The Hidden Extra: The Lazy Prince Refuses to Ascend The Throne Chapter 744 The Hero of Darkness (2)

"He's here already?" Rei looked surprised.

He turned to the generals and the others and apologized.

"Sorry, everyone. We'll have to postpone the meeting for a bit. I need to greet Lucas."

Darion and the others didn't mind. After receiving their permission, Rei quickly stepped out of the tent.

***

Rei quickened his pace. Although he and Lucas were sometimes at odds, their relationship hadn't reached the point of mutual hatred—let alone a desire to kill each other.

Besides, Rei needed Lucas right now. They had to speed up their plan to attack the main fortress of the Demon Emperor's Palace as soon as possible.

A few moments later, he finally arrived.

A man stood there calmly. He was tall—much taller than Rei. His short gray hair was neatly trimmed, and his deep green eyes were sharp and cold.

He wore black armor, with a sword sheathed on his back.

The sword was jet-black and emitted a faint dark aura—enough to make anyone who saw it feel uneasy.

He was Lucas Asbourne—the hero of darkness and the future ancestor of the Asbourne family.

"Lucas!" Rei greeted him enthusiastically.

Stopping in front of the man, Rei lifted his head to look at him.

Rei was only 1.75 meters tall, while Lucas stood at 1.9 meters.

The height difference was so noticeable that Rei had to look up just to meet his gaze.

Lucas nodded casually in response, then asked in a calm voice, "How's the situation?"

Rei wasn't offended by Lucas's cold demeanor. He simply smiled and explained, "The situation is fine. We managed to drive back the demon forces led by Demon General Karakan."

There was a clear sense of pride in his voice.

Lucas frowned but quickly hid it and gave a slight nod.

"By the way, how about you? Was the issue at the border resolved?" Rei asked curiously.

"I handled it perfectly. His Majesty has also rewarded me for my success," Lucas replied calmly, though a hint of arrogance lingered in his tone.

His rivalry with Rei had continued ever since they first arrived in this world.

To Lucas, Rei was a major threat—one even greater than the Demon Emperor himself.

However, because there was a prohibition against fighting each other, he had never openly revealed his hostility.

Rei merely smiled, showing not a trace of anger.

"Glad to hear it. Come on, let's head to the meeting tent. The other military leaders have already arrived."

Lucas nodded, and the two of them walked off together.

When they arrived, the military high command greeted Lucas with respect.

"Welcome, Hero of Darkness."

They clasped their hands together and bowed deeply.

Unlike Rei, Lucas seemed solitary and distant. The aura he radiated was overwhelmingly strong and oppressive.

Those unfamiliar with him would surely see him as a heartless and ruthless man.

Lucas merely nodded in response to their greeting. His gaze then fell upon a beautiful woman dressed in a silver gown.

The woman was tall. A crown rested on her head, and her expression was calm and serene.

Lucas's cold expression softened, and he immediately walked toward her.

"Greetings, Your Highness," he said politely, his voice so gentle that it made anyone wonder if he was truly the same person as before.

Roseline gave a slight nod. "Welcome, Hero Lucas. How are you?"

Despite her cold demeanor, Lucas didn't seem offended. Instead, he looked satisfied and smiled.

"I'm fine. I've also resolved the issue at the southern border," he replied casually, yet with quiet confidence.

Roseline's expression didn't change. She simply nodded, exchanged a few more words, and then shifted the discussion back to their next course of action.

"Our discussion earlier reached the point where General Loren explained his reasoning," Rei said, turning toward Darion. "What do you think, General Darion?"

Darion fell silent for a moment before shaking his head slightly.

"I have no opinion, Hero of Light. After thinking it over, what General Loren said is entirely correct. We can't waste our troops' lives just to chase a victory with slim odds. I'm sorry."

Rei smiled. "It's okay. Everyone has their own opinion. There's no harm in saying it."

Rei's relaxed, calm, and measured demeanor helped ease the atmosphere in the meeting once again.

"What do you think, Lucas? What's your opinion?"

Rei's gaze fell on Lucas.

Lucas didn't answer immediately. He studied the map on the table, lost in thought for a few seconds, before finally speaking. "In my opinion, we should attack them now."

The military leaders' expressions turned serious at once. If it had been Darion or Loren who said it, they might not have taken it so seriously.

After all, they were merely generals. The final decision still rested with Rei and Lucas, as humanity's representatives in the war against the Demon Emperor and his forces.

Rei wasn't surprised. He crossed his arms and asked again, "Why do you think that? Are you confident in your strength, or…"

A faint smile appeared on his lips. "Or did you find something interesting at the southern border?"

The room fell silent. Everyone stared at Lucas with tense curiosity.

Lucas looked at Rei and chuckled softly. "Your instincts are as sharp as ever."

He nodded and admitted, "Yes, I received some crucial news. It concerns the Demon Emperor himself."

Everyone took a deep breath, as if bracing for the worst.

"The Demon Emperor…" Lucas continued, calmly looking at each of them in turn. "Has decided to launch an all-out assault on the central continent, including the Great Velmora Empire and the surrounding kingdoms. His goal is singular—to destroy the human forces and become the true ruler of this continent."

Everyone's breathing grew heavy, as though their chests were being crushed by a boulder weighing dozens of tons.

Their faces turned pale, and they exchanged fearful glances.

The Demon Emperor's attacks had usually been limited to the southern, eastern, or northern regions.

Not once had he set his sights on the central continent. That was because the central continent had long been established as humanity's core stronghold, led directly by the Great Velmora Empire.

If that empire were to fall, humanity would effectively be doomed.

And now, the Demon Emperor had declared his intention to attack the central continent. This news was far more dangerous than any threat they had ever faced before.

"D-Dark Hero," Reinard called out, his voice faltering. "A-Are you certain about this news? I-I'm sorry; it's not that I don't believe you, but it seems impossible that the Demon Emperor would attack the Central Continent."

The others quickly regained their composure and looked at Lucas with hope as fragile as thin glass.

They wanted him to say, "Yes, it's still just a possibility."

Unfortunately, reality was far more cruel. Lucas shook his head and replied firmly, "I'm not mistaken. Everything was clearly revealed by the demon I captured in the southern continent. The Demon Empire has declared its intention to attack the central continent."