After Being Sold Out By The Empire, I Decide To Assist The Demon King

[Snake Molt Older Sister: Yila, it's about time. Your body is almost done for.]

[Snake Molt Older Sister: Let's go. We'll find another chance for revenge later.]

[Snake Molt Younger Sister: Yes, sister is right.]

[Snake Molt Older Sister: ...Yila, did you hear? It's time to slip away.]

"..."

"Mr. Yila~ Come on~ Come on~"

Yila squinted his eyes. He felt his vision blur. Using the power of Snake Molt for too long had already caused great strain on his mind and body. The most sensible choice would have been to retreat immediately.

But...

"Did you hear that?"

Yila said this as he looked at the World Tree Beast, which had once again entered the *Rest* state. He took a deep breath, almost closing his eyes, and spoke to the Snake Molt with a very tired voice: "Isabella is cheering for me."

"..."

[Snake Molt Older Sister: You still want to fight? There's no way you can win unless you master the rules... but even then, you'll only be able to kill the Beast. It won't save the world or achieve anything more. What's the point?]

[Snake Molt Younger Sister: Eh? Did she really just say that? Oh... Yila has already been to the Realm of Rules, but couldn't master it?]

Maybe there was still a one-in-a-million chance...

"..."

"Point... I'm not too sure either."

Yila said this, looking somewhat dazed. He rubbed his eyes while in a tense state, then continued: "But in my soul, everyone is cheering for me..."

This was very strange because Yila, on the outside, couldn't hear the voices in his soul. He didn't frame the sentence as a question like *Are they cheering for me?* but stated it with great certainty.

As if he was hearing it firsthand.

[Snake Molt Older Sister: Eh?]

"..."

With the Snake Molt's voice still echoing, Yila half-closed his eyes and looked up at Satan Ye, who was shouting encouragement at him. He gave a bright smile and said to the Snake Molt: "I don't know how to explain it, but I... can hear them."

It was too clear...

[Yila! Keep going!]

[Go for it, Mr. Yila!]

[Damn it, Yila! How can you let a broken tree beat you like this? Where's our noble honor?]

[Master Yila! Master Yila!]

[Dear Yila! You must win!]

[Don't get hurt, boo-hoo! How can I live without you, Yila?]

[Brother... he'll be safe, right?]

[Beat him to a pulp!]

[Awooo! Charge! Beat that monster to a pulp! Devour his Mana!]

[You can win! Because he's Yila! He's the "of course it's Yila" Yila!]

[Go!]

[Charge~~~]

[...]

"..."

"I can hear them. I can hear everything."

Yila watched as the World Tree Beast, fully rested, charged at him at great speed... He didn't immediately respond. Instead, he smiled while crying, showing a beautiful smile as tears sprayed through the air.

"I don't have a reason to win, but I don't have a reason to lose either... I don't want to be the rational me anymore. I don't want to bear responsibilities or be forced to inherit anything."

"Everything I've done, my dreams... I don't want them anymore!"

Yila smiled, a joyous smile as he spoke. Wings began to gradually appear on his back... Starting with the most conspicuous, the Crimson Dragon's *wings*, and then...

They erupted instantly.

With almost no prelude, after the crimson wings fully manifested, other wings simultaneously exploded from his back, spreading like crystalline clusters.

Wings of different forms transformed into multicolored hues, covering Yila's back entirely, and formed a giant *butterfly* in the air.

Not a towering majestic dragon, nor a powerful figure, but a beautiful, gracefully fluttering, and lightweight butterfly, even larger than the World Tree Beast—

The transformed butterfly.

By abandoning dreams, denying everything from the past, and kicking away his persistence... Only in this very moment can one truly realize what is most important to them.

A past kingdom? A former life?

Or... beautiful memories, cherished family and friends, the paths walked with comrades, and of course, the scenery witnessed together along the way.

From the very beginning, the answer had already been given.

From the start, Yila had stood at the finish line. Each step he took was moving further from the end... Along the way, Yila had slowly moved from zero into the negatives.

Yila had long possessed the kingdom he dreamed of... All he needed to do was step back, let his heart step back, and so, at this moment—

Let it go from the *heart (soul)*.

From negative to zero.

....

Almost without hesitation, Yila didn't dodge, nor did he use any clever tactics. Instead, he used the most primitive method, a basic flying kick.

No doubt, this would collide directly with the World Tree Beast.

What was interesting was that the World Tree Beast, which should have been faster, now moved in a way that the already overburdened Yila could actually see its afterimage.