The thunder drake let out another cry of pain. Tears streamed down its face from the agony.
Gail was beyond furious. Jeta. That monster Roland had planted an implosion device inside Jeta, an animal.
"Go. Fly now."
Roland was terrified inside. As Roland looked about to escape, Ragnar panicked. "Hey, take me with you."
But Roland had one thought only. Survive, and no room for anyone else.
With a rush of wind, Jeta launched into the air. As the distance from Gail grew, Roland let out a breath of relief. Pathetic demons. I didn't come all this way to fall here, and I'm walking away with the energy core.
Weston was puzzled. General Gail's speed should have been more than enough to catch them, but Gail hadn't moved at all. Wynn figured he must have been holding back for a reason.
Gail was not at peace with it either. His teeth were nearly grinding through. Was he really supposed to just let him go? Even with all his strength, he could do nothing but watch the man walk away without a care.
Then a voice appeared in his mind. I trust you. If it's you, don't hold back for my sake.
It was Jeta.
Jeta was still climbing fast with Roland on its back. Something didn't feel right to Roland. The next second, he was flung high into the air. Jeta opened its massive jaws.
Roland screamed in terror. "What are you doing?"
With a crack, Jeta bit down on his waist.
"Are you trying to die?"
Then Jeta spun around and dove straight down. It sent a message to Gail. Your turn.
Gail had already settled into his stance. His brow furrowed hard. Ua raised high above his head.
Roland knew he was finished. "Then don't blame me for this. Self-destruct sequence initiated."
The countdown reached ninety percent almost immediately. Gail's eyes sharpened. Ua was pulled back behind him. When the countdown hit ninety-nine point five percent, a flash of white light cut through the air. The control device on Jeta's body was destroyed.
With a thunderous blast, Jeta landed safely on the ground, dust billowing up in every direction. Wynn and the others watched in silence, none of them understanding what had just happened.
Ragnar started stuttering. "It— it's been disabled again."
When the dust settled, Gail's figure slowly emerged. Roland lay on the ground, coughing up blood. The entire battlefield had gone silent, leaving only the steady sound of Gail's footsteps.
"Let me go. Why? Why are you doing this? Why do you have to finish me off completely?"
"From the moment you betrayed me, you should have known it would end like this."
"Betrayed what?" The word hit Roland like a slap. "What do you mean? Who did I betray?"
Gail's form slowly merged with his original self. "When you see Wen, make sure you get on your knees and answer for what you did."
The shock hit Roland like a wave. "It's you, Gail."
The words had barely left his mouth before a beam of energy passed through his body.
"Staging a coup. Assaulting women. Abusing prisoners. Murdering your own men."
With each charge, a cut was delivered. Roland had been cut into pieces, but it wasn't over. Gail raised Ua high again.
"Stealing my equipment. Tormenting Jeta. No loyalty, no decency, no limits."
Roland was like a clay figure covered in cracks.
"Sentence carried out."
Gail delivered blow after blow until there was nothing left.
The sight confirmed what Ragnar had suspected. It really is him. This demon is our captain, Gail. He never ran. Not once.
Golden light surrounded Gail as the System notification chimed. SS tier human boss defeated. Demon race protection mission complete. History has shifted. Experience gained: two million two hundred thousand. Level increased by four, advancing to A16. Advancement state unlocked.
The scene shifted. A woman with extraordinary legs stood before a glass chamber, and inside it floated a man. It was Gail's original body.
Your weapon, your armor, your dragon. They've all made their way back to you. Now there's only your woman left.
Meanwhile, at a rural villa in human territory. "Urgent report. Word from the front. The 21st Legion, unit 511, has been crushed. General Roland is dead."
The fisherman's name was Hin, a marksman of the Divine Legion, and Roland's father.
"Is there a body?"
"No, we couldn't recover it."
"I see. Then arrange a state funeral with an empty casket. Let the whole world know. My eldest son died with honor on the battlefield. Got one. Quick, help me reel it in."
What he couldn't see was the pair of hands behind him shaking without stop. It was a man covered in scars, looking like someone who had been heavily modified. He was Roland's younger brother, Jet, an SS tier mage.
Brother, I'll wipe out every last demon in the Dusk Realm.
Inside a grand castle. This was the royal palace of the Wind Kingdom. A figure below the throne spoke up.
"The Alliance tournament invitation has been here for three days. Has your majesty decided on your representatives?"
The king let out a long sigh. "This tournament feels like a public humiliation for nations like ours. And yet, as a member of the alliance, we have no choice but to participate. We can barely put together a handful of A tier plus demons, and every one of them is precious to this nation. The tournament is so dangerous. Hardly anyone who goes comes back alive."
The envoy pressed again. "Your majesty, have you decided?"
"Give me two more days. I'll figure it out."
Then the king let out a scream.
"Allow us to make that decision for you."