Chapter 20: Friends and Outcasts
The commotion at the restaurant didn’t last long. After Xu Bai and Ice Lily disappeared, the crowd quickly dispersed, the City Guard not even needing to intervene.
Although the crowd had appeared passionate, eager to slay the demons on the spot, their bravado had stemmed from their numbers and the presence of the City Guard. It was easy to shout along with the masses.
But with the demons gone, their courage vanished, replaced by a fear even greater than before.
No one wanted to be the next terrified restaurant owner.
Or worse, end up like the mangled corpses from that morning.
Soon, only a few City Guards remained at the restaurant, tasked with cleaning up the scene. The distraught owner was taken to the City Guard barracks for questioning about the demons he had witnessed.
Salred walked through the restaurant’s rubble, stopping where Xu Bai and Ice Lily had last been seen, his eyes narrowed, sensing the lingering demonic aura.
He had rushed to the scene upon sensing the demonic energy fluctuations, but he had arrived too late, witnessing only their disappearance.
Now, however, he was almost grateful for his late arrival.
“Destruction Class… no, at least Calamity Class, a commander level demon…” Salred’s expression grew grim. The demon hadn’t bothered to conceal her presence, her aura radiating outwards with blatant disregard.
Such a powerful being wasn’t something he could handle alone. Even the “elders” among the Demon Hunters couldn’t face a Calamity Class demon individually. They needed a coordinated team to stand a chance, and a full-scale assault to kill one.
The only humans capable of facing a demon commander head-on were Ninth-Order Legendary Knights, whose power was equivalent to “early Calamity Class,” barely reaching the upper echelons of Solor’s power scale.
[Shattered Class] [Collapse Class] [Destruction Class] [Calamity Class] [World Ender Class] [Void Class]
These six destruction levels corresponded to the six true power rankings on the continent of Solor.
The Empire’s Knight ranking system, from First to Ninth Order, was merely a simplified version to avoid public panic.
Excluding Ninth-Order Legendary Knights wielding the Imperial Authority, the strongest human warriors, Eighth-Order Grand Knights, were only between Collapse and Destruction Class, struggling to match high-ranking individuals from other races.
Salred’s power was around mid-Destruction Class, surpassing most Eighth-Order Grand Knights, rivaled only by a few exceptionally talented knights.
This was the true disparity between psychic circuits and Demonic Runes.
However, even among demons, Calamity Class commanders were rare. Why would one appear so openly in Vikarn Port, deep within the Empire?
Salred frowned, perplexed.
Regardless, such a dangerous demon’s presence in human territory couldn’t be a good sign.
A nearby City Guard was about to approach Salred, but seeing his attire and the characteristic bandage over his eye, he retreated.
News of the morning’s events had spread quickly within the City Guard, causing quite a stir.
The existence of Demon Hunters wasn’t a secret; their sworn enmity with demons was well known throughout the Empire.
But facing these beings, who maintained a human facade yet were clearly something else entirely, even the Empire’s soldiers kept their distance.
Salred stood in silence for a moment, finding no other demonic traces, then turned to leave.
“Mr. Salred.”
A smooth, refined voice suddenly called out from behind him.
“Who’s there?” Salred instantly tensed, loading a silver bolt into his crossbow and aiming it behind him.
“Relax, Mr. Salred. I’m not an enemy.”
A lighthearted chuckle accompanied the words as the speaker openly displayed his psychic circuits, easing Salred’s apprehension.
“Who are you?” Salred asked, his gaze fixed on the man in the crisp military uniform.
Even a human wasn’t necessarily a friend.
The man didn’t answer, instead pulling a relatively intact chair from the rubble and sitting down gracefully. “Apologies, I don’t enjoy standing while conversing. It gives me the impression we’re about to fight.”
“Don’t worry, I mean no harm. I just want to talk.” Seeing Salred’s continued vigilance, the man shrugged, spreading his hands. “Besides, isn’t my identity rather obvious?”
Salred’s eyes widened. He looked around. The City Guards who had been cleaning the battlefield had retreated, standing at a distance, their expressions a mixture of respect and awe.
In Vikarn Port, to be treated with such deference by the City Guard, and to approach him so silently… there could only be one person…
“General Glaimond. I’ve heard much about you.”
Salred lowered his crossbow, relieved.
If it was General Glaimond, he couldn’t be an enemy.
He was the only general in human history to achieve victory against a large-scale demon invasion, even forcing the Abyssal Demon Realm into a truce!
Legend had it that in the Battle of Saint Noyes, details of which were sealed away in confidential archives, it was this general who single-handedly turned the tide, using the abandoned fortress as bait to lure the demon legions into a trap and annihilating them!
Salred had heard praises of Glaimond countless times in the Demon Hunters’ elder council. His return to Vikarn Port, his former human home, was partly motivated by a desire to meet this legendary general.
“The Demon Hunters have quite a reputation in the Empire as well,” Glaimond said, his eyes narrowed, looking at Salred.
“I doubt it’s a good one.”
“Perhaps… I’ve had dealings with Demon Hunters. Many times,” Glaimond smiled. “On the battlefield against demons, you are valuable warriors.”
“But within the Empire, we are unwelcome outcasts,” Salred added softly.
Glaimond didn’t deny it, his smile fading slightly.
“So, Mr. Salred, what brings you back to Vikarn Port at this time?”
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