{Umeiyon}

"Jin!"

"Master!"

"Milord!"

Everything was happening too fast for the disguised Dragoness and her husband's party. Just as the fight against the Dire Bats was getting suspiciously long, the lights in the floor suddenly went out. Granted, a fair number of them have [Night Vision] for that to not be a problem, but then Umeiyon's companions started falling through Trap Holes that opened up soon after things went dark.

Umeiyon, Ren, and Kenaka cried out for their party leader, Jinma, who reacted quickly by using his [Portal] to get to their client's, Noire's, side, only for both of them to fall in the first Trap Hole. Gabriella, Sue, and Mametama also fell in that hole, but the latter two really jumped in like Jinma did. Meanwhile, Kalline, Erizora, and Tyvera who were standing watch together on the side, fell into the second Trap Hole, with all of them screaming in shock before the hole closed, silencing them.

All that was left in the area were the three of them and the flock of Dire Bats that seem to be increasing in number.

"Lady Mei! There's Monster Lure!" Ren exclaimed, pointing at the culprits for bringing the Dire Bats there, "We gotta take them out before more come here!"

"Dammit!" Umeiyon cursed as she pointed a hand toward the flock, readying a spell, "[Razor Hurricane]!"

The faux Lizardman's reasoning was quick and simple: too many to take on one at a time? Then take everything out at once. Her [Storm Magic]'s spell, [Razor Hurricane], was just the thing to do the job.

As the spell's name implies, a large pillar of powerful cycling winds erected from the ground to the unseeable ceiling. All the Dire Bats and the scattered pouches of Monster Lure got caught in the wind's currents before they all started receiving cuts. Those wounds quickly grew in number, length, and depth until they were cut through altogether. The Dire Bats' screeches of unbearable pain got quickly drowned out by the raging gusts before they were torn to shreds, even their monster stones couldn't withstand the forces enough to stay intact as they turned to dust. The pouches of Monster Lure also got torn into pieces, their stench that draws monsters was immediately blown away.

Along with those items and some stones, however, some other objects were also caught up in the raging air currents, but with how powerful those winds are, it was hard to tell what was there. Perhaps they were items recently left behind by unfortunate adventurers? Umeiyon thought briefly. Whatever the case was, those new items got shredded in the hurricane, as well.

Such a spell couldn't possibly be controlled with such precise destruction if cast by even above-average hands of the magical arts. If anyone but Umeiyon, a Magic Dragon, attempted this, her remaining companions wouldn't be simply standing there watching it all in awe. Judging it to be enough, the disguised Dragoness dispersed the spell, breaking away the hurricane until the breeze remained. No sign of the monsters, pouches, and straggling items were left behind.

"Anything left, Ren?" Umeiyon asked, not a hint of exhaustion found anywhere, only eyes of high alert darted around the area.

Ren quickly smelled her surroundings, "There aren't anymore Monster Lures around, but … there's—”

"YOU BITCH! HOW COULD YOU SHRED ALL MY STUFF?!" a new feminine voice yelled in the darkness.

They all turned to the source who was keeping whatever wounds on her arms closed from bleeding as she hobbled out from behind the large pillar-like stalagmite. She heaved in breaths like air had recently been sucked right out of her.

It was an Arch Imp, with her trademark light lavender skin and dark violet spade-tipped tail. What distinguished her from others they met was the medium-short light-green hair that was styled wildly, or maybe it was the recent winds that made it like that.

"Do you even know … how much all that cost?!" the new Arch Imp exclaimed angrily.

“... Pray tell, what exactly was it that got destroyed? I didn’t even know you were nearby,” Umeiyon said truthfully. Even with her senses in magic and mana in the air, she didn’t catch this one’s presence until just now, and like Jinma, she was also keeping an eye on her surroundings through her own means up to this point. If the lost items the Arch Imp told about were the same ones that got caught in the hurricane, it was plausible that she got caught in the weaker range of the spell without her knowing, which was quite rare for the Dragoness to overlook.

“Never mind what was caught in that storm, the point is that those items managed to keep you out of our presence up to now,” Ren said in a low tone as she took out her dual-wielding daggers, pointing one to the Arch Imp’s direction, “And for you to show up now, you had something to do with our party members falling in those Trap Holes and the Monster Lures that draw all those Dire Bats here, didn’t you? Cyec?”

When the Arch Imp seemed to have caught her breath, she snickered lightly, “Guess my reputation is getting around. That’s right. Representing Lord Vask’s Duke of Demon’s Disciples, I am one of the core leaders, the Black Rank Adventurer, Cyec the Whisper, at your service.”

Ren furrowed her eyes and let off a low growl, but kept her anger restrained, “Answer us, Cyec, where do you have your forces stationed?”

“Like I’m going to tell you so much, but I’ll fill you in on this, little doggy,” Cyec said before giving a shit-eating grin at the White Werewolf, “You’re Ren, right? Your brother’s been really eager to see you, the moment he caught the first word of your arrival. I made sure I left you out so the two of you and your brother’s tribe can have a heartwarming family reunion further down this cell. Aren’t I just the sweetest?”

“Of course, he would …” Ren muttered under her breath, stiffening up that her greatest concern has been officially confirmed.

“Now that my role here is done, I’m gonna head out and eagerly wait for all of your party’s demise. I’ll just scavenge your belongings to compensate for my stuff that you destroyed, but I’m glad I kept this close,” Cyec said as she pulled out a large white feather from her pocket, the all-to-familiar Escape Feather that brings the holder back to the dungeon’s entrance at an instant, “Feast with your very eyes what happens when you and your dumbass leader oppose the disciples. Bye-bye! [Escape]!”

At Cyec’s command, the feather glowed before a pillar of white light shot down on her form. The only thing she left behind were the sickening cackles that echoed through the floor. Then, as if the show was over, the blackened floor finally brightened back up to its relatively comfortable dim lighting.

“Are you alright, Ren?” Umeiyon asked with a claw on the Werewolf’s little shoulder.

Ren let out a breath as she sheathed her daggers, “Fine as I’ll ever be, I guess. I’m more worried about how Master is doing.”

“Milord is fine, I can tell that much as long as I’m here, and the others will be fine, as well,” Kenaka assured, “We’ve anticipated this and prepared accordingly, of course. What’s important is that we follow the procedures as we discussed beforehand. Until then, we have to keep moving forward. You both still have your Messaging Crystals, right?”

The Dragonness and Werewolf confirmed by pulling out said items, with the latter taking it out from one of her pouches while the former pulled it out from her large cleavage. They resembled the ones Tyvera and Gabriella had before their spying got caught, the only difference is the color, which was pure white, showing how far apart they can be before their magic becomes ineffective. Aside from Noire, Gabriella, and the Familiars, everyone else had a Messaging Crystal of their own, all of which have already been registered to link to each other in order to initiate long-distance communication.

“Since two groups have fallen through the Trap Holes, we should expect at least two calls to be made as soon as they know they’re in a safe location, right?” Ren asked.

Umeiyon nodded, “Correct, and since we’re on the highest floor, it’s up to us to regroup with the others down below, which means we’ll be on our own to defeat the Lesser Boss of this cell … as well as your brother and your former tribe, it seems.”

“If you don’t mind, Lady Mei, I’d like to take on my brother on my own,” Ren said with a hand to her modest bosom, “To be honest, I thought of what might happen should I meet Brother again under my new master’s servitude, and if it’s my current master, I want to make it up to him for keeping my secrets from him with the best of my abilities. Would you allow me this selfish request?”

Umeiyon smirked before ruffling Ren’s hair, “I’m sure Jin would let you do whatever you need to do, and I’ll follow his example. Should things get out of hand, though, I’ll step in when necessary.”

Ren lowered her head in gratitude, “Thank you, Lady Mei.”

“Now, before we move on with our dungeon dive … how long are you planning on hiding from us, Rizz the Werebear?” Umeiyon asked nonchalantly while looking behind her.

That same Werebear yelped and got flustered enough to fall out of hiding from behind one of the large stalagmites. Her face reddened with embarrassment and guilt that her cover got blown in such a casual way.

~~

{Cyec}

As three of the target’s main party were left behind, Cyec found herself in an unexpected, yet impossible situation.

“How, is this, possible?! You … fell down, with them!” the flustered Arch Imp strained as her wind pipes were being crushed.

It all happened within seconds. When Cyec made it outside of Palocaesy Dungeon, specifically in the magic circle at the opposite side of the entrance where it served as the main exit point, she was planning on using the Messaging Crystal on her person to contact Rowling and report that she completed her job. That was the only other thing on her person that didn’t get destroyed in the enemy Lizardman’s admittedly powerful spell. This Arch Imp was one of the weakest of the disciples, so she was honestly relieved she didn’t have to fight them after witnessing that power for herself. Once she made her report, she could relax back at the inn and wait for further orders.

That was the plan, anyway, but seconds after stepping out of the magic circle, a hole opened up in the space next to her, and in her moment of confusion, a shadow of a blur suddenly hit her like a runaway carriage. The force drove her through the recently opened hole, and before she knew what was going on, she found a vice was holding her by the neck, lifting her off the ground and pressing against the wall. She quickly struggled to break herself free, but there wasn’t any sign of the grip on her neck slipping. Once Cyec got her bearings, she couldn’t believe her eyes when she looked at the perpetrator.

It was the same Arch Imp reported to be the main target’s fan, someone who got roped into this business when she was conveniently traveling with the Human she admired. Being one of the same race, Cyec could easily remember that that last-minute escort’s name was Sue, but she didn’t get much info on her combat capabilities, much less the strength that she was currently gripped by the neck with.

“Cyec … reported to be the best trapper in the Duke of Demon’s Disciples,” Sue said calmly, her eyes stared right through the Arch Imp she’s choking with incredible ease, “You’re not only known to have ingenious trapping capabilities in the field, you’re said to be the reason why many adventurers die in the dungeons, despite not leaving any traces of your work being responsible. Little did they know that those hearsays were only half-true, as the traps you set in the dungeons weren’t handmade, but as the result of your incredible Ability to manipulate some of the workings in any dungeon you traverse in, the [Dungeon Manipulator]. Going by the number next to your ‘Dungeon Conqueror’ title, I imagine you must have won it as a clear bonus in one of the dungeons you cleared in the past. It’s unfortunate that you’re actually weak as shit once you don’t have the home advantage, however.”

The more Sue explained Cyec’s background, the paler the former became, whether that was out of fear or lack of air could be anyone’s guess, “H-How … th-there’s no way …”

“You could say my ‘position’ provides me with a useful information network. [Disguise, Release].”

At Sue’s chant, a light formed over her person, and within seconds, the ‘Arch Imp’ took on a completely different appearance, but one Cyec knew very well.

“Y-Your … M-M-Majesty?!” Cyec exclaimed before Sue—scratch that, the Demon King—threw her to the ground. Cyec coughed and wheezed as she tried to gather whatever air she could gain back. It dawned on her that this was the second time that she was suffocated, and she couldn’t imagine having it done again on the same day through different means.

“Let’s not waste anymore time,” the Demon King said, looking down on the Arch Imp with her [Devil Eyes] activated and a powerful authoritarian aura making the air around them heavier, “You will answer my questions without argument.”

“Y-Yes, Your Maj-j-jesty! W-W-Whatever you say!” Cyec responded as she quickly went from lying on the ground to prostrating before her king, with her head rubbing against the dirt she’s planting herself on. She’s bore witness to a Devil’s [Devil Eyes] a number of times, even has been on the receiving end of it from Vask once. Compared to the power of the girl she lowered herself to, though, there was no further argument that this was really the current ruler of the Demon-Kin’s Territory, herself.

“First, knowing you can control some of the workings in the dungeons with your Ability, you can control where those who’ve fallen through your Trap Holes will end up, yes?” the Demon King asked.

“Y-Yes! That’s correct!”

“The Trap Holes mine and Tyvera’s groups fell through. Where do they lead?”

She even knows that much?! Is this really the same Sue that fell through moments ago?! Wait, that can’t be right, why would—

“Answer. NOW,” the Demon King demanded, interrupting Cyec’s thoughts.

“Y-Yes! I can’t direct them to specific floors, but your group should currently be somewhere in the third cell while Tyvera’s is somewhere in the second! It’s the truth! I swear!” Cyec exclaimed.

“The other disciples and their parties should be stationed somewhere in the dungeon. Tell me where they’re all posted,” the Demon King ordered.

“Yes! In descending order, Krigeran and his party should be waiting at the 39th floor, before the second cell’s Lesser Boss Room. Silvia’s in the third cell in the 50th floor, and Blaine and his party are in the 59th floor, before the Dungeon Boss Room! That’s all of the other disciples participating in this mission!”

Cyec then felt a foot, likely the Demon King’s, pressing down on the back of her head. She could already sense that her ruler could squash her head like a grape if she wanted to.

“You’re holding out on me. You have third parties serving as your accomplices. Tell me who they are,” Sue ordered.

“Yes! Members of the Chaos Barrage group answered Rowling's call for reinforcements!” Cyec explained, “Among them is the entire White Werewolf Tribe waiting on the 19th floor, the leader of which is the brother of the Werewolf slave in the Human’s party! I just warned her of his presence before leaving! There are others following Krigeran and Silvia, and Blaine has his brother and his own party helping him out! There may be other adventurers who are also joining in secret for the reward Rowling promised for participating, but I don’t know where they all are! Honest!”

"I see, and all this is for your grand scheme to overthrow me and take the throne, with the Duke of Demons' Disciples and Chaos Barrage being led by Vask, himself. Am I right?" the Demon King asked while slowly adding weight on the foot keeping Cyec's head down.

"Yes! It's all true!" the Arch Imp answered without hesitation.

"Any other organized groups or syndicates working with you all for the same goal?"

"I heard there are nobles aligning themselves to Lord Vask, but I don't know the specifics! Other than them, the disciples and Chaos Barrage are the only organized groups I know are planning to overthrow you! Honest!" Cyec exclaimed.

"... I see."

The area went silent, and each second escalated how much cold sweat the Arch Imp was producing as she trembled underneath her ruler's foot. All she could think of is how to get out of this alive. She had to do everything she could for the Demon King to let her go.

"L-Listen! I realize now how foolish it was to go against you, Your Majesty, and I'm sorry!" Cyec begged, "I'll leave the disciples, hell, I'll quit adventuring altogether! I'll turn a new leaf! I'll do whatever it takes to prove my loyalty to you and the kingdom! I plead for your forgiveness!"

"Pleading for my forgiveness, eh? And you swear on your word to the crown?"

"Y-Yes! I solemnly swear!" Cyec exclaimed, sounding hopeful, and she really meant everything she said, too, which surprised her.

In truth, this was the first time she ever spoke to the Demon King in person, she's only ever seen her making the occasional public appearance. Cyec admits she questioned her ruler's authority the first time she saw her, knowing her being young in age after taking her father's place. Heck, the circumstances of how it all came to be was suspicious. Maybe seeing how competent Vask was when in action was how she thought the kingdom was better off having him as its ruler.

All those doubts flew right out the window after experiencing the weight of the Demon King's presence in person. Perhaps that was evidence enough that she really has what it takes, and Cyec was all willing to switch to the winning side.

"... You know, due to recent events, I've come to understand how my ways of gathering intel, observing the public eye, and enforcing law may not be very befitting for a ruler to enact," the Demon King said calmly, which surprised Cyec further, more so when she felt the foot on her head lifted, "Young as I was during my coronation, even I didn't accept how I took Father's place so suddenly. Try as I might to follow his footsteps, I can never lead the kingdom like he did. I still believe that now, and these recent events have made that reality painfully clear to me. Realizing how much I can't have a personal life as a ruler, I'm more than not cut out for this job than I originally thought.

"Take what we have here for instance. I can tell your words ring true, Cyec, and who could blame you for switching now? Having the Demon King, herself, jumping into the front lines to stop Vask’s and Rowling’s plans, could anybody ever predict that ever happening? As a ruler, while receiving a penalty for your actions is par for the course, granting you some form of mercy may be the just thing to do. Are all these things something a competent monarch would do, though? I’ve questioned these choices and more at least once, and honestly? It’s tiring, and you have no idea how much stomach pains the stress and weights of these decisions bring to me, to the point I had to have meds to help calm them down. Other than Vask and anyone supporting him, I’d practically give the throne away to anyone at this point, just to free myself from it all.”

What the heck is she talking about? Is this something someone like me should really hear? Cyec thought, but didn’t dare raise her head unless ordered to.

“I want to throw it all away and get to more important, more personal matters already, but I can’t just toss aside what Father trusted me to do in his absence,” the Demon King continued, “I wanted to do what was right under his teachings, his principles, and his expectations, and while some of the decisions I’ve made may be for the better, they weren’t without cost. I was sort of aware of these costs, but I couldn’t let the repercussions affect me personally. I’ve just learned to numb myself from the negative feelings over time … until one of my stupid decisions, for the sake of sating my curiosity and following Father’s expectations, had damaged the trust of the one person who I cherished most of all. That person is the main reason why I’ve taken all these burdens, to make sure I’ve prepared everything I could in this kingdom so that he could live in it comfortably. Everything, from even before my coronation up to now, was for him, and yet now I can’t get anything right lately, and now I pulled him into this mess of mine. Gah, what was my [Clone] thinking? No, she’s a part of me, an extension of me, so really, the question is what was I thinking?”

“[Clone]?” Cyec couldn’t help but voice that aloud as she looked up, too confused to consider whether raising her head without permission was a good idea. She only saw the small back of a petite girl, whose tits were ridiculous enough in size to be seen from behind. Once again, the Arch Imp’s doubt of the current Demon King’s authority crept up in her conscience.

“... Pardon me, I was rambling, wasn’t I?” the Demon King asked, as if now realizing she wasn’t alone, “The point is, I’m tired of making decisions that try to please everyone, only to have scorn, envy, and hostility returned to me. I’m tired of the same decisions that’s hurting my cherished one by the hour, leaving him none the wiser of what’s really going on. I’m tired that the mess I’m responsible for cleaning is bothering that same person, and so, I’ve decided …

“As of this moment, from now until this beef with Vask … no not him, until my beef with Father is over, I will clean up every mess I’ve made so my cherished one won’t be bothered by them anymore. This job will not be left up to the maids, guards, assassins, not even adventurers. The tasks I’ll involve them in is minimal, but I will surely be doing the heavy lifting … starting with you, Cyec.”

The air grew heavy once more the same time the Demon King returned to the Arch Imp at the blink of an eye. Before the latter could process what was going on, she was pulled back up by the powerful grip on her hair. Her head burned from the pain, but nothing could ever tear her attention away from the Demon King’s cold, lifeless [Devil Eyes] staring into her soul.

“I’ll admit I’m partially to blame for this,” the Demon King said, “I don’t even care that I fell into your Trap Hole. It’s you and the others working under Vask targeting my cherished Jinma that’s putting me on the edge of exploding.”

Jinma?! That Human?! He’s the Demon King’s ‘most cherished one’?! Cyec screamed in her head with many other thoughts bouncing off her inner walls, totally lost on what’s going on, but she knew one thing for sure.

Forget Jinma being a threat. Their fates were put in the Demon King’s hands the moment they targeted him. The Arch Imp’s face blanched as she came to that morbid realization.

“Fuck mercy, fuck forgiveness, fuck the regulations that gives you a right to a trial,” the Demon King continued, “By my powers as the Demon King, I hereby give this temporary decree: anyone under Vask’s support who dare tries to kill the Human, Jinma Kotori, shall be immediately executed by the Demon King’s own power on sight, no questions asked. May the Immortals have mercy on your soul for committing this grave sin, Cyec.”

“W-WAI—!”

Cyec was immediately silenced, becoming the very first victim of the Demon King’s tyrannical, genocidal rampage that would go down in the Demon-Kin’s Territory’s blood-soaked history, little known to many that she wasn’t even the greatest threat that all should fear. Any remnants of the Arch Imp’s body, which basically became like a water balloon that splashed the whole alleyway red, was [Clean]ed off without a single trace left behind. Her home, as well as many others belonging to the ‘resistance’ that opposed the Demon King, were found and completely cleaned out, with all their belongings and property confiscated under the kingdom’s authority until further notice, but that is a story for a later time.

For now, one member of the Duke of Demons’ Disciples, the Black Rank Adventurer, Cyec the Arch Imp Whisper, has been put out of commission. The cause: death by total pulverization with the Demon King’s fists.