Dark Elf Village – Outskirts of the Northern Domain
The marketplace, once bustling with life, now lay half-ruined. Wooden stalls were shattered, and unsold goods rotted where they had fallen.
When Blade stepped into the village, the Dark Elves stared at him with open suspicion—crimson eyes dulled by exhaustion and despair.
An elderly man, seemingly the village chief, approached while leaning on his staff.
"You're not a demon… So what business does a human have coming here?"
Blade slowly surveyed the devastation.
"I think I've seen enough to understand the truth. The suffering of the elves clearly stems from the rule of the Northern Demon Lord."
A young elf clenched his fists.
"We used to trade with Silverwood. But now humans don't even dare approach this place. The Northern Demon Lord's armies took everything."
Blade's gaze hardened.
"Then I'll go meet him myself."
---
The Northern Demon Lord's Fortress
Blade stepped through the massive black gates, his blood humming with the song of battle. Dozens of demon guards had already been slaughtered the moment he entered.
From the throne, the towering Northern Demon Lord rose, his skin like ice and stone, laughing coldly.
"A human dares walk into my domain? What a foolish little insect!"
He summoned an icy spear. Blade responded with a wall of flames and advanced without hesitation.
"Your reign ends here."
The Demon Lord swung his massive axe, but Blade slipped past it. His blade ignited with black flames.
"Hellfire Demise!"
A single burst of fire.
The Demon Lord's body shattered, crumbling into ash.
The fortress trembled. Blade sheathed his sword and muttered,
"Another throne left empty."
---
Dark Elf Village – Rebirth
As word of the Northern Demon Lord's fall spread, caravans from Silverwood cautiously entered the village. For the first time in years, humans and elves traded goods side by side.
A small child tugged at Blade's cloak.
"Big brother… are you the one who freed us?"
Blade gave a faint smile but said nothing, turning away and leaving the village behind.
---
Lunargent – Capital of Silverwood
Queen Bellatrix raised an eyebrow as she received the report.
"The Northern Demon Lord… eliminated?"
A court official spoke carefully.
"Your Majesty, all signs point to the adventurer Blade."
She shook her head.
"No. He does not kill the innocent. The death of the Watcher Hero at Port Marina must be something else. Someone is trying to frame him."
Mistral, the Watcher Hero, closed his eyes.
Suspicion had begun to take root.
---
Mistral City – Silverwood Kingdom
As Blade walked through the crowded streets, the Watcher Hero leapt down from a rooftop, blade drawn.
"Blade Lunaria! Today, you die!"
Blade drew his sword and prepared himself—but before the clash could begin, royal guards swarmed in.
"Stand down!" their commander shouted.
The Watcher Hero's eyes burned with rage. His target suddenly shifted—not Blade, but Queen Bellatrix's carriage.
"Die, Queen!"
Before the spell could land, a radiant barrier flared to life around her. The magic shattered harmlessly.
Bellatrix exhaled, staring at her untouched gown.
A barrier…? But who cast it?
From the shadows, Blade lowered his hand.
"Not today," he whispered.
The Watcher Hero cursed as he was restrained and dragged away.
---
Secret Meeting – Within Mistral
In a heavily guarded hidden chamber, Bellatrix met Blade in silence.
"You saved my life," she said softly, studying him closely.
"I'll be direct, Blade. We need your help. Demons have infiltrated our palace—our cities. I can't even trust my own Watchers. Will you help me?"
Blade shook his head.
"I'm just an adventurer who walks his own path. I don't serve politics, Your Majesty."
She bit her lip, then nodded.
"…Then at least allow me to thank you. Remember this—your path is yours to choose freely."
---
Demon Empire – Throne of Shadows
The Great Demon Lord slammed his fist onto the obsidian table.
"The Northern Demon Lord… dead?"
His generals exchanged uneasy glances.
"My Lord, the rebellion is growing bolder. One of us has fallen. If this continues—"
"Silence!" the Great Demon Lord roared.
Yet inside, his thoughts trembled.
First Shujin. Then the rebels. Now these assassinations… Who dares challenge me within my own empire?
His eyes narrowed.
"…Find this Blade Lunaria."
---
✨ End of Chapter 15 ✨
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