After Goddess disappeared, the battlefield fell silent, filled only with the heavy breaths of Elyssia, Seo, Han, and Rin. The dust slowly settled, and they all stood in silence, processing what had just happened.
Seo broke the stillness, his voice weak but full of emotion. "So... all of this... was because of the Demon King? He manipulated us into fighting each other?"
Elyssia, still tense, nodded slowly. "It seems so. Everything Linggis did, all these deaths... might really be the result of the Demon King's cunning plan." She looked at the lifeless body of the naive man lying on the ground. "Maybe he really wasn't guilty... But this is still unforgivable."
Rin, who had managed to stand again despite looking exhausted, gazed up at the sky. "The Demon King always finds a way to destroy us from within. He is not only powerful physically but also a master of schemes and deception. We were too busy fighting each other that we forgot who the real enemy was."
Han, who had remained silent until now, clenched his fists. "Then this is our fault too. We let ourselves be consumed by hatred and prejudice. Linggis might have only been defending himself, but we forced him to become an enemy."
Elyssia looked at Han. "That doesn't erase what happened. But I agree, we need to refocus. The Demon King is the greater threat. We have to stand together, no matter how difficult it is."
However, before their discussion could continue, a loud, booming laughter suddenly echoed in the air. The sound was filled with mockery and malice, making their skin crawl.
"Ha-ha-ha-ha-ha! How pathetic you all are! Blaming the Demon King for your own failures. What an amusing sight!"
They all immediately turned, ready to face the source of the voice. From the shadows, a towering figure emerged, clad in black armor adorned with spikes and demonic carvings. His eyes glowed blood-red, and his grin was full of contempt. He was one of the Demon Generals, the right hand of the Demon King.
"Demon General..." Rin whispered, his face tense. "Why are you here?"
The Demon General laughed again, his voice echoing as if coming from all directions. "Of course, I'm here! I couldn't miss such a delightful moment. Watching the so-called heroes of the world tear each other apart like starving dogs... This is more entertaining than I imagined!"
Elyssia stepped forward, her eyes burning with hatred. "So you're the one who orchestrated all of this. You set up this scheme to make us fight each other, didn't you?"
The Demon General grinned wider. "Oh, I can't take all the credit. This was my master's grand plan, the Demon King himself. I merely carried out his orders. And I must admit, the results are perfect." He gestured toward the bodies scattered across the battlefield. "Look at you. Weak, divided, and drowning in guilt. This is far better than if I had killed you myself."
Han growled, raising his sword. "You talk too much, demon! If you think we'll just stand here and listen to your nonsense, you're dead wrong!"
But the Demon General merely raised his hand, summoning a swirling black energy orb. "Oh, I didn't come here to fight. I just wanted to make sure you knew who's really in control of this game. And trust me, this is only the beginning."
Behind a large pile of rocks, Linggis listened to everything. Though his body was still trapped beneath the debris, his eyes narrowed, his expression turning cold. "So this is their game..." he thought. His hand slowly moved, trying to free himself from the stones pinning him down.
Meanwhile, Elyssia and the others continued to glare at the Demon General with deep hatred. Elyssia clenched her fists, her voice filled with anger. "Tell your Demon King this: it won't work. We know his scheme now. And we will stop him."
The Demon General smirked. "Ah, humans are always so full of hope. That's what makes you so easy to manipulate. But very well, I shall deliver your message. Enjoy what little time you have left, because you won't see a happy ending."
With one last sinister laugh, his body turned into black mist, his form still faintly visible as he began to disappear.
Elyssia watched calmly, knowing the Demon General was about to leave. She turned to Seo, Han, and Rin. "We need to prepare. If this is just the beginning, then worse things are coming."
Han nodded. "And this time, we won't fall into their trap again."
In the distance, the pile of rubble began to shift slowly. Though they had yet to notice, Linggis was preparing his next move. What he had just heard had changed his perspective, and he was determined to stop the Demon General from leaving.