"……Balk Wen Danian."
I spoke his name aloud.
I had no memory of the demon standing before me. It was merely a vessel being manipulated—a favorite trick of that man. Balk was speaking through its flesh.
Balk shrugged and chuckled. His neck let out a sickening crack as it tilted at an unnatural angle.
"What’s the matter? You look as though you've seen a ghost. I’d hoped for a slightly warmer welcome to our reunion."
Balk spoke with a gleeful lilt. His friendly tone was nothing more than a thin veneer; beneath it lay a deep, toxic malice. It was only natural, considering I was the one who had killed him. It seemed his grudge remained unsettled. Even though we were speaking through a third party, his loathing was palpable.
"I killed you myself," I said. "How are you still alive?"
"You’re a caster yourself, so you should understand—there are exceptions to every rule. Your current form is a perfect example of that, is it not?"
"…………"
I fell silent at his retort. He had skillfully evaded the question. He clearly had no intention of revealing the truth here. Knowing him, he was likely just being mysterious for the sake of it. There was no deep meaning behind the act; he simply wanted to savor my confusion.
I knew Balk’s personality all too well.
"By the way, I’ve heard the rumors. Calling yourself the 'Demon King' now, are we? My, my... stories don't get much more ironic than that."
Balk clapped his hands and let out a throaty laugh. Though his face was fixed in a grin, he was likely fuming with rage deep down. That was the kind of man he was. He never let his true feelings leak into his words, preferring to play the part of the clown.
His posture seemed full of openings, but I knew it was a trap designed to lure me in. The fact that he kept his distance was proof enough. He was extremely wary of me, refusing to close the gap beyond a certain point.
Balk was always cunning. He projected an air of flightiness while remaining ruthlessly focused on his goals. It was that focus that allowed him to orchestrate a catastrophe of this scale. His talent for plunging the world into chaos ten years ago hadn't been an exaggeration. When it came to conspiracy and intrigue, he had no equal.
"Hmm."
Balk stroked his chin while staring intently at me. The whites of his eyes rolled back further until his clouded pupils fixed on mine. He let out an exaggerated groan.
"Has your heart fallen into darkness because of your hatred for humanity? No... that’s not it. You seem to have some other agenda. Tell me, what is your goal?"
"That is none of your concern."
I brushed his question aside and leveled the tip of my sword at him. At this range, I could take his head before he could even think of attacking. I wouldn't even give him time to blink.
"I will put an end to your ambitions," I declared.
"Oho, listen to you! And that sword... I see you’re still clinging to the past, aren't you?"
"…………"
I ignored his provocation. I used my reason to suppress the rising bloodlust within me, keeping the tip of my blade steady. Balk’s goal was to unsettle me. I couldn't afford to take the bait; I had learned painful lessons from his tricks in the past.
"…………"
"…………"
A long silence hung between us. Balk, who had been wearing a malicious smirk, suddenly let it vanish. He sighed and shook his head.
"Good grief. I can’t even find an opening with that much provocation? It seems you’ve grown up over the last ten years. Or is that just a side effect of becoming an immortal?"
"Who knows."
I refused to engage further, keeping my eyes fixed on his every movement. Entertaining his chatter would only lead to a maze of half-truths. He wasn't worth the effort of a serious conversation.
As if sensing my resolve, Balk shrugged. His expression shifted into one of cold defiance.
"Well, fine. Enough small talk. Dwight, you're an eyesore. I think I'll have you disappear right here."
"I could say the same to you. You are an obstacle I can no longer ignore."
"Hahaha! What a coincidence. It seems we’re in total agreement. However... is it really wise for you to be enjoying a chat in a place like this?"
Balk’s smile deepened meaningfully. This time, the malice behind it was unmistakable. This wasn't mere bluster or a taunt; he clearly had a reason for his confidence.
"What do you mean?"
"Oh? You haven't noticed? You really should broaden your horizons. You’ll find the situation is quite entertaining."
Balk spread his arms and began to spin in place. He danced lightly, his boots stomping against the floor. A high-pitched laugh rang out, grating against my nerves.
Ignoring his eccentric behavior, I activated my Sensing Magic. As I expanded the range of my perception, I immediately felt an anomaly.
"…!"
There was a massive magic power reaction in the distance. It had appeared without any warning. If it had been an intrusion, I would have detected it much sooner. It was as if it had manifested out of thin air.
(This mass of mana... it surpasses even Grom’s.)
None of my subordinates fit that profile. Yet, the reaction was coming from the direction of the Demon King's Domain. Even at this distance, the signature was unmistakable.
But that wasn't the only problem. I recognized this magic power.
(—No. It can't be.)
I felt a surge of genuine agitation. It was impossible. I wanted to deny it, but I knew my senses weren't mistaken.
"While you were busy being stalled in this city, I took the liberty of finishing my preparations. My, my... thank you for falling for it so spectacularly."
Balk gave a graceful, mocking bow. He looked absolutely triumphant. He had read my movements perfectly. He must have infested the Capital with magical beasts specifically because he knew I would come here. Everything, including this conversation, had been a diversion to buy time.
I had walked straight into his trap.
"…………"
Without a word, I used Short-range Teleportation to close the gap and drove my sword through his heart.
Balk’s eyes widened, and he laughed. "Oh—"
I ignored his reaction and poured mana into the blade. This demon was just a puppet, not Balk himself, but a magical connection still existed between them. By tracing that link, I could find his true location—or strike him directly.
(I'll destroy your soul a second time—)
Just as I attempted to interfere with the connection, the demon's head detonated. Blood and brain matter sprayed across the room. The headless corpse collapsed limply to the floor.
Balk’s presence vanished instantly. He had severed the link at the very last second.
(…Forget it.)
I lowered my sword and flicked the blood from the steel. This was no time for regrets. There was something far more urgent than hunting Balk down. This was undoubtedly what he wanted me to do, but the situation was too dire to ignore.
Even as I processed the failure, the magic power reaction in the distance began to manifest a spell. I identified its nature from the flow of mana.
(—This is bad.)
The situation had escalated beyond anything I could overlook. Questions swirled in my mind, but I didn't have a second to spare to answer them. Investigating the cause would have to wait.
I immediately teleported back to the Royal Capital of the Demon King's Domain. I manifested high in the air, positioning myself above the castle. I sheathed my sword and looked up.
"You’ve really done it now," I muttered.
Tearing through the sky and screaming toward the earth were countless meteorites, a falling curtain of fire and stone.