Dragon King: Throne of Demons and Gods-Chapter 87: Predators

The forest trail was quiet. Birds chirped in the trees, and sunlight broke through the leaves above.

A fancy carriage rolled slowly along the dirt road. freёnovelkiss.com

Around it rode six knights in armor, swords at their sides. A few adventurers walked behind, keeping their eyes on the woods.

Inside the carriage, things were less serious.

"This is completely ridiculous," said a round man with a red face, dabbing his forehead with a silken cloth. "All this security? For what? Do they think we’re crossing a battlefield?"

A knight sitting opposite him replied calmly, "With demons appearing more often, this is the minimum safety we can allow, sir."

The noble scoffed, waving a hand. "Oh please. I’m just a man of taste, not royalty. This armor clinking all around is headache enough."

Across from him sat a young adventurer, arms crossed, staring out the window.

He has no idea how close danger really is, the young man thought. He thinks gold can protect him from everything.

The noble noticed the look. "Aldren, you’ve been eyeing me quite a lot. Do you have something to say, or is that just how you breathe?"

Aldren sighed. "I’d prefer to be outside, sir. If something attacks us, this box will be a deathtrap."

The noble chuckled. "You’re here because I wanted company. I’d get bored without someone interesting to talk to."

Suddenly, the carriage stopped with a jolt.

Everyone shifted.

"Now what?!" the noble shouted.

They heard voices outside, tense and fast.

"What’s going on?" the noble snapped. No answer.

Aldren stood up and exited the carriage. Outside, the knights had dismounted. Their hands were on their weapons. They were all facing forward.

There, in the middle of the road, stood a single man.

He looked young, his clothes simple but clean. His hair was a mess, his eyes calm. He had the look of someone who didn’t care what danger looked like.

Aldren stepped forward. "Who are you? What do you want?"

The man smiled. "Oh dear, such sharp tone. Where’s the greeting? The bow? The polite smile for a potential customer?"

He chuckled. "You see, I was hoping for a proper welcome. After all, I’m here to offer a deal."

The knights murmured among themselves.

"Could be a demon... they say some take human form."

"He’s weird. Be careful."

The noble finally pushed through the curtain and stepped outside, red-faced with frustration.

"What is the meaning of this?! Move this stranger aside and keep going!"

The strange man lit up.

"Ah! Viscount Margrave! There you are! You saved me the trouble of calling you out."

He bowed politely, hands behind his back.

"You are quite the known man, Viscount. A supporter of orphanages, a patron of libraries, a generous donor to public causes..."

The Viscount instantly puffed up, his cheeks reddening.

"Well, well, well, did my reputation cross the kingdom that much? And why are you all so tense? Lower your weapons. Show some custody to this dear gentlem—"

"...And a major figure in underground slave markets."

Silence.

The viscount blinked, stunned.

"What... what did you just say?"

The man continued, voice now louder and firmer.

"Your name is tied to child labor camps, illegal crossbreed farms, and the trafficking of little boys and girls. Your ’favorite treats,’ I’ve heard."

The knights and adventurers turned to the Viscount, shocked.

The Viscount’s eyes widened in horror. His hands shook. Then his face twisted in rage.

"Lies! All of it! Kill him! I said kill him now!!"

No one moved.

Aldren narrowed his eyes, voice sharp and low.

"So... it was true."

He turned slowly to the Viscount, expression darkening.

"I was placed here to keep an eye on you. But it looks like you’ve done all the talking yourself. No need for shadow work when the truth’s already spilled."

Gasps spread through the guards and adventurers. The Viscount’s jaw dropped.

"W-what?! You were spying on me?! This is absurd! I demand an explanation!"

Aldren’s hand hovered over his chest, his eyes still locked on the noble.

"An explanation? How about all the missing orphans in the Liedvale? Or the broken trails leading to your summer estate? You’ve made it easy."

The Viscount’s stunned silence turned quickly to fear, then to wild anger.

"You traitor! You dare betray a noble of the kingdom?!"

But Aldren didn’t flinch. He turned away from the noble, disgust clear on his face.

"I think I’ve heard enough to file my final report."

He took a step forward... but his body refused to move.

Blood trickled down his chin.

He blinked.

He tried again, but all he could manage was to make his body tremble.

Behind him, the strange man sighed.

"Tsk. That’s no good, no good at all. I understand you’re on an errand, but I appear to be too, and I believe that our customer is more interested in my offer."

Aldren struggled to move. But nothing responded. Coldness spread through his body. He turned his head slowly.

Everyone around him was gasping.

The stranger held something in his hand.

A heart.

Aldren’s eyes widened.

"...Impossible..."

He collapsed.

The knights and adventurers panicked.

"Demon! He’s a demon!!"

Swords were drawn.

The man just smiled, still holding the heart.

He turned to the noble.

"Now, Viscount, let’s talk business. You can still walk away from this. All I want... is a deal."

The Viscount screamed.

"KILL HIM!!"

The knights charged. The man exhaled, shaking his head.

"Now that’s not very professional..."

In another forest, far from nobles but not death, Bel stretched his arms with a slow, satisfied groan.

[Current Gold: 1,214]

He had spent the last hours hunting wandering monsters, not the powerful kind, but enough to pad his gold a bit.

He opened the shop.

A bright panel of options swirled into view. Items, potions, weapons, synthesis materials, from elemental weapons to stats replenishing elixirs. Nothing caught his eye.

Not yet.

He crossed his arms and waited.

Seconds passed. Then minutes.

He counted quietly, eyes closed.

"Twenty-six minutes... twenty-seven... twenty-eight..."

He opened one eye at twenty-nine.

[Inventory]

He reached inside and pulled out the [Void Gate Key - Category C].

It shimmered in his hand, pulsing like a heartbeat.

Bel walked toward a nearby tree and imagined a door.

Click.

He inserted the key.

A ripple spread. Space bent. A massive rift burst open, wider and taller than the previous one.

It pulsed with soft blue light. Bel cracked his fingers.

"Let’s go."

He stepped through.

Inside, he blinked.

A vast underwater domain shimmered before him. Floating bubbles, glowing coral, and rivers of water suspended midair moved gently as if part of some unknown current.

Bel squinted. Everything was damp, echoing, soft.

"So this one... is water," he muttered.

He opened the shop.

Instantly, the interface was different.

[SHOP]

Immediately, a vaste list of weapons, potions and armors with water enchantments appeared

Bel smiled.

"Gotcha."

This time, he picked a defensive piece.

[Shellguard (Rare)] Effect: +100 Toughness. Reduces water-based damage by 30%. Boosts agility while submerged.

[Gold Remaining: 214]

Once worn, the armor disappeared, but he felt it’s effects. A faint ripple spread across his body before vanishing.

"Oh? Is it possible to stack several pieces of armor?" he wondered, recalling still having the lightning helmet on him.

It would make sense if it meant increasing his elemental immunity, although he didn’t exclude the possibility of an all rounded equipment.

Arms crossed, he turned slowly, scanning the shifting waterscape.

"Let’s see... Water. Fire’s basically out here. Ice could do, but..."

He tapped his chin lightly.

A faint crack of static jumped from finger to neck.

His eyes glimmered.

"Isn’t that just too tempting?"

From the shadows, several glowing eyes glowed.

Back in the forest, the chaos had ended.

The carriage was upright, intact, but around it, a field of destruction.

The knights were dead. Bodies scattered, some slashed, others turned inside out. Blood mixed with shattered trees and scorched soil.

The viscount trembled near the ruins, his face pressed to the ground, hands on his head.

His fine clothes were stained with sweat and blood. He breathed hard, whimpering, eyes darting.

Then, a hand touched his back.

He screamed, rolling wildly until he bumped into someone’s feet.

The demon.

Still dressed simply, still calm, and too clean.

"Now now," the man said cheerfully. "There’s no need for drama."

The viscount whimpered. A wet stain spread across his pants.

"Oh dear," the demon noted, squatting down. "Did you just lower your liquidity ratio? Hmm... That’s unfortunate for business."

He leaned closer, voice soft and cold.

"That kind of stain really hurts your value."

The viscount begged, voice cracked, tears running.

"P-please... please spare me. I’ll give you gold, land, names... anything!"

The demon smiled wider.

"Begging now, hmm? That tells me one thing..."

He leaned close, eyes glowing gold.

"Your value has dropped. You’re no longer a quality merchandise. Now what I can get for the same price should be bigger."

The air chilled.

"So," he said, voice humming like a razor, "let me make an offer..."

He reached into his coat.

"Viscount Margrave... what would you say... if I offered to buy your life?"

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