Chapter 15: Chapter 15: Tonight
Sounds quite impressive.
But if Reji were to judge, the Wicked Demon is just a type of demon born to annoy others.
Wicked Demons are arguably the weakest single combatants, only surpassed in strength by Breeding Demons.
On the battlefield, the main role of Wicked Demons is to harass. They specialize in hiding behind the lines, casting negative mental states on the enemy, such as fear, blindness, confusion, etc.
Understanding the role of Wicked Demons makes it easy to see why Reji is amused by Lordan's grandiose declaration.
Willing to lead the Wicked Demons to charge at the forefront?
To charge ahead and feed the enemy, right?
It's like asking a group of strategists, no, calling them strategists might be a compliment, it's more like asking a bunch of street thugs to be the vanguard.
Everyone knows it's impossible.
Lordan knows this too.
So, essentially, the Wicked Demon is just trying to ingratiate himself with Reji.
Attempting to recover from a previously unfavorable image.
Playing the fool.
Just to amuse Reji.
Demons don't engage in as much intrigue and scheming as humans do.
Most demons are so pure that it baffles humans. A normal new Demon King might actually fall for Lordan's act.
Unfortunately.
Reji is not one of them.
Not only is he not, but he also has the experience of the first round, as the Child of Destiny, as the savior who witnessed many of the Wicked Demons' crimes.
For Reji, what attracted him to "Magic Chronicles" was not its gameplay or unique settings, but rather its storyline, a tragic yet passionate epic of heroism.
In the game's story, the Wicked Demons contributed greatly to the emotional value for the player and the game.
The reason why Wicked Demons are one of the nine major demon races is not because of their performance on the battlefield.
But rather, their actions off the battlefield.
The real terror of Wicked Demons is manifested in the areas overrun by demons.
Reji mentioned this at the beginning.
Wicked Demons indeed do not play well when the odds are against them.
But in a winning situation, nobody can outdo the Wicked Demons.
In the game's storyline, Wicked Demons were the first to advocate not killing all humans, not to excessively slaughter.
But don't get it twisted.
This is not because the Wicked Demons pity humans. On the contrary, it's so they can enslave humans, to better torment them, not physically, but mentally.
Whenever a human city was conquered, Wicked Demons would gather all the civilians in the square, give each person a knife, and then tell these civilians that if they wanted to survive, they had to kill.
Make civilians kill each other?
That underestimates the Wicked Demons.
What the Wicked Demons demanded was for these civilians to use the knives in their hands to stab those who had defended the city, who had bravely fought against demons on the front lines - their fellow human beings, the prisoners of war from the resistance forces.
Protectors, dying by the hands of those they protected.
Frontline soldiers, killed by civilians from the rear.
This is what the Wicked Demons desired.
When Reji, as the hero, infiltrated the occupied areas to plan liberation and witnessed this part of the story, it greatly traumatized him and fueled his rage beyond measure.
This is just the tip of the iceberg of the wicked demons.
There are even more shocking and sinful actions to come.
For example, establishing evil cults in human society, brainwashing propaganda that "demons are supreme" "demons will bring salvation," etc., and raising up a great number of followers of the demons.
For example, using the civilians in the occupied areas as human shields when attacking other cities.
For example, capturing heroes among humans, legendary figures, and torturing them day after day, depleting their soul and will, making them fall into puppets of the wicked demons, internal support. There's just too much more to tell.
Carelessly falling back into those bad memories in the game.
Reji, coming back to his senses, loosened the hand he had clenched unconsciously.
In the game, what Reji hates the most is undoubtedly the wicked demons.
If possible, Reji really wants to see, if he really agreed to the wicked demons' foolishness, letting Lordan and his demon clan take the lead, charging at the forefront, what expression Lordan would have.
But reason stopped Reji.
'I can't do that'
'At least not now'
The other apostles would definitely not agree for one.
After all, from the human perspective, wicked demons are utterly evil, but from the demon's perspective, even if despised by other apostles, it cannot be denied that wicked demons indeed have many benefits for the demon race.
Especially now, when the demons is in decline, having finally gained some strength, they cannot be sent to death.
As for the second point.
It's also the most crucial.
Reji has had a better strategy for a long time.
Finally, after Lordan's words, Reji on the throne, after a brief silence, spoke up.
But what Reji said next shocked all the apostles present.
Reji rejected Lordan.
Anyone could have guessed that.
Lordan himself had long been certain that the king would not entertain his frivolous words.
Until
"Three days?"
Reji on the throne shook his head.
Then he calmly said: "Three days, too long."
"Tonight, we will travel through the passage and descend upon the world."
Silence.
Still silence in the Demon King's Hall.
A shocked Lordan opened his mouth wide.
Even the wicked demon doubted his ears.
'Did I hear it wrong?'
'Did he just say. Tonight!?'
Meaning, in a few hours, the king is going to lead the army directly to invade the world, conquer the continents, and start the second great war between humans and demons!?
Lordan thought Reji was definitely in a hurry to counterattack, definitely very wild.
But he never imagined, their new Demon King was in such a hurry, so wildly insane!
No.
This is not wild.
This is simply madness! Even more frivolous than his previous words!
The king's proposal could never pass in the council.
No, even the true royalist, Eileen, was stunned, and after coming back to her senses, the succubus immediately said to Reji nervously:
"My king, I understand your urgent desire to revive our demon race, we feel the same, but...but this is too important, we cannot be so reckless!"
"Our demon race, although having lain dormant for a thousand years, is still far from its heyday. We cannot afford a second failure, My King, at least give us some more time to prepare!"
After Eileen earnestly persuaded Reji on the throne, she immediately cast an anxious look at Hektor below, signaling the Great Demon, acting as the commander, to also persuade the king quickly.
Hektor indeed stood up.
But what came out of the Great Demon's mouth was completely opposite to what Eileen had hoped for.
"Your Majesty, Eileen is right, doing this carries great risk, our clan's army is not yet fully prepared for battle."
"But"
"If my king is aware of the situation and still decides to do this, then I...am willing to follow the demon king's steps! I also believe, those millions of brethren who witnessed your majesty's power beneath those altars, will do the same!"