Hello, is this a letter addressed to Demon Fortress?

A month is enough time for panic to spread and fester in the city of Karan like a plague.

On the streets, the once bustling crowds now hurry along, their faces mostly showing repression and unease.

The whispers circulated like a tide, yet were drowned out by an invisible fear.

"Have you heard? There are more and more demons outside the city..."

"It seems like all the demons from the other side of the canyon have come! My cousin is in the city wall guards, and he said he secretly glanced down during the changing of the guard yesterday, and there was a dark mass of them, you couldn't see the end of them!"

"The city lord's mansion has already ordered a news blackout and forbade the adventurers' guild from issuing any cleanup missions. Isn't this a clear sign of a major incident?"

"Where are those knights from the capital? Weren't they supposed to be out fighting demons? It's been a month, and there's still no news."

"I'm afraid... they all perished in the Black Forest, didn't they? Sigh, I told you not to provoke those legendary demons..."

"We're doomed... They must have angered the demon, and now it's coming for revenge! What do we do?!"

Anxiety and despair hung like heavy clouds over the isolated city, which was separated by high walls.

Even with an impregnable, massive city wall protecting it.

The residents of the city felt no sense of security whatsoever.

Everyone understood that such a large number of demons had gathered.

It's absolutely impossible that they would just come to the outskirts of the city for a quick "sightseeing" tour and then leave.

Meanwhile, not long ago, when the city lord sent the knights off to war.

That impassioned speech has now become the greatest irony.

It is repeatedly mentioned and despised by countless people in private.

The prestige of the city lord's mansion has plummeted to rock bottom.

Inside the city lord's mansion, the atmosphere was even more stagnant and heavy than on the street.

The obese city lord had long lost his former grandeur.

Like an ant on a hot pan, pacing back and forth in the luxuriously carpeted council chamber.

He wiped the cold sweat from his forehead and it kept coming back up, soaking his magnificent brocade robe.

"Ten thousand... more than ten thousand... and several thousand high-level demons... how can we defend against this? How can we possibly hold out against this!"

He kept repeating the latest report from the city wall garrison, his voice trembling with fear.

He knew very well that the walls of Karan City might be able to stop the low-level demon tide on the ground.

But for those sky demons that can fly, and hero-level demons with terrifying destructive power.

This high wall is practically useless!

The current top combat force of Karan City was part of a previous conspiracy against adventurers.

Completely destroyed; less than one-tenth survived!

The ordinary city defense troops alone could not possibly withstand the demon army outside the city, which was like a prehistoric beast!

"What to do... what to do..." He was on the verge of collapse.

Just then, the heavy doors of the council chamber were pushed open without any politeness.

A young nobleman, dressed in magnificent armor as a city defense commander and with an arrogant expression, strode in.

He didn't even bother with formalities, simply slamming a letter onto the table in front of the city lord.

"Lord of the City."

His voice carried undisguised contempt.

"This is my resignation letter. My family has decided to evacuate Karan City immediately, so I will no longer be serving as the deputy commander of the city's defense forces."

The city lord, like a cat whose tail had been stepped on, rushed over suddenly.

He disregarded all decorum and grabbed the leg of the noble city garrison commander, his voice trembling with sobs and pleading:

"You can't leave! You can't leave! Commander Bob!"

"It was you who started it! You were the ones who told me to find a way to weaken those peasant adventurers!"

"Now everyone who could threaten your position is dead! Even the Royal Knights, who were supposed to replace them, are gone!"

"The only ones who can save this city now are your city defense troops! Please! Don't leave!"

Tears and snot smeared the city lord's face and stuck to the city defense commander's shiny leg armor.

The city's defense commander, named Bob, instantly showed an expression of extreme disgust.

He suddenly kicked the obese city lord away, then disgustedly wiped the stains on his leg armor with a silk scarf.

"Hmph! This is none of our business!"

Bob's voice was icy cold as he stared at the disheveled city lord on the ground, his eyes filled with hatred.

"Who gave you the right to act on your own and bring in the royal family's influence?! Huh?!"

He and the noble forces behind him did indeed request the city lord to weaken the growing power of commoner adventurers.

In order to maintain the balance of power within the city of Karan.

That year, nine extraordinary adventurers emerged from among the common people.

However, the city defense force, which represents the interests of the nobility, consists of only four men, which has seriously threatened their ruling position.

But to their utter surprise, this foolish city lord had invited a wolf into the house, attracting the ambitious royal forces!

For the local nobles, this meant direct interference from the central royal power.

Their threat is far greater than that of those "peasant" adventurers!

Fortunately, that knightly order seemed to have had extremely bad luck, and was completely wiped out in the Black Demon Forest.

Unfortunately, this was a campaign of folly by these idiots.

This clearly enraged the legendary demon in the Black Forest.

This has led to the terrible situation where the city of Karan is now on the verge of destruction!

Their nobles had built up their wealth, power, and foundation here over generations.

They will most likely all be lost along with the destruction of this city!

Thinking of this, Bob wished he could draw his sword immediately.

Chop this useless, good-for-nothing city lord into mincemeat!

Now they have chosen to migrate as a whole tribe, crossing the perilous wilderness to other city-states.

Even with the protection of the family's private army, the losses along the way will be incalculable!

All of this is thanks to this idiot!

The city lord was kicked to the ground, then crawled over, trembling.

She clung tightly to Bob's leg again, pleading in a pitiful voice.

"Take me away! Lord Bob, please, take me with you! I have money! I have lots and lots of money! I'll give you everything! Just take me away from here!"

Bob looked down at the city lord at his feet, who had no dignity and was groveling for mercy.

All I could see was utter contempt and disgust.

He kicked it away again with a hard kick.

"Take your money and go to hell, you fat pig."

He left those cold words behind, not giving the city lord, who lay limp on the ground, another glance, and strode away.

The armor clanged as it disappeared at the end of the corridor.

The city lord was left in despair, lying alone on the cold ground.

Gazing at the magnificent ceiling, all that remained in my eyes was endless fear and darkness.

"No, no, no, this can't be!"

"I... I have another way."

The city lord's hopes were rekindled when he recalled the royal family he had climbed into.