Zhuge vs. the King of Darkness

Now the night had passed, and it was day.

The human forces guarding the west and south of Marquis Sainz’s castle heard the news that the city center was in danger and all returned to the center.

In fact, the soldiers’ morale was low due to hunger, and the siege walls were almost occupied by the relentless attacks of the Slimes, so it was no different from a rout.

In the central area of the city were Jegal, 102 Vanguard Knights, Margrave Claris, 27 Margrave Knights, 68,000 regular soldiers, and 90,000 citizen soldiers.

This area was densely packed with armed humans on barricades, on buildings, and in the streets.

This area was sealed off without a single gap by Tentacles,

North: Kyle, 800 Harvesters, 9 Tentacle Heroes, 36,000 Tentacle Elite Soldiers,

West: Teacher Lime, 40,000 Slimes,

South: Adeben, 49,000 Slimes,

East: Winston, 6 Tentacle Heroes, 83,000 Tentacle Elite Soldiers,

were guarding it.

In addition, 25,000 Tentacle Elite Soldiers and 162,000 Demons guarded the walls and gates.

The human regular soldiers and citizen soldiers totaled 158,000, but the Slimes and Tentacle Elite Soldiers totaled 208,000.

The citizen soldiers included men, women, and children, and countless people were holding weapons for the first time.

Moreover, many in the human army had run out of food since last night and had eaten nothing, and even the commanders had to eat meager flour porridge.

But the Tentacles and Slimes had eaten humans and were all exuding happy energy.

Teacher Lime had devoured so many humans that his golden color was even deeper, and his skin was firm.

The Tentacles ate humans and also discovered and ate contaminated food warehouses.

Although the food was contaminated with acidic poison, it was just saliva that the Tentacles had sprayed, so the Tentacles ate it deliciously.

I decided to play my last card now.

Yesterday, I turned Mona, the 21-year-old daughter of Margrave Claris, into a Tentacle Hero.

I just killed the Margrave’s husband because he was a pot-bellied piece of trash.

I gave Mona an order.

“Tell your mother to surrender quickly.”

Mona stretched her clenched right fist up and answered cheerfully.

“Yes! Oppa!”

Lucy Nuna frowned and urged.

“Who’s your Oppa!”

Mona covered her mouth with her right hand and made a fuss.

“Oh my, oh my! Jealous?”

I urged Mona.

“Stop joking and hurry up.”

Mona went up to the platform prepared among the Tentacles in the north, picked up the mana speaker, and shouted loudly.

“I am Mona of the Margrave Territory! Mom! The Margrave Territory has already been occupied! Please surrender quickly! The King of Darkness said he will spare those who surrender and give them food!”

As the humans began to buzz, Jegal shouted and refuted to prevent the human army from wavering.

“That woman is infected! Don’t be fooled! Monsters don’t spare humans!”

But Mona continued to encourage surrender in a sweet voice.

I decided to give the soldiers hope.

Suddenly, the Tentacles and Slimes brought griddles and properly butchered meat and grilled the meat from all directions.

Lucy Nuna, the wind Slime, blew the wind so that the smell of meat flowed into the center of the city.

Chi-iiiiik, chi-iiiiik.

The meat was cooked deliciously, and a savory smell flowed into the human camp.

All the meat being grilled was human meat, but once butchered, it was no different from livestock meat.

The noses of the humans, who had been eating sparingly for several days and had skipped breakfast today, twitched, and their mouths watered.

Margrave Claris was worried about a problem different from meat.

Margrave Claris was a 44-year-old woman, and she was shocked because her daughter had fallen into the hands of the enemy and her Margrave Territory had been occupied.

Margrave Claris was born and raised in her territory, and if she didn’t have her daughter and territory, she had nothing left.

Mona called Claris.

“Mom! Come quickly! The King of Darkness said he will let us continue to rule the territory!”

Margrave Claris was already incapable of normal thinking due to prolonged hunger, stress, and the shock caused by her daughter.

Even when Margrave Claris looked closely at Mona’s face, there were no signs of abuse.

Margrave Claris thought it wouldn’t be bad to live under the King of Darkness if she could rule the territory with her daughter.

Margrave Claris gave her knights a look and slowly started walking north where Mona was.

Jegal, Louisa, and the Vanguard Knights noticed and blocked the path of Claris’s group.

Margrave Claris glared at Jegal and demanded.

“What is this?”

Jegal questioned.

“That’s what I want to say. You’re not thinking of surrendering, are you?”

“I’ll do what I want, so get out of the way, won’t you?”

“You’re crazy. We can’t give sacrifices to monsters.”

Margrave Claris took out her weapon, a sword, and everyone around her took out their weapons.

Claris’s group was trying to go north, and Jegal’s group was blocking their path, forming a battle.

Mona’s desperate cry was heard again.

“Mom! Come quickly! I want to be with Mom!”

That was the fuse.

Margrave Claris shouted.

“I will surrender! Everyone, break through to the north!”

Claris’s knights charged with a “Woaaaaaah” shout, and Jegal’s group also took up their respective weapons and blocked the path of Claris’s group, and a battle broke out.

At that time, the soldiers around them saw that and shouted that even the nobles were leaving, so they would leave too, and started going outside.

“We surrender too!”

“I’m going out! I want to eat meat too!”

This atmosphere was transmitted to the entire human army in an instant, and countless humans tried to leave, and there were also those who stopped them.

Battles broke out in various parts of the human army between those who wanted to surrender and those who wanted to stop them.

Chaeng, chaeng, kang, euaaaaak, pajik.

“I’ll go out as I please, so get lost!”

“No! You can’t go out!”

In some places, the barricades were broken, and surrendering people poured out.

When the surrendering people arrived at the Tentacle group, the Tentacles picked up a piece of meat each and gave it to them, and the surrendering people drooled and chewed on the meat.

The Tentacles opened a path for the surrendering people, and the surrendering people cheered and ran out, but all of them were infected with brain-parasitic Tentacles in a place where no one could see.

Now, the Tentacles and Slimes also loudly encouraged surrender.

“Kieeeek. Surrenderers will be spared!”

“Surrender! We are not enemies of humans!”

“Come if you want to eat meat!”

Humans, whose minds were exhausted from hunger and stress, poured out.

I was watching Claris fighting to get out.

Claris’s group was having a hard time because they had fewer numbers than Jegal’s group.

I thought I should help Claris’s group.

I gave an order loudly so that everyone could hear.

“Advance the entire army! Surrenderers will be sent away!”

The army of Tentacles and Slimes began to advance to the center.

The humans who were trying to come out hesitated, but when the Tentacles and Slimes sent away those who came out, they ran out excitedly.

The number of soldiers to defend was already decreasing, and when the Tentacles and Slimes came over, it was no longer important for Jegal and the Vanguard Knights to stop Margrave Claris.

Jegal gave an order with the power of the Wind Spirit King Silphid so that the entire army could hear.

“All survivors gather at the Marquis’s mansion!”

The Marquis’s mansion was surrounded by stone walls, so it was possible to hold out.

Jegal and the Vanguard Knights spat at Claris’s group and ran to the mansion.

Humans who had not surrendered to the monsters also ran to the mansion.

The human soldiers’ morale was already at rock bottom, so the army of Tentacles and Slimes quickly surrounded the stone wall of the Marquis’s mansion.

Only dead humans and infected people were left around.

I walked slowly to the mansion with Mona and the Tentacle Heroes.

Margrave Claris and 18 Margrave Knights greeted me.

Mona ran to her mother and hugged her tightly.

“Mom! I’m glad you’re alive!”

Margrave Claris hugged her daughter and shed tears.

As I approached, Margrave Claris made a decision.

“I will go under the King of Darkness. Please spare me and my daughter and allow me to rule my territory.”

“Okay. But you must accept my dark power instead.”

Margrave Claris flinched.

Like every rose has thorns, the King of Darkness’s tongue was sweet, and there would be a price.

At that time, Mona hugged her mother and urged.

“Mom! Becoming a member of darkness by receiving the power of darkness is the only way we can live. And I’m still your daughter.”

Margrave Claris closed her eyes for a moment, then nodded and agreed.

“I will receive the power of darkness.”

Ttiriring.

[Baptize Claris Yuzla using 200pt.]

My Tentacles covered Claris, and the energy of darkness entered her.

Twenty minutes later, she came out as a Tentacle Hero with a refreshed face.

I asked.

“How is it?”

“Thank you. Mona, you were right.”

“Right? Mom can be with me now too! Wuaaaaah!”

I looked at the 18 knights and asked.

“The only way for you to live is to receive the power of darkness and become my subordinates.”

Claris rebuked the knights.

“What kind of manners are you showing to the King of Darkness! Accept the power of darkness quickly!”

Seven knights approached hesitantly.

“We, we will also receive the power.”

In that way, seven more people were baptized and reborn as Tentacle Heroes with happy faces.

I looked at the remaining 11 people and asked.

“What are you going to do?”

“We serve the Goddess Elia! No matter what the Margrave says, we cannot receive the power of darkness. We will remain human!”

Claris and the knights who had become Tentacle Heroes had displeasure on their faces towards the 11 humans.

I nodded to Claris and gave a signal.

Claris grabbed one of the knight’s shoulders from both sides and pressed down, and the knight was surprised and asked.

“Margrave Yuzla-nim?”

“Come to think of it, you. You look very delicious?”

Claris’s mouth opened, and a Tentacle came out and pierced the knight’s eyes, and the knight withered like a mummy.

The remaining 10 knights took out their weapons with terrified faces and shouted.

“She’s become a real monster! That’s not the Margrave anymore!”

The newly born seven knight Tentacle Heroes and all the Tentacle Heroes around me rushed in, and the remaining 10 turned into dried-up mummies.

I said to Claris.

“I will give you and the seven knights the position of Archbishop.”

Claris bowed to me and said happily.

“As you wish. Master.”

Claris and Mona will manage Claris City.

Now, in the Marquis’s mansion, Jegal, Louisa, the Vanguard Knights, and several thousand soldiers were making their last stand.

I spread my Tentacle wings wide and flew into the sky, giving orders to the entire army.

“Bring Jegal and Jegal’s woman!”

The Tentacle Elite Soldiers had already crossed the wall of the mansion and were fighting with the humans inside.

The soldiers around me shouted all at once and ran to the mansion.

Claris laughed and shouted.

“Hahahaha! I’ll catch Jegal first!”

Mona, holding a magic wand, shouted so as not to be outdone.

“Mom! I’ll catch him too!”

I flew to the mansion.

In my eyes, I could see the humans huddled together in a semicircle at the main gate of the mansion, resisting.

Most of the soldiers were dead, and Jegal, Jegal’s woman, and the knights were fighting against the Tentacle Elite Soldiers and Slimes.

Jegal was summoning the four Spirit Kings in the middle of the humans.

The Water Spirit King Elquines, the Fire Spirit King Ifrit, and the Wind Spirit King Silphid were flying around, shooting spears of water, fire, and wind in all directions.

When Jegal gave a signal, a giant earth hand of the Earth Spirit King Noahs appeared in the place where the Tentacles were gathered and pressed down on them.

I admired Jegal.

“Hoo. That’s a really coveted ability.”

The one who was thought to be Jegal’s woman was acting as a shield warrior in the front row.

Translucent blue walls that she created appeared in various places, blocking the incoming ranged attacks and disappearing.

When Jegal and I made eye contact, Jegal shouted in anger.

“If only you! If only you weren’t here!”

I looked at Jegal in the air and raised one hand.

A giant dark magic circle appeared above me, and hundreds of infinite dark Tentacle spears flew towards the remaining humans and were newly created and fired.

Papatapapang.

The knights who couldn’t block them were pierced by the spears and screamed before the Tentacles grew and exploded.

“Euaaaaah!” (Pung!)

Fragments of humans and blood that had been torn apart by the spears flew around.

Jegal’s four Spirit Kings fought against my dark Tentacle spears and shot spears.

The Water Spirit King Elquines (female) shouted while shooting several water spears.

“Jegal, don’t give up! Good will surely overcome evil!”

The Fire Spirit King Ifrit (female) shouted while shooting several fire spears.

“You who are bullying our little one! Die now!”

The Wind Spirit King Silphid (male) shouted while shooting several wind spears.

“The wind cuts everything!”

The Earth Spirit King Noahs (male) grumbled while shooting several earth spears.

“I’m not fighting for Jegal. But I’ll still get rid of you!”

In the middle, my dark Tentacle spears and the spears of water, fire, wind, and earth collided, creating a huge roar.

Kwang, kwagagagang, pajijik, kang, kuaaang.

Currently, Jegal’s body was not in good condition due to malnutrition and stress, and he had already used a lot of mana fighting the monsters.

The King of Darkness’s attack was too much for Jegal.

Blood gushed from Jegal’s mouth as the mana circuit reversed due to the excessive use of the four Spirit Kings.

But Jegal did not stop.

“I won’t give up! You demon bastard!”