‘Yes, I am the King of Demons. The enemy of every living thing upon this earth, the destroyer of all creation. So I ask you once more, what are you?’
“I…I…!”
The words caught in Berganda’s throat. He closed his eyes and held his breath.
But his hesitation lasted only an instant.
As though tearing his very doubts apart, he rose to his feet and roared.
“I am Berganda, Demon General under the reign of the current Demon King! One who follows Your Majesty’s command with my life!”
‘Then, my Demon General… I command you now. Sing the hymn of battle hidden within your very being.’
“…As you command.”
He drove the head of his axe into the earth and clasped the end of the haft with both hands. After straightening his back and lifting his chin, the bull-headed demon drew in a great breath.
Across his thick neck, crimson curse markings stood out sharply.
‘Sheto! Kill him this instant! Do not allow him to chant!’
The Dragon God shouted, but it was too late.
From Berganda’s throat burst forth a ‘voice’ that shook the very air and echoed across the battlefield.
“————-!!!”
It was a thunderous cry beyond all description, a roar so immense it seemed to scour the atmosphere itself.
And the power contained within it came flooding into Sheto’s soul.
“A… GAAAHHHHHH… AAAAAARRRGHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!”
A surging tide of burning passion welled up inside him.
Overwhelming bloodlust and fighting instinct… He didn’t know where it came from, but it washed over his consciousness, drowning out everything else.
“GAAH… AAAAARGHHH! AAH… UGHHHHAAAAAAARRRGHHHHH!!”
‘Guto! Hold Sheto back!’
Beyond his vision, now stained a deep red, the wolf came charging toward him.
He had to kill Berganda.
His hand moved with practiced ease, drawing the hatchet at his waist. A silver arc flashed toward the white throat…
“What the hell are you doing, you idiot?!”
A blue blur leapt from the wolf’s back and slammed into the side of Sheto’s head with all his might.
“Gh…! Aaaagh?!”
“G-Get… get a hold of yourself, you idiot!”
Thrown to the ground, Sheto found Fi straddling him, desperately pinning him down with all his strength.
“Fi… You…are you…alright?”
“Th-that’s what I should be asking you…gah…ahh…”
Turning his face away, the young dragon began to vomit to the side. Drained of all strength, he then collapsed to the ground.
“W-What…what was I… doing…?”
‘It is the chant of Mad Frenzy.’
But the Dragon God’s reply was swallowed by a chorus of deafening screams.
As though they had absorbed the overwhelming fervor that had just left Sheto’s body, other voices rose in unison.
The monsters waiting behind them began singing of the glories and honors of battle.
“W-What… what is that?”
There was not the slightest trace of sanity left in the eyes of the monsters as they sang. Their bloodshot eyes darted restlessly about, oblivious even to the drool spilling from their own mouths.
‘Now then, my Demon General. Give the order.’
With the curse marks blazing across his body, Berganda fixed the human ranks with a gaze that still retained a glimmer of reason.
‘Command them to tear the humans apart… Devour them all.’
“…Stop.”
‘Raise mountains of mangled flesh, and dye the earth crimson with rivers of blood!’
“Stop it! Berganda!”
For the briefest instant, Berganda’s eyes met Sheto’s. But then, as if casting him aside, he turned his gaze back to the battlefield.
“All forces charge!!”
The very instant that Berggana launched forward with the order to attack…
“STOOOOOOOP!”
With a desperate scream, Sheto’s light pierced straight through the Demon General’s body.