While Mamon was dazed by the sudden appearance of the Inspection Department and the display of flames covering the sky.

Loen, who had only briefly exchanged eye greetings with the team members, moved immediately.

There was no hesitation.

‘Now that the opponent is caught off guard.’

Loen instantly swung her right arm toward Mamon’s face.

Just before her mana blade, filled with sharp killing intent, penetrated his face, he instinctively turned his head at the last moment.

Slash.

Due to his delayed reaction, a red line appeared on Mamon’s cheek.

Enduring the searing pain, Loen extended her left arm without delay.

“Magic Bullet.”

As the light filled his vision, Mamon bit his lip. Oh no.

Before he could properly react, a thick beam mixed with condensed mana engulfed his upper body.

Boom! Boom! Boom!

Simultaneously, five flame swords that had cut through the air mercilessly crushed Mamon’s body, which was engulfed in the beam, and embedded themselves in the ground. The swords pierced through Mamon’s flesh, dug into the ground, and caused successive explosions.

It was a powerful joint attack that would normally leave no trace of form.

‘It would be nice if it ended like this. But it probably won’t. The opponent is a high-ranking demon after all.’

But Loen didn’t let her guard down.

The opponent was at least a 6th-rank demon. He wouldn’t die so easily.

Sure enough.

The sound of applause came from within the thick smoke.

Clap, clap.

“I didn’t expect you to attack me while ignoring greetings from your colleagues. Indeed, that decisiveness is worthy of praise.”

In that brief moment.

Mamon had transformed into a different being.

Purple skin covering his entire body, vertically slit pupils resembling snake eyes, and a body filled with muscles that was incomparable to his previous slender physique. Even the hand that had been impaled to the ground had already regenerated.

Finally, a pair of crimson wings that sprouted from behind him clearly revealed his demonic nature.

Mamon’s presence changed drastically.

An eerie, ominous mana began to flow from him like a tidal wave.

The space itself seemed to sink heavily, pressed down by his presence.

‘Judging by the aura… similar to or greater than the Team Leader.’

Loen’s gaze grew cold.

Facing a high-ranking demon directly, the pressure was no joke.

But she wasn’t particularly afraid.

She wasn’t alone.

Mamon, having fully revealed his true form, flapped his wings once widely and smiled with satisfaction.

“Since it’s come to this…”

As if he no longer needed to pretend to be human, he didn’t hide his pure malice and destructive power.

Against this.

Team Leader Ead gestured toward Mamon and shouted briefly.

“Everyone. Begin combat.”

The Inspection Department members simultaneously charged toward the high-ranking demon.

Dozens of Ead’s flame swords led the vanguard, fiercely shooting toward the demon.

Following this, Loen fired Judgment, Sphere, and Planar Cut, while Gilbert sought openings in the demon with his extreme quick-sword technique.

Ria pressured the demon from the front, wielding a giant greatsword, while Chief Babil supported the team members by launching sword auras filled with light mana.

Boom! Clang! Clash!

The sound of violent collisions breaking the silence and explosions of magic filled the battlefield.

---

“Damn it.”

The simultaneous fierce attacks from five people were burdensome even for Mamon, a high-ranking demon.

Especially the flame swords flying in unpredictable trajectories and the gray magic emitting eerie mana were extremely annoying.

Eventually, pushed back by the offensive, Mamon clicked his tongue irritably and spread his wings to soar into the air.

Looking down at the battlefield, his appearance was still overwhelming, but Mamon himself was internally conflicted.

The situation was flowing very differently from his expectations.

Originally, the remaining Inspection Department personnel, except for Loen Franz, should have been tied up with the disturbance caused by the turncoat nobles in the duchy.

They were baits planted by Mamon himself.

Baits to scatter the Inspection Corps.

‘But why did they arrive so quickly?’

If they had arrived even a little later, he could have done something to Loen Franz before then.

Mamon shifted his gaze.

From Loen looking up at him from the ground, his eyes moved to his own left arm, which was smoking.

Sizzle.

The purple skin of his arm, which was emitting white smoke as if burned.

It was the area directly hit by Loen’s magic attack in the recent battle.

The wound on his arm, which should have regenerated immediately, wasn’t healing.

‘It’s because of that damn dual attribute.’

Her light and darkness attributes.

The mana mixed with opposing forces was suppressing even a demon’s regeneration ability.

It was a clear threat beyond mere annoyance.

That wasn’t the only problem.

‘My soul has also been damaged.’

This was not an illusion.

A chilling sensation, as if a part of his soul connected to his true body in hell had been shaved off.

High-ranking demons are immortal beings.

They never die ‘as long as their soul form in hell doesn’t perish.’

The destruction of the physical body can be regenerated and they can descend again given time.

But attacks on the soul are different. This was a fatal threat that could lead to a rank decrease or annihilation.

And now.

Among current humanity, the one who could bring a demon to annihilation was…

Only one person.

The Emperor of the empire who had transcended limits and reached the realm of transcendence.

He was the only one.

This was why demons didn’t openly show themselves and operated covertly in human society, gradually increasing the number of traitors.

Direct confrontation with the Emperor had to be avoided.

He was too dangerous a being.

Even demons feared his name.

Conversely.

If the Emperor disappeared, demons would have no reason to be cautious anymore.

‘That’s why we were waiting for the Emperor’s ascension.’

But what is this.

How could that mere mortal girl, who hadn’t even transcended the boundaries of mortality, possess power that interferes with souls?

He had merely planned to draw her to the demon’s side by stimulating her desires, believing she was simply exceptionally capable and merciless in nature.

Instead, he suddenly found himself in danger of suffering significant damage to his soul.

‘What is her identity? Was this why the Emperor trusted her? Or is it just a coincidence? Does the Emperor even know about this?’

Mamon’s mind became complicated.

The Emperor’s ascension was not far off.

The great invasion to occupy the middle realm was also not far off.

Even if all the traitors in the Southern Alliance were annihilated, that was a minor issue.

They were just one of many means to cause chaos in the empire.

What was more important right now was Loen Franz.

In Mamon’s judgment, she was the most dangerous person after the Emperor.

Even if not now, she would certainly become so in the future.

Therefore.

While there was still a possibility of corruption, somehow persuade her to become an ally.

Or if not.

Cut off that sprout by any means necessary.

Either way, it wasn’t a decision to make and execute alone right now.

‘I need to get out of here first.’

It wasn’t something he could handle alone.

Reporting this news to the lord first was the priority.

Nevertheless, simply fleeing like this was something his pride as a high-ranking demon couldn’t accept.

He had to maintain at least a minimum of dignity.

Having made his decision, Mamon turned his body in mid-air.

Boom!

With a powerful shockwave, Mamon landed right in front of the Inspection Corps, folding his wings, and opened his mouth with a pretense of composure.

“Loen Franz.”

Mamon’s gaze turned toward Loen.

Seeing him raise his presence, the Inspection Department members drew up their mana.

At that moment.

Stab!

Mamon bent his right arm and drove it into his left chest.

It was where the heart was located.

“…?”

“What’s he doing?”

The Inspection Department members showed surprised expressions at the unexpected situation.

Gripping his beating heart with his hand, Mamon looked directly at Loen and opened his mouth.

“I’ll visit you again soon—!!”

“Magic Bullet.”

But before Mamon could finish his words, Loen suddenly fired magic.

That crazy—!!

Seeing this, Mamon hurriedly twisted his body and burst his own heart.

Crunch.

Before his physical eyes lost their light,

Mamon, looking at his shoulder blade that was swept away by the Magic Bullet, delivered his final words.

“Crazy bitch.”

---

After Mamon eventually returned to hell with a blow to his soul.

The team members’ gazes turned toward Loen, who had unhesitatingly fired magic at the demon.

Couldn’t you have at least listened to him, you’re really merciless.

Amid this, Ead was the first to break the silence.

“Who would have thought a high-ranking demon was hiding here.”

“When this news spreads, there will be an uproar in the imperial capital. The one controlling the major noble factions has been revealed as a high-ranking demon.”

Ria interjected into their conversation.

“But why did he suddenly choose suicide in the middle of the fight, Team Leader?”

“That’s…”

For a moment, Ead’s eyes briefly glanced at Loen.

Despite Mamon not revealing it, she seemed to know something.

But the answer that flowed from Ead’s mouth was.

“Who knows.”

Soon after, Ead approached Loen and offered words of encouragement.

“You’ve worked hard, Loen.”

Loen smiled silently at the team leader’s encouragement.

Starting with her, the Inspection Department seniors approached and spoke to her in turn.

“Did you perhaps hide your identity and join the Inspection Corps… something like that!?”

“Of course not.”

“Loen. You’ve become quite successful since I last saw you.”

“Somehow it happened…”

“At this rate, you might become a chief before Ria and me.”

Next was the chief’s turn.

In front of Loen, he took an old-fashioned posture that one might see at a banquet.

One hand behind his back, the other placed on his chest, slightly bowing his head—a noble greeting.

Seeing this, Loen unconsciously frowned.

What is this now?

“Last time, I didn’t get to properly greet you due to the circumstances. Let me formally introduce myself this time. My name is Babil Brinus. Chief Inspector of the Inspection Department… Let’s get along well.”

Having half-listened to his introduction, Loen bowed her head in greeting.

“I also look forward to working with you.”

Then she turned sharply and looked at the team leader.

Seeing this, the chief muttered inwardly.

As expected, her personality is as prickly as she looks.

“More importantly, Team Leader. We still have work to do.”

Just because they had banished the demon didn’t mean everything was over.

There were still Southern Alliance nobles hiding in the city.

It would only be complete when they were dealt with too.

At Loen’s words, Gilbert shook his head in disbelief.

She’s obsessed with work.

“Rest a bit, your condition isn’t good!”

“What if your arm gets scarred…”

Ria and Babil expressed concern, looking at Loen’s left arm.

Only Ead was different.

“You seem restless. Well, purging would indeed be the most enjoyable time.”

“…?”

Loen tilted her head in confusion.

What does that mean?

She just felt that only after thoroughly finishing off the Southern Alliance nobles gathered in the last city could she rest with peace of mind.

It was clear that if she rested in a half-finished state, she wouldn’t be able to rest properly due to worry that they might escape.

That’s why she had intended to advance immediately to the last city.

Of course, Team Leader Ead seemed to have understood it differently.

Ead, with an expression that seemed to fully understand her feelings, smiled.

Of course. With purging right ahead, how could rest possibly come to mind?

Ead’s gaze turned toward the hills where the battle was still raging.

“Loen, we only came to help. In other words, since the Southern Alliance matter was an operation you were conducting, we’ll follow your plan for the rest.”

The Inspection Department members implicitly agreed with the team leader’s words, nodding their heads.

Similarly, Loen also understood the team leader’s meaning.

“I understand what you mean.”

Ead asked briefly.

“So, what’s the plan?”

Loen said without hesitation.

“We’ll leave the handling of the Southern Alliance’s remnants to the vanguard, and we’ll advance directly to the last city and…”

Taking a breath, Loen continued.

“Purge the traitors.”

At those words, the corners of Ead’s mouth rose even deeper.

It was a satisfied expression.

“Well. That’s a plan I like.”