The Time-Stop Breeding Uncle Want's to Retire-Chapter 165

◇◇◇◆◇◇◇

“After your disappearance, the Royal Knights fractured. Each member sought you in their own way.”

“No one believed I was dead?”

“That’s right. Or more accurately, they didn’t ‘want’ to believe you were dead.”

Hans listened as Great Elder Makenis explained the situation. While it was true that no one had accepted his death, their methods of searching for him had varied wildly.

For example, Cluna and Clara, mother and daughter, had been convinced that Hans had been kidnapped by demons.

They had immediately attempted to invade demon territory. The other members had tried to stop them, of course, but it had only devolved into a heated argument.

Hearing this, Hans sighed.

He understood their reasoning. Given his sudden disappearance, such a conclusion wasn’t unreasonable.

But to launch a reckless invasion? Into demon territory, no less? And with only the two of them? It sounded like a recipe for disaster.

He imagined a scenario, the elven mother and daughter disappear without a trace. Some time later, a single videotape arrives at Lionheart Fortress… Hans shook his head.

The Great Elder wouldn’t have allowed such suicidal behavior.

“Did you stop them?”

“Stop them? As if I could.”

“Are you insane?! Are you serious?!”

Hans was furious at the Elder’s nonchalance.

To simply stand by while two of his knights embarked on a suicide mission? It was practically criminal negligence.

“Where are you going?”

“I need to find them. Now.”

“It might be too late.”

“Shut up. I’ll be the judge of that.”

Hans’s fury radiated outwards, washing over Great Elder Makenis.

Feeling the intensity of Hans’s aura, the Elder stared at his own trembling hands.

‘Such power… It’s like facing a dragon.’

The title of Great Elder wasn’t given lightly. It was bestowed upon the oldest and most devoted of the elves.

Yet, here he was, being overwhelmed by the aura of a mere human. It was unbelievable. Not even the other elves, let alone the humans, would believe it.

That’s how prestigious the title of Great Elder was.

But at the same time, it was this very display of power that solidified Makenis’s respect for Hans. He was determined to take care of his own.

‘We have different goals, but in the end, we are both leaders.’

Just like them. Defying even death. Never hesitating, always moving forward.

That was Hans, Commander of the Royal Knights.

How could he not admire such a man?

‘Damn it, this is frustrating. I wonder if Time Stop can even handle this.’

Naturally, Hans hadn’t considered his own death for even a moment. He had Time Stop, after all. And now, he had several other abilities as well.

Still, the thought of entering demon territory again was unnerving, especially after his near-death experience.

Zaiha, in particular, was a dangerous unknown. He hadn’t even appeared in the original game, yet he was incredibly calm, strategic, and powerful.

Hans sighed.

“That’s all I have to say.”

“Calm down. You don’t think I would just stand by and watch, do you?”

“Did you do something?”

“There are traitors among the demons.”

“Traitors? Among them?”

The demons were known for their single-minded hatred of the other races. Their animosity had been described in the game as almost unnervingly focused.

Betrayal seemed impossible.

“That’s absurd. You expect me to believe that?”

“Believe it or not, it’s true.”

“How can you be so sure?”

“Because I’ve been working with them for the past three years.”

“You’re crazy. Completely insane.”

Hans’s reaction was understandable.

He had been fighting these creatures for years, and now he was being told that the elves were collaborating with them? He wanted to deny it.

“I’m not going to say it couldn’t be helped. It was simply the most convenient and logical path. So I took it.”

“What?”

“If it weren’t for their help, the Alliance would have crumbled by now.”

“That bad?”

“Your importance to the Alliance is greater than you realize. You and the Royal Knights were the only ones who could truly stand against the True Demons.”

The Elder’s words were true.

Each True Demon was a force of nature, capable of taking on entire armies.

How many could face such power and remain calm?

The Royal Knights had been their insurance, the guarantee that they would somehow handle the True Demons.

They were the Alliance’s shield, their last line of defense. But with that line broken, the Alliance had been forced to confront a harsh reality, they had been pushed to the brink of destruction.

It was a deeply traumatic experience.

“The news of your death paralyzed them. The fear of another True Demon attack… it’s a fear born from centuries of terror.”

“So that’s why you joined forces with them?”

“Yes. And more importantly… thanks to their cooperation, we’ve managed to maintain some semblance of balance, even with the barrier broken.”

Hans couldn’t argue with that. With the barrier gone, the Alliance needed the demons’ help to survive.

Of course, that didn’t mean they fully trusted them. It was a tense and uneasy alliance, born of necessity.

Hans shook his head.

“So, who leads these demons?”

“He calls himself Revil. I don’t know if that’s his real name.”

“Revil?!”

“Do you know him?”

Hans stood up abruptly, shocked by the name.

Makenis, surprised by his reaction, questioned him. But Hans couldn’t answer.

How could he not know that name?

He had fought him countless times.

It was the name of the final boss.

◇◇◇◆◇◇◇

The Half-Demons.

That was the name of the new faction led by Revil. He had united the outcast demons, the lesser demons and monstrous creatures who had been scorned by the Queen.

Creatures like the Doppelgangers.

Revil called them the Half-Demons. It meant both “against the True Demons” and “half-formed,” a self-deprecating acknowledgement of their status.

He sighed. The phantom pain in the arm he had lost to the Queen’s monster three years ago still lingered.

‘At least I’m still alive.’

He tried to focus on the positive as he reassessed the current situation.

Three years ago, after escaping from Zaiha, Revil had led the Half-Demons to the Alliance.

There had been friction then, and there still was, but his prediction had been correct.

“Thank you for your help back then, Guardian of the Forest.”

“You’re lucky I’m not calling you by your real name.”

“You told me not to, so I’m listening.”

Revil grinned, looking at the woman before him.

The Guardian of the Forest.

The leader of the Guardians, the legendary hero who had helped the First Hero save the world.

Cluna.

Even Revil, a demon, had heard of her. He had never imagined she would cooperate with them.

Despite their betrayal of the Queen, demons were still the sworn enemies of the other races.

🚨 Important Notice 🚨

); }

In truth, Cluna wasn’t particularly cooperative. She was helping them out of necessity. He didn’t mind. As long as the results were good, he was satisfied. And that’s how it had turned out.

So, it was important to keep Cluna and Clara happy. They weren’t exactly rational.

‘They would abandon this place in a heartbeat.’

Logically, they shouldn’t be here. Two elves wandering alone in demon territory was practically suicide. But that’s exactly what they would do.

They would even refuse to cooperate with the Half-Demons if necessary. It was a kind of madness. Or perhaps a death wish. Revil shook his head.

They couldn’t die yet.

The Alliance was hesitant to support the Half-Demons, and the True Demons were focused on suppressing internal dissent.

Without Cluna and Clara, maintaining the Half-Demons would be nearly impossible.

‘I need to keep them on our side.’

He hadn’t lied, not really.

Without a body, kidnapping was the most likely explanation for Hans’s disappearance.

Of course, even if he had been kidnapped, his chances of survival were… slim. But Revil didn’t mention that.

◇◇◇◆◇◇◇

[Translator Notes]

[Your Text Here]