyes, as comrades who had shared countless battles together.
Caron waved casually and said, "Hey, it's not like I'm going off to die. Why the long faces? You'll all follow me soon enough. I'll go first, secure a base, and call the expedition in."
"Caron!" Utula cried. "O great warrior, I see it written on your face—you've already accepted death!"
"I'll die after you, so don't worry," Caron said dryly.
"Is that so? Well, if the great warrior says so, then it must be true!" Utula replied, nodding solemnly.
At that moment, Caron was the Demon King of Liberation. He would enter the city not accompanied by knights or soldiers, but leading demons and demonic monsters.
Caron smiled, taking in the faces of his companions one last time.
In this life, he had met so many interesting people. In the last one, it had only been Halo. But this time, his comrades were vibrant and full of life.
Yes, he was prepared to die—but he no longer wished for death.
He would live and stand on the final stage. He'd end it all, and finally be freed from this endless cycle.
Demon King of Liberation, huh... I guess it suits me after all, Caron thought.
Fate had a sense of humor. That title, which had once felt like a burden, now seemed to fit him perfectly.
Caron exchanged brief, unembellished farewells with his family and comrades, then stepped forward.
Those left behind watched his back as he walked away, whispering among themselves.
"Duke Halo came to see me earlier," Orion began.
"You too?" Utula asked. "He told me he was gathering powerful warriors separately..."
"Shh. Keep your voice down—Caron's got sharp ears," Orion hissed.
"Still, he had no idea, right? I almost lost it trying to keep a straight face," Leo said.
"Leo, you were the riskiest one," Orion retorted.
"Was I? Saintess, you can drop the act now... Saintess? Saintess?" Leo said.
"The Saintess really fainted! Medic! Get a medic!" Utula shouted.
...Caron never knew the real reason his comrades had let him go so easily.
One way or another, he had set foot upon the stage of his final act.