Chapter 516: Open Challenge

Duke Darbin suddenly charged forward, but the golden shackles binding his wrists and ankles to the execution structure snapped tight and violently stopped him before he could take more than a few steps. His body strained against them as rage burned across his face, his eyes covered by a piece of cloth while his mouth remained tightly gagged.

Whatever strength he once possessed was meaningless under those shackles. Right now, the mighty Duke of Hell was no different from a mortal prisoner. Beside him, the other four chained demigods struggled as well, their muffled screams mixing together as they desperately tried to make themselves heard, but Damian paid none of them any attention. His gaze instead moved toward the crowd, and the cheers that had filled the city square died almost immediately under the weight of his stare.

His violet eyes slowly travelled across the packed streets before stopping on three hulking figures standing among the civilians. All three wore expensive cloaks with their hoods drawn over their heads, but their physiques and exposed skin made their identities obvious enough.

The two figures beside the fair skinned man possessed distinctly draconic features, one with red skin and the other with blue, and Damian immediately recognized the man standing between them as Astaroth. He said nothing, merely holding the demon’s gaze for several seconds before allowing his attention to rise toward the rooftops surrounding the square. Several figures dressed in Velmora’s military robes stood firmly across the buildings, watching the enormous crowd and searching for anything suspicious. Damian had expected as much. With millions of people packed together, an enemy could be standing only a few meters away without anyone noticing. Satisfied that his own people were positioned where they needed to be, he finally returned his attention to the crowd.

"People of Velmora... It’s with a heavy heart that I must bring these familiar faces before you as criminals.... And I’m sure most of you are wondering, what crime are they being punished for?" Damian paused deliberately, allowing the question to settle over the square. Murmurs immediately spread through the crowd as people exchanged confused glances, while those standing closest to the execution platform leaned forward to hear his answer. Damian’s expression hardened as he looked toward the prisoners. "Lin Qui left this realm in the hands of these people and when he died, these greedy dogs abandoned their posts and began reaching for the riches of Velmora that belongs to every single citizens of this nation. They stole funds meant to equip and feed our military. They stole funds meant to to build institutions to help make life easier for the common man. They turned a blind eye to the encroachment of the order. They let these wicked people poison the hearts and souls of your children, they recalled their soldiers from their post and filled the capital to the brim then sent out your son’s and daughters to die in the war from of the dark continent... And to those who lost their father’s, mothers, sisters, brothers sons and daughters on the night of the rebellion these are the people responsible for their death!"

The reaction was immediate. The murmurs became shouts as anger swept through the square, spreading from one section of the crowd to another until millions of voices were screaming at once. People pointed toward the execution platform, some cursing the prisoners while others shouted the names of relatives they had lost during the rebellion. For many of them, Damian had just connected years of suffering to faces they had once been forced to respect. Duke Darbin, the fake Amon, Lilith, Malakor and Sargathis could only listen in horror as the crowd’s resentment grew more vicious with every passing second. Damian had accomplished something far more damaging than simply sentencing them to death. He had transformed them into public enemies in the eyes of the entire realm. Even if they somehow survived the execution, returning to Velmora would be impossible. The hatred surrounding them had become too deep.

The ministers and officials watching from the observation platform were equally stunned. Several had expected resistance from the people after Damian announced the execution of figures as influential as Duke Darbin and Amon, believing their deaths would create sympathy among the nobility and uncertainty among ordinary demons. Instead, Damian had seized the narrative before anyone else could shape it. Lucy watched him carefully, her eyes narrowing as she understood what had happened. "I will say, his already terrifying power is not his greatest weapon." she murmured, licking her lips as she stared at Damian standing above the raging crowd.

Damian raised one hand, and the entire city square fell silent almost instantly. The sudden silence was so complete that the prisoners’ muffled breathing could be heard from the platform. Damian reached into his robes and pulled out a letter, unfolding it slowly before extending it toward the crowd. The floating water bubbles scattered throughout the capital immediately displayed the contents so everyone could read them clearly. "And to those who still doubt the connection between this men and the order of demons. Explain to me why the order sent me a letter threatening to burn down our beloved city on the very night I declared my intent to execute these criminal?!" The crowd erupted into murmurs again, but this time the anger was accompanied by fear as countless people stared at the displayed threat.

Duke Darbin’s face went pale as he stared at the water bubble displaying the letter. Confusion quickly replaced his anger because he knew nothing about it. He had never ordered such a threat, nor had he been informed of one, but his gag prevented him from explaining himself. He struggled against his restraints again, desperate to communicate that he had nothing to do with it, yet the golden chains barely moved.

Damian’s expression became cold. His body slowly lifted from the execution platform until he was hovering above it, one hand resting behind his back as darkness spread across his eyes. Three violet irises slowly spun into existence within each eye, and an overwhelming presence erupted from his body. The pressure expanded through the city square like a violent wave, sending powerful gusts through the packed streets and forcing countless civilians to shield their faces. Cloaks whipped violently in the wind while dust and loose debris scattered across the ground, yet Damian remained completely still in the center of it all.

" NOW ITS TIME YOU KEEP TRUE TO YOUR THREATS AND COME AT ME ALL AT ONCE... THIS PRINCE WILL END THE REIGN OF TERROR OF YOUR LITTLE CULT HERE AND NOW!" Damian’s voice boomed across the capital like thunder, reaching far beyond the city square and carrying his challenge to every hidden member of the Order of Demons.

For several seconds, nobody spoke. Millions simply stared at Damian in disbelief. The silence came from the sheer absurdity of what they had just witnessed. A Demigod had openly challenged an organization that had existed for thousands of years and possessed enough power to threaten entire realms. Then, somewhere within the crowd, a civilian finally muttered, "He’s crazy." His face twisted from disbelief into excitement, and that single expression seemed to capture the mood of everyone around him.

"RAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!"

The crowd erupted violently, their cheers shaking the city square as people raised their fists and screamed Damian’s name. To them, this was exactly what Velmora needed. They had lived through Princes who relied on deception, political alliances and cautious maneuvering to preserve their authority. Damian was doing the opposite. He was looking directly at the enemy and daring them to come for him. Whether he was powerful enough to survive was almost irrelevant in that moment. The people wanted a ruler who would stand in front of them without fear.

From the battlements overlooking the capital, Yuji watched the scene with a deep frown. He understood the political significance immediately. "With such a threat boldly made by a Demi-god if the order doesn’t show up the influence they have painstakingly gathered over several thosuand years will crumble in one day...." he said, his eyes remaining fixed on Damian.

Kahlid stepped forward beside him, his unsheathed scimitar resting casually across his shoulder as he stared toward the hovering Prince. A confident smile appeared on his face, though a bead of sweat slowly travelled down his forehead. "I guess this war is now inevitable." he said, knowing that Damian had just removed the possibility of a peaceful outcome.