Ch.186The Demon King. (2)

The moment they faced Asmodeus, all soldiers instinctively thought of one word.

Demon Lord.

“Ah, aah…”

Some unconsciously stepped back, trying to flee. Even elite soldiers couldn’t withstand the demonic energy that the Demon Lord was openly emanating.

Fear, terror…

All emotions that Asmodeus enjoyed.

“…Hmm.”

Asmodeus rested her chin on her hand in midair and flicked a finger once.

That was enough. The writhing flesh suddenly multiplied and spewed out thousands of demonic beasts. Following their king’s command, the beasts began running to kill all “living” things.

[Keeeeek…!]

Massive demonic beasts clumped together, disgustingly wriggling their legs. With each movement, the screams of beasts being crushed under pressure tore through the soldiers’ minds.

Some couldn’t endure and collapsed where they stood. Though it wasn’t as overwhelming as a dragon’s aura, the emotional disturbance was unavoidable.

[My Demon Lord…]

A voice suddenly rang out. Beyond the dimensional rift created to connect the demon realm and human world, the Great Demon Belphegor appeared. Asmodeus twitched her eyebrow at the sight of Belphegor.

“…What?”

[I’ve gathered all the demons… Shall we advance immediately?]

Asmodeus tapped on her throne made of flesh. At this action, Belphegor appeared before Asmodeus in alarm, bowing his head deeply.

Asmodeus’s eyes gleamed sharply.

“Why. Do you want to fight?”

At this probing question, Belphegor swallowed hard.

Asmodeus, who until just a few months ago was a Great Demon. Originally, she was known as an oddity even among the Great Demons.

A demon qualified to challenge the Demon Lord, yet never did.

It wasn’t simply that she hadn’t challenged for decades or centuries. While the throne changed hands seven times, Asmodeus never once challenged for the position of Demon Lord.

Simply because she wasn’t interested.

Of course, many Great Demons were displeased with this. The previous Eastern Duke was one, as was the Duke before him. Every single one demanded a ranking battle with Asmodeus, and all died.

One who had maintained the second position in the demon realm for eternity.

From the moment she had lived longer than the Demon Lord, her mere existence threatened the Demon Lord’s authority.

And then, suddenly, she declared she would become the Demon Lord.

To be honest, no matter how strong Asmodeus was, Belphegor didn’t think she could match the Demon Lord. But… that was a misjudgment.

The battle that lasted three days ended when Asmodeus ripped out the Demon Lord’s neck along with the spine. While other demons merely marveled, Belphegor thought differently.

The battle had been one-sided. The reason it lasted three days was because Asmodeus wanted it that way.

Belphegor silently looked down at the ground. When he had descended upon the south, most humans were weak. There were some strong ones, but only Olivia was strong enough to damage his true form.

But now it was different.

He could sense powerful energies capable of annihilating him from various places. As much as he coveted human souls, Belphegor was a demon who valued his life. With two Great Demons stronger than himself already annihilated, he had no intention of rushing in foolishly.

[…It’s fine.]

“Hmm… saying that makes me want to send you even more.”

Asmodeus smiled and whispered to Belphegor.

“Let’s see… there, do you see over there in the sky?”

Belphegor turned his head in the direction Asmodeus was pointing. And involuntarily furrowed his brow.

High in the sky, someone jumped from the White Dragon’s body. Simultaneously, pure white wings unfurled.

Dangerous. Despite the immense distance, Belphegor instinctively knew.

‘…Holy power?’

The energy emanating from that small girl couldn’t be easily dismissed even by a Great Demon. Belphegor’s face stiffened.

“Capture that.”

[The Saintess… you mean?]

Asmodeus smiled. This vicious demon was ordering something impossible with his current abilities.

[But…]

“I won’t kill you while you’re fighting her. How about it?”

*****

Belphegor had no choice. To extend his life even by a second, he summoned all the demons and demonic beasts he had gathered in advance.

Ssssss…

A sound like a snake slithering across the floor was heard.

“…”

The soldiers suddenly realized that a massive shadow was being cast over the sky.

A body made entirely of darkness. A gigantic snake, hundreds of meters long, was quietly staring at something.

An overwhelming pressure, as if a massive skyscraper was writhing before their eyes.

Belphegor, manifested in his true form, glared at his target with enormous red eyes.

[…Kill the Saintess.]

Whoosh!

As the wind surged, the high-ranking demons lined up beneath Belphegor leaped up at once. Eight brilliant wings wrapped in light. Having lived as a Great Demon for centuries, Belphegor knew better than anyone what that meant.

Even high-ranking demons wouldn’t withstand that concentration of holy power for more than an instant.

But that instant would be enough.

The wave of demonic beasts pouring forth would soon engulf the human forces, and the Saintess would choose to save humans rather than kill him.

Because she was the Saintess.

Livga bit her lip hard.

‘Just a little… just a little further!’

Her enemy was right before her eyes, but there were too many obstacles in the way.

Livga spread her wings wide. Accelerating, she clasped her hands together in front of her chest as if in prayer.

As the goddess’s blessing enveloped Livga’s body, the high-ranking demons that had been charging madly were all repelled at once.

The demons were no match for her. Though the demonic energy they emitted was extraordinary, it was nothing compared to her, who wore the flesh of an angel.

The Great Demon staring at her from beyond was the same. No matter how deep their darkness, it wasn’t brighter than her light.

But.

If she proceeded that way, countless people would be swept away by the demonic beasts.

“Aaaah!”

The tip of her spear trembled. Livga roared as she kicked the air.

The moment her anguish ended.

Livga had become a pure white comet. The comet crashed into the center of the wave of demonic beasts surging like a flood. The collision of forces comparable to grand magic swept away the demonic beasts.

“Holy Knights!”

Livga raised her sacred spear.

“Advance!”

Asmodeus.

She watched it all.

She saw the Holy Knights gathering after their initial confusion. She saw the Sword Master hunting a giant demonic beast alone. She saw Belphegor breathing fire and summoning wraiths.

The demonic beasts were increasing in number. Though the Holy Knights had belatedly come to their senses… defeat was inevitable unless they cooperated with the Imperial Army. There were certainly individuals capable of changing the flow of battle alone, but they were busy dealing with their own opponents.

Asmodeus turned her gaze to the sky. She was no longer interested in what was happening on the ground.

She hadn’t become the Demon Lord to slaughter such rabble in the first place.

[You, you weren’t smiling when you died.]

A human who protected his consciousness from the Demon God.

[You said you couldn’t possibly feel emotions like fear. You denied it until the very end.]

…Displeasing.

The reason she had secretly contacted the Imperial Princess in the first place was to kill that human who spoke such nonsense. Though things hadn’t gone well.

Just then.

Something fell from the sky.

Limp, fluttering blonde hair.

A uniform in tatters, as if scorched by lightning.

As Asmodeus recognized who the falling figure was, her eyes widened slightly.

‘The Imperial Princess…?’

The next moment, a chilling cold flashed behind Asmodeus’s back.

And pierced straight through her heart.

*****

Olivia wiped the blood from her lips. It had taken more energy than expected to defeat Aria.

‘…Still, I have enough.’

It didn’t matter why Asmodeus was sitting on the Demon Lord’s throne. Whoever became the Demon Lord, they were a target that had to be killed to see the “ending.”

Her will immediately became reality. The Demon Lord’s throne froze solid, and simultaneously, spikes shot up from all directions, piercing Asmodeus’s body more than dozens of times.

Crack!

Asmodeus rose and evaded all those attacks in an instant. She hadn’t expected to be hit anyway.

Her opponent was a being at the pinnacle of magic. She would have been disappointed if such light attacks had succeeded.

‘Here she comes.’

The moment she thought that, Asmodeus was right in front of her.