Crushing flags and claiming the Villainess

"Hmm?"

A soldier turned his head slowly, sensing a ripple in the water.

Something had disturbed the surface, but he saw nothing—no movement beneath the boat, no shapes cutting through the depths.

"What's wrong?" asked another soldier, walking along the floating bridge that connected two of the patrol boats.

The bridge was made of large, sealed gallons tied tightly together, forming a makeshift path that bobbed with the water's gentle rise and fall.

Around them, multiple boats drifted in slow patrol patterns. Over a dozen were anchored, spread out evenly at strategic intervals across the water.

The soldier who had sensed the disturbance squinted at the water once more before shaking his head. "Nothing," he muttered.

The other soldier nodded and kept walking, his boots thudding softly on the barrels.

Meanwhile, beneath the water's surface, Austin clicked his tongue and retreated silently.

With the help of his Aqua Lungs, he was able to breathe underwater and scan the area for the best route across.

He could have easily wiped out the guards and carved a direct path through…

…but they were just doing their jobs.

So instead, he swam for a few more minutes, keeping low and silent, until he finally spotted a stretch to the west where no guards were stationed.

He swam to shore.

The chill of the dark lands crept over him as he emerged, and a sense of foreboding settled in his chest. Without wasting time, he drew out his plasma launcher.

Raising it above his head, he fired a beacon into the sky.

Then he sat down on the cold, damp shore—tense, alert. There was a good chance the soldiers would spot the signal, or worse, that the demons in the area would attack.

But this was still the fastest and cleanest route—no direct confrontation required.

He waited.

And waited.

Until finally, shapes appeared in the distance. A few figures moved through the gloom, protected by a magical shield that kept the water from touching them. Someone at the back pushed it forward with steady control.

Suddenly, Valerie leapt from a distance.

Austin stood to catch her easily in his arms.

"How was the ride?" he whispered, gently combing his fingers through her hair.

"Boring without you," she pouted, leaning into his touch.

Austin chuckled. "Well, we can take a boat ride after we return. Just you and me, floating in the middle of the ocean—me holding you in my arms. Sounds appealing, doesn't it?"

Valerie smiled softly. "Yes… that sounds romantic."

A mocking voice chimed in from nearby.

"Someone was teasing me about flirting just a few minutes ago."

It was Charlotte, the one managing the barrier.

Austin glanced at her and grinned. "Having a beautiful wife leaves a man helpless sometimes."

Valerie blushed at his words, the warmth creeping up her cheeks. Rhea just shook her head with a smile. Seriously, Austin had no sense of shame when it came to his girl.

"Are we starting the rampage now?" Olivia asked, or rather, demanded.

Austin sighed. "We're not charging in without a plan. So don't go rushing at the first demon you see, or we will abandon you."

Olivia snickered. "I'll be hefty by myself."

William, fully dressed now, gave her a pointed look. "No, you won't, Olivia. You know well enough that you can't take them all alone. And I know you value your life just as much as the rest of us."

Olivia didn't answer. She just looked away, lips pressed tight.

William then turned to Austin. "So, how do we enter?"

"We can't risk going straight from here," Austin said, glancing back toward the shore. "They've probably seen the beacon by now. So we take another route—circle around and scout the area first. I'll search for a checkpost we can use as our entry point."

Everyone fell quiet, the mood sharpening as the mission's weight returned.

William nodded, and they all began to move.

The shoreline of the demonic land was barren—cracked, dry, and uneven. Each step had to be taken with care, as one wrong move could cause the brittle rock to give way, dropping them into the cold waters below.

Valerie's breath had grown shallow. Her body was unnaturally tense, even though no demons were in sight. She could feel it—an oppressive weight that clung to the air itself.

It was this realm.

"It's cold… and heavy here," Rhea murmured, giving voice to what everyone else was feeling.

"The sun never rises in this place," Austin said calmly, leading the group forward. "You'll rarely see anything green. And if you do come across plants… keep your distance. Most of them bite back."

They walked in silence, letting Austin's words guide them. Every few steps, he shared another piece of advice—how to avoid the black mist, what signs to watch for, and which stones not to step on.

After a while, Olivia spoke up, her curiosity getting the better of her.

"How do you know so much about this side?"

She knew he'd been here once—back when his father-in-law had been kidnapped. But that was just one trip. One visit shouldn't have given him this much insight.

She glanced at him, her expression skeptical.

Austin shrugged, a faint smirk tugging at his lips. "My source of information is someone you already know."

Olivia raised a brow, thinking for a moment—then her eyes lit up. "Oh… Selner?"

Austin didn't answer.

But the silence was enough.

Olivia frowned in confusion. "I don't get it. Why is that woman so considerate toward you? She treated me like crap when I trained under her. Hardly acknowledged me, and I know she's the same with others."

Austin chuckled under his breath but still didn't respond.

Valerie's brows furrowed slightly at Olivia's words, a flicker of emotion crossing her face. But then she remembered what Austin had told her about Selner—about their history—and slowly exhaled. There was no reason to feel uneasy.

No one else spoke. The group continued forward, walking in silence for another hour through the harsh, uneven terrain. The oppressive air of the demonic realm grew thicker with every step.

Finally, William broke the silence. "I think we're far enough."

Austin scanned the area and nodded. "Charlotte, come with me."

Charlotte gave a short nod and stepped up beside him as he moved toward an incline. She had the barrier skill, and that made her ideal for this part of the mission—scouting ahead and defending if necessary.

He gave an assuring look to Valerie who seemed concerned.

Soon, Austin and Charlotte disappeared up the ridge, the others waiting below, ready to move the moment the path was clear.

They took a few cautious steps before coming to a pause.

"What...the hell is this?" Charlotte asked with a frown seeing the dense fog ahead

Austin voiced, "A perimeter."

Charlotte wordlessly moved her hand and summoned her Shard. Using the ability she summoned a barrier around them.

"Let's go," Austin said, stepping forward through the fog—with Charlotte right behind him.

But after just a few steps, they both froze.

"Agh!" Charlotte cried out, wincing in pain the moment she crossed the boundary.

Austin's frown deepened as he felt a burning sensation prickling across his skin.

Without hesitation, Charlotte raised her barrier above their heads.

Her neck and shoulder were already marked red, and she glanced at Austin with disbelief. "This… is insane."

Austin gave a slow nod. "No wonder the soldiers never made it out. They must have started burning the second they entered this zone."

Though he hadn't taken any serious damage, he could feel the heat—just enough to imagine what weaker soldiers must've gone through.

Then Charlotte's eyes widened in alarm. "Oh no…"

The acid rain wasn't just burning through her shield—it was eating away at her very Soul.

The barrier began to sizzle and crack as drops pierced through it.

"Take it down!" Austin ordered sharply as he summoned Scar and morphed it into a wide shield.

Charlotte immediately retracted her Shard.

Letting a Shard absorb damage came at a terrible cost—it shortened the user's lifespan. And right now, the rain was melting her barrier like wax in a fire.

"What about you? It isn't harming your Shard?" Charlotte asked in concern seeing him using his Shard transformed into a shield.

Austin wryly chuckled, "Shard is consuming the dark water. Don't worry."

If Scar wouldn't have been able to consume Dark Water, it could have never consumed the demons like its favorite snack.

They walked into the lands and looked around.

Charlotte noticed there was no building or demon in the sighting.

Austin narrowed his eyes as he mumbled under his breath, "We are close to a kingdom."

"Hmm? How do you know?"

Austin pointed towards a small mountain, "There is surveillance there. And only a demonic kingdom is protected with hidden soldiers."

Charlotte instinctively backed away, hiding behind Austin, not wanting to get seen by the demons.

Austin looked around a few more seconds before telling her, "I think I have found where we can make our shelter. Let's go back."

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A/N:- The beginning of the arc might seem boring but please stick around.