Dragon King: Throne of Demons and Gods-Chapter 159: The Second Act Begins

The forest’s air grew colder.

Bel stood still, his cloak gently swaying with the breeze as the thick silence settled around him. The four Lindworms stirred restlessly, reacting to the sudden presence.

"Ah, the great Bel. Demon Lord of elegance, king of fire and ruin, slayer of beasts, heartbreaker of demons." Vezalia’s purred, walking elegantly with dramatic gestures. "Most handsome Demon Lord, don’t forget. And of course... Demon Slayer."

Her eyes were different than before, cold, barely an emotion. With a flourish, she bowed low.

The Lindworms growled, scales rising with tension. But Bel raised a hand slightly. They calmed instantly, coiling behind him like well-trained hounds.

"Let them go," Vezalia teased, rising from her bow. "They’re your babies, aren’t they? Wouldn’t it be poetic? The first demon they devour is the one who helped make you this way."

Her smile sharpened.

Bel didn’t smile back.

"If you knew I might kill you, why come here?"

She tilted her head, letting the silence linger.

Bel’s voice lowered.

"I’ve started to understand this power. My Authority. It lets me see things better now. Even the eyes hiding in the dark."

Her eyes widened slightly, then, she had a soft laugh.

"How far you’ve come... What a waste of a Hero."

"That’s also one of the reasons I wanted to talk," Bel said. He stood straighter, his voice calm. "There are things I don’t get. Things about you. About demons. About your goals. And the way you do things. This might be a light of hope for your mother."

Vezalia’s aura flared. Black tendrils danced briefly around her feet. The Lindworms stirred again, restless, sensing the threat.

She blinked once, then let her power settle.

"You’ve made four toys that might actually hurt me. That deserves applause," she said, clapping softly with a mocking grin.

Bel didn’t react.

"Don’t underestimate yourself," he answered. "If your people were truly that weak, I might rethink dealing with you."

Vezalia’s grin faded slightly. She examined him carefully.

There was no fire burning around him. No glowing eyes or shifting aura. Yet she could feel it, a weight like a mountain, pressing against the world.

A pressure that hadn’t existed the last time they met. It was deeper than magic or intimidation. It was potential. Pure, infinite potential.

She realized then that Bel hadn’t come just to test her. He came because he had something to say.

And he was strong enough now that she had no choice but to listen.

Her expression shifted. Less playful. More interested.

"So, what do you want, Lord Ravager? The weaknesses of your next targets? How does it feel to help your murderer?"

"A talk with your mother."

Vezalia paused, her expression changing for a moment into surprise.

Her fingers twitched slightly, but she masked it quickly, folding her arms and watching Bel with confused eyes.

"The goal of your mother," Bel repeated quietly, his gaze fixed on her. "The purpose of the Devourer. I want to understand it."

Vezalia’s smile was slow, but it didn’t reach her eyes.

"Understand?"

"Understand," Bel replied. "And perhaps, propose something." He stepped forward. "There are eight Demon Lords. Only one will become the Demon King. That means only one of our concepts will remain."

He let the words hang in the air, the implication clear.

"The world will be shaped by the concept of the victor. And I can’t accept the others. I’ve seen what demons do. How they process, and I can’t bear it anymore." He looked directly at her. "So my decision is simple: I will erase them. All of them."

Vezalia inhaled sharply, her usual composure faltering.

"All of them... except you."

She froze. Her lips parted slightly, but no sound came. She stared at him, a mix of disbelief and anger growing in her expression.

"I remember what you did for me. You’re a demon, but I can spare you. You didn’t try to control me. You helped my army to reach this point. So I’ve decided that I’m willing to spare you."

Silence fell. For once, Vezalia didn’t offer a sarcastic reply.

"You say this like it’s kindness," she said finally. "But it’s not. What you’re saying is horrible. You’re condemning beings for their concept, for what they are. And you... you’re no better. You’re the same. You say you’ll erase them, but why not yourself too? Why not your own concept? If you kill one Demon, there will still be one Demon left."

Bel’s eyes narrowed.

"Yes, but if I kill two Demons, there will be only one left," he said quietly.

She stared at him.

"There’s no righteousness in this. No justice. Just a path. I understand that. I’m not trying to be a Hero. I gave that up the moment I chose to destroy." His voice deepened, aura swelling behind his words. "I follow my concept just like the others do. And if that leads to your annihilation... then so be it. You’re all free to stop me."

The pressure in the air thickened like a storm about to break. Vezalia blinked, visibly stunned. Her lips parted, but the words were slow to come.

She took a step back, unconsciously, her eyes locked on Bel as if seeing him for the first time. The Lindworms behind her growled, low and warning.

"If I die here... Mother will come for you," she whispered.

Bel didn’t flinch. Instead, he stepped closer, calm and steady.

"That would make things easier."

Then, without malice, he reached out and gently lifted her chin. The touch was soft, almost kind—but filled with the weight of judgment.

Vezalia gasped. Her knees buckled slightly. She couldn’t move. It wasn’t just fear; it felt like the world itself had turned against her.

Was she about to die?

Bel’s voice was low and cold.

"Things change, but what’s change more is how they proceed."

The convoy moved out of the forest as the trees grew thinner and sunlight began to pour through.

The dark, narrow trail turned into a wide road paved with stone, open and clear under the evening sky.

The air felt fresher here, carrying a hint of sea breeze and the distant sounds of movement. They had reached the main trade route, where multiple carriages could ride side by side.

About a dozen carriages followed the road, surrounded by twice as many armored knights on horseback.

Then, it appeared.

Beyond the low hills, lit by the rising sun, a city of white and silver stone stretched across the land. Castella, huge, strong, and breathtaking.

Its outer ring was not just walls, but a wide moat that sparkled like glass, protecting the city’s edge. Inside, the buildings climbed upward in layers, leading to the grand Citadel of Light at the center.

Aurus lifted his head and spoke softly.

"Gentlemen, Castella. The city of this era’s Hero lives."

Inside the other carriages, the people stirred.

Some narrowed their eyes in thought, others simply watched in silence. Each one had skill, talent, or a reason to be there. They all headed to the same place.

Castella wasn’t just a city. It was a stage.

And now, the doors of the kingdom’s biggest stage were opening, calling them in to play their part in its most important story yet.

The cast had arrived. And the curtain was ready to rise.

The sourc𝗲 of this content is fre(e)novelkiss