In Sigilla, Aayam sent his final report to his superiors, detailing the origin and numbers of the soldiers arriving. Luckily, they were from Albina, not Florian, averting a potential conflict with Nessus.
Realizing the kindness of the demons in this world, Aayam understood the need to connect with them instead of fearing their appearance. As he neared his resting quarters, the atmosphere grew heavy, urging him to remain unnoticed.
Four figures approached, appearing human but emanating a menacing presence. Aayam sensed they were not mere monsters or demons but beings transcending reality.
As the figures passed by him, Aayam's color began to return. He couldn't tell if he held his breath when they were nearby.
"What was that?! I can't imagine anyone capable of dealing with one of those things. I must report this to the kingdom." Aayam glanced back at the Derksen, where the figures had disappeared. He recalled feeling this cold when he arrived in Florida.
The figures entered an empty building for a secret meeting. "This is bad. Those demons caused significant damage before we could proceed with the invasion."
"Agreed. We lost many pawns in the earlier battle, and now our base is under attack. Humans are valuable resources that can be shaped into what we desire, but it takes time to cultivate them."
"We were caught off guard, but it won't happen again. I've dispatched scouts to search for intruders and spies to monitor the demon army."
"Excellent. Our allies are sending reinforcements, arriving tomorrow. Then we can resume our conquest of this country."
"Ha Ha Ha Ha."
"Well then, how is the investigation proceeding on locating the key?"
"Well, we know it was split into nine fragments. Each country in this world holds a Pisces fragment."
"What about Avernus's fragment? Any progress?"
"We're still clueless."
"Tch, after a century, still no luck. Damn it," a finger slammed the table.
"Easy now, we mustn't alert the humans. Our next target is the fragment in Nessus's capital."
"The oldest country in the world."
They discussed their plans and failed to notice they were being watched.
Aayam, hidden nearby, followed the figures and discovered they were orchestrating the war through unsuspecting humans to pursue their agenda.
Aayam retreated to his quarters, documented his findings, and sent a report using a magic item.
The next day, reinforcements arrived in the morning. Aayam sought information about the newcomers and hoped to find any of his former classmates among them.
Approximately 1500 men arrived with war weapons, captured magical beasts, and additional supplies. Excitement buzzed among the soldiers as they welcomed the reinforcements, boosting their morale and readiness to advance.
Amidst the cheers, Aayam noticed a group of six high school students, followed by another similar group. A total of 14 of his former classmates were now in Sigilla. Aayam discreetly moved away to avoid being seen by them.
Under the full moon, the army regrouped and prepared for a night raid on the demons. Aayam, alongside some knights, received a briefing on their upcoming operation to attack five different locations. Three were military bases at the front line, while the other two remained undisclosed. The squad would target one of the bases as per the military officers' instructions.
"Sir, may we expect the heroes to join us?" Aayam inquired the commanding officer.
"Yes, the summer heroes will assist the first company in attacking the primary location on the maps," the officer confirmed. The targeted place belonged to Nessa's top military base, posing a significant challenge. Aayam pondered whether Florian's heroes might underestimate the demons or if his classmates possessed enough power to succeed.
After the meeting, Aayam headed to his room to send a warning message but was suddenly grabbed and knocked unconscious.
Upon regaining consciousness, Aayam was tied to a chair in a room guarded by two knights. Commander Cora, a stern woman in her 30s with brown hair and gray eyes, entered with her squad.
"Hello, Mr. Zeke."
"Commander Cora, why am I tied up in this room?" Aayam's mind raced as he realized the danger of being exposed as a spy.
Cora approached Aayam and delivered a swift punch to his face, leaving him reeling. Aayam turned to face Cora, awaiting her next move.
"Who are you?"
"What do you mean?!" She delivered another punch to Aayam.
"You're not Zeke."
A cold sweat formed on Aayam's brow. "What? I am Zeke." Cora grabbed Aayam's fingers and broke them, causing him to cry out in agony.
After all his fingers were broken, a guard handed Cora some papers found in Aayam's room. She showed them to him. "These papers with demon script were in your possession. Zeke's acquaintances confirmed you're not him."
Realizing his mistake, Aayam confessed, "I'm not Zeke, but I'm not a spy."
"If you're not a spy, why do you have demon-written letters?"
"It's for my research. I'm deciphering their language and have translations in different languages."
Cora examined the papers and found one translated into Japanese, which is not her language. Aayam, noting the misunderstanding, tried to explain.
"I work closely with the heroes and translate for them. Let them verify the truth."
"My apologies then." Cora seemed to relent. Suddenly, she accused Aayam of deceit and struck him hard, breaking his nose. The guard helped him back into a seated position.
"What are you planning, you bastards?" Cora demanded, delivering another blow.
"How did you demons escape our prison?"
"I... I don't know what you mean," Aayam gasped.
Cora brandished a knife, plunging it into Aayam. He screamed in agony as Cora continued to torture him, causing him to bleed profusely. Despite being injured in several places, Aayam remained conscious, drawing on his resilience from past experiences. Just as the torment escalated, someone arrived and intervened, replacing Cora.
The newcomer was Hinata, Aayam's classmate and a fellow captive. He mentioned that General Marcus had sent him to assist Cora. Aayam saw an opportunity to leverage this situation to unite his classmates and cease hostilities against the demons.
"Hinata!"
"Aayam?" Hinata was taken aback to see a former classmate after a year. Cora and the guards expressed disbelief that Aayam knew the heroes, though Cora remained skeptical.
"Commander Cora, do you recognize this person?"
Hinata hesitated briefly, then turned away from Aayam. "What are you doing here, Aayam?" His tone was icy and distant.
"I...," interrupted Aayam, "Sir Hinata, how do you know this demon?"
"Demon? Are you talking about Aayam?" asked Cora.
"Yes, this demon here has been secretly informing the army. We suspect he was involved in the incident two weeks ago," Hinata explained.
"Are you referring to this guy?" Hinata asked.
"Yes, that's him," confirmed Sir Hinata.
"Don't trust them, Hinata. They are just using...," Aayam was cut off as Cora struck him, silencing him.
"Watch your tongue when speaking to him," Cora warned.
"Cora, I want you and the others to step out momentarily. I'd like to see what I can get out of him," Hinata requested.
"Sorry, sir. I can't allow that. It's too dangerous to be around him," Cora replied.
"As if he could do anything. But if you're so worried, how about you break both his arms?" Hinata suggested, causing Aayam's face to turn pale. What had happened to his classmates while he was away?
Cora and the two guards nodded at Hinata's suggestion and carried it out, leaving Hinata and Aayam alone.
"So, who are you?" Hinata asked.
"It's me, Aayam Ajax, your former classmate from our world," Aayam replied.
Hinata's face twisted in a disgusted look. "Nice try, but you're not Aayam. The king of Florian informed us that Aayam is in Union, keeping his distance."
Aayam's eyes widened in disbelief. "That's a lie. They didn't take me to the Union; I was left to die."
"As the king of Florian would never lie to the hero he summoned to save this world, we have no reason to distrust him," Hinata retorted.
"Hinata, listen. I've discovered something. The humans here were brought from other places by a third party. They are plotting to kill the natives of this world to uncover something," Aayam urgently explained.
"Oh, that's a grave matter you've uncovered," Hinata remarked casually, not taking Aayam's words seriously.
"I'm serious, Hinata!" Aayam insisted.
"Yeah, sure you are. Anyway, this is taking too long. I need you to start answering some questions. This is the first time we've encountered a demon who can speak our language," Hinata stated.
Throughout their time in the demon land, they had struggled to communicate due to the language barrier. Aayam's ability to speak their language was a significant advantage. Hinata reached out his hand towards Aayam, which crackled with electricity.
"Aaaaaaaa! Aaaaaaaa! Aaaaaaaa!" Aayam cried out in pain.