Chapter 438: Trouble Knocking At The Door
He tightened his grip slightly, feeling both elves reflexively try to gather their power to resist. Their auras flared—and then immediately collapsed as Noah’s own aura pressed down on them like a mountain, completely overwhelming their attempts at resistance.
"To think you would act so arrogant with your strength," Noah continued, his voice almost conversational despite the killing intent radiating from every word. "What exactly gave you the courage to walk in here asking about my wife?"
Lola arrived beside him, her expression equally as displeased.
The two elves, dangling helplessly in Noah’s grip, suddenly understood with complete clarity that they had made a catastrophic miscalculation.
The reports said that the succubus was alone, and the human was dead. Yet, here he was, standing directly before their eyes, holding them by the neck.
The western elf tried to maintain composure despite the hand crushing his windpipe. "We are... envoys of... Lord Regent Darian... you will face consequences for—"
"Wrong answer," Noah said simply, crushing the windpipe of one of the elves. The other elf’s eyes went wide with terror as he watched his companion go limp. "Join him."
Noah’s grip tightened on the second elf’s throat without hesitation. Both bodies dropped to the ground as he released them, the market district falling into stunned silence for precisely one second.
Then the chanting began.
"The king! The king defended our queen!"
"Long live King Noah!"
"The human king crushed two grandmasters with his bare hands!"
The demon citizens who had been watching with terrified fascination erupted into celebration, their voices building into a roar that echoed through the surrounding streets. Word spread outward through the market district like fire through dry grass, and more demons began appearing to join the celebration.
Noah glanced back at Lola who had landed beside him. "It’s time to end this, don’t you think?"
Lola’s expression carried absolute agreement. Darian had been searching across multiple kingdoms, conquering human territories, and disrupting the peace that Noah had spent months carefully building in Esta and beyond. This ended now.
"Yes," she said simply.
Noah rose back into the air with Lola at his side, his voice amplified by wind magic to carry across the surrounding district. "We will be heading to the elven kingdom to restore peace to this region. I need every master rank fighter to assemble here immediately!"
The response was immediate. Within a single minute, ten master rank demon fighters had gathered beneath him, their combined auras creating substantial pressure that rippled outward. They ranged from freshly achieved masters to seasoned veterans.
Noah descended and faced the assembled warriors, reaching into his storage ring. "Five of you will remain here to protect the peace and prosperity of this kingdom."
He began distributing items—beef jerky, energy drinks, protein bars, instant coffee, and most valuably, luxury smoothies. Each item landed in waiting hands, and as the demons consumed them and felt the immediate transformative effects, their expressions shifted from respectful to genuinely awed.
The luxury smoothies in particular caused visible reactions—auras flaring dramatically as temporary grandmaster-level power coursed through their systems, alongside the permanent attribute increases that would remain long after the temporary boost faded.
"My king... this is..." one veteran master sputtered, feeling his power temporarily elevate to heights he’d never imagined. "How can we ever repay this?"
"Protect this kingdom," Noah said firmly. "That’s repayment enough."
The five designated defenders nodded with absolute conviction, their loyalty cemented by both the items and genuine respect for someone who demonstrated such generosity without hesitation.
Noah turned to the remaining five, distributing identical items to each one. Their reactions mirrored the first group—shock, gratitude, and determination burning in their eyes as they felt their capabilities surge. "You five come with us."
"Without hesitation, my king!" they responded as one.
Lola stepped forward, addressing her people gathered in the surrounding streets. Her voice carried the authority of a queen who had earned her throne through blood and righteousness. "Citizens of Lilin! I am your queen, restored to the throne that was stolen through treachery. Today I leave briefly to eliminate the threat that has been spreading across our region—the dark elf tyrant who thinks he can conquer without consequence."
She let her gaze sweep across the crowd. "When I return, this kingdom will be free from external threats forever. Prepare for a new era of Lilin—one built on strength, fair rule, and prosperity!"
The crowd’s roar was deafening.
Noah and Lola rose into the sky together, their five demon master-rank escorts falling into formation behind them. The direction they flew was clear—toward Esta first, to reunite with the companions who had trained, bled, and grown alongside Noah throughout this entire journey.
They needed Kipp with his masterful elemental control. Alissa with her terrifying sword technique. Valeria with her sword knowledge. Elara with her refined magic.
The coalition Noah had spent long carefully building through generosity, loyalty, and friendship was about to converge for its ultimate purpose.
Darian’s conquered territories, his assembled grandmaster forces, his orc allies, his stolen light elf resources—none of it would matter against what was coming.
The elven kingdom’s era of conquest was ending today.
They arrived at Esta in the late afternoon. The city had changed dramatically since Noah first arrived—prosperity was visible everywhere, and the guards who spotted their approaching group immediately signaled for royal welcome rather than defensive alert.
Word reached the palace before they even landed. By the time Noah and Lola touched down in the main courtyard, Kipp was already sprinting toward them with enthusiasm.
"Noah! You’re back!" Kipp’s tail wagged furiously as he crashed into Noah with a hug that would have broken bones months ago but now felt like a normal hug. "And Lola! You took back your kingdom?!"
"Every inch of it," Lola confirmed with a satisfied smile.
Alissa arrived seconds later, warmth radiating from her expression as she greeted them both. Valeria and Elara weren’t far behind, the four companions assembling.
Noah studied each of them. They had all grown tremendously—their auras carrying the refined density of true grandmaster practitioners, their bearing showing the confidence that came from knowing exactly what they were capable of.
"We need to move on the dark elf territory," Noah said without preamble. "Darian has been conquering human kingdoms searching for Lola and the shop. It ends now before he reaches Esta or causes more irreversible damage."
Nobody questioned him.
Elara immediately turned toward the palace. "I’ll speak with Father."
