Ch.187The Demon King. (3)

“That’s quite a harsh welcome greeting.”

Asmodeus said. Despite being right in front, her voice sounded as if she were whispering from beside me.

“What if I hadn’t dodged it?”

“If you wanted a greeting, you shouldn’t have summoned those monsters in the first place.”

“By that logic, you also brought quite a number of humans. I am a Demon Lord after all, so I need to maintain some appearances, don’t I?”

Asmodeus gave a prim smile.

“But, did you know I was coming here?”

“More or less.”

There’s enough magical power.

“I didn’t realize you thought so highly of me, bringing so many humans. If I had known, I would have prepared something too.”

“That’s not necessary.”

“…Why not?”

“Because those people weren’t gathered to stop you.”

Asmodeus tilted her head.

“…Then who…?”

As she spoke, Asmodeus looked at Olivia. She was trying to read her thoughts using her demon eyes, but it didn’t work. The corner of Asmodeus’s mouth twitched.

“You’re certainly strange for a human. Your immunity to my enchanting demon eyes, and how you endured the Demon God’s descent while unconscious. Did you really receive a goddess’s blessing?”

No answer came. Asmodeus stared at Olivia with blank eyes.

Asmodeus secretly held Olivia in high regard. The strongest human she had ever met. Even the previous Demon Lord she had encountered in the ranking battle months ago couldn’t compare to Olivia.

‘But that’s not enough.’

Far from enough. The current Asmodeus had transcended immortality to become the embodiment of eternity.

No matter if Olivia had reached the truth of two systems and gathered formidable warriors, nothing would change.

Olivia could not defeat her.

‘I hope she can hold out as long as possible.’

After all, the battle would end the moment Olivia broke.

Of course, Olivia wouldn’t break easily. It was clear she possessed tremendous mental strength to withstand the Demon God’s descent.

As Asmodeus thought this, her fingertips trembled slightly. It was excitement at the long-awaited moment finally arriving.

She had been patient for so long. Now it was time to reap.

A viscous emotion filled Asmodeus’s eyes.

[You have cleared the prerequisite quest (2) – “I won’t let anyone die”!]

Olivia stared at the notification that appeared above her line of sight.

A quest that succeeds if all 15 Returners remain alive until the Demon Lord’s arrival. Rewards poured in immediately, but Olivia felt nothing.

Random cycle memory imprinting, third prerequisite quest unlocked…

Anyway, now that she had a rough idea of what the main quest was, these things held little meaning.

[Olivia. What should I do now?]

Aurelia’s mental voice came from somewhere. While the other Returners were preoccupied with fighting demons and monsters, only Aurelia was watching Olivia with clear eyes.

Olivia could guess why.

[Go help Livga.]

[What about you?]

[You know. Right now it’s best if I fight alone.]

For a moment, there was no response from Aurelia.

She must be hesitating because she knew better than anyone what would happen next.

[…Fine. Do what you want.]

[Thanks.]

[But I won’t stop the others from coming to help you.]

Her tone sounded resigned. She also seemed a bit angry.

“……”

Olivia silently maintained her smile.

[…I’m going.]

After that brief reply, Aurelia disappeared. The next moment, an ancient giant god appeared in the middle of the battlefield and pounced on the monsters.

Asmodeus, who had been quietly watching the scene, asked.

“How did you bring that person here?”

“Why? Jealous that I did what you couldn’t?”

Asmodeus quietly laughed at the response. But her eyes had become incomparably fiercer than before.

“That’s right.”

Suddenly the sky darkened. Like the demon realm. All that could be seen were Asmodeus’s red eyes.

“She was a human I’ve been after for a long time.”

Olivia could guess what Asmodeus was talking about.

The current Aurelia was known as the “Grandmaster,” but her original title was “The Great Witch.” And the reason she was called The Great Witch was…

‘Because she had a contract with Asmodeus.’

Of course, it wasn’t a fair contract. It was an unfair agreement forced through intimidation.

That was why Aurelia, despite being a witch, harbored hatred toward demons and could betray them without any hesitation—all because of that background.

“She disappeared without a trace, so I had forgotten about her, but I never expected to see her here.”

Feeling the blatant gaze, Aurelia turned her head to stare at Asmodeus. The next moment, her middle finger rose from her outstretched fist.

Another mental message came through.

[Kill her quickly. I can’t stand the sight of that bitch.]

That message wasn’t directed solely at Olivia. Aurelia had deliberately split her mental communication into two streams.

Asmodeus, who had frozen as if buffering, finally spoke after about ten seconds.

“…How dare… a mere mortal insult me…?”

Tsutsutsutsutsu!

An immense killing intent suddenly rose and pressed down on the sky. The priests who had been reciting prayers collapsed like puppets with cut strings, bleeding from their noses and eyes.

There was no more time to waste.

The preparations were complete.

[Using transcendent magic, ‘Dual Fusion’.]

[Fusion elements: Lightning Flow, Ice Crystal]

Swoosh!

Blue wings shot up from both of Olivia’s shoulders. Following her will, they gradually expanded and spread wide.

[Transcendent magic, Heavenly Wings]

Ice fragments began to scatter from the wings on her back. With each flap, feathers adorned the sky.

Crackle!

Olivia’s magic pierced through the demonic energy surrounding Asmodeus. Asmodeus’s body, with a hole through her chest, was pushed backward.

When the smoke cleared, the gaping hole in Asmodeus’s chest had completely disappeared. Only her lips, stained red with blood, proved that she had been wounded moments before.

“…Right. You struck first.”

Asmodeus’s eyes narrowed. She felt a chill when her heart was pierced, but felt no pain. Her senses had dulled after living for eons.

“Olivia.”

Asmodeus said, raising the corners of her mouth. The demonic energy surrounding her began to rage wildly. A massive explosion erupted between Olivia and Asmodeus.

Boom!

Tremendous magical power dwelled in the feathers scattered everywhere. The dark clouds created by Asmodeus’s demonic energy trembled and shook.

When hundreds of magical threads fluttering in the void shot out at terrifying speed and connected with all the feathers Olivia had scattered…

Flash!

The dark clouds shattered all at once, and a massive pillar of light engulfed Asmodeus.

Crackle!

Intense lightning struck dozens of times per second. Whenever Asmodeus struggled, the feathers mysteriously changed position to maintain the binding spell.

A sealing formation that organically changed according to the situation. This extraordinary feat was possible only because she had imbued each feather with grand magic-level power.

Despite the elaborate magic, the magical threads broke in chunks with just a slight twist of Asmodeus’s body.

Beyond the flashing lightning, Olivia observed Asmodeus’s movements. Under the relentless lightning, Asmodeus’s body left no trace. Not a piece of flesh, not even a trace of demonic energy remained.

But Olivia, without changing her expression, spread her senses in all directions.

The next moment, as she felt a chill on the nape of her neck and detected killing intent…

Swoosh!

Crimson demonic energy shot from beyond her perception engulfed Olivia’s body.

A Demon Lord’s demonic energy inherently possesses properties of decay and corrosion. The moment it touches, the body would be torn to shreds while rotting away.

“Got you.”

Asmodeus thrust her face into Olivia’s shield. Her body was being reconstructed in real-time.

Hiss…!

The shield, in contact with Asmodeus’s demonic energy, began to melt helplessly.

So simply stacking shields multiple times isn’t enough?

Olivia slightly furrowed her brow at the demonic energy that was far stronger than expected.

“Ahaha…!”

Asmodeus giggled. Even as her body was being seared by electricity in real-time, she felt no pain at all.

With an eerie sound, just as Asmodeus’s sharp nails were about to penetrate Olivia’s body…

Swoosh!

A sword strike shot out from somewhere, deflecting all attacks by a hair’s breadth.

“I apologize, Olivia.”

A serene voice completely at odds with the battlefield atmosphere.

“I arrived too late.”

Seeing the weapon in his hand, Olivia let out a faint sigh.

“I told you not to come…”

A swordsman of such high caliber that he could stand on thin air, strong enough to withstand the demonic energy emitted by a Demon Lord head-on.

Sword Master Kiel Rothschild had appeared to support Olivia.