Crushing flags and claiming the Villainess

Austin recognized the area well. The entire shoreline had once been his territory—his hunting ground, his hiding place. He knew every rock and slope, every sound the tide made when danger crept near.

This was close to the demonic region ruled by the Succubus Queen, so he wasted no time. The surveillance demons were the first to go. He took the shelter for himself before any alarm could be raised.

"Is it safe to be here?" Rhea asked as she stepped into the bunker-like room. The air was thick, stale, and heavy with the stench of decay.

Charlotte covered her nose while William summoned his Shard, lighting up the place with a cold golden glow.

"Demons don't check in like humans do," Austin said, spraying perfume from his Inventory around the shelter. "The ones stationed out here live like hermits. They only report if something odd happens."

"Agh, there's a rotting boar in here," Charlotte muttered, turning her head away in disgust.

Valerie summoned her Shard and tapped the ground. Ice spread quickly, trapping the bodies in a frozen cage. She gave Olivia a look.

Without a word, Olivia stepped forward and lifted the cage with ease.

Charlotte sighed in relief as the source of the smell was taken outside.

William began searching the shelter. His eyes caught sight of several old weapons and gallons of dark water. Rhea, meanwhile, was checking for traps, but just like Austin had said—most demons stationed far from the palace were idiots. Brutes with clubs, not brains.

The bunker could fit twenty people, maybe more. The roof was conical, the floor layered with dry leaves, and the windows sealed with bricks.

Austin pulled a lantern from his Inventory—a gem flickered at its center—and placed it on the ground. Everyone gathered as he unrolled a hand-drawn map.

"Woah…" Olivia muttered. She hadn't expected something this detailed.

Austin pointed from the northwest edge toward the center. "We're here. If I'm right, we're only thirty minutes away from the Succubus Queen's palace."

William's brows furrowed. "That close? Are you sure this place is safe?"

Austin chuckled. "If she finds out we're here, she'll run. Trust me—fighting us wouldn't even cross her mind in her current state."

William nodded slowly. "Still, we can't let her escape."

"Exactly," Austin said, eyes narrowing. "I'll scout the palace in an hour. If everything looks clear, we strike tonight."

Olivia's grin widened. "Now you're talking." She could already feel her fists itching to smash through the palace doors.

Valerie stepped forward, concern flickering in her eyes. "You're going alone? There'll be thousands of them. If they sense you…"

But Austin didn't get the chance to respond.

"I'll go," Charlotte said softly. Her voice trembled, but she didn't back down. "I wasn't any help back there. My barrier melted under the rain... I was supposed to protect everyone, and I failed."

Her shoulders sank.

William reached out and took her hand. "One moment doesn't define you," he said gently. "You're stronger than that. You'll prove it."

Charlotte looked down, trying to believe it.

Austin gave her a glance. Silent, but acknowledging.

After a short silence, the blond prince spoke.

"I can't cover anyone but myself with Scar—not unless I want to attract attention. So, it's better if I go alone."

His tone left no room for debate.

Valerie sighed, clearly wanting to argue, but held her tongue.

Then Rhea spoke up, her voice curious. "I've been wondering... where does the magician live? The one who controls the weather?"

All eyes turned to Austin as if he were the walking encyclopedia of the demonic world.

Austin shrugged. "Selner never really looked for that creature. We were focused on rescuing the Duke."

The truth was, the old Austin had never cared to study the terrain or turn the environment in his favor. He'd been arrogant—too strong to worry about such things. All he cared about was crushing whatever stood in his way.

Rhea simply hummed in response, falling silent.

Austin shifted the conversation back. "Anyway, you all need to rest and recover. I brought supplies."

With that, he started pulling items from his Inventory—more lanterns, water pouches, wrapped sandwiches, energy bars, and a range of other necessities.

Olivia stared in disbelief. "Where are you pulling all that from…?"

Austin smirked. "One of the abilities of my Shard."

They didn't question further even though it was surreal for a Shard to have multiple skills.

...

Austin stood by one of the narrow windows, his eyes scanning the dark horizon with a deep frown.

It was too quiet. The stillness in the air didn't feel like peace—it felt like a warning. As if they were walking straight into a carefully laid trap.

But what could the Queen really do? Even if she had predicted this attack, what could she summon to stop them?

The ancient beings wouldn't obey her—she wasn't strong enough to command them. The Elven King only awakened with the Demon Lord, and that wasn't supposed to happen yet.

So... was her grand defense really just an army of thousands?

"Are you okay?" A gentle voice broke his train of thought—followed by warmth wrapping around his hands.

Austin sighed, letting his gaze drop. "Sometimes I think I overanalyze everything."

Valerie leaned her head against his shoulder, her voice soft but steady. "Being cautious isn't wrong. Just don't let your thoughts become chains when it's time to act."

He let out a slow breath, the weight on his chest not quite lifting. "That's what worries me. No matter how much I plan… there's still a chance we might fail."

He couldn't just rely on the timeline from his previous life. That path was already breaking apart. The Elven King could still awaken early. Anything was possible now.

Valerie squeezed his hand gently. "You're leading this team. It's natural for doubts to creep in. I've led raids before—I know how it eats at you. But trust your judgment, Austin. So far, you've never let us down."

Her words didn't erase his fear, but they gave it less room to grow.

Austin softly relayed, "Thank you...I needed that."

....

Not so long after, Austin summoned Scar and while using it as a head and shoulder guard, he ran toward the fort where the Queen lives.

The acid rain wasn't fierce but yes, being exposed to it for an hour might seriously damage even a S-rank.

Austin moved quickly, ducking behind broken stone pillars, twisted trees, and large chunks of blackened rock. The ground was dry in some places and soaked with sticky, dark water in others. Patches of glowing moss clung to the sides of old ruins, casting a faint purple light.

He passed a crumbled statue of what once looked like a knight—now melted, its face warped by time and rain.

The terrain became harsher the closer he got. Sharp roots rose from the earth like claws, and scattered bones crunched underfoot. The path ahead narrowed between two collapsed towers, creating a natural funnel.

He slowed for a moment, crouching behind a large, split boulder. Ahead, he spotted three surveillance posts—tall poles with demon eyes mounted on top, blinking slowly.

Demons patrolled nearby, walking lazily as if nothing important was happening. Their skin was thick and dark, and they didn't seem to care about the rain at all.

'They don't rotate shifts often... Good.'

Austin took note of their pattern—how long they stayed in place, how far they walked, and when they turned.

Far beyond, hidden behind layers of smoke and fog, the Queen's palace began to take shape—a jagged silhouette, resting like a beast curled in sleep.

However, Austin's eyes soon widened as he noticed something inside the fort gates—hundreds of humans being pushed into the castle, their skin burning but they were barely reacting. Their body was naked, and rope was tied around their wrists.

Following that Austin noticed a huge magic circle building at the crown of the fort.

It was glowing very faintly that's why he didn't notice until now. But seeing those many human slaves he guessed what she was about to do.

'She is awakening the Elven King...shit!'

He didn't expect the Succubus Queen to be creating a Vessel so soon.

And if she does, she would create a strong ally; she would be able to command ancient beings and that would keep them away from her longer.

'Why the fuck Council never noticed so many humans being taken away?!' His frustration rose as he rushed back to the base.

"Austin?!" Valerie exclaimed, seeing him breathing roughly.

Austin informed, "She is awakening the strongest General. We must attack now-"he paused as he noticed one person missing. With a frown, he asked, "Where is Rhea?"

Charlotte responded, "She walked out three hours ago...haven't returned. William went to search for her but she was nowhere to be found."

Austin gritted his teeth, 'Where the hell did she go?'

°°°°°°°°°

A/N:- Thanks for reading. Ah...this is the second last arc. After this, the final battle and we say goodbye.