Players always run into situations like this while playing games.
When you go somewhere and try to finish all the side quests before starting the main quest, you walk down the street, and then, without warning, a cutscene starts.
Then the main quest appears.
Yeah, that's really annoying.
For Duanmu Huai, though, it wasn't a bad thing.
He wasn't interested in most of those side quests anyway.
"You think summoning this giant turtle will let you defeat me?"
"No, of course not."
The old man shook his head with a grin.
Then he made a gesture, and the giant turtle vanished without a trace.
Seeing this, Duanmu Huai raised an eyebrow, while Rista wore a shocked expression.
But soon, the old man continued speaking.
"Actually, I've been collecting information about the Hero through the Demon King Army in various regions.
"I know that two of the Four Heavenly Kings have already died by your hand, so naturally, I wouldn't be your opponent either.
"I can sense a power in you that surpasses all reason. It is an irresistible power, just like His Majesty the Demon King's. So..."
As he spoke, the old man took out a bundle and opened it.
When Rista saw what was inside, her face turned deathly pale.
The reason was simple: the bundle contained two human heads!
"These are the heads of my wife and child.
"I must use the heads of my beloved family and the lives of every villager in this village as a medium to unleash my most powerful summoning magic and defeat the Hero—!"
That was as far as the old man got.
The next moment, the war hammer in Duanmu Huai's hand flew out with a roar and smashed toward him.
The old man let out a shrill, sinister laugh and