Loki stood at the very top of Guy's frozen castle.
The absolute peak, where the ice spires narrowed into a razor-like point, and the wind howled so violently that even most monsters would be blown off like dust.
The sky above was an endless sheet of pale gray.
The clouds rolled like a restless ocean.
And standing there, alone, with his hands in his pockets, Loki looked like a crimson flame defying the cold.
The wind swayed his maroon hair, making it dance wildly behind him.
His red eyes narrowed.
Then, without moving an inch, Loki activated Thought Communication.
A moment of silence passed.
And then
A voice responded on the other line. It was panicked, tense and tinged with a bit of fear.
"L-Loki-sama… it's very rare for you to contact me."
Razen hesitated, then added cautiously—
"Or should I say… you don't contact me at all."
Loki's expression didn't change.
But his voice carried irritation.
"Razen."
The name alone sounded like a threat.
"Why didn't you notify me of the meeting of all the nations in the Western Nations?"
There was a brief pause.
Then Razen answered carefully.
"…You know about that, Loki-sama?"
Loki's eyes narrowed further.
"Yes," Loki replied, voice sharper now. "I had to find out from Guy of all people."
A faint chill entered his tone.
"Are you not my subordinate?"
Razen instantly stiffened on the other side.
"Loki-sama," Razen said quickly, "the last time we spoke… you specifically stated that I must not contact you under any circumstance."
His voice became even more cautious.
"And if I did… you would kill me."
Loki froze.
His lips parted slightly.
He choked on the words he was about to say.
'…Ah.'
His mind replayed his own cold voice from yesterday.
'Don't contact me under any circumstance. If you do, I'll kill you.'
Loki's eyelid twitched.
"…Indeed," Loki admitted slowly. "I did say that."
Razen exhaled softly, like a man who had been holding his breath for a day straight.
"You see…"
Loki clicked his tongue.
"Never mind that," he said dismissively. "Tell me everything you know about this meeting."
His gaze sharpened.
"And which kingdoms are attending."
Razen's voice turned serious.
"Yes, Loki-sama."
He paused.
Then spoke with a quiet heaviness.
"Well… the main point of the conference is you, Loki-sama."
Loki's smile faintly tugged at the corner of his lips.
Razen continued.
"Falmuth wants to propose a joint military operation to hunt you down. They believe it is dangerous to leave a Primordial at large."
A moment of silence followed.
Then Razen added.
"And It seems King Edmaris also wants to get the church involved as well."
Loki's shoulders trembled slightly.
Then he chuckled.
A low, amused sound.
A hint of excitement slipped into his voice, as if he had just been told the world was preparing a festival in his honor.
"Incredible…"
His grin widened.
"Absolutely incredible."
He looked out at the endless frozenp northern wasteland, his eyes glinting with cruel amusement.
"Whether in fiction or in reality… King Edmaris and Falmuth are idiots."
Razen's voice wavered.
"Loki-sama… what are you talking about?"
Loki's grin remained.
"Never mind," Loki said casually. "Continue."
Razen hesitated, then answered.
"Yes, Loki-sama."
"As for the kingdoms attending… it is basically all the nations within the Western Nations."
His tone became more formal, like a man reading off a report.
"Which include:
• General Kingdom of Doran
• Kingdom of Blumund
• Kingdom of Coleus
• Kingdom of Falmuth
• Kingdom of Englassia
• Kingdom of Malukshure
• Kingdom of Rostia
• Kingdom of Siltrosso
• Republic of Zamund
…Just to name a few."
Then Loki spoke aloud.
"I see."
The wind howled around him.
Ice flakes danced through the air like white ash.
Loki's smile sharpened again.
"Say, Razen…"
His voice became oddly casual, almost playful.
"Which country would you say is of non-importance in the Western Nations?"
Razen paused.
"…What do you mean, Loki-sama?"
Loki leaned slightly forward, staring down at the world below as if it were a chessboard.
"I mean," Loki said slowly, "if let's say they didn't attend the conference…"
His eyes gleamed.
"Or they sent a delegation that's not the usual one…"
He chuckled.
"The council wouldn't really care."
There was silence.
Razen thought for a moment.
Then he answered.
"I guess… the Kingdom of Coleus."
Razen continued.
"It is located far west, on the border of the Western Nations and the Barren Lands."
His voice steadied.
"They have an overreliance on monster hunting to fund the economy, so they don't bring as much to the Western Nations."
Loki nodded slightly.
"I see…"
His grin grew wider, satisfied.
"That's perfect."
Razen's voice instantly sharpened with alarm.
"Loki-sama… what are you planning to do?"
Loki's eyes gleamed like a demon who had just been handed the perfect toy.
"Don't mind me."
He spoke so lightly it was almost cruel.
"Razen, continue monitoring the situation," Loki said. "And let me know of any changes."
Razen didn't argue.
"…Yes, Loki-sama."
And with that. The Thought Communication was cut off.
Silence returned.
Only the screaming wind remained.
Loki stood alone at the top of the frozen castle, looking down at the distant world as if he were watching a stage being prepared for his entrance.
His maroon hair fluttered wildly.
His eyes gleamed with anticipation.
A slow smile spread across his face.
And in his mind, only one thought echoed
'I'm going to have so much fun with this.'
But just then
Something cold and soft wrapped around his neck.
Loki's body stiffened instantly.
He twisted his head
And there she was.
Velzard.
Her arms were wrapped around him from behind, her cheek resting lazily against his shoulder like she belonged there.
She smiled warmly, as if this was the most natural thing in the world.
"Loki," she purred. "What are you planning to do?"
Loki's pupils contracted.
His eyes sharpened.
'What the—?'
'I didn't sense her at all.'
That wasn't just impressive.
That was terrifying.
Loki's voice came out cold.
"Velzard…"
His gaze narrowed as he turned his head slightly more.
"You really shouldn't sneak up on people like that."
Velzard's smile only widened.
Loki continued, his voice low and dangerous.
"Next time, I'll blow a hole through your chest."
Velzard chuckled softly, completely unbothered.
"Oh my… how rough."
She tightened her hold slightly, as if amused by the threat rather than offended.
Then she leaned in closer, whispering as though sharing a secret.
"So…"
Her eyes gleamed.
"What is it you're going to do with Coleus and the Western Nations conference?"
She smiled as she continued.
"I just know it's going to be something fun."
Loki exhaled, the sound sharp.
"Don't worry yourself about it."
Velzard's eyebrows lifted.
Loki continued, his tone flat.
"Besides… if I told you, you'd just run and tell Guy."
Velzard blinked slowly.
Then she tilted her head innocently.
"Would you believe me if I said I wouldn't?"
Loki didn't even hesitate.
"No."
Velzard laughed.
It was soft.
Elegant.
But it carried the kind of amusement that only a True Dragon could have.
Loki clicked his tongue.
"Besides… where have you been anyway?"
Velzard loosened her arms, though she still stood close behind him.
"I just paid someone a visit."
Loki glanced at her sideways.
"Huh."
His tone carried mild disbelief.
"You?"
He scoffed.
"I would imagine the only people you get along with are the ones in the castle."
Velzard's eyes narrowed slightly, though her smile didn't fade.
"And why would you assume that?"
Loki shrugged.
"I don't know."
Then he added, bluntly—
"And frankly… I don't care."
Velzard's eyes widened slightly at his lack of interest.
Then.
A teleportation circle formed beneath Loki's feet.
Velzard's arms were still half around him, her body leaning forward.
Before she could react—
FWOOOSH.
Loki vanished.
Velzard nearly stumbled forward, catching herself at the last second.
She blinked once.
Then smiled.
A slow, pleased smile.
"Don't run away…"
Her voice became playful.
"I want to know."
A teleportation circle formed beneath her as well.
And in the next instant
She disappeared.
The world shifted.
Cold air vanished.
The violent winds were gone.
Loki reappeared in a balcony within the castle, the floor beneath him crackling faintly with frost and magic residue.
The room was wide.
Luxurious.
Its windows were tall, revealing the endless frozen wasteland outside.
A single table sat in the center, carved from dark stone and polished like a mirror.
Loki's boots clicked softly against the floor.
His posture was calm.
But his eyes, his eyes were not.
His aura began to rise.
Slowly.
Like a volcano that had finally decided it was done waiting.
And then.
Velzard materialized behind him.
The instant she appeared, she froze.
Her smile faded.
Her eyes widened as she stared at Loki.
A suffocating pressure filled the room.
Bloodlust. All coming from Loki.
Velzard's breath caught slightly.
'What is this bloodlust…?'
'He was just fine a second ago.'
Her eyes shifted forward.
And then she saw him.
A man sitting calmly at the table.
Blonde hair.
Sharp golden eyes.
A face sculpted like a statue. Beautiful, cold, and distant.
Velzard's eyes narrowed.
'Leon Cromwell.'
Leon Cromwell sat with one leg crossed over the other, one arm resting on the table as though he were waiting for tea.
His expression was composed.
But his eyes flicked toward Velzard as if relieved to see her.
"Velzard," Leon said smoothly. "Maybe you could help me out here."
His gaze shifted briefly toward Loki.
"This demon… he seems to have an insane amount of bloodlust directed at me."
Leon frowned slightly.
"But I have no idea why."
He tilted his head, his voice calm but clearly confused.
"Do you perhaps know?"
Velzard didn't answer immediately.
Instead, she looked at Loki.
His shoulders were tense.
His fingers curled slightly, as if restraining the urge to tear something apart.
His eyes were dark.
Not playful.
Not mischievous.
Not smug.
They were burning.
Velzard's lips parted slightly.
"Loki…?"
Her voice carried genuine surprise.
'I've never seen him like this.'
'Does he have history with Leon Cromwell…?'
Then, slowly—
A thin smile formed on her face.
A smile full of intrigue.
'How entertaining.'
Loki stared at Leon like he was staring at an old wound that never healed.
His jaw tightened.
His breath was controlled.
But the rage in his eyes was unmistakable.
'I know.'
'I know Leon is a good guy.'
'I know Leon didn't intend it.'
But none of that mattered.
Not when Shizue Izawa's face flashed in his mind.
Not when he remembered the years of suffering.
Not when he remembered those children.
Those otherworlder kids.
Even if Leon hadn't meant it…
Even if he'd been desperate…
Even if he'd been trying to save someone…
It didn't erase what happened.
It didn't erase what Shizue endured.
It didn't erase the fact that countless children had been dragged into this world and left to rot.
Loki's rage simmered like boiling poison.
'…I can't forgive him.'
'Even if I want to.'
Leon, still sitting calmly, blinked at Loki.
Then he spoke again, voice firm.
"Do we perhaps know each other?"
Loki didn't answer.
Instead
His body vanished.
The ground beneath him cracked from sheer force.
Leon's pupils contracted.
And in the next instant—
Loki appeared directly in front of him.
His fist already moving.
A brutal haymaker.
A punch filled with enough raw strength to erase a mountain.
Leon reacted instantly.
A barrier erupted around him.
A shimmering wall of energy formed just in time—
BOOM!!!
The punch slammed into the barrier like a meteor strike.
The entire room shook.
The balcony windows rattled violently before all of them broke.
The table split clean down the middle from the shockwave.
Debris and dust exploded outward like shrapnel.
Leon's chair skidded backward several meters, grinding against the stone floor.
Even Velzard's hair fluttered from the pressure.
Leon's eyes widened slightly.
But he remained composed.
He exhaled.
Then spoke with mild annoyance.
"That's quite rude."
Loki's voice came out like a growl.
His eyes were bloodshot with fury.
"I swear…"
He leaned forward slightly, his aura suffocating.
"I'll kill you."
Velzard's smile deepened.
Her eyes gleamed with delight.
This wasn't just a spar.
This wasn't Loki being playful.
This wasn't chaos for fun.
This.
This was personal.
________________________________________
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