How many archdemons were left in the Demon Faction’s forces?
Detrodemian, Akasha, Mephiros, Kargos, Oxytodus, and two lower-ranked that I knew Aindel killed during the surprise invasion.
Only seven were known to be definitely dead.
As for the archdemons Aindel killed alone in Altelore, the exact number could not be determined.
Moreover, it could not be conclusively determined that only the existing archdemons were all there was.
There were also high-ranking demons who were driven away by Azekel, despite their strength rivaling that of archdemons.
Among them, it was uncertain whether some had rejoined the demon army.
But one had just been confirmed.
The ninth ranked archdemon, Farkkuli.
He had the power to self-destruct demons under his control.
The stronger the demon, the more destructive it was, as it exploded all of its magic and life force.
Just now, he simply detonated the lesser demons to destroy the golem.
“I’ll handle it.”
I scanned the area for other archdemons and slowly descended into the chaos of the battlefield.
At least at first glance, Farkkuli was not with the other archdemons.
However, he was surrounded by many high-ranking demons as guards.
“Asher.”
“Yes.”
“That long-necked demon over there, in the center of the circle. We’re going to kill him from this point on.”
Asher nodded with a slightly stiff expression.
“What is your plan?”
“I’m going to jump off the top of his head and ambush him. You will join me only if I fail to kill him in the first strike, or if another high-ranking demon appears.”
“Understood.”
Demons with flight abilities, a handful of wyverns ridden by high-ranking knights and mages, undead and insects, and even magical forces flying from all directions on the ground—engaged in battle. It was quite chaotic. Due to this chaos, I didn’t stand out particularly.
Farkkuli also didn’t seem to be aware of me.
It would be best if I could finish it in one surprise attack.
Descend around that bastard and finish him with [Blood Art] and Instant Kill.
If I failed, I could retreat under Asher’s protection and buy time until the other Lords joined in.
There’s no reason for me to face the guy alone.
Lowering my altitude, Asher mowed down the demons in the path.
As I got closer to the ground, I leaped alone over Farkkuli’s head.
Hooong.
When I was about halfway there, Farkkuli, who was controlling his subordinates, seemed to notice me and raised his head.
One of the demons around him waved his hand and launched an attack towards me.
I fell defenselessly until the last possible moment, then unfurled a [Floating Veil] to defend against the direct hit.
This distance should be enough.
And then I immediately initiated a series of spatial leaps.
Blood scattered in all directions, exposing Farkkuli and the other demons to the blood mist.
Narrowing his eyes, Farkkuli reached out his hand.
Whispering softly from above the guy’s head, I said.
“Die.”
Farkkuli died without being able to put up any counterattack.
And dozens of demons as well.
Since my abilities weren’t completely hidden at this point, the demons might have had some guesses and precautions, but I succeeded more easily than I thought.
I didn’t know if he didn’t realize I was the Seventh Lord, or if he was caught off guard, but either way, I killed him, which was probably a good thing.
The place I fell was in the middle of enemy territory, so the demons quickly swarmed in from all sides.
But a baptism of sword energy that rained down from the sky quickly dispersed them.
It was Asher.
I had just recovered the cooldown time of my spatial leap and was about to jump onto the back of Ti-Yong, that had landed nearby.
“...!”
A giant blast of cold came from the other side, freezing the area.
I defended using the [Floating Veil].
I blocked the attack, but I was trapped under the ice.
Asher used her special ability and tried to break the ice by swinging her sword.
But it only caused cracks and didn’t completely shatter the ice.
Ranked sixth among archdemons, Yukesil.
With this much mana and ice-based abilities, it could only be him.
'Damn it.'
I was caught off guard.
I didn’t sense his presence, so when did he get this close?
As a high-ranking archdemon that used magic, he was dangerous.
No matter how well equipped Asher was, she was not his opponent.
I wanted to retreat, but I was in the middle of my [Floating Veil], so it was impossible.
Once the [Floating Veil] was withdrawn, the cold would instantly permeate from all directions.
In a critical moment, Asher’s sword, once again soaring, finally succeeded in creating a small opening in the ice prison.
Without missing the opportunity, I immediately used spatial leap as soon as I released the [Floating Veil].
And I succeeded in escaping outside through that opening.
“Sir Ron!”
I barely made it onto Ti-Yong’s back and looked down at my frozen left arm.
It had only been touched for a moment, but it seemed to have frozen to the bone. I couldn’t feel it at all.
'Now is not the time to worry about my arm...'
I quickly searched for Yukesil’s location.
Since the immense mana was flowing again, I could find him right away.
The one preparing to attack again, emitting cold waves from a distance.
“Go up! Quickly!”
The situation wasn’t favorable.
Even if I blocked it with the [Floating Veil], the surroundings were all frozen, making it an incredibly bothersome ability to be trapped in.
If we stayed like this, the three of us would become a friendly trio of ice statues, so I tried to distance ourselves quickly...
Wooong!
Suddenly, a shield flying from somewhere stopped abruptly in the air, spreading iridescent waves of energy.
I realized whose ability that was and instinctively shouted to Asher, who was about to swing the sword.
“It’s fine! Let go!”
The waves that covered the surroundings perfectly blocked the oncoming cold.
The area outside that range was all frozen.
Of course, none of the demons swept up in it survived.
The First Lord jumped down from the wyvern above and landed on the frozen ground of the battlefield, retrieving his shield.
“Prepare yourself, Seventh Lord.”
...He came at an astonishingly opportune time.
I sighed and followed Asher down to the ground.
Clad in armor, sword, and shield radiating a prismatic aura, the Wiseman looked in the direction where Yukesil was.
I spoke to him.
“Farkkuli is dead. The attack just now belonged to Yukesil.”
“Understood. Any other archdemons?”
“Other than those two, there’s been no confirmation.”
“Then let’s finish this swiftly. I’ll handle the perimeter guard.”
The Wiseman seemed ready to confront Yukesil personally.
With an explosive leap, the Wiseman flew toward Yukesil in an instant.
“Asher, hold off the demons around.”
“Got it.”
Leaving the ground to Asher, I rode on Ti-Yong and soared into the sky.
In that moment, I sensed an unusual energy from another side and turned my head.
From the source of the energy, a shape resembling a giant caterpillar was crushing and rising over the surrounding demons.
It was immensely large.
[Lv. 95]
...What was that?
I didn’t remember that type of demon.
It’s a demonic power I didn’t recognize.
The caterpillar turned its head toward the direction of Yukesil and the Wiseman, and from its wide-open mouth, an unfamiliar magical energy began to gather.
As I hurriedly moved to intervene and prevent the interference, there was someone who rushed towards the creature from the ground before me.
“Hee-hee! Where should we fight?”
The crimson mana that crushed all the blocking demons and cleared a path in the midst of the enemy lines belonged to none other than the Beast King.
With a swift rise, the Beast King swung her greatsword at the caterpillar’s head.
With a tremendous sound, the creature’s head spun around.
Crack!
Furthermore, the Thunder Lord began to release lightning strikes from the sky, and suddenly, the King of the Dead, who had approached this way, also began to unleash his magic.
Other Lords began to join the battle in earnest as well.
If the three over there were fighting, there’s no need for me to intervene.
I turned my attention back to Yukesil, who I judged to be more dangerous than the caterpillar creature.
The battle between the Wiseman, the oldest and strongest Lord, and Yukesil, the sixth strongest demon.
The Wiseman was indeed powerful.
His battle had a solid feeling, much like an impregnable fortress.
Amidst the frozen hell, he relentlessly countered even the biting cold, pressing on without hesitation.
Even Yukesil seemed to falter, struggling to keep up with the Wiseman’s approach rather than maintaining his offensive.
'When an opportunity arises, I’ll finish him.'
Although the surroundings were completely covered in the boundary of cold, it seemed that the energy was gradually waning.
As the Wiseman continued to pressure, a gap would soon reveal itself.
At that moment, I would approach and end it swiftly.
Waaa!
But the fight ended before I could intervene.
Taking advantage of the distraction caused by the Wiseman’s retreat, a burst of blue light blew away one of Yukesil’s arms. It was a sniper shot from the Heavenly Archer.
The Wiseman didn’t miss that perfect opportunity.
The shockwave emanating from his shield immobilized Yukesil’s movements, and the sword blade severed his head in an instant.
'It’s over.'
Confirming Yukesil’s demise, I turned my gaze towards the other Lords.
At best, the caterpillar could muster the strength of a mid-level archdemon.
As multiple Lords combined their forces, the outcome on the other side was determined swiftly as well.
Engulfed in the clash of intellect and magical power, the twisted figure convulsed and was dealt a final blow by the Beast King, splitting its body vertically.
Was this somewhat the end?
Three archdemons were dead.
Seeing that it’s still quiet, it’s safe to assume that the Demon King wasn’t here.
If there are no more archdemons remaining, the victory definitely belongs to Calderic.
With all the Lords remaining unscathed, all that’s left now was to clean up the remnants of the enemies.
That’s when it happened.
“...!”
With a chilling aura, a massive green light emerged from beyond.
It was the direction of the Insect Legion, where the Black Sea Empress was located.
***
From her perch atop her tower, the Black Sea Empress laughed at the carnage beneath her feet.
“Sweep them all away, my children. Opportunities to feast like this don’t come often.”
Even the demons who did not fear death and were crazed by bloodshed had no answer to the onslaught.
An absolute difference in quantity was an element that could not be overcome unless there was an overwhelming gap in power.
And the archdemons were on the entirely opposite side of her battlefield.
The Black Sea Empress indulged in slaughter without going there to fight unnecessarily.
There was no Demon King here. If that’s the case, the war on this side was the triumphant victory of Calderic.
The Black Sea Empress felt a slight regret at that fact.
Her gaze turned in the direction of where the Seventh Lord was.
Her eyes were filled with malice and bloodlust.
If the war had flowed in a much fiercer manner, there might have been a chance to kill that human in the midst of chaos.
“Well, let’s wait and see.”
The battle here might be over, but the war wasn’t.
Following this flow, after dealing with the leftovers, they would assess the situation in Santea and join them.
There were still opportunities left.
It was when the Black Sea Empress was having such pleasant thoughts.
“What are you thinking? You look delighted.”
Suddenly, a voice was heard.
The Black Sea Empress turned her head in surprise.
Right beside her stood a demon.
When? She hadn’t sensed a thing. Her instinct sent shivers throughout her body.
The demon who had been looking down at the battlefield under the tower gestured.
At the same time, a green energy swept the ground and burned tens of thousands of insects to ashes.
And all the other towers as well, except the one where they stood.
It was just a mere moment.
The frozen Black Sea Empress soon realized the identity of the demon.
'A- Azekel.'
She was going to die.
Swiftly, a massive hand appeared over the head of the Black Sea Empress, who had leaped from the tower.
Snap.
Her body was snatched up like an insect and crushed with a bloodless sound.
