As Alexei explained what the Proto Lord was to Harold and the other members of the Royal Defence Corps he could tell that their willingness to fight such a creature was waning further and further.

Alexei could understand.

After being told to go to the front line and expecting to die in combat defending the kingdom the shades had all disappeared. That had given them all a second chance at living.

Being told that they instead had to fight a being that was well on its way to becoming the next Demon Lord?

Something that, just like the shades, could kill you and then perhaps use you to fight the rest of your friends?

That wasn’t something that a lot of people were keen on.

Harold, though, was a brave man and always had been.

“Very well,” He said as Alexei came to the end of his explanation, “If that is the case then this so-called Proto Lord must fall before the Proto part of the wretched thing's name becomes Demon instead.

“I will not order anyone to join myself or Alexei in this f