The Villainous Son Loves His Mother - Chapter 7

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Multiple colossal shadows flew three hundred kilometers east of the Imperial Capital of Gainesfried.
They were a flock of dragons with jet-black scales, the elite of the Western Army of the Former Demon King.
Leading the flock was the Demon Dragon Yggdra, a massive creature over fifty meters in length. His crimson eyes burned with hatred and a thirst for vengeance against humanity.

“Our destination is within sight.”

Yggdra’s deep, resonant voice shook the air.

“We will strike Gainesfried and make those humans remember the terror we represent.”

His subordinates responded with thunderous roars.

“Ormundo, the Sky Eater, led the way.”

A dragon in front nodded with a sharp look in its eyes. His name is Ormundo, a fierce commander renowned for his overwhelming speed.

“Understood, Lord Yggdra,”

Ormund spread his wings wide and accelerated in an instant, transforming into a jet-black meteor streaking across the sky.

“Sky-Eater” Ormund, huh. Quite the speed. But he’s not just fast… look—he’s tearing through the detection barriers above the imperial capital one after another. At this rate, he’ll strip Gainessfried’s entire defense network bare in no time.”

Yggdra’s words drew enthusiastic agreement from his subordinates.

“As expected of Lord Ormund!”

“Long live Lord Ormund!”

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Ormund hurtled toward the Imperial Capital at breakneck speed.
Each time he touched a detection barrier, he shattered it before it could even activate.

“Hahaha… Humans. Slow in every way.”

But then, without warning, his vision erupted in blinding light.
The surrounding area was bathed in an intense glow.

“What…?”

The light instantly engulfed his sight, followed by a searing heat and a devastating shockwave.

“Gwaaaaaah!”

Ormund’s agonized roar echoed through the darkness.
His body was enveloped in light, his scales peeling away one by one as his flesh split apart from within.
It was as if countless miniature suns were detonating in a chain reaction within his body.
Ormund’s massive wings were engulfed in flames, transforming into a towering pillar of fire that illuminated the night sky.

“W-what in the world…?”

Before he could finish his last words, Ormund’s body shattered into countless fragments that scattered in all directions.
Crimson flames and black smoke swirled together, creating a spectacular display like a colossal firework erupting across the night sky.
In that moment, the darkened sky shone as bright as day.
The shockwave blasted away the surrounding clouds, and tremors reached the distant ground.

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Yggdra and his followers, who witnessed the spectacle from afar, were speechless.

“Ormund… defeated…?”

Yggdra’s face betrayed his shock.

“What in the world happened?! Who dares attack us?!”

His subordinates began to murmur in confusion.

“Could humans truly possess such power…?”

“Impossible! We are the proud Dragonkind!”

Yggdra bared his fangs and roared.

“Calm down! Don’t panic! This is some kind of trap. All troops, prepare your formation!”

But his words were in vain. A blinding light streaked across the sky once more.

“Again?!”

The next instant, a dragon at the rear exploded in the same manner.

“Gwaaaaaah!”

Deafening roars and flashes erupted in quick succession as dragons vanished one after another into the light.

“Damn it! Where are these attacks coming from?!”

Yggdra frantically scanned his surroundings, but no enemy was visible.
Only arrows of light rained down from the heavens, piercing through his dragons one by one.
As Yggdra stood stunned, an eerie voice whispered in his ear:

-“Retreat, Yggdra.”

“Ha! Retreat! All troops, fall back!”

Yggdra managed to regain control over his chaotic, demoralized troops, but his draconic face twisted in humiliation.

“So the Hero had already appeared… My deepest apologies, Great Demon King… I’ve wasted our precious soldiers…”

—“Ygdras, even I could not have foreseen that the Hero would already possess such power… This is not your fault. Hold off the invasion for now. Instead, seek out a vessel for me…”
…
From that day onward, the sporadic attacks by the Former Demon King’s Army gradually decreased.

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The Western Army of the Former Demon King was repelled.
In the “original history,” this feat was accomplished not by Hein but by Azel, the son of Count Alphaid, and Serena, the daughter of Viscount Fafnir.
The Imperial Capital, Gainesfried, suffered devastating damage and countless casualties from the assault of the Sky Eater, Ormund.
With overwhelming force, Ormund shattered the city walls, engulfed the streets in flames, and burned buildings and landmarks to ash.
Panic-stricken citizens fled in terror, leaving behind a trail of dead and wounded.

Yet Azel, defying all odds, confronted Ormund head-on—and, on the verge of defeat, awakened as the Hero.
However, Azel, who had only just awakened his powers, was no match for Ormund’s overwhelming strength.
After a fierce battle, Azel sustained grievous wounds, but he was saved by Lady Serena Ira Fafnir, the viscount’s daughter. She, too, had awakened her powers as a Saintess and rescued Azel from his desperate situation.
Fueled by Serena’s sacred power, Azel rose again, and together they confronted Ormund. Yet, they were ultimately just an inexperienced hero and an inexperienced Saintess, barely managing to force Ormund to retreat.
Meanwhile, Hein remained aloof from the entire affair, watching from afar with a cold smirk, offering no assistance whatsoever.

In the “original history,” Hein had been enraged by Azel’s insolence and attempted to kill him, only to be stopped by Lady Esmeralda Ira Sarion, the duke’s daughter. Humiliated by his retreat against superior numbers, Hein cared little for defending the Imperial Capital. Instead, he coldly observed Azel and Serena’s impending defeat and death. This malevolence, however, did not escape the notice of the Will of the Demon Lord.
The Will of the Demon King, having decided to make Hein its vessel for resurrection, ordered the Demon Dragon Yggdra to withdraw. This was to ensure Hein, the chosen vessel, wouldn’t be harmed.
The Former Demon King’s Army had originally attacked the Imperial Capital to find the “Demon King’s Vessel.” Using its supernatural perception, the Demon King had sensed a potential vessel within the city.
While people praised Azel and Serena for their valiant efforts, Hein’s reputation plummeted. After all, despite being a member of one of the Twelve Noble Houses, he had refused to fight to defend the Imperial Capital.
In a parallel world, however, Hein had brutally murdered Ormund for interrupting his incestuous act with his mother, and then proceeded to torture and kill multiple Dragon Soldiers under Yggdra’s command. He was never chosen as the Demon King’s vessel in that world.

What consequences this divergence will bring remains to be seen.