Dragon's Awakening: The Duke's Son Is Changing The Plot
Chapter 110 - 109 - Fluff and Demons.

Chapter 110: Chapter 109 - Fluff and Demons.

The next day.

In the heart of the forest known to humans as Bestiary Mountain, in the shadow of crumbling leaves and shattered branches, and beneath the scorched remains of the once-mighty Great Walnut Tree—

—The proud empire of Acornia stood on the brink of extinction.

Tiny tunnels crisscrossed beneath the forest floor like arteries under a battlefield.

Inside them, panicked messengers squeaked orders.

Heavily armored squirrels—wearing acorn helmets, bark-plated chest armor, and moss-camouflaged cloaks—hurried through the burrows lit by the fireflies.

In the war room—an underground chamber carved into the roots of a mighty oak—the emperor himself stood tall (or as tall as a squirrel could be).

Emperor Nutrius Acornpaw IV, regal and fluffy, his crown a golden peanut shell polished to shine, stared at a map carved into the bark of a tree wall.

Red pinecone markers denoted enemy locations.

The enemy, of course, was demonic humans—hulking, cruel creatures who had taken to burning forests and butchering small animals for sport while muttering things like—

"—Nope, not the one. Kill it anyway."

Nutrius’s whiskers twitched with grim fury.

Beside him stood his mate, Lady Chatterella, a vision in rose-petal robes and battle-ready eyeliner.

"This is barbaric," she hissed, clutching her tail in despair. "They’re not even peeling us before roasting us!"

Nutrius growled. "Let them come. Acornia will not fall like the Great Walnut Tree. We are squirrels! We shall outwit! We shall outclimb! We shall outnut them!"

"Your Majesty!" A tiny messenger squeaked, sliding into the room. "General Chatterfang is engaging the eastern flank! He says he’s executing ’Operation Claw Swipe’!"

From above, muffled booms rattled the tunnels.

On the surface—

—General Chatterfang, Nibbles’ brother, clad in full barkplate armor with a scar over one eye and two toothpick swords strapped to his back, led a ferocious charge.

Dozens of squirrels launched through the air using mushroom catapults, ambushing the towering humans below.

"STRIKE FROM THE TREES, MY BROTHERS!" He squeaked, his voice filled with divine vengeance.

The demons looked up.

"What the—GAH!" One shouted as a flaming pinecone landed on his head.

The squirrels swarmed with unmatched coordination—using vines to trip their enemies, rolling nut-filled traps under their feet, and dropping sap bombs from above.

Despite their size, these were not ordinary squirrels.

They were trained by pain.

Molded by fear.

Hardened by winter without central heating.

"Where’s Prince Nibbles?!" Chatterfang barked through a tiny acorn radio.

Back underground, Nutrius’s face darkened. "He left with the Clawtail Recon Squad."

Lady Chatterella gasped. "Alone?! He’s our baby!"

"He insisted. Said he had... a feeling."

...............................

Meanwhile...

In the ruins near the Western Ridge, Nibbles crouched in the crook of a tree, his tiny form wrapped in shadows, his single eye scanning the horizon.

Behind him, the remnants of the Clawtail Recon Squad crouched—half their unit was gone, their tails singed, and their spirits grim.

"...They’re looking for something," Nibbles whispered. "I heard them talking. It’s not just a massacre. They’re hunting something."

Below, demonic humans paced through the forest, torches crackling and swords dripping with blood.

"Flying-type... aura matches partially... Keep searching."

They slaughtered anything remotely rodent-like. Squirrels. Ferrets. Even a very confused skunk.

Nibbles narrowed his eyes. "We’re gonna find it first."

Just then—

A glimmer in the sky.

Something streaked past the moonlight—elegant, glowing faintly.

Nibbles gasped.

She soared through the air like a dream made of wind and clouds.

A flying squirrel-like beast, with silver-white fur, gossamer gliding membranes, and eyes that sparkled like polished almonds.

She landed softly in the clearing, clearly exhausted, sniffing around. The aura around her shimmered with strange, ancient power.

"...She’s the one," Nibbles breathed. "That’s what they’re after."

Unfortunately, the demonic humans saw her too.

"There!" one shouted. "It’s her!"

The girl squeaked in alarm and bolted—but she wasn’t fast enough.

They surrounded her, their swords raised.

Nibbles didn’t think.

He launched from the treetops like a fuzzy meteor, flinging himself into one demon’s face and scratching as if his life depended on it.

"CLAWTAILS, ENGAGE!" He screamed midair.

His squad leaped into action, diving from every direction.

Tiny squirrel bodies hit the ground like a flurry of vengeance.

Pinecones exploded.

Vines tangled feet.

Bark shrapnel flew.

One demon tried to swing at Nibbles, only for the squirrel to somersault backward and slap him across the face with his tail.

The flying squirrel-girl stared at him in awe, her heart visibly throbbing in her chest.

Nibbles landed beside her, puffing his chest.

"Fear not, fair maiden. You are safe now."

She blinked, her cheeks flushing a soft, rosy pink.

"You... You came to save me."

"...I would claw through all the peanut butter in the world for you."

Suddenly, she tackled him in a hug, wings flapping excitedly.

"I’m Flurry," she whispered, nuzzling his cheek. "You saved my life."

"I’m Nibbles," he replied. "And I think I love you."

In the background, the last demon exploded from a sap grenade.

The Clawtail squad cheered.

"WHOOOO! WE’RE ALIVE!"

One squirrel sobbed while cradling a crushed nut. "We did it, buddy... we did it..."

Nibbles, dazed and clinging to Flurry as her wings wrapped around him, turned toward the distant moonlight with resolve burning in his eyes.

"...We’ll get you to safety, Flurry. And then, we take back our home."

That was what he said, promising to keep her safe, even if it meant he would die while doing it.

...............................

Back in Acornia.

General Chatterfang raised his acorn radio. "We lost contact with Recon Squad Alpha! Should we send a search party?"

Nutrius shook his head. "No... If anyone can survive and return..."

Lady Chatterella dabbed her eyes with a silk leaf. "It’s our boy."

"...It’s Nibbles."

They hoped and prayed that he would return safely.

After all, they knew how brave and smart their son was. If they lost him, then there was probably no saving this empire.

...............................

Unlike what everyone had expected, things on Nibbles’s side didn’t seem to have calmed down.

The clearing that moments ago rang with cheers and nutty camaraderie now trembled with a sinister silence.

Nibbles stood frozen, tail stiff with dread, as the smoke cleared.

The demons didn’t fall.

They paused.

The bark shrapnel?

They bounced off harmlessly.

The sap grenades?

Evaporated against a mana shield.

The flaming pinecones?

"Cute," said one demon, brushing soot from his armor. "Did that little one just tail-slap me?"

"Was kinda ticklish," said another, cracking his neck.

Nibbles blinked. "...Wait. That didn’t count?"

He could understand their words, so he knew how relaxed they were.

The lead demon, a six-circle brute with eyes and veins glowing with faint crimson, stepped forward. "You pests think you’re special just because you talk and wear leaf capes?"

The Clawtail Squad instinctively huddled behind Nibbles, shaking.

"New plan," one squeaked. "We play possum."

He wanted to pretend to be dead, hoping the demonic humans would ignore them.

"I vote camouflage!" Another cried, rolling into a ball and covering himself with moss.

He didn’t even wait for others to agree; he did what he suggested.

But did it work?

"It’s no use," Nibbles whispered, stepping forward to protect Flurry, who clung to his tail like a trembling marshmallow.

He could see the demonic humans staring at them with their swords raised.

They didn’t need to use swords to kill some squirrels, but they still did.

Maybe they enjoyed it.

The demonic humans raised their weapons.

Nibbles’ eyes narrowed.

His fur bristled.

His tiny paws clenched.

"I regret nothing," he muttered dramatically. "Except not eating that last nut bar in my backpack..."

The demons, however, lunged.

One demon swiped his blade downward—

—As the time seemed to slow.

Nibbles shoved Flurry behind him.

"FOR ACORNIA—!"

CLANG.

...The blade didn’t connect.

It was stopped by a hand.

A human hand.

Not a demon’s.

Not blackened, not cracked with corruption.

But pale.

Calloused.

Fist wrapped in black-red draconic scales, glowing faintly with power.

It gripped the demon’s sword like it was made of wet spaghetti.

The demon looked up in shock.

A shadow loomed over him, tall and impossibly calm.

It was Raven.

His expression was unreadable.

Eyes glowing faintly like dying stars.

His voice was low and cold as the abyss.

"You picked the wrong squirrel."

CRACK.

His scaled fist punched the demon through a tree.

The forest trembled.

A beat of silence.

Then—like a chorus of salvation—

Jake dropped from above, landing like a meteor, cracking the ground as he drove his sword into another demon’s skull.

Clara stepped from the shadows, knives spinning between her fingers, her smile wicked. "You picked the wrong nut pile, boys."

Alex, glowing with fire magic and squirrelly energy, shouted, "I GOT YOU, FLUFFBALLS!" before uppercutting a demon so hard his soul needed a chiropractor.

Siris appeared out of nowhere, dragging one demon by the ankle and humming while twirling her bone dagger. "He was hidden in the bushes, keeping an eye out for trouble."

Jessy and Selena then came from the bushes, their auras sharp as they were ready to strike and defend.

Flurry gasped, eyes shining. "Are they... gods?"

"No," Nibbles whispered, heart pounding in reverence. "They’re better. They’re humans—my humans."