Dragon King: Throne of Demons and Gods-Chapter 39: Divisions

For the first time, Crest hesitated.

The guild members watching the scene murmured among themselves. Some looked intrigued, others wary.

Crest clenched his fists, but his body wouldn't move forward.

His pride screamed at him to snatch the papers, to stand his ground, but something instinctive told him otherwise.

He swallowed hard.

Bel waited, immobile, but Crest did nothing.

Then, a cheerful voice cut through the tense silence.

"Alright, alright! Let's all take a deep breath, shall we?"

A young girl stepped between them. She was an elf, with bright green eyes and long, wavy blonde hair tied back loosely.

Her expression was warm, her voice playful. She smiled at them both as if the whole situation was nothing but a minor disagreement.

"There's no need to get all fired up over this," she said, hands raised in a calming gesture. "It's just a bunch of quests, right? Nothing worth glaring holes into each other for."

The atmosphere lightened slightly, but no one spoke. She tilted her head and looked at Crest.

"I heard everything, and honestly, I think there's a simple solution. If you want some action, why don't you join my party for a bit? We could use another sword."

A small moment of silence followed. The watching adventurers glanced at each other, curious about what would happen next.

Bel and Crest remained locked in a silent stare.

Crest was the first to move. Without breaking eye contact, he exhaled sharply through his nose and gave a small nod.

"Fine."

The elf girl clapped her hands lightly, breaking the tension.

"Great! That settles it then. Welcome aboard."

Bel, uninterested in further conversation, turned away and walked toward the counter.

And just like that, it was over.

The guild hall slowly returned to its usual atmosphere, but a lingering tension remained in the air.

Some adventurers smirked, while others let out amused whistles. A few even chuckled openly, mockingly glancing at Crest.

"Hah, looks like the newby chickened out," one of them muttered.

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Crest gritted his teeth but kept his composure. His pride stung, but before he could react, the elf girl beside him placed a gentle hand on his shoulder, shaking her head.

"Ignore them," she said with a simple smile. "You made the right decision. They're just too immature to understand."

She gestured toward a nearby table where her party sat.

"Come, join us. You wanted action, right? Let's talk."

Crest hesitated for a moment, then exhaled and followed her lead, pushing down his frustration.

Meanwhile, Bel walked toward the counter, handing over his stack of quests to Riona.

She glanced at them, then at him, raising an eyebrow.

"You really like trouble, don't you?" she said dryly.

Bel didn't even look at her.

"Ignore it."

Riona sighed but didn't press the matter. She began processing his quests, stamping each one for approval. As she did, she stole a few glances at him.

Something about him was different.

His quest report had been brief. Too brief. According to what she had heard, he had received help from other adventurers, but two of them had died.

On a simple goblin's extermination quests?

That kind of thing would normally shake a rookie adventurer.

Bel's expression was different, his movements steady. Had he been traumatized by what happened? Or was it something else entirely?

Either way, it wasn't her concern. Every adventurer had to be prepared for these moments. If he wanted to survive in this world, he had to deal with it.

She finished validating his quests.

"You're set."

Bel took the stamped papers, nodded, and turned to leave without another word.

As he walked past, Crest's eyes followed him, burning with frustration. He clenched his fists, but then a tall, muscular man sitting next to him noticed and let out a short laugh.

"Pointless being resentful now," the man said, stretching his broad arms. "If you had the guts, you should've stood your ground. Simple as that."

Crest turned to him. With his physique and heavy armor, the man looked like a seasoned warrior. He crossed his arms, watching Crest as if sizing him up.

The others at the table chimed in, exchanging their thoughts about what just happened. Some admired Bel's audacity, others shook their heads at Crest's hesitation.

Crest's mind wandered to Elysia's words.

"The adventurer's world isn't like nobility. Here, it's survival of the fittest."

He had to forget his upbringing. Adapt, strength was what mattered here.

A younger adventurer, an energetic boy wearing a cape made of beast fur and a small animal skull as a hat, grinned.

"C'mon, these were just E-rank quests. Nothing to fight over. That guy's just desperate. If you want a real challenge, stick with us."

Crest looked at them, then finally nodded. For the first time since stepping into the guild, he felt like he was part of something bigger.

This was a new start.

On the other side, Bel stepped out of the guild. The air outside was cool, but there, there was also Sienna, Will, and Dusteria.

He walked without a word, focused, as if he had already put everything behind him.

But then...

"Wait!"

Bel paused, turning his head slightly. Sienna had called out to him again.

She hesitated, shuffling her feet before looking up at him.

"Just... have a safe journey." Her voice was softer than before. "And... don't forget to come back and tell us about the good things you see."

Bel stood still for a moment, as if processing her words. Then, his voice cut through the silence.

"Report?" he repeated, his tone oddly intrigued. "Report to who?" He turned fully to face them, his red eyes sharp beneath the hood. "Where should I go back to?"

Sienna blinked, caught off guard. Will shifted uncomfortably, and Dusteria flinched.

Bel tilted his head, genuinely curious.

"I'm not a knight anymore," he stated plainly. "I don't have to return to your house."

Dusteria tensed, gripping her arms as if trying to hold something in. She wanted to argue, but the words wouldn't come out immediately. Then, she clenched her jaw and forced herself to speak.

"That doesn't mean you shouldn't," she muttered. Her voice wavered slightly, but she didn't back down. "My father... the Duke... they want to hear from you. You could just... pass by sometimes. It wouldn't hurt."

Bel watched her. Then, after a brief silence, he gave a small tilt of his head.

"I guess I could do that. One day."

Without another word, he turned and resumed his walk, his cloak swaying with his steps as he disappeared into the crowd.

Sienna let out a breath she didn't know she was holding. Then, after a moment, she glanced at Dusteria and Will.

"You two should apologize to him."

Will frowned, crossing his arms.

"What?"

"It's not good to stay on cold terms with someone," she explained. "Especially not with someone like him."

Dusteria rubbed her arms, looking away.

"Why should I?" she murmured. "It's not like I owe him anything."

Sienna sighed and dragged a hand down her face.

"The worst part is that he probably associates me with you."

With that in mind, they waited for Crest's return. There was nothing else they could do anyway.

On his side, Bel checked his quests once more, confirming his targets. He had taken four extermination missions:

Troll Extermination – Rank E

Dire Wolf Hunt – Rank E

Slay the Wandering orc – Rank E

Eliminate the Corrupted Treant – Rank E

His first stop would be the southern region, where reports of troll rampages had surfaced.

Trolls were creatures large and brutish, with skin as tough as stone. They were known for their immense strength and terrifying regeneration abilities.

They were easy to find times ago during the Demon King's reign, but when he fell, they had vanished.

Now, with demons returning, the trolls had begun resurfacing, wreaking havoc once more.

For Bel, this was an opportunity. If these creatures had truly returned, it meant plenty of experience points were waiting for him.

This time, he chose to travel on foot. He could have rented a horse, but animals never stayed calm around him due to his presence.

It was fine. Running gave him time to test his stamina and speed. With each step, he pushed himself harder, sprinting for long stretches, then slowing to a steady pace.

His endurance had increased, and despite covering so much ground, he felt no exhaustion. The transformation had made his body stronger.

By the second evening, he arrived at his destination, a small village on the edge of a dense forest, where the trolls had reportedly attacked a noble's mansion and settled nearby in the swamps.

At the village center, he met the man in charge, a grizzled, old veteran named Oren. The elder eyed him from head to toe, unimpressed.

"Just one adventurer?" Oren sighed, shaking his head. "Figures. They send some rookie for a cleanup job. You alone think you can handle this?"

Bel remained silent for a moment before answering.

"It's an E-rank mission. If it was serious, someone stronger would've taken it."

Oren scoffed.

"That's exactly the kind of dumb thinking that gets people killed. You think rank matters when you're out there? I've seen plenty of young adventurers waltz in, all proud, thinking they're invincible. You know what happens to them?"

Bel sighed loudly in his mind. He already knew where this was going.

"They end up dead. Torn apart, eaten, or worse. And the worst part? Nobody remembers them. Just another name on the lost adventurers' list. You ready for that?"

Bel let the words slide past him. He wasn't here for a lesson in survival.

"Like I said, if it was serious, someone else would've taken it."

Oren narrowed his eyes.

"Cocky brat. Fine. Do whatever you want. But when things go south, don't expect anyone to come looking for you."

Bel took the mission documents and turned without another word. He had no time for pointless discussions. He was here to test his strength, nothing more.

As he stepped past the first trees, the thick scent of damp wood and moss filled his nostrils.

But beneath it, something else lingered, something sharp, acrid.

Bel's eyes narrowed behind his mask, a grin formed beneath the mask.

Demons.