Reincarnated with a Military System in Another World

Chapter 182: Incompetence Incompetence



The four Demon King Generals-Thalor, Garruk, Valeria, and Telus-returned to the ominous halls of the Demon King's castle. The air inside was thick, filled with a weight that pressed down on them as they walked through the towering black gates. None of them spoke. Shame clung to them like a shadow, their failure fresh in their minds. Each step echoed off the cold stone floors, adding to the suffocating tension that followed them.

At the far end of the dark throne room sat the Demon King. His presence was overwhelming, a figure wrapped in darkness, his red eyes glowing faintly beneath his crown. His aura radiated raw power and fury, and even from a distance, the four generals could feel the seething anger waiting for them.

None of them dared to look directly at him.

As they reached the center of the room, they knelt before the throne, their faces downcast. Not one of them spoke a word; they were waiting, bracing themselves for the inevitable storm of rage.

The Demon King's voice broke the silence like a crack of thunder. "Explain yourselves," he growled.

"How is it that four of my strongest generals, sent to retrieve a simple objective, have returned empty-handed?"

Thalor, the assassin, tightened his fists on the floor but said nothing. His pride, already wounded from the battle, couldn't bear the thought of explaining their failure. Valeria, usually composed and deadly, could barely bring herself to meet the Demon King's gaze, her heart pounding in her chest. Garruk's massive hands gripped the hilt of his axe, knuckles white from the tension. Even Telus, always calm and collected, seemed shaken, his usual arrogance crumbled under the weight of their defeat.

"I am waiting for an answer," the Demon King hissed, his patience waning. "Or have you all forgotten how to speak?"

Garruk was the first to break the silence.

"My lord... we underestimated them," Garruk began, his voice heavy with regret. "The humans... and the dwarves... they had support we didn't expect. They have a flying fortress in the air."

The Demon King's red eyes flared with fury. "A flying fortress?" he repeated, his voice cold. "You're telling me that the combined might of four Demon King Generals was defeated because of a human contraption in the sky?"

Garruk gritted his teeth, his head bowed lower. "Their weaponry is far more advanced than we anticipated. They rained destruction upon us from above, targeting us before we could react." Telus, still shaken but determined to regain some dignity, spoke next. "Their technology is beyond what we've faced before. It may not have magic but it can seriously cause significant damage to us. Even Morgath was killed in the onslaught."

The Demon King's aura grew darker, his anger palpable as it filled the room. "So, Morgath is dead," he said slowly, his voice low but filled with menace. "And yet, the four of you, my so- called strongest generals, are still alive. How do you explain that?"

Valeria, her heart pounding, finally spoke. "My lord, we did not flee. We fought as best we could against an enemy that knew our weaknesses. But this is no ordinary human force. They've blended magic and technology in ways that we haven't seen before. Their flying fortress in the sky, their coordination with the dwarves-this is unlike anything we've faced."

"You speak of your enemy's strength," the Demon King hissed, "but I hear nothing of your own." He leaned forward, his red eyes glowing brighter. "What use are you to me if you are outmatched by humans and dwarves? You are Demon King Generals! You should have crushed them with ease. I am starting to think that why you exist in the first place. It's beyond me. I granted you immense power, yet you return with failure after failure. What do you have to show for it? One of your own, dead. Our forces scattered. And the humans and dwarves still standing."

The room felt colder, the darkness around the Demon King growing thicker as his anger deepened. The four generals knelt in silence, their shame weighing heavily on them. None dared to respond immediately, knowing that the wrong words would only worsen their situation.

"Are the Demon Generals so weak that they couldn't even handle a simple contraption in the sky?" the Demon King growled, his voice laced with disdain. His red eyes glowed brighter, casting a menacing light over the throne room. "Have I placed my trust in incompetence?" The silence that followed his words was deafening. None of the four generals dared to speak. They had all faced countless enemies before, triumphed over powerful foes, but none had felt the sting of defeat like this. And now, under the cold scrutiny of the Demon King, they felt their power and pride crumble.

Telus, usually the one to maintain his composure, was the first to break the silence, though his voice was subdued. "My lord, the enemy's strength has grown. Their weapons, though lacking magic, are designed to strike from a distance. They have found ways to target us before we can retaliate. We...we were caught off guard. But we won't be again."

The Demon King's gaze shifted to Telus, his voice a low rumble. "Caught off guard?" He stood slowly, the dark aura around him swirling with barely contained fury. "Do you think your enemy cares that you were caught off guard? You were given power beyond measure, and you failed. I did not choose you to be my generals so you could return to me with excuses!"

"We won't fail again, my lord. The humans may have used their technology to gain an advantage, but we've learned their tactics. We'll adapt. Next time, we'll crush them."

"I have heard that excuse before, Valeria," the Demon King interrupted coldly, his voice cutting through the air like a blade. "You told me the same thing when you failed to overrun their base of operations. And yet, here we are-another failure, and more excuses."

Valeria stiffened, the weight of his words crushing her pride further. She wanted to retort, to argue that the enemy had changed, but she knew better. The Demon King was not one for excuses, especially not now, when their failures were piling up.

"My lord..." Garruk began again, his voice low. "We fought with everything we had. Their air superiority caught us off guard, but it will not happen again. We've learned-"

"Enough!" the Demon King thundered, his patience snapping. The entire throne room seemed to tremble under his rage, the shadows around him thickening as his dark aura intensified. "I am surrounded by incompetence! My strongest warriors, my trusted generals, brought low by humans and dwarves!"

The room fell silent once more, the tension unbearable. The four Demon King Generals, each powerful in their own right, now knelt before him in utter humiliation, unable to defend their

failure.

The Demon King's eyes, glowing crimson beneath his crown, surveyed them with disdain. "You claim to have learned their tactics? Then prove it. I will not accept another failure. You will go back, and you will bring me the heads of those responsible. If you return empty- handed again, I will not be so merciful."

A cold silence followed his words, the threat hanging heavily in the air. None of the generals doubted the Demon King's resolve. Failure again would mean their end.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

Thalor, who had remained quiet throughout, finally raised his head slightly, his voice a low rasp. "We will not fail again, my lord. We will destroy them."