Chapter 88
Chapter 88
Chapter 88
Battle Near Nevan (2)
However, Asmodeus's misfortune did not end there.
"Hmm…"
"What's the matter now?"
When Marbas's expression suddenly hardened, she desperately held back her desire to sigh and asked.
However, what flowed from Marbas's mouth was something that could never be ignored.
"Pruna is dead."
"……!"
"The magic sword that served as a medium has been destroyed. She was defeated despite the power I gave her? I don't know if that woman was stupid or if the opponent was strong."
Asmodeus blinked her eyes and her voice trembled.
"Right now, you're saying that woman is dead…"
"It means the Imperial palace has fallen."
"Aaaahhh!"
Finally, Asmodeus exploded.
Although she had placed succubi in the emperor's palace, with Pruna dead, what they could do would be extremely limited.
"Just in case, let me say this, but give up any thoughts of going to the Imperial palace. Rather, sweeping away those human bastards playing decoy roles right now would be a much better move."
"I know that too!"
Unlike usual, she stood up screaming irritably.
"Seere! Amdusias!"
"Yes, Lady Asmodeus."
"Before that bastard arrives, kill all the humans who dared to invade this place! Summon all the demons and familiars under your command!"
Asmodeus was unusually thinking of participating directly in the extermination.
Then Marbas called her name and stopped her.
"Asmodeus."
"What now?"
"It would be good to be careful."
"…What?"
As if she never expected Marbas to say such a thing, Asmodeus's expression changed strangely.
"Deep inside there, there's a strong warrior who cannot be ignored."
"A strong warrior? Don't tell me you're talking about Sonya Bluephil?"
"No. Looking at the condition of the attacked village, the level of the magicians doesn't seem very useful. I don't sense the unique magic power of magicians… probably a swordsman…"
"……"
After carefully receiving Marbas's advice, she chuckled.
"If it's a swordsman you'd speak of like that, it's probably that old man. His retirement must have been a lie, right?"
"Well, I can't be certain. Either way, if you're not careful, you'll get badly hurt."
"Hmph! Even if you don't say that, I won't let my guard down."
It was a surprise attack leading all forces under her command.
No matter how strong the warrior Marbas acknowledged might be, there was no way their side could lose.
Just as she was about to lead her subordinate demons out.
Marbas casually spoke to her back again.
"How about going with Plan B instead?"
"…Marbas, you?"
"Anyway, everything was staked on this battle, and the plan to summon four Demon Kings has practically failed. In that case… Devising another method would be one solution."
"……"
Asmodeus was momentarily speechless.
Right.
This guy and Rigos, though they look similar on the surface, are fundamentally different species.
"Marbas, you didn't deliberately abandon the Imperial palace for that, did you?"
"No way? I'm someone who thinks too."
Even when Asmodeus, who was lower in hierarchy, came out irritably, Marbas didn't get angry but smoothly brushed it off.
That irritated her nerves even more.
"What will you do? War has already broken out. You're not planning to fight helplessly without any measures like this, are you?"
"……"
Asmodeus glared at Marbas.
But given how the situation had turned out, all she could do was accept Marbas' proposal.
"Fine, drive all the sacrifices we've gathered so far and the remaining demons and familiars into the depths of the dungeon."
"Kuhuhuh, a wise choice."
"Since I'm doing this much for you, I won't tolerate defeat, Marbas."
"Of course."
Marbas slightly raised one corner of his mouth as if things were going according to his plan.
***
"The demons are retreating!"
Sonya Bluephil Bellatrix couldn't hide her puzzled expression as the demons they were fighting suddenly all pulled back.
"What…? Don't tell me they gave up?"
It was an operation involving elite forces carefully selected from the Four Great Magic Towers, the knight orders of the Delphione and Quihiller families, and even the not-so-reliable psychics.
So far, they had only deployed magical forces and were successfully carrying out delaying tactics as planned, but the demons who had been attacking as if to kill suddenly retreating meant there must have been some change in the enemy's response.
'Did they retreat to reorganize, or was the feint discovered and they withdrew all their forces?'
According to Rudian, this place was definitely the enemy's main base.
It was certain, seeing how demons and monsters she'd never seen before came swarming as soon as they touched the village.
'Then the possibility of it being a lure is also quite high.'
Sonya never overextended herself.
Her role was delay.
Buying time until the main force joined was the role assigned to her.
'But having no combat at all is also unsettling.'
Having made up her mind, Sonya gave orders to the elders and senior members of the magic towers who had followed her.
"Use artifacts and magic tools to extend the range of detection magic as much as possible. This is enemy territory. Thoroughly prepare for ambushes while approaching again."
"Yes! Family Head!"
Sonya's magic corps slowly attempted to approach again from a distance where long-range magic could reach, following their family head's orders.
Sonya's judgment was accurate, and her subordinate magic corps' abilities were also sufficient, but…
"Gasp! Enemies are flying towards us!"
"The, the barrier has been breached!"
"What? Don't just stand there, respond immediately!"
"But, but they're too fast!"
The approach speed of the demons led by Asmodeus was far beyond Sonya's expectations.
"These damn rats, I finally caught you!"
"……!"
Sonya was shocked.
The enemy had broken through all the detection magic and defensive barriers in less than a minute and appeared before them.
'They were just casually dealing with us until now!'
It wasn't even teleportation, so how was that possible?
Sonya gritted her teeth and glared at the one leading them.
"Sitri Belstad…!"
"Ahaha, you still call me by that name, Sonya Bluephil?"
Asmodeus mocked Sonya with full ridicule.
"How dare you think of attacking us with just that force? I'll kill you most miserably!"
"…Kuk!"
A being fundamentally different from the Sitri she had known until now.
Her entire body was immediately overwhelmed by the demonic energy emitted by Demon King Asmodeus.
Sonya's complexion turned pale.
***
Rudian, who had left the Imperial palace, immediately led his forces and exited the capital.
Kaitel and Matheus were riding horses beside him, followed by the Imperial Guard and the rest of the personnel.
"It's certainly unsettling that there's been no news at all until now."
Kaitel muttered worriedly behind Rudian.
"There's a high probability they're still fighting. Total annihilation is impossible."
"I understand you hold Archduke Quihiller in high regard, but… Given that Pruna had that much power, could Quihiller alone handle the Demon Kings who are her masters?"
"Huh? What do you mean by that?"
At Rudian's counter-question, Kaitel was the one who became flustered.
"What do you mean what do I mean…. Didn't you understand what I said?"
"It's not that, what I meant wasn't Archduke Quihiller. Of course, his military prowess would be sufficiently helpful."
At Rudian's words, Kaitel exclaimed in utmost surprise.
"What! Not Quihiller? It can't be Sonya. Are you saying there's someone stronger than him within this empire?"
"Yes, exactly one person."
The moment those words came out, pride appeared on the face of Matheus, who had been quietly riding alongside.
Although he had also assigned Archduke Quihiller to Sonya's side as a precaution, the one Rudian truly trusted was definitely not Quihiller.
"Rather, it would be troublesome if the Demon Kings don't come out directly."
To catch the big fish, Rudian had deliberately not let her participate in the battle.
***
Sonya broke out in cold sweat as she looked at Asmodeus and the two demons around her.
'So Demon King class really does exist.'
Though she had reached 8th class and earned the title of the empire's greatest Great Magician, she was certain that with her abilities, she could barely handle just one of those two demons behind Asmodeus, let alone Asmodeus herself.
Asmodeus confidently called her subordinates.
"Seere, Amdusias."
"Yes, Lady Asmodeus."
"I'll take that woman, so you two kill all the remaining humans."
"Yes."
"Huhu, leave it to us!"
Seere and Amdusias stood on either side of Asmodeus, emanating thick demonic energy.
Sonya and the elders were overwhelmed by the momentum of those three and hesitated.
In such a situation, a reliable voice was heard from behind Sonya.
"Hehe, now it's this old man's turn?"
"Archduke…!"
At the appearance of reliable reinforcement, Sonya raised her voice in delight.
Asmodeus also gritted her teeth at the old man's appearance.
"Oscar von Quihiller! You were here?"
"Indeed, that child earnestly asked me to help Sonya."
Even with Archduke Quihiller's appearance, Asmodeus's momentum wasn't broken.
"Ha! While it's true you're the strong warrior Marbas acknowledged, you can't handle all of us! Seere, you take Sonya! I'll handle that old man!"
The only Grand Master of this era.
And the one the demons trying to control the empire considered their greatest obstacle.
It would be proper for a Demon King like herself to face such a person.
"Hehehe."
But for some reason, Archduke Quihiller was just shaking his head without showing any particular will to fight.
"The one to face you is not this old man."
"What… Nonsense are you talking?"
Archduke Quihiller didn't answer and looked backward with a bitter smile.
Such behavior was the ultimate insult of completely ignoring Demon King Asmodeus!
"This lowly human…!"
"I've prided myself on seeing many strong warriors in my life, but the world is indeed vast. Who would have thought a dragon beyond imagination would be sleeping within the empire!"
"……!"
Just as she was about to raise her hand to crush Quihiller's head, Asmodeus felt a strange sense of intimidation and stepped back several paces from her position.
Then, like an animal that had encountered a dangerous natural enemy, she emitted fierce killing intent while glaring behind Quihiller.
"…Lady Asmodeus?"
Seere and Amdusias couldn't understand why their superior was showing such an attitude.
But the moment someone appeared from the darkness, deceiving their senses, they too understood why Asmodeus had shown such behavior.
"According to Rudian, it seems it's time for me to step forward."
A blonde woman holding some kind of hourglass.
Maria Kepler opened her mouth while facing Asmodeus directly.
"It seems that among these, the one with the greatest grudge against that person would be me."
The master of Gude Belstad, who had constantly clashed with Psychic Luminous.
And in the original work, the culprit who ultimately separated Maria and Psychic Luminous from the empire.
Of course, she couldn't know this fact that hadn't happened yet, but just the matters related to Gude were enough for Maria to hold a grudge against Asmodeus.
"Then I'll take the one on the right. Sonya, you take the left."
When Archduke Quihiller stood before Amdusias, a one-on-one structure naturally formed between the commanders.
Maria Kepler smiled brightly while being enveloped in golden particles.
"If you want to run away, that's fine too."
"…How dare you!"
At Maria's statement that wounded her pride, Asmodeus's expression naturally contorted.
Originally, she had considered retreating, but after hearing those words, how could she retreat as a Demon King?
"Attack!"
Her words resounded through the night sky, and Seere and Amdusias rushed toward Archduke Quihiller and Sonya.
Thus, the fight between the remaining leaders naturally became…
"I absolutely… Won't let you escape."
"What?"
Toward Asmodeus, who was trying to subtly slip away after abandoning her Demon King pride, Maria activated the Sands of Time.
FLASH!
As the artifact activated, light flowing from the hourglass swallowed both Maria and Asmodeus.