I felt a chill run through my entire body. From the very beginning, that plan had already gone horribly wrong.
How could she be crazy enough to throw herself into a group of demons when three of them could be of higher rank?
Since the invasion, demons had been classified into seven ranks based on the hierarchy described in the Lesser Key of Solomon. It seemed that the book had been real all along, despite historians denying its authenticity for centuries.
The weakest were the Knight-rank demons. They served as the foot soldiers of stronger demons and were usually humanoid creatures that looked remarkably similar to humans.
Above them were the Presidents. These demons were more intelligent and highly strategic but relatively weak in combat. They usually commanded small battalions or planned invasions while remaining under the protection of far more powerful demons.
Next came the Counts. These were evolved Knight demons who had achieved great accomplishments and were rewarded with increased power. It was said that each noble rank drew power from a different celestial body, and the Counts were connected to the energy of Mars.
Above them stood the Marquises, demons with beast-like forms. Some scholars theorized that they were hybrids born from demons and powerful spiritual beasts. Their strength was said to originate from the Moon itself. In fact, the U.S. military had once attempted—unsuccessfully—to destroy the Moon in order to see whether it would weaken them.
Then came the Princes. Powerful demons commanding multiple Knight legions, they had conquered numerous small cities across the world, allowing their armies to expand relentlessly. Their power was associated with Jupiter, and many of them resembled what humanity had once referred to as Gray aliens.
Above them were the Dukes, demons comparable in strength to heroes above Level 50. They commanded disciplined, elite armies and were associated with Venus. It was also said that they served Satan directly.
Stronger still were the Kings, the rarest and most terrifying of all. Though few in number, each one ruled entire nations alone. Their legions numbered in the thousands of Knight demons, and they wielded the power of the Sun. It was even rumored that inside the Tower, they grew stronger on the brighter, less shadowed floors.
According to Li-Xeng, there was at least one Duke among that group. Even if there wasn't, facing Princes or even Counts would already be an impossible task for a single hero.
What in the world was Isabella thinking?
"At least she's still alive... I can still feel her. If she were dead, I wouldn't be able to track her anymore and..."
Li-Xeng stopped mid-sentence.
His eyes suddenly widened, and he froze.
"Wait...! Someone's contacting me!"
His body trembled as all color drained from his face.
"Someone... is trying to communicate with me...?"
"Listen carefully, boy. Don't say a word to anyone."
"That voice... A demon?"
"What happened, Li-Xeng?"
Douglas asked, but Li-Xeng remained completely focused. He gestured for Douglas to wait.
"I am Thebas. By now, you should already know who I am. I won't waste time, so I'll get straight to the point. We have one of your companions with us, as you already know. Judging by her abilities, I assume she's an important member of your group. However, she isn't the one I truly need."
"What I want... is the girl standing beside you."
"W-What...? Natasha? But... why her?"
Li-Xeng looked at me with complete shock. Douglas noticed the glance as well and frowned.
"Listen carefully. Don't make any gesture that could reveal who I'm talking about. This conversation stays strictly between us. I propose an exchange: Isabella... for Natasha."
"We'll arrange the meeting without Douglas knowing. I believe he would interfere, which is why only you can make this happen."
"But... why her? What exactly do you want me to do?"
"Because... she is one of us."
"She's... the traitor?"
"Hahaha... You're so naïve, boy."
"We don't have much time. Simply do as I say."
"Tell Douglas that I want one of the Grail Fragments your group possesses. I know he has one. I doubt he'd sacrifice a fragment of the Grail for a companion, so tell him I want the fragment in exchange for Isabella."
"We'll agree on a meeting point. Douglas must stay behind at a certain distance. Only you and Natasha will come. I'll come alone as well, so Douglas won't suspect it's an ambush. You can protect yourselves with your barrier, and afterward Isabella can teleport all of you back to Douglas."
"Act naturally. Don't let anyone suspect a thing. When we meet, I'll hand Isabella over to you... and you hand Natasha over to me."
"Do you think I'm an idiot? What makes you think I can trust you?"
"Because I'm giving you my guarantee. That's why I'll come alone. The three of you together would be capable of stopping me if I betrayed you. Isabella is perfectly fine, and as I said, she still possesses her teleportation ability."
"I only want Natasha. If I had wanted to, I could have killed Isabella already, giving us the advantage. But I need Natasha. Capturing her by force carried no guarantee of success. This plan benefits both sides."
"S-So... she really was the traitor..."
"Boy... keep your composure. I know you're capable of it. Douglas is the greatest obstacle here, but if you convince him... nothing can go wrong."
Li-Xeng had turned deathly pale, cold sweat covering his forehead.
Nearly two minutes later, he finally snapped back to reality and looked at Douglas.
"The demon Thebas contacted me..."
Li-Xeng stammered.
"And what does he want?"
"He demands the Grail Fragment you're carrying in exchange for Isabella."
"And what guarantees this isn't a trap?"
"He said he'll come alone for the exchange... but only if you're not there."
"So... he fears me."
Douglas narrowed his eyes.
"What rank is this demon?"
"He's a Prince. I estimate he's roughly equivalent to a Level 50 to 60 hero. If he decides to fight, Natasha and I might be able to hold him off until you arrive."
"So he wants me to stay behind?"
"Yes... at least a few kilometers away from the exchange point."
Douglas remained silent for several seconds.
His normally expressionless face became cold and serious.
"We don't have another choice."
"In the worst-case scenario, the two of you only need to hold out until I get there. If I spend the points from my movement skill, I'll be able to reach you quickly."
Douglas extended his hand toward Li-Xeng.
The boy attached a small blue tracking device to Douglas's armored wrist.
We proceeded according to the plan.
But something felt terribly wrong.
Li-Xeng wasn't acting like himself.
There was an overwhelming sense of anxiety written across his face.
I understood that we were about to confront demons... but he
He isn't a fighter, and as for me... he doesn't trust me. Even so, I couldn't shake the feeling that he was hiding something. Douglas, however, seemed to trust the boy completely and didn't question him.
We continued forward until Li-Xeng appeared to receive another telepathic message from Thebas.
"What did he say?"
Douglas asked, stopping in his tracks.
"This is the place. You have to stay here."
"And why here instead of earlier? I can't understand the way a demon thinks. Maybe they've prepared something for me here... but if that's the case, even better. I'm expecting an ambush."
It was one of the very few times I had ever seen Douglas smile.
It was a confident smile—the smile of someone who rarely showed pride or arrogance, yet possessed absolute confidence in his own strength.
"It'll be fine. I'm not that weak either... well, as long as we're not fighting all of the demons..."
I regretted saying it the moment the words left my mouth.
If a battle broke out, we wouldn't stand a chance, even with Li-Xeng being one of the greatest healers in the world.
We left Douglas behind and continued for several more kilometers.
After a while, I couldn't hold it in any longer.
"You're hiding something, aren't you?"
Li-Xeng, who had been walking ahead of me, stopped so abruptly it was as if he'd been struck through the spine.
"W-What do you mean?"
"You don't have to hide it. We're alone. If there's something you need to tell me... then tell me."
"N-No... I'm just worried. We're probably walking into a trap, you know."
The boy looked nervous, but that was simply his personality. Li-Xeng had always been shy and lacked self-confidence, yet he was honest and rational above all else.
Still...
I couldn't shake the feeling that there was something weighing heavily on his mind.
"If you really want to know... there's something I haven't told you yet."
Li-Xeng met my eyes—something he almost never did—and took a deep breath.
Meanwhile, on Isabella's side...
She slowly regained consciousness, her head pounding.
"Damn... was I knocked out?"
As her senses returned, Isabella quickly scanned her surroundings.
Her wrists were tied tightly behind her back to a thick wooden post.
She was in a barren region surrounded by jagged rocky mountains, where the sparse vegetation was dry and lifeless.
Standing around her were three reddish demons.
They possessed humanoid bodies covered in crimson scales, but their heads resembled crocodiles—long snouts filled with sharp teeth, paired with disturbingly human eyes.
Light armor protected parts of their bodies, mainly their shoulders and knees.
Each carried a long spear tipped with razor-sharp blades engraved with runes from an unknown language.
They stood over two meters tall, broad-shouldered and imposing, though not particularly muscular.
When one of them noticed Isabella opening her eyes, the demon standing in the center—apparently their leader—slowly approached her.
"Isabella..."
His voice was rough yet strangely high-pitched.
She looked back at him with her usual confidence, her expression filled with contempt.
"Huh? Are you one of my fans?"
"You..."
The demon remained silent, simply staring at her.
The other two watched from a distance as two more demons arrived.
"You people really do adore me, don't you? More guests coming?"
Isabella joked while struggling against the ropes.
The knot was far too tight.
She searched the area out of the corner of her eye, looking for her weapon, but it was nowhere to be found.
"You... remember?"
"The Eleventh Floor?"
The demon's words caught her completely off guard.
For the first time, she looked at him carefully.
There was...
Something familiar about him.
"What do you mean? What happened on the Eleventh Floor? Did I kill one of your friends and now you're looking for revenge? More importantly... how the hell did I end up here?"
"You..."
"My... companion."
"Don't remember?"
"Ralf..."
"Me."
The demon's expression softened into something unexpectedly melancholic.
His long reptilian face twisted awkwardly, while his unsettling black human eyes seemed to glisten.
Despite being a demon...
Isabella sensed something undeniably human within him.
"Ralf...? Wait..."
Her eyes widened.
She remembered a man named Ralf.
He had been one of the Returned Heroes who traveled alongside their group on the Eleventh Floor.
Until they reached the Twenty-Second Floor, many other heroes had accompanied the Twelve.
Most of them had died.
Ralf was one of them.
"Ralf was a Canadian hero... a redhead, if I remember correctly. He kept asking me for advice because he was a Bard too... No... it can't be..."
She stared into the demon's face once more.
Little by little...
She began recognizing traces of the man she'd once known.
"You..."
"Remember?"
The demon struggled to speak.
The shape of his jaws made proper pronunciation almost impossible, yet he forced each word out with visible effort.
"You're... Ralf? How is that possible? How did you become a demon?"
"I clearly remember him dying during the battle on that floor. Not just him—dozens of Returned Heroes died there. It was probably the worst disaster we ever faced."
"No... this demon is just trying to deceive me."
"Hah! Do you really think pretending to be one of my old comrades is going to affect me?"
"I..."
"I have... something."
The demon stepped away, picked up a faded red ribbon from the ground, and tossed it toward Isabella.
"No... That's impossible."
"It's the ribbon I used to wear..."
"I really did lose it on that floor..."
Her face turned pale.
She slowly looked back at the demon.
"What did you do to Ralf?"
"I..."
"Am..."
"Ralf."
The demon spoke as the others behind him seemed to react.
"I need to take advantage of this. He truly believes he's Ralf. Wait... what if he actually is?"
"That's impossible... isn't it? Up until now, everything we've been told is that demons are beings from another dimension who have never physically existed in our world. The Central Command confirmed that, and so did every scientist."
"We've always fought them under the assumption that they were stronger, more cunning beings from another plane of existence. But what if demons are actually humans who died? Has no one ever considered that?"
"No... There are countless researchers and experts who have studied the origin of the Tower. How could no one have discovered something like this before? Unless it's a relatively recent phenomenon..."
"Still, the most reasonable explanation is that this demon is trying to deceive me. But why? What would he gain from it? Does he want me to reveal how I activate my ability? That must be it."
"Isabella... I... help."
"Huh? I'm still not sure I believe you. Prove that you're really Ralf."
"I need to stall for as long as possible. This bastard might genuinely believe he was Ralf. If he really is—or at least possesses Ralf's memories—then I have an advantage here."
"Then tell me. What happened on the floor where you died? How did the other members of your team die? Who was in the group besides me?"
"If he can answer that... then I'll have to consider the possibility that he somehow inherited Ralf's memories... or that he truly is him."
"I... my friends..."
"Dinavam..."
"Carl..."
"Hweo..."
"Ima..."
"You..."
"Douglas..."
"Sally..."
"Omar..."
"What the hell...?"
"He really knows everything that happened?"
Cold sweat ran down Isabella's back as she noticed the demons surrounding the one speaking to her acting strangely, muttering among themselves in a language she couldn't understand.
"And then...?"
"I... stayed behind..."
"Protected Ima..."
"Dinavam... made... perimeter..."
On the Eleventh Floor, the group of the Twelve Heroes was accompanied by nine other heroes.
Originally, there had been twenty-eight of them.
But with every floor they climbed, casualties mounted.
The Eleventh Floor was where they encountered their first true demonic legion—the Ninth Division.
Those demons were far beyond the level of ordinary adventurers.
Even among the Twelve Heroes, only Douglas and Li-Xeng had surpassed Level 50.
The others were still inexperienced.
Until that point, none of them had ever faced organized demonic forces inside the Tower.
Although they already knew demons existed, they had only fought the monsters native to each floor.
The surprise attack caught them completely off guard.
The heroes themselves were Returners—individuals who had once been transported to different dimensions.
Each had lived in a different world.
Some came from medieval kingdoms.
Others from fantasy realms.
Some from Eastern cultivation worlds.
Others from advanced technological civilizations.
They had spent years battling countless threats in those worlds before finally returning.
Some returned outside the Tower.
Others reappeared directly on its First Floor.
The Central Command recruited these Returners to climb the Tower in search of the Grail Fragments and eradicate the demonic threat.
Many heroes formed parties to ascend together.
The demons they encountered during those early expeditions were only lesser demons, alongside each floor's native monsters.
None of them were comparable to heroes above Levels 20 or 30.
Eventually, intelligence reports revealed that the great demonic legions ravaging Earth had begun entering the Tower.
Some had already reached its upper floors.
From then on, every expedition advanced cautiously, avoiding encounters with stronger demons whenever possible.
After the discovery of the detection crystals, reconnaissance units and scouting parties were established.
Their duty was to explore each floor, identify demonic activity, map enemy positions, and report back to Central Command.
Central would then relay the information to the heroes.
This allowed direct confrontations to be avoided and even enabled successful ambushes.
The cost, however, was often the lives of the scouts and messengers.
That system worked...
Until the Eleventh Floor.
For reasons no one ever understood, the demons went completely undetected.
They ambushed the adventurers without warning.
Douglas's party was among those caught in the attack.
Alongside the Twelve Heroes were several companions who had been climbing with them since the Third Floor.
Ralf was one of them.
During the initial assault, the Twelve Heroes and the remaining adventurers managed to repel the first wave of powerful demons.
But three heroes died.
Believing the danger had passed...
A Duke-class demon suddenly appeared.
Within moments, it annihilated five heroes.
Five of the strongest veterans who had accompanied the expedition since the Third Floor.
Ralf was among them.
At the time, Ralf was a Level 32 Bard.
He was only three levels below Isabella.
Because they shared the same class—and because the Twelve Heroes were already famous—he deeply respected her.
As they climbed the Tower together, his admiration gradually grew into affection.
Even though Isabella never returned those feelings.
The Duke killed Ralf with a single strike.
A black spear pierced straight through his chest...
His heart remained impaled on its tip.
Ima and Hweo stayed behind to hold the Duke back while the others escaped.
The heroes split into three groups.
Douglas, Isabella, Li-Xeng, and Sally fled, fully aware they were no match for such a monster.
They escaped only because of Isabella's teleportation ability.
After that day...
Douglas became colder and far more resolute in his decisions.
Li-Xeng grew even more insecure.
Sally became noticeably more cautious.
Only Isabella remained unchanged.
She never blamed herself.
On the contrary...
She considered herself fortunate simply for surviving.
To Isabella, her own life was the only one that truly mattered.
Everyone else had the responsibility to do whatever it took to survive.
If they failed...
Then it was their own fault.
"I..."
"I believe you."
Emotion welled up on Isabella's face as she looked at the demon.
His human eyes widened in surprise.
"Then..."
"Please."
"Kill those demons standing behind you."