Chapter 1600
1600 The Demon King is Here!
“The traps in the Demon Palace have all been dismantled! No matter how we move now, we won’t be triggering the self-destruction sequence!” General Dresden swore solemnly.
As they were advancing through the palace, they had noticed there were sunken portions to the interior walls where pressure sensors had been hidden. The moment anyone came into contact with them, it would trigger the trap mechanisms there!
Nevertheless, the indicator lights on the pressure detectors have been extinguished, meaning that they were currently disconnected. The reason they had been discovered was because there was a slight malfunction in the recovery process, so the sensors did not fully reset back to their original positions.
“Isn’t this a good thing? With the traps dismantled, we’ll have freedom of movement!” someone asked, confused.
!!
Dresden was pale. “Not at all. One would need quite a high clearance to shut down the traps across the entire palace!
“Headquarters had alerted us that there were two figures rapidly closing in on our position, even making it into the Demon Palace! They have activated the Domain outside and now have shut down all the traps inside! I’m afraid we’re in big trouble. The Demon King, or the Demon King ‘s mount, should be back!”
The atmosphere became tense. The owner of this Demon Palace was the Scarlet Blaze Demon King Stanley! The consequences were simply unimaginable if he was back.
“Oh no! Nikai!” Dongfang He cried out, his face stern.
If the Scarlet Blaze Demon King Stanley was really back in his palace, then the person who was in the gravest danger would no doubt be Nikai. She was all alone and her left leg had been injured.
*Whoosh*
Everyone increased their pace, sprinting for the great hall.
Soon, the entrance to the great hall was in sight. The flustered Dongfang He and Jia Yuntian heaved the double doors open wide, and then immediately took sharp breaths.
They were too late! Standing beside Stanley, watching as everyone rushed into the great hall, Nikai’s face held an anxious expression. Because of her fear of the enemy right next to her, Nikai did not dare move. She seemed to have been bound by an invisible chain, everyone could see the despair in her eyes.
“Let Nikai go!”
Dongfang He sprinted forward recklessly. No one could stop him, unleashing his Armies of the Furious Inferno. Countless burning figures surged forth like a tide, instantly forming an iron-hard phalanx!
*Kaboom!*
With a casual wave of his left hand, Demonic Energy exploded forth and King Stanley sent Dongfang He flying. His Armies of the Furious Inferno was sent flying as well, crashing hard against the wall. The inferno warriors that Dongfang He had created promptly turned into ash, like burning charcoal that had been pulverized by a steam roller. None of them had any means to retaliate.
“You forget that I’m the Scarlet Blaze King!” Stanley smirked.
Dongfang He’s Armies of the Furious Inferno were a mutation between a Fire-type special ability and the Summon special ability. Stanley was the Scarlet Blaze Demon King, also a wielder of Fire-type special abilities. Dongfang He’s encounter with Stanley was similar to a student meeting his teacher; his powerful Ability was completely useless!
General Dresden’s face was somber. He took several steps forward and stared at the seeming-man with a bloodless face, his eyes were devoid of any emotions.
In all fairness, Stanley was very handsome. With a high nose ridge, deep eye sockets, and completely red skin, he looked very energetic. If he was placed beside a human, he would surely be seen as attractive to many out there.
Unfortunately, he was a demon, and whether it was a Demon King or a Demonic Dragon, both possessed the ability to transform their bodies, and often walked the world in humanoid form. Even though he looked suave on the outside, his heart only knew killing and destruction!
“Oh, so it’s you. To think you’d still be alive,” Stanley waved lackadaisically.
General Dresden was an old man who had participated in the last war with the Realm of the Dead. Back then he was just a young major general. Because of his outstanding battle results, he had left some impression on the Demons. Stanley remembered him, but was not at all afraid of him.
After all, no matter how outstanding Dresden was, he was not an existence that could hold up humanity by himself, while the best experts among the humans had long since died during the war.
There was no such thing as fairness in the world. The Demon’s unique ability to come back to life meant that they could bury their demon egg in countless secret locations ahead of time, all so that the moment they died, they would be able to recuperate in the interlayers of space. After many years, they could choose a demon egg and be reborn from it again. So unless humanity managed to find all the eggs used by the thirteen Demon Kings and their mounts and then eliminate them all, there was no way for them to be completely eliminated from this world.
It looked like Stanley had chosen to be reborn on the first level of the Realm of the Dead, in human territory. He must have intentionally made the decision, so why had he taken such a risk?
Furthermore, Stanley was not only just reborn. He had been awakened on the same day the Son of Flame Soul was , but only Flame Soul’s Son had remained in the North Sea, while Stanley and his mount had gone to parts unknown, only returning to the Demon Palace today. Why did they leave? What did they get up to in secret?
Dresden swallowed. These were questions they had no answers for. Perhaps only Stanley himself knew them, and given the current situation they had found themselves in, the answers were unimportant. What was important was how they could save Nikai from the demonic clutches of Stanley, and safely beat a retreat with everyone afterwards.
As for the option of killing Stanley, Dresden knew very well that it did not exist. Before they set off, they had not believed that the Demon King would return. This was a situation that was beyond their calculations, and things had already gone completely out of control. Headquarters was most likely racking their brains, wondering if City King Cotillard would break the prohibition and rush over to lend them a hand.
“Nikai is innocent. Let her go, and you and I can have a fair fight!” General Dresden raised his head and declared loudly.
Stanley let out a soft sigh, “How am I going to say this before you people understand? Though we are Demons, we also have emotions, and not just mindless butchers. The peerless beauty that Lady Nikai possessed made me fall in love at first sight. I could barely yearn to show her care and love, so why would I go and harm her?”
With that said, Stanley took Nikai’s right hand, gently placed it to his lips, and kissed it.
In that moment, that famed butcher of a Demon King actually revealed a rare glimmer of affection in his eyes. But Nikai apparently did not believe Stanley to be one capable of showing love. She trembled slightly, but did not dare pull her wrist away, and had no choice but to allow Stanley his kiss.
“You accursed being has embarrassed my fiancée! I swear I will kill you!” Dongfang He cursed.
He had climbed back to his feet and raised his head. He was clearly a prince of Concealed Demon City, but his eyes burned with ferocity right now. A mass of black energy was emitting from his eyes, making it hard to differentiate just who the legendary gentleman was between the fierce Dongfang He and the handsome Stanley.
“A fiancée means she has yet to marry. I’m willing to accept your challenge. One day, I shall make Lady Nikai willingly marry me. I will not force this decision onto her,” Stanley said with a smile.
“You goddamn monster! Only a ghost would be willing to marry you!” Dongfang He yelled.
Stanley shook his head, “I am no monster, I am a Demon. The biggest difference between the Demons and yourself is just a matter of beliefs. You people believe in those people that live up in the Heavenly Realms, those people above, while we demons believe… in ourselves.
“Similarly we are willing to go to war over our beliefs, so it’s hard to say who are the righteous ones. Young man, you’ve been brainwashed by the Concealed Demon City and your family for far too long. It’s time you learn to open your eyes and look at this world we live in more intently, to think with your brain more clearly. Don’t let others tell you that Demons are evil, and accept what others think at face value.
“Whether humans or demons, at the end of the day, we need to learn how to think for ourselves. Don’t you agree, Lady Nikai?”
This was an absolutely eye-popping conversation. One of the thirteen Demon Kings of the legends had finally appeared before their eyes, yet a handsome and well-bred man was what they saw in front of them. If he was not a Demon, he would be very popular with the ladies, right? It was also possible that given the philosophical speech he was delivering, he would have been viewed as a life mentor to many men as well!
“Humans and Demons could never reconcile with each other. Since you refuse to let Nikai go, then why even bother acting in the first place?!” Dresden shouted.
Stanley revealed a mild sadness to them. “I’m waiting for a friend. His son has unfortunately passed, and we are both inconsolable. But he decided he needed to avenge his son, and while I know that there is no way of alleviating the hurt from who we have lost through hate, I still made the decision to support him, because he’s my best friend.”
Jia Yuntian gasped, “Do you mean Flame Soul?”
Stanley nodded.
Everyone was dumbfounded. Everyone knew that Flame Soul was Stanley’s mount, but the words coming from the mouth of the Demon King himself, referring to his mount as his friend? And he even supported him?
Aside from General Dresden, this was the first time any person present had seen a Demon King. Nevertheless, his existence had completely subverted their views. Stanley was absolutely antithetical to everything they had learned about Demon Kings since they were children.
Sure enough, there was a natural aura of coldness pervading Stanley. But his actions and words demonstrated that he had a good upbringing. It was simply too strange. Could all the thirteen Demon Kings be like this?
Suddenly, tears flowed freely from the corner of Stanley’s eyes. There was an incredulous expression on his face as he stared at the door that had been broken down. The veins on his temples throbbed, and it looked like he was having a hard time controlling himself after he had suddenly been struck by sorrow.
“Why?” Stanley mumbled to himself. “He was just a man ridden with sadness after losing his son. Why did you have to kill him…”
Everyone was confused. Who killed who?
Could it be…
Was Flame Soul dead?
The answer was revealed not long after.
Two figures came sprinting in from outside. They were none other than Xia Fan, who was holding Traveling Buddha by his arm. With a speed that broke ten thousand meters a second, they had dashed over like a hurricane, bringing with them the smell of burnt skin.
*Thump*
A giant black head was tossed on the ground. Its eyes were as wide open as bronze bells, looking like he could not rest in peace. Dragon’s blood was flowing freely from the severed head, staining the floor red.
That was Flame Soul’s head…
Xia Fan and Traveling Buddha had actually managed to slay him!
Prior to seeing these two young men standing before him looking charred all over, General Dresden had practically forgotten about their existence, and that his team this time had the addition of two stragglers. They had been told to stay in the lower level of the Demon Palace to investigate the reason for the reactor starting up.
Yet now, they were completely covered in black soot and giving off a burned smell. Nevertheless, there were wide smiles on their faces, and they were even carrying the head of the Demonic Dragon Flame Soul over!
This was such an incredible achievement!
The atmosphere in the hall was thick and taut.
Battle was imminent!
Xia Fan and Traveling Buddha had consecutively slain Stanley’s mount and his mount’s son, even going so far as to bring Flame Soul’s head over. They were practically throwing it directly at the Scarlet Blaze Demon King Stanley’s face!
There was no way anyone out there could have stood for that…