Sky fortresses hit the ground one after the other in a thundering cascade of rumbles and crashes. Castle demons on Zeridheavens and the four Camlahi ships watching the skirmish from afar spoke through Leaks.
“Fourteen Etens, beyond repair... Fully lost.”
“I can’t believe it. The renowned Balandias Fleet, destroyed by a single man?”
“What is he? He must have surpassed the level of a ruler from the shallows long ago.”
“The power to swing two Etens around freely... Most rulers wouldn’t stand a chance against him!”
“The Demon King of Tyranny, Anos Voldigoad...”
“Is it really a coincidence that he’s called a Demon King too?”
“If I recall correctly, there was a Demon King who went missing... Is it possible...”
An innumerable number of Magic Eyes tried to stare into my abyss. Kaltinas’s angry voice immediately shouted over them. “You fools! Smother your cowardice at once! Don’t you dare feel an ounce of awe for him. Getting swept up by the enemy only makes him appear stronger than he actually is! Use your minds and think: A misfit from an ephemeral world, as strong as a Demon King? Why would one of the Inviolable Waters dominating the depths need to play a misfit in the ephemeral shallows?! Engage your common sense!”
“Common sense?” the castle lord of Camlahi Two objected angrily. “With all due respect, Immovable King, what use is common sense here? We just witnessed what we thought was impossible! His magic power is nothing like that of any of the rulers from the shallows we have previously faced! What kind of common sense would explain how one demon took down fourteen Eten ships?!”
“It doesn’t matter if he’s a Demon King or not,” the castle lord of Camlahi Three said. “What we’re saying is that there may be some credibility to his name. At the very least, he has the strength to back it up.”
“It may not be a coincidence that Hyphoria’s Sword of Three Races is in their hands either. We may have had the wrong idea about them,” Camlahi Four’s castle lord added. “We underestimated him as a misfit of the shallows, but a misfit ruler of a miniature world is unprecedented. What if it wasn’t that the chief god of Militia’s World was weak, but that the misfit was too strong?”
“Their miniature world developed in an unprecedented way. We should assume they’re at least on the same level as Balandias, or the tables may turn on us,” Camlahi Three’s lord said in agreement.
“This is utter nonsense!” Kaltinas raged. “He’s just an idiot! He didn’t even know what the term ‘Demon King’ meant! And now all of you are suggesting the ruler of an ephemeral world is on the same level as us?! You dare look down on us as a castle lord of Balandias?!”
“Wh-What? That’s not what I’m saying at all!” the castle lord of Camlahi Three sputtered.
“Who do you think we are? That’s right, the Immovable King Kaltinas. The man who will conquer the Sacred Silverwater Seas someday! We are not some coward who will falter because an ephemeral world ruler is a little stronger than expected! Remember that!” Kaltinas spat, scolding his subordinates. “Now go! Ships two, three, and four! Show them the strength of the Sky Fortress Camlahi, the fine castles equal in quality to Zeridheavens!”
But despite the Immovable King’s commands, none of the four Sky Fortress Camlahi moved. Instead, they observed me warily.
“What’s wrong? Go already! His arrogance in bringing down a few Eten is blinding him. Show him who has the real power!”
Kaltinas repeated his commands, but the Camlahi remained still.
“Immovable King. The enemy is not just a mere ruler of an ephemeral world. After losing this many castles, you should already understand he is not the kind of opponent who will be cowed by brute force. We’ve misjudged his strength. You need to admit this truth,” Camlahi Two’s castle lord advised Kaltinas firmly.
“Hah. So you’ve chickened out, is that it? To think the castle lord of Camlahi Two could be such a coward!” Kaltinas said with an exaggerated sigh.
“What?! How can you still say that at this time...”
The castle lord’s reply was taut with despair. Yet Kaltinas failed to realize it himself.
“Our Balandias Fleet will never lose!” the castle lord of Camlahi Two exclaimed. “But that is only as long as the Sky Fortress Zeridheavens stands! If you had been taking proper command from the start, we wouldn’t have lost seventeen Etens!”
“You...” the Immovable King’s voice shook with fury. “You dare speak to us, your ruler, in that tone?! Enough. You cowardly castle lords are the shame of Balandias. Alight from your castles immediately!”
“Then we will do the same!” the castle lord of Camlahi Three said.
“What?”
“No more. We’re fed up with your selfishness, Lord Kaltinas. We’ve held our silence until now for the sake of Balandias, and have remained castle lords to protect our ruler. But all we’ve gained for our loyalty is an ill reputation for our world. We did not become castle lords to commit foul play against shallow-level worlds who know nothing of the Silverwater Seas!”
“You still dare to spout such delusional ideals?! Who do you think brought Balandias to the twenty-first deep-level?! It was we, the Immovable King, who performed such a feat!” Kaltinas snapped.
“But we haven’t taken a single step forwards since,” said the castle lord of Camlahi Four. “We cannot go any further with your dirty ways exploiting the weak. No world will allow Balandias to rise to Holy Six in such a manner!”
“Do you know what they say about Tigrisfort Academy? They call us paper-mache tigers! A world that cheated its way to the depths by preying on the weak! We are all masters of our own castles in Balandias. We cannot stand this humiliation!” exclaimed the castle lord of Camlahi Three.