Chapter 475
Chapter 475
Chapter 475
“A phoenix?”
Anastasia’s face showed disbelief as she watched Raven flying through the air, letting out phoenix cries.
This was Raven, who had even devoured the dimensional barrier created by the Great Sage.
There was no way it couldn’t eat the demon realm’s barrier.
After eating the barrier contentedly, Raven was happily flying around letting out phoenix cries.
Anastasia’s face hardened when she saw the gap in the barrier created by the suddenly appearing divine beast.
‘This is impossible…’
Ever since getting involved with Zeke Draker, too many impossible things had happened.
This event must have been quite shocking, as the curse placed on Zeke gradually weakened.
Seizing that gap to dispel it, Zeke removed the shadow respirator and could breathe again, then said to Anastasia.
“The situation has changed. If you surrender now, I’ll treat you with proper prisoner courtesy.”
At those words, Anastasia ground her teeth and shouted:
“Shut up! I am the Demon Realm’s Princess…!”
Before she could finish speaking, Nigel’s hand moved.
SWOOSH!
A powerful sword strike grazed past Anastasia’s neck as if to cut it off.
Nigel ground her teeth.
“TCH, it’s harder when I have to control my power.”
Since revealing her true power here would lead to immediate ascension due to karma’s law, Nigel needed to control her power as much as possible.
She sighed and lowered her gaze, only then noticing the dress she was wearing, and glared at Anastasia.
“…What the hell did you do to me while I was unconscious, you damn demon bitch?.”
Nigel clenched her fist and stepped forward toward Anastasia.
“Looks like you can’t use Aura. And your pitiful authority seems all used up too. Now, take a proper hit for once.”
RUMBLE!
Though she was controlling her power, Nigel’s killing intent was extraordinary. Plus, with Zeke here now, she only needed to be careful about ascension.
Anastasia stepped back unconsciously in confusion.
‘Damn it…’
Not only was the main base destroyed by a single human knight, but becoming a laughingstock to her sisters if she fled abandoning the invasion fortress was unimaginable.
‘Being a laughingstock isn’t the problem but if Father finds out…’
Thinking of the Demon Archduke, Anastasia shuddered and trembled.
Anastasia quickly regained her composure and said to Zeke:
“…Zeke Draker, I acknowledge my defeat. Leave this place with Nigel. We will also withdraw cleanly from here.”
Only now that the situation turned unfavorable did Anastasia offer to fulfill her promise.
At those words, Nigel snorted.
“You damn demon bitch. If you think you can just run away after doing this to me…”
RUMBLE! RUMBLE!
Before Nigel could finish speaking, suddenly the entire invasion fortress shook.
The fortress buildings began collapsing and slowly sinking into the ground.
As Nigel tried to run to catch Anastasia, the floor split and sank, making her lose balance and stagger.
“Ugh!”
As Nigel momentarily hesitated how to move while unable to use her full power, Zeke jumped up stepping on the collapsed floor debris.
WHOOSH!
Flying up with dragon wings, Zeke caught the falling Nigel in his arms.
Finding herself suddenly in Zeke’s embrace, Nigel made a subtle expression.
“Damn it! What kind of situation is this?”
“Why, Master? The dress suits you well.”
In Zeke’s arms, Nigel elbowed his solar plexus and ground her teeth.
“That damn demon bitch! I’m going to kill her!”
Still holding Nigel, Zeke watched the gradually collapsing invasion fortress.
The erosion-type invasion fortress was a strategic weapon that could be summoned based on buildings existing in the material world.
It seemed Anastasia had canceled the fortress’s summoning when the situation turned unfavorable.
Zeke met Anastasia’s glaring eyes among the collapsing ruins.
She shouted at Zeke:
“Zeke Draker! I will never forget today’s humiliation! I, Demon Realm Princess Anastasia, will surely tear you apart and kill you!”
Along with the disappearing invasion fortress, Anastasia too seemed about to return to the demon realm.
But Anastasia had overlooked one thing.
That Zeke was not the type to easily let an enemy escape.
CLANK! CLANK!
Solomon’s chains shot out around Anastasia as she tried to disappear with the invasion fortress.
Seeing dozens of chains, Anastasia panicked but tried to block them with her puppetization ability, but it was useless.
WHOOOOOSH!
Solomon’s chains, containing brilliant light energy, were completely unaffected by Anastasia’s puppetization ability.
“EEEK!”
Solomon's chains persistently followed Anastasia.
Having canceled the invasion fortress and unable to use the Demon Archduke's authority anymore, Anastasia couldn't avoid the chains and was finally captured.
RUMBLE!
The invasion fortress gradually disappeared into the demon realm, leaving behind Anastasia bound in chains of light.
"No!"
SHHHHHH!
As the fortress and the demons within vanished like crumbling sand returning to the demon realm, only Anastasia remained.
RUMBLE!
Only the ruins of the broken castle remained where the invasion fortress had disappeared.
Anastasia, tightly bound by Solomon's chains, fell onto the castle ruins.
CRASH!
The Demon Realm Princess Anastasia rolled on the ground covered in dust.
"URGHH!"
Humiliatingly captured by the enemy, she struggled desperately to break free from the chains.
But there was no way to escape Solomon's chains that bound the soul itself.
Zeke slowly descended to the castle ruins while holding Nigel.
He put Nigel down and looked down at Anastasia rolling on the ground bound in chains.
Anastasia glared at Zeke and ground her teeth.
"You arrogant human...! Release this immediately! Otherwise Father will..."
CRACKLE!
Zeke gripped Solomon's chains and sent holy lightning through them.
"AARGHH!"
Even a high-ranking demon would feel terrible pain when hit with holy power in a defenseless state.
Moreover, Anastasia, who had likely never properly experienced such pain before, nearly fainted from the lightning coursing through her body.
"Urgh..."
Zeke spoke to Anastasia.
"I'll give you two choices. One is to die here under torture, the other is to be eternally sealed in Solomon's ring."
Anastasia's face turned pale hearing Zeke's choices.
Die, or be sealed.
Neither was what Anastasia wanted.
She hurriedly spoke:
"W-Wait! Calm down, human. I-I am the Demon Realm's Princess. If you tell Father, he will pay my ransom. You can receive a price beyond human imagination!"
Zeke shook his head.
"I'm not stupid enough to take payment from demons. Choose one of the two."
Anastasia realized Zeke wasn't someone she could reason with.
'Is, is he serious? This human would actually do it.'
Having never considered either annihilation or being sealed as options, Anastasia could only dart her eyes around rapidly without giving a proper answer.
Seeing this, Zeke nodded.
"Seems you can't choose. Then I'll choose for you."
Zeke took out a coin.
"Heads means death, tails means being sealed."
He flipped the coin without waiting for Anastasia's response.
With a clear sound, the coin flew up and landed in his hand.
Zeke slowly opened his hand to check heads or tails.
At that moment, Anastasia shouted:
"I'll do anything!"
Zeke stopped opening his hand halfway and looked up at Anastasia's words.
"Anything?"
"You must want something! I'll grant whatever it is."
"I don't particularly want anything."
"Th-That can't be. All humans have desires. Whatever you want, I'll grant it."
"How is that possible when you're captured?"
"With my power it's possible! Want women? I'll make them your slaves. Power? I can make kings lick your feet!"
Anastasia was desperately promoting her abilities.
Zeke stared at Anastasia before slowly approaching her.
"Will you really do anything I say?"
"Y-Yes... really."
Zeke nodded.
"Good, then I'll give you a third choice."
He looked down at Anastasia and spoke.
"Anastasia, offer your soul to me."
* * *
SLASH!
The Red Eye vampires led by Bacchus swept away all the remaining monster stragglers.
Once the cleanup was done, Vampire Queen Carmilla slowly descended from the air.
In her hand was the head of the demon who had commanded the monster army.
Carmilla landed in front of Bacchus and said:
"It seems this side is mostly cleaned up."
Thanks to Zeke, Carmilla had fully awakened her true blood power and gained abilities beyond a Royal Vampire.
She could now face high-ranking demons single-handedly.
The Red Eye vampires who had inherited forgotten blood magic had also become much stronger than before.
Bacchus too had awakened his dormant vampire abilities, his eyes changing to jewel eyes, and had grown much stronger than before.
After sweeping away the monster army, Red Eye headed toward the front of the Forgotten Ones' Forest.
However, others were already gathered there.
It was the Western Alliance Army, formed by combining the Crosstel beast-folk gang, the bird tribe revolutionaries, and the centaurs of the Western Plains.
The head of a dead demon also hung from the words of Song of the Crouching flame, who led the Western Alliance Army.
Crosstel and Red Eye, long-time rivals, maintained their distance while glaring at each other.
As tension flowed between the two groups, something suddenly plunged down from above at high speed.
THUD!
It was Zeke revealing himself.
"My King!"
Carmilla and Bacchus were the first to kneel before Zeke.
The other vampires also took respectful postures toward Zeke.
From the Western Alliance Army, Song of the Crouching flame, Crosstel's action commander, and the Centaur tribe chief approached Zeke.
They too showed reverence to him.
"It's been a while, everyone."
At Zeke's words, Carmilla raised her head and spoke:
"By your command, we have eliminated all the blasphemous monster hordes."
Then Song of the Crouching flame spoke from the opposite side:
"Same here. We destroyed those monster bastards completely."
Thanks to Red Eye and Crosstel, they were able to handle the monster army and gates easily, so Zeke nodded with a satisfied expression.
"Good work everyone. I will provide separate compensation for this matter."
He first led them to the central camp made by the Highlanders.
However, the centaurs, sensitive to superstition, refused to enter the taboo Forest of the Forgotten, so they had to wait in the surrounding area.
With the monster army collapsed and the invasion fortress returned to the demon realm, the Highlanders stationed at the central camp were preparing to return to their respective posts.
Zeke entered the central tent and briefly communicated with Nabu who was guarding the sealing paper.
"How is Master?"
―She's sleeping now. Seems wearing the dress was quite shocking for her.
"I wouldn't think it would be that shocking... anyway, I'm glad we protected the Black Star from them."
―Hmm, I actually need to talk to you about that. Once Nigel wakes up, we'll talk together, so come here after you finish up there.
"Understood."
Right after Zeke finished talking with Nabu, Bacchus came to the tent.
"My King."
Zeke waved his hand at Bacchus who showed a respectful attitude.
"It's been a while, Bacchus. No need for that here. Be comfortable."
"You could call it instinct. When I see the King, reverence wells up uncontrollably."
"Probably because of the Blood King's power I absorbed. Never mind that, come have some tea."
At Zeke's words, Bacchus nodded and sat down.
Soon warm tea prepared by Zeke was placed before them, and Bacchus elegantly lifted his cup.
After taking a sip of tea and putting down his cup, he looked at Zeke and said:
"My King, I have something to tell you not as a subordinate but as blood kin."
"What is it? Tell me."
Though he came to say something, Bacchus remained silent for a moment as if it was difficult to speak, then slowly opened his mouth.
"Our father. Arthur Draker is dead."