Ch.116My Prey. (3)

“Get lost.”

Before the Master of Dark could sink into regret, Olivia spoke those words to him.

“You’re in the way.”

If left alone like this, he wouldn’t last long before being killed by the great demons. Not only would they fail to obtain clues, but if he died and was raised by Belphegor, it would only strengthen the Demon God’s forces.

The sound of Belphegor’s confused muttering could be heard.

[Ah, no. How could this be…]

The darkness that formed his body seemed to tremble. Belphegor stared at Olivia with shaking eyes. For some reason, when he met the gaze of that magician, he couldn’t control his trembling.

Fear engraved in the soul.

The memories of being killed by Olivia hundreds, perhaps thousands of times in the past had somehow become imprinted on his body.

Even more surprising was that Belphegor wasn’t the only one feeling this emotion.

[…This is remarkable. How could a human possess such energy.]

Agares also stopped fighting and fixed his gaze on Olivia.

He knew she was strong, but he hadn’t realized she was powerful enough to make the demonic energy constituting his soul tremble. Not even Asmodeus, or even the Demon Lord, had made Agares’ soul tremble like this.

Belphegor was the first to speak.

[You’re a dragon! Of course, a human couldn’t possibly be this strong. Reveal your true form now!]

The giant snake’s head descended until it was right in front of Olivia’s face. Each time his poison-laden breath touched the ground, it emitted a foul smell.

Massive red eyes flickering right before her face.

It was a sight that would terrify anyone, but not Olivia.

This was on a completely different level than when she faced the clue.

No matter what Belphegor did, he couldn’t defeat Olivia. The same was true even with Agares added to the mix.

Because there was no need to hold back against demons.

A massive storm arose around Olivia. In the precariously shaking field of vision, Belphegor desperately drove his tail deep into the ground to prevent being swept away.

“Do I look like a dragon to you?”

The next moment, Olivia was right in front of Belphegor’s face.

“I don’t have that.”

The arrogant presence unique to dragons. Dragon Fear.

It’s established theory that no matter how sophisticated the polymorph, a dragon’s presence cannot be hidden.

Belphegor flinched and backed away.

[T-that can’t be…]

Although he was said to be the weakest among the great demons, he was still powerful enough to destroy the current Empire without the Golden Tower Master. Moreover, having been summoned from the southern continent, which was half-connected to the demon realm, he could exert most of his true power.

Yet such a being was feeling fear.

“Bow your head. It’s hurting my neck having to look up at you since earlier.”

Belphegor’s red eyes blinked rapidly. As if experiencing a buffer, after blinking for a while, Belphegor opened his maw wide and shouted.

[I’ll tear that soul to shreds right now…!]

“I said bow.”

KWAAAANG!

The mana that rose around Olivia continuously extended outward, driving Belphegor into the ground.

[Wh-what.]

Sprawled on the floor, Belphegor tried desperately to lift his head.

But he couldn’t move an inch.

How could a human do this?

GOOOOO!

Rolling his eyes at the enormous presence felt right in front of his nose, he saw Olivia standing on the bridge of his nose. She was looking down at Belphegor as if to make a point.

“That’s better.”

Olivia hadn’t just subdued Belphegor. The countless evil spirits that Belphegor had raised were also burning instantly in a display of lightning.

In a scene reminiscent of hell, Agares marveled at Olivia’s aura that made his hair stand on end.

The light was so bright that even Belphegor’s darkness lost its power and trembled.

Agares consciously drew in a breath. It had become difficult to breathe since a moment ago. The surrounding air was being infused with Olivia’s magical power.

A warrior strong enough to subdue a great demon in one go. Belphegor, with his belly pinned to the ground, was looking in his direction as if asking for help.

…Foolish creature.

Agares thought slowly. As the leader of a cult with the power to destroy the world, he was quick-witted.

He returned his inflated body back to human form. After all, facing a magician who had reached such a level, it was obvious he would meet the same result whether he manifested in his true form or not.

Instead, Agares turned his attention to the other humans.

For some reason, the magician seemed intent on protecting those humans.

They didn’t appear to be on good terms. Was she a non-killer? Or was there some complicated backstory?

Whatever it was, it was difficult for him, as a demon, to understand. In the demon realm, the weak were thoroughly treated like insects.

But that didn’t mean he wouldn’t try to exploit the situation.

Agares instantly approached the Master of Dark. Having had all his ribs broken by the previous attack, he was now merely an exceptional assassin.

A kama was thrust into Agares’ hand as he tried to grab the Master of Dark’s throat. Splash! Blood spurted from his severed wrist. Agares, undeterred, moved his other hand to break the Master of Dark’s wrist.

The Master of Dark also rotated his body to escape, but his insides had long been filled with demonic energy.

“…”

Rotten blood dripped from the Master of Dark’s mouth. His movements instantly became sluggish.

Crack, crack-crack-crack.

Ignoring the anti-demon arrows piercing his limbs, Agares forcibly twisted his body to look at Olivia. It seemed difficult to instantly recover his wrist in this state.

But thanks to that, he was able to grab the Master of Dark by the throat.

Agares spoke while bleeding profusely.

[Human magician. I am Agares, Duke of the Eastern Abyss. What is your name?]

“Olivia.”

[Olivia, I first express my respect for your strength.]

This wasn’t simply to curry favor. Agares was sincere.

Olivia could have easily prevented this situation but didn’t intervene. Almost as if she had been waiting for this scene to unfold.

A situation where the life of the person she wanted to save was in imminent danger.

[Let us go.]

“…Why should I?”

[You could kill me and Belphegor right now if you wanted. Even if we struggled with all our might, it would only last 10 minutes at most.]

[Ah, Agares…]

[Shut up. I’m negotiating, you incompetent snake-head.]

Belphegor closed his mouth. Agares continued speaking.

[But it would take me just an instant to crush this throat. That archer too, if I tried my hardest, I could hunt him down in a minute. What you want is to send them away safely, isn’t it?]

“Are you threatening me?”

[I would like you to understand that for me, a Duke of the Abyss, to threaten someone is itself an act that diminishes my dignity.]

But Olivia’s eyes remained expressionless.

‘So this isn’t enough.’

Agares was quite perceptive. In that brief moment, Agares figured out what Olivia wanted.

He didn’t want to be a puppet dancing to someone else’s tune, but he had no choice if he wanted to survive.

[…For a great demon to manifest in this world, an enormous amount of sacrifices is needed. At minimum, the souls of a thousand people, and at maximum, more than ten thousand souls.]

“And?”

[If this assassin and archer, along with myself and Belphegor, all die at once, it would create a phenomenon equivalent to tens of thousands of souls being offered as sacrifices. In other words… the Demon Lord might manifest in this world.]

Olivia’s face remained expressionless on the surface.

But the corners of her mouth were smiling, as if she found this situation amusing.

She really does resemble Asmodeus.

The way she hides her dark intentions behind the mask of expression.

Olivia smiled mischievously and said.

“So, if I don’t want to see the Demon Lord manifest, I should let you go?”

Agares nodded.

“…”

Olivia glared at the Master of Dark, whose collar was in Agares’ grip. The Master of Dark stared blankly at Olivia with a look of disbelief.

Yes.

That was exactly the emotion she wanted.

If she chose to let Agares go here, that emotion would be amplified even further.

‘I’d like to get clue #7 too, but…’

She couldn’t attack in this situation.

For now, she had to be satisfied with obtaining the Rebel’s clue.

There was no problem with letting the great demons go.

She could kill them anytime she wanted.

In fact, letting them go to cause confusion among the returners was much more beneficial.

Olivia, putting on her most distressed act, opened her lips.

“…There won’t be a next time. Get out of here.”

Agares released the Master of Dark’s collar. He clicked his tongue and pulled out the arrows that were stuck all over his body like a hedgehog.

Sssss…

Agares’ body dispersed like dust. He was returning to the demon realm.

When his body was about half gone, Agares spoke in a meaningful voice.

[The Demon God will be watching you.]

Pssssss…

With those words, he vanished. Belphegor, who had been pinned to the ground, had also disappeared.

Silence fell over the area.

In that silence, the clear sound of a bottle rang out.

The Master of Dark slowly lowered his head.

A bright red potion was placed on the ground.

“When the Demon Lord manifests later, it’ll be all your fault,”

Olivia glared with sharp eyes.

Half a step.

She was within the range where he could assassinate her.

The Master of Dark hesitated. He was confused.

Was it really an act? How much was acting, and how much was a lie?

What was the Demon Lord? And what was the Demon God?

Why in his previous life did he not even know of the existence of such monsters?

If all this was an act, why did Olivia let them live?

After hesitating and hesitating, when he finally resolved himself and firmly gripped his dagger.

Pssssss…

In that place, only snowflakes remained.