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Chapter 190 - Interlude: The Seven Demon Lords, Part Six

And so, the first day of battle came to a close.

But it was not over. The war against the monsters was far from finished.

And there were others watching.

On the side of the Seven Demon Lords.

Atop the highest mountain on the continent—a demonic peak so treacherous that no human was said to have ever reached its summit.

There, seven monsters had gathered.

Bamhal the Dragon King spoke. "What are your thoughts on this battle, my friends?"

To this, Redorza the Sage replied, "To be frank, I find this whole affair to be utterly foolish."

It was a sentiment shared by all present.

While these beings were known to do as they pleased, there was one absolute rule they all followed: Do not destroy a nation.

It was fine to meddle with individual humans. It was a good way to pass the time. But to attack an entire country was forbidden.

Bamhal, in particular, was the mediator. It had been his duty since ancient times to maintain the balance of the world. He sometimes acted out of boredom, but for the most part, he remained neutral. He had established the Seven Demon Lords precisely because he needed opinions from others to maintain that balance.

Lates the Thousand Poisons mused, "But why would he do such a thing? What does he hope to gain by destroying the humans?"

Daios the Sea General answered, "We cannot say he has no plan. He commands an army of that size. He cannot be incompetent."

Rumby the Fateweaver whined, "Then what does he want to dooo? I don’t get it at all."

Sidoor the Sword Demon offered a theory. "Perhaps he intends to rule them? Kill the kings who lead the humans and take control of humanity himself."

Redorza considered this. "As a theory, it is not without merit. If he intended to wipe out humanity, it would be strange to attack only the royal capitals."

Everyone nodded in agreement.

Harynair the Corruptor, who had been silent until now, spoke up. "So? What are we going to do, Dragon King?"

Her question was uncharacteristically serious. Bamhal replied, "Let us observe for a little longer. The humans seem to be fighting back valiantly. And that otherworlder appears to be fighting on the border as well."

Rumby’s eyes lit up. "Ooh! That human, huh? Hey, what if we gave him a little helpful nudge?"

Harynair purred, "Now that sounds interesting. If I gave him a little push with my power, wouldn’t that be fun?"

Lates, seeing Harynair revert to her usual demeanor, added, "It does sound amusing. What do you say, Lord Dragon King?"

Bamhal’s response was firm. "Denied. A year ago, we made contact with a human and lent him our power with the understanding that we would dispose of him afterward. But lending power to an otherworlder is out of the question. Even though he knows of our existence, we must not allow him to feel any goodwill from us. The relationship between monsters and humans must not be changed."

At his words, everyone fell silent.

In this world, monsters and humans were irreconcilable. It was hunt or be hunted.

To break that rule was something the world itself would not permit.

Redorza spoke. "Then what shall we do? Shall we simply watch as the otherworlder defeats the root of this evil? Even if he succeeds, I doubt the other nations will emerge unscathed."

To this, Bamhal replied, "If that time comes, we will deal with it. And if he fails…"

He did not need to finish the sentence. The atmosphere in the room made his meaning clear.