The Broken Halo

’Was Black Banner safer?’

Simon looked at the sealed letter as he pondered briefly on Lilith’s question. He didn’t think much about it since he already knew the answer to her question.

[No.]

His immediate answer made Lilith pause.

[Black Banner is far more dangerous... But danger and difficulty are not the same thing.]

Damar was a Prime Demon Lord. The two Demon Lords beneath him were also existences Simon could not confront. Black Banner possessed Greater Demons, hidden cells, informants, and more than thirty thousand possible members and supporters.

If Simon openly hunted them, he would die, but he had no intention of hunting them openly.

[I do not need to fight Damar. I just need Damar to move his pieces.]

Black Banner’s eastern faction already intended to betray its current leadership. It already planned to gather infiltrators, workers, cells, and fighters around Crownless Dawn.

Velmora already intended to expose and kill the rebels.

The ruling clans would soon have reasons to send forces into the eastern region if the first section of Crownless Dawn was a success.

Simon did not need to create the conflict.

It already existed.

He only needed to change its direction so that it would favour him.

[Black Banner’s members are hunted criminals,] Simon continued. [If Velmora kills them, the kingdom will call it justice. If Damar’s loyalists kill the eastern faction, they will call it punishment for betrayal. If the eastern faction kills Damar’s loyal followers, they will call it freedom.]

His sky-blue eyes became colder.

[But the name given to their deaths does not matter. Their hearts will remain the same and it is their hearts I need.]

Lilith released a quiet laugh.

[So you intend to let them kill one another and take what remains.]

[That is one possibility.]

Simon deliberately avoided calling it a plan.

He still knew too little.

However, Crownless Dawn possessed something the isolated settlements did not.

A fixed period.

The rift was expected to open in two months. Before then, Black Banner’s eastern faction had to move its forces, contact its Nails, complete the Chrysalis, and prepare the stolen road.

What might take Simon years through isolated settlements could become possible within months if he gained control of the operation.

The Chrysalis was the most important piece.

It could not carry Demon Lords or Half-Step Demon Lords. The strongest Black Banner demons would remain outside the copied road, unable to immediately follow the Fiends, Archfiends, and Greater Demons who crossed it.

If Simon found a way to change the destination, he could separate Black Banner’s lower-ranked fighters from the Demon Lords and Half-Step Demon Lords protecting them.

’I’ll also need to get stronger because fighting a Supreme Greater Demon is not going to be an easy feat. I need to improve my current techniques. If possible, learn new techniques, and... maybe become a Prime Archfiend before the rift opens.’

[A settlement forces me to travel toward my targets,] Simon said. [The Chrysalis may allow me to make the targets travel toward me.]

That difference changed everything.

He could choose the battlefield.

He could prepare the terrain.

He could control when different groups arrived and whether they possessed a path of retreat.

The eastern faction, Damar’s loyalists, and Velmora might all enter the copied road for different reasons without realizing that the destination no longer belonged to any of them.

Lilith’s voice became more serious.

[But you know that I told you that your bloodline evolution is not immediate. In that state, you would most likely be vulnerable. I’m saying most likely because you’re somewhat unique, so I cannot be a hundred percent certain.]

[If Damar or any other powerful enemy finds you during that state, they would most likely be able to kill you or disrupt your evolution... You might need the help of those two followers of yours. You should make them stronger before the rift opens.]

Simon narrowed his eyes but didn’t make a comment.

Technically, Lilith was right.

However, the problem was trust. Does he trust Sonya and Akaza enough?

Sure, they were very helpful to him when he was weak after Lilith possessed him, but this was a completely different case.

This was a case of him advancing his demon bloodline to that of a Daemon bloodline, and it was something that would interest every demon in existence right now.

If Sonya and Akaza were present during his bloodline evolution, they would be curious, they would ask questions, and they would definitely want him to improve their bloodline too.

’I’ll think about that later on. For now, let me focus on getting more information on the invasion and Operation Crownless Dawn.’

Lilith could guess what was going on through his mind, and she could not help but chuckle softly.

[Oh well. If you don’t trust them enough, then you can do it yourself and risk losing your life.]

Simon shifted his gaze to the window and stared outside with an absentminded gaze.

Lilith broke the silence after a few seconds.

[What if that demon called Korran discovers what you are planning?]

[He may become my enemy,] Simon said without taking his gaze off the window.

[And the Two-Horned Winged clans?]

[The same.]

Lilith became silent.

Simon did not underestimate the risk.

Black Banner’s informants could include nobles, officials, and demons protected by influential figures in the Darkness Kingdom. Killing certain rebels might offend demons who publicly claimed to hate them but were supporting them in secret.

Politics.

As for Korran, he might eventually connect and discover everything if he was not careful.

Damar could notice the internal conflict being manipulated.

The eastern faction might discover that the Chrysalis had been altered.

There were countless ways for the situation to turn against him.

But the isolated-settlement plan contained risks too, and its reward was spread across years of searching, travelling, and repeated massacres.

Crownless Dawn concentrated the danger, and it also concentrated the opportunity.

[Unfortunately for you, you can’t use Velmora’s Two-Horned Demons,] Lilith said after a moment.

Simon’s eyes moved toward the window.

[True... Velmora has city formations, trained guards, powerful Greater Demons like Korran, and Demon Lords. Every resident carries an identity token, and every disappearance would be investigated. Attacking this city for demon hearts would be more foolish than attacking Black Banner.]

The rebels were already wanted by many powerful and ruling demons in the Darkness Kingdom, and that gave Simon something more valuable than an easy target.

It gave him cover.

He did not need the Darkness Kingdom to praise him. He only needed it to look in the wrong direction until his evolution was complete.

Lilith finally understood the full difference.

[The isolated settlements are the slower path with possible weaker enemies. Black Banner is the faster path with certain stronger enemies.]

[Exactly.]

Simon reached toward the dark letter and slowly rolled it closed.

[Besides, the isolated settlements have not disappeared. If Crownless Dawn cannot be used, I can return to my original plan later.]

A plan was not a vow.

It was a tool.

When a better tool appeared, only a fool refused to use it because of attachment to the old one.

Simon placed the command seal beside the letter and looked toward the Murmur Bone.

Isolated settlements could still be found years from now.

Operation Crownless Dawn would move within two months.

Simon’s fingers tapped once against the table before becoming still.

The settlements could wait.

Crownless Dawn could not.

And he needed to get stronger.

Simon took the Fury Tempest Art from the table and started reading it.

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