With the remains of his knight armor, Michael stood at the entrance to the demon portal.
The golden plate of his dressing clung to his body tightly—filling him with the sense of duty he had now lost.
His fingers wrapped around his new blade. It was nothing fancy, a simple sword bought off the market—nothing compared to his Divine Arbitrate.
A Divine Arbitrate was a holy weapon granted by the king to each member of the Knights of the White Cloud—as well as other powerful knight orders.
They had the ability to absorb excess mana and store it for future use. It was due to this ability that Michael could slay the Demon King—without it… he would be dead.
Michael's expression stiffened slightly. For a second, the image of the demon prince resounded in his mind once more.
He had survived his first encounter due to luck. If he met him again…
No amount of luck would save him.
His breathing began to rise unnaturally, fear creeping in. But he refused to waver—he would see this through to the end.
His gaze locked onto the demon realm portal, its red tint staring back at him with a sense of urgency.
Air filled his lungs as he steadied himself. His fear didn't fracture—but was merely pushed to the side. A new mission resurfaced in his head.
If the blood of a powerful demon mixed with his—the result would be catastrophic. Maybe, just maybe, a being capable of defeating the demon prince would be created.
With that thought in mind, his journey began. His foot moved forward as he passed through the portal. Michael's figure disappeared completely into the night.
The cold, freezing landscape was a sight for sore eyes. The entire area was a freezing tundra—covered by ice as far as the eye could see.
Tingling sensations coursed through Michael's body. His fingers began to tremble under the extreme temperature—signs of frostbite already developing.
Mere seconds after entering, his situation had begun to worsen. If he didn't get what he needed soon…
He may die here.
The air escaping his lips held a light blue tint—every exhale came out in pale clouds. Even his shallow breaths couldn't escape the intense cold.
"The portal must've taken me here."
A thoughtful mutter barely left Michael's mouth.
"The only problem is… where is here?"
In the next instant, an echoing scream befell the land. The ice beneath Michael's feet cracked under its weight—a predator appearing in sight.
A pure white polar bear appeared in his vision, the sweat glistening off its body—even despite the cold. The insistent growling from its mouth showed its readiness for battle.
It easily towered over Michael. Reaching a height of over eight feet tall, its presence was a sign of tremendous danger.
The horns on the bear's head vibrated wildly—a sign Michael knew all too well. A call that ice bears usually used for reinforcements.
Within seconds, an entire pack had surrounded Michael. Their stomachs had shrunken in size beyond normal—a sign of intense starvation.
Saliva gathered at the edge of their mouths; the sight of prey filled them with joy. Too long had it been since they had enjoyed actual food.
Loud rumbling left their empty stomachs as they prepared to feast.
But Michael Reynolds was no ordinary prey.
"Fall."
The words were calm and controlled. But they held a dangerous tone… a cold tone.
The ice beneath the bears shattered immediately. Their expressions quickly shifted to fear as they fell to their deaths.
All but a tiny piece of ice lay untouched. Michael's foot rested on that tiny piece as he weaved the ice masterfully—allowing it to levitate.
Michael Reynolds was a mage of the ice affinity. And when compared to others around the world—very few could best him.
But despite this, his deteriorating Will wouldn't allow him to withstand the immense cold.
Michael floated in the air, held up by the ice. His fingers turned sideways as the ice began to move—allowing him to fly away.
But before he could, a sound piqued his ears. The polar bears which he had sentenced to death hovered above the surface of the broken floor.
A yawn escaped the mouth of one as they stared at Michael's floating form.
The hairs on Michael's neck stood at attention instantly, his brain lighting up at the tremendous mana he sensed.
A presence appeared in the midst of the debacle. Her footsteps through the ice carried tremendous weight—their sound echoing through the landscape.
The woman's hair was colored a beautiful red tint, which shined within the bleak white area.
Before Michael could utter a word, the woman spoke—her lips moving in a composed and regal fashion.
"My name is Regina, the demon princess of this land. Who may you be, human?"
"Michael Reynolds, a traveler seeking refuge." He lied instantly. The appearance of the demon princess was unprecedented—the entire royal family were usually in their castle year-round.
If Michael wished to survive, he needed to avoid her at all costs.
Regina's head tilted to the side slightly—a mocking glint in her eyes. Her hand swiped to the left casually, and the bears Michael tried to execute floated seamlessly to the cold, icy floor.
"Michael Reynolds." The words Regina uttered were a breathless repeat—seemingly savoring them on her tongue. "Are you really a traveler… or did you simply come here to die—to become something that can no longer live?"
Michael's grip tightened on the hilt of his sword. The sensation of fear creeping through his veins became petrifying—despite Regina's petite form, her aura was exactly like the prince.
Michael's breath began to quicken as his heart raced. His fingers started to shake even under the weight of his blade. But he would not falter.
"Tell me, human. Does my brother know that you are back here for a second round?" Her words held a playful tone. Even when faced with the legendary knight, fear had no place in her heart.
But at the current moment, Michael couldn't let himself be swayed by fear either. His response was swift and decisive.
"No. He doesn't."
With that, the knight lunged forward at his maximum speed—his run fueled not only by an intent to win but by the growing desperation to save the world from the growing threat.
But before he could even take a step, he was stopped in his tracks—his body frozen in place like a statue.
"Tell me something," the princess began.
"Do you intend… to kill my brother?"
"I intend to cause his end, but I shall not be the one to land the final blow." Even in his still position, Michael's determination remained unchanged.
He knew better than anyone the power the prince held at his fingertips.
"You do realize it's impossible." The calmness and composure of the princess never wavered, her voice tinged with absolute confidence and faith in her brother.
Regina's control began to slip from her fingers—intentionally releasing the knight from his uncomfortable position and allowing him to move freely.
"I do." In the heat of the moment, Michael accepted that what he planned to do may indeed be impossible. But even then, he continued to speak.
"And I intend to do the impossible."
For a moment, silence reigned. Nothing but the sound of his own heartbeat could be heard by Michael. And suddenly, the unexpected happened.
The hands of the princess began stretching outwards—the same way a slave or prisoner would.
"Well then, take me. I wish to see what kind of change you will bring to this world." A flicker of intrigue flashed in her eyes. The demon realm was a rather boring and dull place—besides, she had no doubt that her brother could care less about her.
An instinctual and fearful gulp flowed down Michael's throat. His aim had been to acquire a demon, and here in front of him was the demon princess—not only that—she was willingly giving herself up.
"What I plan to do may cause the extinction of the demon clan. Are you really okay with that?" The once legendary knight's words were filled with doubt and uncertainty. As of now, he was no longer a hero looking to make a change—but a man questioning the beliefs of another.
For a moment—ever so brief as it was—the princess seemed to be lost in thought. Her chin raised upwards, gaze fixated on the skies above.
Although blood-red in color, they held a calming allure to her—soothing her spirits and solidifying her position.
Her expression softened ever so slightly.
"The demon clan is not what it used to be. If possible, I would like to save it. But if it doesn't look like it is possible…" Her words held complete truth, no sense of malice or hatred to be found. The belief that the demon clan was a family too far gone was thought by many.
As far as Regina was concerned, a clan which could care less for their own flesh and blood, attack and kill without meaning, destroy homes, and create orphans—didn't need to exist in this world.
'Battle, gore, death, and suffering. Why does it exist? Why can't we all just have peace?' she thought solemnly, her lips beginning to curve downward—a deep frown forming in their wake.
Upon hearing the princess' words, Michael chose to trust her. And off back to the human realm they went.
CHAPTER END